The perfect pack for hunting coues.

[COA]

Maybe it's just me but I have relentlessly been searching for the best pack for a weekend coues hunter. (I have 3 kids so a week hunt for rifle coues isn't realistic)I thought I had the perfect pack last season via mystery ranch but the day pack I had fell short when packing out. Recently on my elk hunt I took my wife's kuiu 1850 and I'm thinking this thing could be the best pack for a 3 day coues hunt. It doesn't check every box but I'm thinking it could be pretty dang close. For my coues hunts I pack light since the weather isn't cold and can get hot. Previously I would quarter out..load my pack with all the meat, sew the two hind quarters together hide on and drag them behind. But I'm thinking of getting poles and shouldering cape horns and meat (bone in)

 

Post pics on what you are running

 

I have given thought to a pack frame with a cargo but I carry lots of water for myself and for field dressing. And my victory coke!!

[DesertBull]

Ive been thru a lot of packs over the last few years. Several Eberlestocks, The Outdoorsman, etc

 

Currently using Mystery Ranch Metcalf. Compresses down to daypack size but has a meat shelf and expands out to full 4-5 day backpacking size. I only wish it had more pockets but I added a couple of belt pouches.

[buddydog]

Outdoorsmans seems to be working for me. Like DesertBull stated, I too have been through a few different packs.

[SHREK]

I just picked up the exo gear 3500. I think it feels better than the icon. The kuiu felt like i was ratchet strapped to plywood.

[HuntHarder]

I use Kifaru and I have different bags that attach to the frame based on what my hunt will be. For a 3 day hunt, I use either the nomad or the 22mag. For longer hunts I would attach the DT2. Check them out, they are expensive, but well worth it with the lifetime warranty and made in the usa, not to mention the versatility of switching bags pretty quickly

[COA]

Pics ?^^^

[bigj23]

Team elk bag works great. Built in scabbard. I use the scabbard for my sporting scope and chair. Lots of pockets and it has a meat shelf. It is also really comfortable with good ventilation to prevent sweating.

[HuntHarder]

It's hard to show the bags capability in pics unless I mount each one on the frame and stuff them. Look at kifaru.net and this is shown pretty good. They also have lots of YouTube videos. Pm me your # and I can text you some photos, they just won't show the bags as well as Kifaru's site does.

[Guest oneshot]

I use badlands packs, diablo for single day trips and the super day pack for multi day hunts...Deer hunts...

I also bone-out meat, cut the antlers out and leave the hide(for 125-150$$ your Taxi-man will find one). meat gets wrapped in a shamag and tied to the outside of the pack...

 

If you are field dressing carefully/correctly, you should have very little blood to clean off hands/knives...(clean hands with dirt, then clean the dirt off)

Please tell me you are NOT washing the meat???

 

photo is of a Bow Coues, in a diablo badlands pack, day trip, meat is inside the pack, as I de-bone i place the cuts in shade to "skin-over) then wrap in a shamag, cut off antlers when I got home(30mins away)...

 

But then again, everyones skills/needs/hunts are different,and a few packs may be needed for single day/muliti day hunts, so find what works for YOU and your style... Good Luck...

[COA]

That is a dandy of a buck one shot congrats on the haul..Negative on washing meat. But if I hang a back strap and it makes a tumble to the earth I will rinse dirt off before bagging or if it gets placed on the hide it gets rinsed. I prefer my pack rack cause I can cover any terrain without adjustment where a day pack they tend to shift and carry a bit differently. Maybe I'm just a diva. Or like to buy a new pack every year.

[Guest oneshot]

Thanks COA... Diva??? nah man, you are just trying to figure it out like the rest of us hahaha... I tend to carry the bare minimum in gear, so smaller/lighter packs are my choice...

 

Dirt on the meat doesnt do harm, you are going to cut-off the silver-skin/fat/sinew anyway, and once the meat gets 'skined-over", the flies cant lay eggs... Getting meat wet will cause bact. growth/spread of nasty's...

[PseAZ]

I've been using the 2200 from badlands and love it, almost too much room most of the times. Love the flaps keeps my spotter and tripod protected. Also the meat bag is nice We usually put the inner loins and back straps in it then haul out the rest in the flap compartment.

[cjl2010]

Ive got 2 Kifaru frames and Im down to 2 different bags. Dt2 and reckoning. Dt2 has hauled out a full quartered coues plus all my shoot, tripod spotter binos jacket etc. dt2 has also carried out 2 cow elk rear quarts at the same time. Took some engineering to get them in through the top but it worked. I havent hauled anything in the reckoning but with the center zip it should make life easier.

[firstcoueswas80]

Best pack with weight I've ever worn is a badlands 2200. I use an Outdoorsman for deer hunting.

[Ed67]

I have an Eberlestock Just One that I've had boned coues, cape, skull, gear and rifle in during pack out. Sierra Tradong Post has them for 199.