Do I need to buy a dedicated meat hauler?

[karibunisana87]

Hello all,

I'm fairly new to hunting out west, and I'm not quite at the point where I'm about to head off on weeklong alpine expeditions in search of goats and elk. I will be hunting this coming fall, though, and I can hope to be carrying some elk pieces out of the woods, even if we're just two or three miles away from our vehicles.

I was wondering if I need to buy a pack frame like the Kelty Cache Hauler for that sort of thing. I've been backpacking for a long time, and the biggest pack I have is an 80 liter (4800 cu in) Mountainsmith pack that I actually really like (it replaced a Gregory Palisade, and I like it more). It seems to have a pretty stiff suspension and the construction is solid, at least by REI-type pack standards. Could hauling meat with an 80 liter internal frame pack be feasible? Is that too small, or am I just crazy to think this would be a good idea at all to use a non-hunting pack?

I'm not ready to spend much money, so I've kind of honed in on the Cache Hauler or the LL Bean Hunter Carryall if I decide I need to get a new pack. Someday down the line I can pass one of those on and get myself a Kifaru or Mystery Ranch pack, but not quite yet.

 

[JWP58]

Lots of people use a frame pack like the kelty cache hauler to pack meat. You can always use your backpack to carry out a first load and return with a meat hauler. It would be an economical solution, and tons of people do it.

 

[ams]

Get the kelty. The LL bean will not handle heavy weight well. It's two very thin aluminum stays riveted two a plastic frame sheet. 70 lbs really started to deform the suspension. The kelty will haul whatever you want.

 

[fatrascal]

In my opinion you only need one pack. Your day pack or your bivvy pack should be able to pack meat and should be more comfortable than a Kelty frame pack. You will be making multiple trips so you will bring out some meat with your gear.on the first trip and then meat on all of the remaining get trips.
You can definitely buy a separate frame pack to haul meat but if saving money is an issue then just go with one pack that can be used as a hunter and meat packer. Fatrascal.

 

[KMT]

The pack you have is fine.

 

[doverpack12]

I would say use the pack that you know fits and is comfortable for you.

 

[oldgoat]

Just bone out the meat and put in contractor style plastic bag or a trash compactor bag and use your current pack.

 

[Backpack Hunter]

There are a lot of people that use the Kelty with good results.
I would test yours out with some weight before hand to see how it carries the weight. My suspicion is you will see comfort declining around the 40lb mark.

Esse quam videri

 

[bmart2622]

You dont need a dedicated hauler, a guy can get by with one pack especially if its a higher end pack from Kifaru, SG, MR etc...But if you are on a budget and dont want to spend $600+ on a pack right now the Kelty is a good choice. Your current pack is designed fo backpacking and probably isnt designed for 70-80lbs loads. It should work great as a day pack and be able to haul out some meat the first trip and then you can grab your hauler.

 

[karibunisana87]

Thanks for all the info, fellas. Just curious - are there any currently produced mass-market backpacking packs that would be suitable for hunting loads? I've heard that the old Arcteryx and Dana Designs packs are great, but it's getting harder and harder to find those in good condition.

 

[bmart2622]

My hunting buddy used his original Dana Designs pack back from when they were made in Bozeman when we first started hunting together. It was a nice pack, but he also doesnt use it for hunting annymore if that says anything.

 

[Buglebrush]

Just use the pack you have until you can upgrade to Exo, Kifaru, etc... Just make sure you are very familiar with the boneless/gutless method of breaking an elk down. I carried 10-12 elk with my first pack a Kelty Redcloud internal frame.

 

[BroodBuster]

I think it's worth the investment. My buddy's all use the Cabelas Alaskan pack frame and I use one to carry all my duck

decoys. They're very multi functional. I've got a big Kifaru and a small Exo and still use the Alaskan frame several times a year for odd tasks along with the dekes. I have different bags I just zip-tie on and off as needed. So even if you upgrade your main pack in a year or two chances are you'll still have a use from an external frame pack.



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[ElwoodUT]

This has been a dispute by hunters for many years now. "Is there one pack that will work as a day pack and haul meat?"
There are a few packs that are truly designed for this, they have a meat shelf that is separate from the main pack so you wont have to put a bloody game bag in with your lunch.

I use the Horn Hunter Full Curl System, it is a very reasonably priced pack at a little over $300 and has everything that you would need. If you aren't planning on doing spike camp hunts then you may only need the Full Curl Combo which will save you even more money since it doesn't come with the large duffel bag portion. They also have a lifetime warranty.

 

[Jimss]

I used an Alaska guide frame from Cabelas for several years. It was downright dangerous on steep, rough country. The last time I used it I was packing out an elk and ended up on my back. The load shifted...and that was it...I got rid of it! The Alaska guide frame is so far from your torso that when packing hefty loads it torques on your back and can easily shift on your back.

