I have backpacked all over Colorado for years and rifle hunted (out of a wall tent) for years. However, my buddy wants to do a backpacking bow hunt - essentially combining the two adventures. (Go out Friday, hunt Saturday, Sunday and Monday, come back Tuesday). I've never "backpack hunted" so I'm turning here for some help.

During my rifle hunts, I carry an empty Meat Pack (that has storage along the belt for day hunt supplies) It's this one ---> Frame Pack
I have hauled quite a bit of weight out with it (including a very nice buck this past season)

I also have a Great Star (HUGE) internal frame backpack from REI and an REI flash 62. With these set ups, I've got my weight for a 3-5 day trip down to 30lbs. I have lots of lightweight backpacking equipment that should cover my needs for the hunt as far as equipment goes...

However, my question is, what pack would you suggest taking? I doubt the REI flash 62 bag will carry meat very well as it's an ultra lightweight bag. But it would make the trip into camp pretty nice. I'm not crazy about putting quarters of elk/deer in my giant star as I'll keep using this for summer/spring backpacking (larger/longer trips) when I'm not hunting... And honestly, it's so big it makes it easy to overpack...

So I'm leaning toward using the frame pack and possibly getting a bag to lash onto it (perhaps a "tactical style" bag). Then, when I get to camp, just ditch The suspension on this is subpar to say the least, but if we get an animal down, having a meat hauler would be handy. I like the Badlands Ox setup, but at $500, I'd like to see if I can use one of the set ups I already have...

Sorry for the long post, but I would rather give more info than needed than not enough. Thanks in advance.

I've carried my old Great Star on a bunch of hunting trips and have packed elk and deer with it. Cinch it down during day trips and rest easy knowing you have the cubes to stuff it when it counts.

Your rig will work but it seems most backpack hunters wind up with something from Mystery Ranch (no experience) or a Kifaru Longhunter (a little experience with that one).

Having said that, folks were packing out critters on Kelty and Jansport frame packs for decades before either came to pass.

I'd get a good daypack and a cuben drybag, then lash it all to your pack frame and go hunt. That's going to be your cheapest solution.

The disadvantage is if you get one down 3 miles from camp you've got to go back to camp, get the frame, then go back to the kill site, covering 6 miles before you pack your first load of meat.

The advantage is cost, and a daypack is much nicer to use while hunting than most frames. Lots more freedom of movement, and easier in timber or brush.

Of course you could get a daypack that will carry at least a decent amount of meat for a first load....lots of good options for you, and I wouldn't invest in a $500+ pack until you know you'll be doing this type hunt often.

A little detergent will clean the blood up in your Great Star for summer jaunts. Here's 110 lbs in one. It does well but mine is getting floppy in the waistbelt after so many years.

Carry the Greatstar in. Ditch the pack while hunting and just carry the top lid as a fanny pack with your essentials. Especially while bow hunting, you don't want a big pack on your back anyways. Get an animal down and go get the big pack from camp.
If you're going further from camp, do as suggested above and just cinch down the mostly empty big pack and carry it with you. Only, this time, strip off the top lid and leave it at camp so you're carrying only as much of the pack as you have to. Taking the top lid off reduces the pack profile so you hang up less in the brush.
The packcloth will clean up fine with mild dishwashing soap and water.

You absolutely cannot backpack hunt with less than a $600 pack...absolute rule set in stone. And $600 is the "entry level" price.

That said, I backpack hunted out of a used Dana Design Terraplane I found on Ebay, and I've packed whitetails out in a $180 Eberlestock. I found a great deal on an Eberlestock J107 Dragonfly on Ebay for around $200.

But I'm apparently a slow learner.

Use what you have and go have fun.

I've been playing around with a Bozeman made Dana Stillwater (same suspension as the Terraplane). That's a lot of pack for the money! I prefer that $200-$225 pack to the $900 McHale I demoed, and the two MR's, and the 9 Kifaru's.....VERY nice pack for the money.

Sounds to me like your a regular enough backpacker to justify one of the higher end packs. Kifaru, Mchale, Mystery Ranch etc....

