Eastern Whitetail, Occasional Elk, and All Around Pack

[Millwood21]

Don’t have any experience with others but I have been using Exo for past few seasons and it’s been a great pack. I’ve packed a few white tails in it and I’ve gone on an elk and mule deer hunts the past two years as well with no luck unfortunately. Have been able to pack a few white tails in tho.

 

[hunting1]

My vote is the Exo K3 or Kuiu. One of my most favorite bags is the 3600 layout.

 

[Lowg08]

Here’s a cool idea if you are thinking kifaru. If you are needing it for elk too I’d go with a taller frame but this is a nice idea having that E&E to bring up the tree and leaving the big pack below

I can tell you from experience that big bag laying on the ground out of place will get you busted at least in public land. Or it will get full of ants. If your going to do that. Spray it down and hide it out of sight.

 

[Bearwhisky]

I can tell you from experience that big bag laying on the ground out of place will get you busted at least in public land. Or it will get full of ants. If your going to do that. Spray it down and hide it out of sight.

Im sure it can happen, but I leave my frame leaned up against the base of my tree and have never had a deer bust me because of it. Public land and high pressure private land. My thoughts are, if they get close enough to put their nose in my frame, They will also either be smelling my boot tracks, my sticks, my copenhagen spit, or I will have already shot them.


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[Lowg08]

Im sure it can happen, but I leave my frame leaned up against the base of my tree and have never had a deer bust me because of it. Public land and high pressure private land. My thoughts are, if they get close enough to put their nose in my frame, They will also either be smelling my boot tracks, my sticks, my copenhagen spit, or I will have already shot them.


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It could be I’m very unlucky. I’ve been busted twice.

 

[ddd-shooter]

It could be I’m very unlucky. I’ve been busted twice.

I hang my striker on a hook I keep in the pack behind my tree stand seat. Not always, but when I feel I might be picked out I take it up with me

 

[TheHammer]

The biggest thing is packs are like boots, it has to fit you. If you are able to try them on and test them out before purchasing. I like my MR packs. I have a popup 28 for my saddle setup and absolutely love it, I’ve used it for 1 night camps in the mountains elk hunting. Great little pack. I also have the pintler on a GL frame with the day lid added on. But if these packs don’t fit you, then my opinions are worthless for your needs. SG packs are highly regarded at my archery shop, the 2 guys who archery hunt with me every year swear by their exo 4800s. They tried on everything else and came back to the exos. All of them are great options, with excellent features. Good luck and let us know what you end up with.

 

[Lowg08]

I hang my striker on a hook I keep in the pack behind my tree stand seat. Not always, but when I feel I might be picked out I take it up with me

Mine goes up with me too. I always have a bow hanger and a pack hanger. I have the new transfer pack. Best whitetail pack out there. Not for packing an animal but it checks all the boxes. I honestly think I could pack out a whitetail using my stand as a shelf. Maybe. I actually used my pack to kind of hide behind the other day getting turned around to shoot the 7 point I took this year.

 

[Boarmaster]

Sawtooth 45.

 

[cjdewese]

I just bought the k3 4800 as well, it's plenty big for several days worth of gear but packs down easily for a day pack. I have only used it for a few hikes so far but really like it how it feels.

 

[jayhawk]

Exo or Kuiu. You won't need a 4800 size pack for whitetails, but being able to switch between small day packs for whitetails and larger packs for elk would be your best option I think.

 

[WV Mountaineer]

I’ve pretty much tried all Kifaru frames. For me, the tactical is my favorite. The discontinued hunter frame was a great one too. I currently own the lite frame as well but, I just don’t like it as well.

As far as the bags, I really struggle with what Kifaru offers for day hunting bags. None are bad. All are pretty good. But, none I’ve tried, and I’ve tried them all, satisfy me. So, I had Pods8 make me one. And, it’s perfect.

Don’t misunderstand me, I love Kifaru. But, they don’t make a bag designed for an eastern hunter that uses a saddle. Their offerings are large enough, have pockets enough, and load slings, etc…. But, nothing they make takes into consideration that a saddle and saddle bags takes up half of any pack they offer for day hunting. And, by the time you get your one stick or platform and sticks attached, you have such a bulging gom of gear, No matter how you try. Plus, if it’s cold and you have to carry cold weather gear, you aren’t going to find a day pack they make that is designed to optimize that need for an eastern hunter hunting from the trees.

I get it. I realize many western bow hunts where guys use stands see warm temps. But, WV in November ain’t warm weather elk or mule deer hunting. It’s cold as crap most times.


I’m not knocking them. No other pack maker on this forum offers anything as well as they do. But, field line and everyone else that sells cheap Chinese junk offers setups better suited to carry an eastern deer hunters gear and stand. I wish they would too.


It probably isn’t going to happen because so few eastern deer hunters use a pack that they make. Most drag their deer to a 4 wheeler trail or where a tractor can get to it. While few hunt big woods that require miles of walking in gear in a pack intended to hump your gear and deer out.

But, the market is there. And, as saddles gain popularity, it’d be cool to see a 2000ci pack, with water bottle pockets, an outside stretchy pocket for your saddle, and a way to connect your sticks and saddle with out breaking the pack off the frame to fit everything in a load sling. To only have a floppy pack that lets the gear bounce around and cause problems while packing in. Plus, it makes the load out with deer tough when you have such a large size load of gear in the load with meat while packing out.

Like I said above, I love Kifaru. But, it’s obvious they don’t saddle hunt much. Or, carry tree stand setups with the intent to carry their deer and that gear out at the same time.