After the frame pack I bought a Arcteryx Bora 90. I used and abused it for years and years. It held up well. When I started hunting Alaska sheep and goat I decided to try something a little lighter weight and switched over to Kifaru. Something similar to Kifaru or Stone Glacier would be a great investment, If you are going to do a bunch of packing it is definitely worth it! If you don't plan on using it too often I would suggest something similar to a Arcteryx Bora 95. You can likely pick one up almost new on Craigslist or Ebay for around $100....which is a great pack for the price!

If you are going to pack elk size critters I would definitely consider something over 5,000 cu in capacity. I'm pretty sure my Bora 95 was around 6,000 cu in. You'll need all the room you can get for hind qtrs., capes, etc. Better having one a little big that you can cinch tight than a small 4,500 cu in pack that won't fit plus isn't designed for 60+ lb loads!

 

[Idaho Sandman]

You're pack will work with smaller loads, more trips. I personally would invest in a pack frame, they're inexpensive and will haul more weight, more comfortably. I ran a two pack set up for a long time. Hauled a ton of elk and Moose with my Cabelas Alaskan ultralight frame. It hauled meat excellent and never shifted the meat on me, that's operator error by not securing the load properly. Even weighed a few loads that were just over 100lbs. It hauled them just fine.
I upgraded my set up this year to the EXOK2 2000 for a one pack solution.

 

[ben h]

I'd use the pack you have and just put game bags inside a contractor garbage bag and then place in the main compartment of your bag. That's what I do with my Kifaru if I don't have the meat hauler with me, which I seldom do on the 1st trip because I don't like hauling it around. Most of the "backpacking" packs I've seen and used are not really designed for much more than 65-70 lbs, so if you do pack them "heavy", I've seen straps break off, stitching open up etc, so be mindful of their limitation in that regard and you'll be fine. I wouldn't waste your money on a cheap dedicated hauler, I'd save and buy a better pack though.

 

[Kevin Dill]

My advice would be to take your current pack and load it with about 50-75 pounds of 'soft' weight like sand, milled corn, etc. Try to simulate a fairly heavy load of meat. Carry it on a few hikes in rough country and give it a workout, then examine it for any sign of wear or fatigue. You're an experienced backpacker so you should be pretty well capable of knowing what feels good and carries with good balance. Your current pack bag is certainly large enough for meat packing. Probably the main thing is adequate suspension, and the ability to secure the meat (if de-boned) in a manner which prevents the dreaded teardrop blob in the bottom of your pack. If that happens, you'll have much of the weight located in the lumbar area which is NOT good for health or happiness when packing. You can prevent that from happening by using a tapered meat carry bag available from Kifaru or Jimmy Tarps. I think the pack you own could certainly do a very good job.

If you feel you need more carrying capacity, the cheapest (and still good) option is a Kelty Cache Hauler or a Cabela's Alaskan Guide frame. I have a friend who has killed 4 huge bulls (moose) and used the same Cabela's frame to haul them out. Like them or don't...it's a personal thing. I think they are good for the cost and his track record of use speaks for itself. In your case I would only make that investment after trying your Mountainsmith (more than once) with a simulated load of meat and determining it doesn't do the job. Best of luck!

 

[KDF]

If you put 80 pounds in your current pack, you will know in about 2 minutes (literally) if it will handle the weight. My guess is that the load lifters won't function and that you will feel likely someone is trying to pull you over backwards. Best of luck.


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[justinspicher]

My advice would be to take your current pack and load it with about 50-75 pounds of 'soft' weight like sand, milled corn, etc. Try to simulate a fairly heavy load of meat. Carry it on a few hikes in rough country and give it a workout, then examine it for any sign of wear or fatigue. You're an experienced backpacker so you should be pretty well capable of knowing what feels good and carries with good balance. Your current pack bag is certainly large enough for meat packing. Probably the main thing is adequate suspension, and the ability to secure the meat (if de-boned) in a manner which prevents the dreaded teardrop blob in the bottom of your pack. If that happens, you'll have much of the weight located in the lumbar area which is NOT good for health or happiness when packing. You can prevent that from happening by using a tapered meat carry bag available from Kifaru or Jimmy Tarps. I think the pack you own could certainly do a very good job.

If you feel you need more carrying capacity, the cheapest (and still good) option is a Kelty Cache Hauler or a Cabela's Alaskan Guide frame. I have a friend who has killed 4 huge bulls (moose) and used the same Cabela's frame to haul them out. Like them or don't...it's a personal thing. I think they are good for the cost and his track record of use speaks for itself. In your case I would only make that investment after trying your Mountainsmith (more than once) with a simulated load of meat and determining it doesn't do the job. Best of luck!

Sound advice here.