My experience is mostly with Kifaru. I'd look into the new Bikini/Highcamp combo as it is a very light, tough, well thought out system.

I like my Horn Hunter packs better than I did MR or Kifaru, so no if it fits you do not have to spend $600.00 unless you want to. Buy what fits, not what those on the internet and advertising tells you.

I think the first thing you have to ask yourself is whether or not you're going to haul the whole animal out in one trip or take multiple trips?

If your answer is one trip, then I would invest in a large sturdy pack that fits you and supports 150 lbs of boned deer and the rest of your gear. Obviously elk is a multiple trip deal.

I don't make those kinds of trips these days, so I'll tell you what I do. I wear the pack that I like best, which happens to be a Gregory Baltoro 75 at the moment. It's not a "hunting" pack but it fits me better than any other internal I've tried so far. When I kill an animal I take out a small load along with my camp gear, rifle, etc. and head for the trailhead. When I get there, I swap out my internal for an external pack that I prefer for hauling heavy loads, and make the required trips necessary to get the rest.

Best of both worlds.

KC,

What is your Extrenal that you use for hauling meat?

It's a MOLLE frame with an attached load sling. You can see it here if you like www.adventureoutfittersinc.com

It comes with a bag too, but I only use the bag on day hunts. I seem to be using it less these days, as I have been using internal framed packs much more frequently.

But, for just hauling meat I still prefer an external and this one hauls heavy weight very well for me.

I have used the same method as KC before and with the current selection of packs, it is my preferred method.

KC,you're the first person I've encountered who actually likes the MOLLE frame pack. You must have a weird back. Don't throw it around much, 'cause it'll break in half. That thing won't survive parachuting, the 82nd ABN figured that out PDQ.

On the other hand, the old Coleman RAM-X frames were just about indestructable, and would survive untold numbers of jumps. Too bad they don't make 'em anymore.

Enjoy...



http://barneyssports.com/backpacks/frontier-gear-of-alaska-frieghter-frame-pinnacle-pack.html

That pack looks like it needs wheels and a draft animal. Some folks just need to learn to live with less.

I don't know if my back is weird or not, but the MOLLE frame fits my back as if my back was used for the mold. As far as liking it, I don't know if I can say that anymore, but I prefer it for very specific tasks like hauling heavy loads of meat. For (almost) everything else these days, I'll take a internal.

Is the RAM-X frame the same as the frame used on the PEAK-1? I have a 25 year old PEAK-1 pack that I used longer than I'd care to admit. Either way, I don't see me jumping out of any planes in the near future.

That is the one. Gen Jackson's surplus on Bragg BLVD in Fayetteville used to modify ALICE bags to fit those frames. Everybody, especially the medics, really loved them.

What about packing in to camp with your frame pack (since I assume you like it) and get a good hunting size fanny pack for your day hunts from camp. If the fanny (sorry, lumbar) pack can hold game bags, light weight rain wear, knife, water + treatment, and some food you are good for the day. If you get something down, quarter it up, carry out what little meat you can and go get your frame.

I love Kifaru packs and have enough of their products to have a controlling interest in the company but if this is your first backpack hunt maybe just use what you have (ok, buy a lumbar pack).

Kifaru, and some other makers, like to push the whole "compress your pack for day use and expand for the big meat haul". That's ok for rifle hunting but I find it a bit much for bow hunting. I have a Kifau spike camp that is all I want to wear when carrying my bow. Generally prefer a fanny pack as described above. FWIW, I'm not very big. Bigger guys may not have such an issue.

I've always been an external frame guy - been using a Cabela's frame. I was excited about the MOLLE based systems, but they didn't fit me well at all. On a side note, the newer versions of the MOLLE frame are much tougher - you would need to use an amount of force that would bend the crap out of my aluminum frame to break it.

I just got an ILBE surplus pack. I think it's the best bargain price pack out there. Probably the closest you'll get to a Kifaru on a tight budget. Mine fits like a glove and hauls weight well. I can carry the weight of my camp all day no problem. A heavy pack-out isn't quite the same comfort, but definitely good enough to get it done. I've got a lot of miles on it already and really like it!