Best hunting frame pack for 5 day elk trip in Idaho

[xmanpike]

I am planinng on going Elk hunting in Idaho this year and will be needing a hunfting frame pack (my friend already has one), to bring in camp and pack out meat for a 5 day hunt. Well, hopefully we will need it for packing out meat

Who has one, and what do you and do you not love about it?

Thanks

MC

By the way I am 5'8 165 lbs

 

[longdayjake]

It really depends on what type of country you will be hunting. Well, maybe not. Probably any pack will do, but here in Idaho we have elk in the high mountains, thick trees, low valleys, sagebrush covered plains, and in our back yards at times. I would pick a pack most suitable for the type of terrain you will be hiking. Here in Southeast Idaho we just drive to where we are going and we don't get too far from our vehicle if we don't have to. I worked in a hospital for 4 years and I can't tell you how many guys died or had severe heart attacks because they were in bad shape for a deer or elk hunt.

So, my best advice for how to carry stuff in and out of a hunt is to take more thought and care of your permanent equipment than of anything detachable. If you are in bad shape when you get here you are in a world of hurt regardless of what pack you use. On the other hand, if you are in pretty good shape then most packs will do you just fine.

 

[exbiologist]

I use the Cabela's Alaskan Guide frame pack. It's about as big as they come, is strong enough for packing out elk quarters and you can fit a heck of a lot of gear in it and strapped along the outsides of it. I would not recommend an internal frame pack.

 

[H&Hhunter]

Kifaru makes a pack called the Long Hunter. I have an older one and I've never found or used a better pack/pack frame ever. It is a modular internal/external frame pack. It's pretty awesome.

If you are going to get the kifaru make sure and add on the gun bearer system there is no better way to carry a rifle on a pack. It attaches to the front of the shoulder strap either left or right and sucks up against the front of your shoulder. It has quick release system that allows you to bring your rifle to action almost as fast as if you were holding it in your hand. In the demo the guy shoots skeet with his shotgun starting in the strapped position.

http://www.kifaru.net/longhunter.html

 

[Bwana John]

Get an old Kelty "Tioga" external frame.

Do NOT go with a internal frame.

Better yet, pack your gear in and out in your pack, but hire a outfitter with a horse or mule to pack out the meat.

 

[xmanpike]

I have already started training for this hunt. I have read multiple times that a lot of this hunt will depend on my conditioning. I have always been in pretty good shape, but am planning on getting seriously prepared for this. thanks for the answers so far, keep em coming.

 

[X-Rap]

I like the kelty freighter style the best. I can take a front and hind out with little trouble. The pack bag is troublesome to get on and off so I would consider just hauling your gear in a couple duffles straped to the frame on a hunting trip.

 

[ArmedBear]

Just get the Kifaru per H&H and spend your time training, not looking for a pack.

Where are you going, BTW?

 

[grubbylabs]

Just remember the bigger the pack the more "stuff" you wind up taking. So I would get together all the stuff you think you Need and all the stuff you want. The seriously evaluate all of it and just how bad do you need it with you and weather or not it can stay at a base camp or at the truck. When you have your gear situated then look at how big of a pack do you need to cary the gear. That's all the bigger I would get. Chances are you are not going to pack out meat and gear all at once so I would only get a pack big enough for your necessary gear and use that to pack the meat out with then go back for your gear.


The other thing is if you have never packed an elk out of the back country you may want to consider an out fitter with horses to pack your meat for you. If you get a mature animal you could end up with 200-400 lbs of meat to pack and if you are in more than a mile or two, you could have a hard time getting the meat out before it spoils.

Here in Idaho the weather will do what ever it wants at any time, you just never know what is going to happen.

Oh and yes altitude is a big problem, go see a doctor before you and your partners come. If you have any hint of a hart issue the altitude will kill you. I worked in the main hospital ER in Idaho Falls and we saw quite a few dead people from yellow stone.

Being in shape for where you are at and being in shape for 8,000 plus feet are two different things. Plus it is so dry hear you could almost jerk meat just letting it sit out for an afternoon.

 

[xmanpike]

Right now we are thinking of trying to get into selway or middle fork areas. Selway is almost out of rifle hunting non resident tags, so might have to bow hunt, or try middle fork.

 

[grubbylabs]

If you want to Archery hunt let me know I will have more time to hunt this year and might have room for more people in camp. In fact I am not sure my usual partners will have time this year and I know for sure one is moving back to Az.

 

[hso]

Sorry, but packs are a little far afield from firearms for hunting.