Day Pack VS Cinched Down 75L Pack for Elk Hunting?

[rileybassman]

I will be the odd man out but I hunt thick brush in N Idaho and for me smaller and quieter take the lead when I made this decision. My small badlands carries all I need for day hunt and can carry a small first load out. I would rather hunt light and compact and quiet so I guess it depends on where you hunt if I was hunted alot more open terrain then it might be different. Where are you hunting?

This is kind of where I'm at too... Some of my hunts are either close to a camp or close to a truck... Or smaller critters (antler less whitetail). In those hunts, I like my tenzing tc 1250... I like my exo tho when I am out for longer and expect to haul meat. I don't like having a pack touch my head when I am brush busting on a drive etc.

 

[dunner543]

I know a lot of people probably wont like this option but I found that the guide lid was quite adequate as a day hunting pack. You can easily fit some food, water, extra clothes and kill kit in there. You're obviously not going to pack anything out with it but if you hunt fairly close to camp then why carry your big bag? Not sure about the Osprey you have but a lot of backpacking bags have the removable lid for a day pack option too. Have your partner go back to camp to retrieve the big bags while you start working on the animal.

 

[bpctcb]

I was hunting with an Osprey Aether 85 for my daypack this year. It compressed down quite well, but also hauled my spike camp in 4 miles. I had it on my back when I shot my elk at 12 yards; wasn't too noisy for that. Bows and muzzle loaders both attach to the Osprey rather easily.

I wouldn't put more than 80# in the Osprey. I kept a molle frame w/ large rucksack at my pickup and used it for the heavy hauling. Just put a contractor trash bag in whatever pack you use before loading up the game bags.

I want a Kifatu hunting duplex with an EMRII, but can't justify the cost when my other packs worked just fine this year.

BP

 

[MNScrambler]

I will be the odd man out but I hunt thick brush in N Idaho and for me smaller and quieter take the lead when I made this decision. My small badlands carries all I need for day hunt and can carry a small first load out. I would rather hunt light and compact and quiet so I guess it depends on where you hunt if I was hunted alot more open terrain then it might be different. Where are you hunting?

I'm planning on a September archery hunt in CO. Not sure what to expect regarding the amount of brush busting that will be required.

 

[unchained]

I have a cabelas frame pack with a big bag you could borrow and save up for a new pack. Should fit your daypack and camp no problem. I'm over in wisconsin. Let me know if your interested.

 

[MNScrambler]

Thanks unchained. I'll keep that in mind.

 

[CC]

If it was me, leave the day pack at home. I was fortunate enough to go on my first archery elk hunt this year. I first tried a Barneys frame (in case I got something) and had a Badlands 2800 attached. Note, I wanted to get a Kifaru Duplex and bag but couldn't get in time as we moved from Pa to Montana in Aug and didn't know I was going to be hunting. It was a pain to harness both together and Carry the extra 4.5 lbs in. I did day hunt with the 2800. The combination was a pain! so the following week I only could day hunt so I put on the 2800, hiked in the dark and had a 5x4 down by 7:30 am, deboned by 11:30. Now the fun begins! I was only 1.5 to 2 miles from the truck but.... I loaded up the 2800 with aprox 60lbs and the weight sagged to the bottom. I had to be back at 3:15 to pick the kids up at school so I put another quarter over my shoulders along with my bow. It almost killed me coming out. Took close to 2 hrs to get back to the truck and was terribly uncomfortable.... granted I had a quarter over my shoulders but there was no room in the pack. I rushed to school picked up the kids and still had time for another load before dark. Grabbed the Barneys frame, loaded 2 quarters and rack, weighed at home 105 lbs. I can be dumb sometimes, I have a bad back and recovering from Lyme disease and I wanted to see if I could do it! I'm 5'8 165 lbs That frame worked like a dream, no back pain the next day from leaning forward (Badlands and other lesser packs) and I made the trip out in less than 1 hr!!! with 20 lbs more weight! Please don't be upset with me by saying this, but I find the people here in Montana who use daypacks are either dragging animal to truck (Road/Ranch hunters, using horses, or only harvest and animal every 10 years or so. If that's you, stick with the day pack. If you plan on killing something when you go, do your self a favorite and only take the larger pack, but it has to be able to handle a load. If your packs not designed to handle the load, your trip will not be near as enjoyable and you could do something to your back... speaking from experience a good pack is less expensive then health care! Good luck on your decision.