Bear hunt in two weeks & no pack

[kingfisherfleshy]

Advanced Warning. I realize that I am an idiot and should have done all of this sooner.

Here goes. I am now realizing that (if successful) there is no way I am going to drag or cart out my WI public land bear, whos season starts on the 7th.

I have a kifaru pack - but due to budget I had been waiting to buy a frame until next year for a planned Western hunt.

Now I'm on a tight budget and in need of a pack. Id bite the bullet and buy a kifaru but I started this search two weeks ago and kifaru is 8-12 weeks out. Should I go with a different system?

Kills me to already have the pack and just need a frame.

Im 6'1" 210 36-38" waist (medium) and need long shoulder straps...in kifaru sizes.

 

[Coveyleader]

Craigslist, market place and get a Kelly cache hauler or similar type pack. Problem solved.

 

[BAKPAKR]

I ordered an EXO yesterday morning and got the shipping notice later in the afternoon. If you see one you like, email them to see if it is in stock set up the way you want (color/hip belt/frame).

 

[Billy Goat]

You don't need a premium pack to have on you all the time.

Get a big external freighter frame, like the Kelty, or any number of others. Keep it in your vehicle, go get it when you need it. Just requires extra trip.

 

[Scoot]

Get a Kelly cache hauler or buy a used kifaru frame from the classifieds here. Both good options, but I'd do the latter.

 

[Gone4Days]

good luck

 

[FLATHEAD]

You dont need Bouji to hunt.
I'll 2nd Craigslist, Ebay.

 

[MTPipeliner]

Many sporting good stores like cabelas, scheels, etc carry freighter type pack frames

 

[kingfisherfleshy]

Get a Kelly cache hauler or buy a used kifaru frame from the classifieds here. Both good options, but I'd do the latter.

This was my hope.

Unfortunately after working on kifaru insiders for a couple weeks and coming here, we are cutting it very close and Im apparently not allowed to post in the classifieds. I really dont want to buy something I dont need - Im on a budget but still in the "buy once, cry once" camp.

I'm going to need a frame no matter what, but getting one in those specifications has been hard. One did sell here three weeks ago that would have been perfect.

 

[Desk Jockey]

There is an MR cabinet in the classifieds. You could use it for this hunt and then probably sell it for what you paid. You would only be out $50 or so for shipping. .mil molle ruck is under $100 with frame. $45 ALICE pack will haul some monster loads.

good luck

 

[EastHumboldt]

Sportsmans warehouse generally stocks the alps outdoors freighter which is like a Kelty. It’s a decent pack and almost comfortable. I carried one for a number of years, carried some meat in it. Not as good as the higher and stuff but it worked. And if I recallIt was around 100 bucks?

I sold mine later for about half what I paid.

 

[kingfisherfleshy]

Any opinions on a kifaru bikini frame?

I have been offered one in my right size - but have been concerned over some of the talk of it not being a load hauler.

Otherwise I will start investigating these other options.

Thank you to everyone for the advice

 

[dingle]

Any opinions on a kifaru bikini frame?

I have been offered one in my right size - but have been concerned over some of the talk of it not being a load hauler.

Otherwise I will start investigating these other options.

Thank you to everyone for the advice

You're thinking too hard. Cheap hauler until you can land a Kifaru frame for 2023. Case closed!

 

[Scoot]

Any opinions on a kifaru bikini frame?

I have been offered one in my right size - but have been concerned over some of the talk of it not being a load hauler.

Otherwise I will start investigating these other options.

Thank you to everyone for the advice

Bikini is awesome- breathes well and can handle a hell of a lot more than I can.

 

[Agross]

Get the bikini frame and be done worrying. If it’s not perfect , sell it after yer hunt, for probably little or no loss and then get the frame you think you want.

 

[Coveyleader]

Couple questions.

How far in are you? After all it’s WI not ID.

How are you currently getting your bait in?

The heaviest part of a bear is the hide.

Worst comes to worse, put quarter in a game bag, walk it out over your shoulder. Or get a little sled and pull everything out. A bear quarter is nothing. I don’t anticipate anything super steep, walk cape out to where you can get it with a wheel barrel or cart which every person in WI has.

 

[JAM7]

I’ve been bear hunting in Wisconsin all my life, and have never skinned a WI black bear before getting it out of the woods (and that includes a few 500+ lb boars).

What experience do you have bear hunting, and judging their size? A lot of hunters misjudge the size of their bears due to the long hair, and end up taking young bears that are under 200 lbs. at that size, you should have no trouble getting it out with a cheap sled. As someone said above, Wisconsin is not Idaho, and the bait you’re hunting over probably isn’t that far from a logging road that is accessible for an atv or larger vehicle.

 

[kingfisherfleshy]

It IS Wisconsin. But theres no way you are getting a sled to where the bait is.

So dense if you were 75' feet from the bait you wouldnt be able to see any part of it. The "trail" I use to get to this area is about a mile and is more down trees than path. Dragging it out of here isnt happening.

Wisconsin has a bait limit of 10 gallons. So I take in two five gallon buckets (not full to the top) and I fill up a Kifaru Eastern Ruck with groundfall apples and trail mix and pack it in. Not much fun - but have seen a few shooters at least.

This is my first bear hunt - and I've been judging bears based off of shoulder height.

 

[Agross]

Good luck and don’t forget some pics if you get one

 

[robtattoo]

It's going to suck, but it's only a mile. Just use your eastern. If you can fill that with apples AND carry 2 5 gallon buckets of bait, you could get a bear out. Bone it out & by the time you've got bones & guts, you're down to half the weight. Realistically, 150lb tops. You can do that in 2 trips. Hell, I did 70lb, 8 miles, uphill in Colorado & I'm fat as shit!