elk yinzer
Well-Known Member
Curious what you guys that go in deep are using to transport everything. The #1 reason I am trying saddle hunting is to be able to streamline my setup. I want everything to fit into the sleekest backpack possible. The big draw over a treestand is that I can cut that bulk and be able to get through brush more easily.
What really differentiates me from what I gather most other guys are running here is that I also want the option to take in gamebags, quarter a deer, and bring everything out in one trip (or more likely cache my gear and pack the deer out). So that leads me to external frame packs, which I am very comfortable with from my elk hunting experiences.
I will need to carry:
3 modified helium sticks
Platform (building a cutdown LW Assault)
Clothes (I walk in with baselayers and dress at the tree)
Saddle, LB, tether
Water and food for long sits
Misc gear - bow hook, knives, rangefinder, grunt tube
I pretty much know what I am going to use this year. My elk hunting pack is a Mystery Ranch NICE frame with a Metcalf bag. I'd love to cut a few pounds with some of the newer frames out there. Really like the looks of Stone Glacier and Seek Outside frames, but I've spent too much $ already this offseason so I am going to see what I can do with what I got.
I need to play around with the Metcalf and see if it is going to work, or if I need to look at more of a load sling/dry bag type arrangement and just strap my sticks and platform right onto the pack frame.
Another issue is scent...now I am not a scent control guy and never will be, but my pack frame smells like hockey pads from sweating in it a lot. I am not going to go nuts, but I do plan to take it up the tree with me so I need to find a washing method that cuts the stank down to a tolerable level.
Like I said, just brainstorming this and throwing this out there to see if there is anyone out there with similar setups and what has worked for you?
What really differentiates me from what I gather most other guys are running here is that I also want the option to take in gamebags, quarter a deer, and bring everything out in one trip (or more likely cache my gear and pack the deer out). So that leads me to external frame packs, which I am very comfortable with from my elk hunting experiences.
I will need to carry:
3 modified helium sticks
Platform (building a cutdown LW Assault)
Clothes (I walk in with baselayers and dress at the tree)
Saddle, LB, tether
Water and food for long sits
Misc gear - bow hook, knives, rangefinder, grunt tube
I pretty much know what I am going to use this year. My elk hunting pack is a Mystery Ranch NICE frame with a Metcalf bag. I'd love to cut a few pounds with some of the newer frames out there. Really like the looks of Stone Glacier and Seek Outside frames, but I've spent too much $ already this offseason so I am going to see what I can do with what I got.
I need to play around with the Metcalf and see if it is going to work, or if I need to look at more of a load sling/dry bag type arrangement and just strap my sticks and platform right onto the pack frame.
Another issue is scent...now I am not a scent control guy and never will be, but my pack frame smells like hockey pads from sweating in it a lot. I am not going to go nuts, but I do plan to take it up the tree with me so I need to find a washing method that cuts the stank down to a tolerable level.
Like I said, just brainstorming this and throwing this out there to see if there is anyone out there with similar setups and what has worked for you?