 

[PatrickW]

It probably isn’t going to happen because so few eastern deer hunters use a pack that they make. Most drag their deer to a 4 wheeler trail or where a tractor can get to it. While few hunt big woods that require miles of walking in gear in a pack intended to hump your gear and deer out.

But, the market is there. And, as saddles gain popularity, it’d be cool to see a 2000ci pack, with water bottle pockets, an outside stretchy pocket for your saddle, and a way to connect your sticks and saddle with out breaking the pack off the frame to fit everything in a load sling. To only have a floppy pack that lets the gear bounce around and cause problems while packing in. Plus, it makes the load out with deer tough when you have such a large size load of gear in the load with meat while packing out.

Like I said above, I love Kifaru. But, it’s obvious they don’t saddle hunt much. Or, carry tree stand setups with the intent to carry their deer and that gear out at the same time.

You just described an EXO k3 3200 (or the k2 3500 I’m currently using)…

 

[WV Mountaineer]

You just described an EXO k3 3200 (or the k2 3500 I’m currently using)…

I’m not suggesting your pack does not work well for you. I’m not suggest what Kifaru offers doesn’t work well for others. Im saying none of the big pack makers have a pack designed to carry tree stand gear, extra clothes, and still have a meat shelf dedicated for just the meat.

Whitetail deer aren’t elk. You can’t reasonably break one of these packs down at the base of your tree, get everything in the tree, and expect to kill a deer close to that same tree on that set. You leave too much scent.

There are packs out designed to carry a platform, your sticks, and saddle, while having the room to carry extra clothes and your other gear. Made by sweat shops and sold to the mobile eastern hunter. The big pack makers could do the same while leaving the meat shelf clear for meat. And garner a lot more business in my opinion. From eastern hunters and, more and more western hunters.

 

[ddd-shooter]

I’ve pretty much tried all Kifaru frames. For me, the tactical is my favorite. The discontinued hunter frame was a great one too. I currently own the lite frame as well but, I just don’t like it as well.

As far as the bags, I really struggle with what Kifaru offers for day hunting bags. None are bad. All are pretty good. But, none I’ve tried, and I’ve tried them all, satisfy me. So, I had Pods8 make me one. And, it’s perfect.

Don’t misunderstand me, I love Kifaru. But, they don’t make a bag designed for an eastern hunter that uses a saddle. Their offerings are large enough, have pockets enough, and load slings, etc…. But, nothing they make takes into consideration that a saddle and saddle bags takes up half of any pack they offer for day hunting. And, by the time you get your one stick or platform and sticks attached, you have such a bulging gom of gear, No matter how you try. Plus, if it’s cold and you have to carry cold weather gear, you aren’t going to find a day pack they make that is designed to optimize that need for an eastern hunter hunting from the trees.

I get it. I realize many western bow hunts where guys use stands see warm temps. But, WV in November ain’t warm weather elk or mule deer hunting. It’s cold as crap most times.


I’m not knocking them. No other pack maker on this forum offers anything as well as they do. But, field line and everyone else that sells cheap Chinese junk offers setups better suited to carry an eastern deer hunters gear and stand. I wish they would too.


It probably isn’t going to happen because so few eastern deer hunters use a pack that they make. Most drag their deer to a 4 wheeler trail or where a tractor can get to it. While few hunt big woods that require miles of walking in gear in a pack intended to hump your gear and deer out.

But, the market is there. And, as saddles gain popularity, it’d be cool to see a 2000ci pack, with water bottle pockets, an outside stretchy pocket for your saddle, and a way to connect your sticks and saddle with out breaking the pack off the frame to fit everything in a load sling. To only have a floppy pack that lets the gear bounce around and cause problems while packing in. Plus, it makes the load out with deer tough when you have such a large size load of gear in the load with meat while packing out.

Like I said above, I love Kifaru. But, it’s obvious they don’t saddle hunt much. Or, carry tree stand setups with the intent to carry their deer and that gear out at the same time.

Show us the pack!

 

[dfwpist2020]

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[WV Mountaineer]

Show us the pack!

Man, I gotta apologize. I totally mistook your post. And typed a paragraph about it.


Give me a few minutes. I’ll get the picture of pods bag up. Sorry again.

 

[Drenalin]

Which one. The trophy line one? I can sell you that one. The realtree one that has sewed in compression straps on the face that I bought at my local Walmart. I can sell you one of those too. Or, any of the cheapo cabelas, Allen’s, etc…. That have compression straps sewn into the face? And, water bottle pockets and compression straps that will hold sticks.

Come on man, I’m not bashing anyone. I’m not here to argue either. Nor, am I going to post 25 links to cheap back packs that carry saddle hunting gear better than anything the big pack makers offer.

I think he was asking about the custom one you mentioned pods8 making, not trying to bait you into some kind of argument.

 

[WV Mountaineer]

Here’s the pack

I had pods build me a 12”x12”x 5” pocket that I attach to the horse shoe panel via molle looping the way Kifaru pockets attach. My saddle goes in it with my knee pads. I set one stick or climbing sticks on it. As it acts as a stop for them, then strap them in using the packs compression straps. I then attached the big pocket on the molle.



The built out pocket on the bottom stowed my calls, gloves, and food for the day. The pack bag has a sewn in meat shelf that attaches to the tactical frame sheet like all Kifaru bags do now. It has two water bottle pockets. And a top lid compartment that stowes my meat tools, game bags, and head lamp.I usually run the bottom compression strap over the big pocket and attach only the top molle.


This pack was built 4 years ago with that pocket. My first year using saddle gear. I adapted the extra pocket to leave room in the bag for winter clothes. Early season I don’t run the pocket.

 

[WV Mountaineer]

I think he was asking about the custom one you mentioned pods8 making, not trying to bait you into some kind of argument.

I think you are right.