Horseback daypack

[Feare]

I'm going on a guided elk hunt in WY third week sept, going horseback into the wilderness type hunt, wondering people's opinions on what kind of pack to bring, I have a MR metcalf that I use when I've gone on my own and I'm a fan, but it's likely overkill for using with horses. Let me know what's worked for you guys who've done a trip like this.


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[Indian Summer]

Anything with a good waist belt. Your pack cannot hang below that and push on the cantle of the saddle or worse ride on your horses ass. You should ask if your guide will be pulling a pack horse wheel you’re out hunting. I’m f so you can throw the day pack in a pannier on that horse. Riding with a pack sucks.

Have you ridden horses before?

 

[Bubblehide]

I'm not sure if your intentions, but some guides do not allow clients to wear a pack while on a horse or mule.

 

[Feare]

Anything with a good waist belt. Your pack cannot hang below that and push on the cantle of the saddle or worse ride on your horses ass. You should ask if your guide will be pulling a pack horse wheel you’re out hunting. I’m f so you can throw the day pack in a pannier on that horse. Riding with a pack sucks.

Have you ridden horses before?

When I was 12 or so we had a horse on the farm for the summer didn't ride it much and we got rid of it, that was 28 years ago...so not really.


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[Overdrive]

Big enough to carry your food, water, knife, rain gear, basically your daily essentials.

I ride with a Eberlestock M5 or gun runner when I'm guiding cause I carry more gear for meat care, first aid, etc. Just remember the bigger pack you go the more it changes your balance up in the saddle.

 

[D3Smartie]

Are you looking for something to actually wear in the saddle or just to pick up and hunt with... more of a day pack?

 

[Feare]

Are you looking for something to actually wear in the saddle or just to pick up and hunt with... more of a day pack?

Just looking to hear what others had used. If there's a need to buy a specific daypack or if my metcalf would be fine


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[pbroski]

I think your Metcalf is too large. You'd be better off with something smaller.

 

[EdP]

Riding with your Metcalf or any frame pack is a terrible idea. You want something on the small side that rides low. Any weight up high near your shoulders will make you top heavy on the horse. A frame is going to make moving with the horse about impossible.

On one elk hunt the outfitter recommended a lumbar pack and wanted the pack weight limited to 10 lbs. I used a Browning Billy 1500 and it worked well. He also had saddlebags on the horses so we didn't need a lot of additional pack space.

On a bear hunt with pack stock I took a rucksack. That outfitter had us hang our packs from the saddle horn on the side opposite the rifle scabbard. That worked really well.

You really should ask your outfitter what to do. I can't imagine any reason for taking a frame pack on a guided hunt with pack stock. The guides will be packing out your meat on horses or mules. That is part of what you are paying for. You should just need enough pack space for the clothes needed to stay comfortable, some water, and lunch.

Here is another piece of advice. Wear some kind of nylon spandex work out shorts or briefs especially on the long ride to and from camp. Better yet, wear them everyday you are on a horse. Also take some anti-bacterial salve for the inevitable sore spots in private places. Riding horseback in cotton underwear without undesirable consequences only works for folks that ride all the time.

 

[mntnguide]

Ask your outfitter if his guides bring a pack horse daily. If you are in grizzly country most outfits do so you can get an elk back to camp the same day. I would HIGHLY suggest, doing whatever possible to not wear a pack at all. You really dont need much horseback hunting...food, water, rain gear gets tied on the saddle etc. There is nothing comfortable about riding with a pack, it sucks plain and simple. Depending on where you are hunting and how far you will be riding daily, you should really talk to the outfit you booked with to see what they say clients do. . I would say, like stated above, any frame pack is gonna be miserable to ride with long distance especially. The frame will hit the cantle of your saddle and force you to lean forward all day, and on top of that it will make your riding posture horrible and risk soring horses because of it.

 

[Feare]

Riding with your Metcalf or any frame pack is a terrible idea. You want something on the small side that rides low. Any weight up high near your shoulders will make you top heavy on the horse. A frame is going to make moving with the horse about impossible.

On one elk hunt the outfitter recommended a lumbar pack and wanted the pack weight limited to 10 lbs. I used a Browning Billy 1500 and it worked well. He also had saddlebags on the horses so we didn't need a lot of additional pack space.

On a bear hunt with pack stock I took a rucksack. That outfitter had us hang our packs from the saddle horn on the side opposite the rifle scabbard. That worked really well.

You really should ask your outfitter what to do. I can't imagine any reason for taking a frame pack on a guided hunt with pack stock. The guides will be packing out your meat on horses or mules. That is part of what you are paying for. You should just need enough pack space for the clothes needed to stay comfortable, some water, and lunch.

Here is another piece of advice. Wear some kind of nylon spandex work out shorts or briefs especially on the long ride to and from camp. Better yet, wear them everyday you are on a horse. Also take some anti-bacterial salve for the inevitable sore spots in private places. Riding horseback in cotton underwear without undesirable consequences only works for folks that ride all the time.

Thanks I appreciate all the advice.


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[Indian Summer]

No frame packs! Nothing over about 2200 cubic inches or so.

 

[DanimalW]

If you don’t have to pack meat back to a horse trail, which would require a pack, then I’d probably try to roll with some kind of fanny pack with hydration holsters for water bottles. Some of the bino harnesses also have small hydration bladders in a small pack with enough space to stuff a puffy and rain coat.

 

[ForlohFamily]

The One Pack

The One Pack

Meet the perfect hunting day pack. This waterproof backpack is versatile, comfortable, and customizable for any adventure your day has in store. Shop now!

forloh.com

 

[bozeman]

Scapegoat 35 is what I took and it did just fine.

 

[TX_Diver]

My one experience with horses I just hung a small daypack off the saddle horn. Ask your guide what they recommend but wearing it wouldn’t be very fun.

 

[Trial153]

SG Avail or Kifaru mini keg if you slightly more capacity

 

[wyosteve]

In all my years of horseback hunting I never used a pack of any kind. I put everything I’d need in saddlebags. Most outfits equip their horses with them. If your outfitter does, you can get a few bottles of liquid, lunch, snacks, etc. in them and tie rain gear/ puffy to the back of the saddle if necessary. You likely won’t be too far from the horses while hunting.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I wear my KUIU 3600 if I take a pack. Most of the time I just have a bino harness and throw everything in the saddle bags.

 

[P Carter]

I did a guided horseback trip last year, wore my normal daypacks no problem and my bow with a sling. (Sierra designs flux capacitor and exo 3600.) Maybe I’m just too dumb to know better! We also rode only 1 hourish each day and hunted on foot the rest of the day, 3ish hour ride in and out.