Kill kit assessment

[mrbillbrown]

Been looking at and weighing gear for a mock load test. Noticed my Kill Kit weighs 1# 15oz. On paper, seems a little heavy to me. Kit will be used by me and a partner during archery elk this Sept.

Kifaru med pullout
Tag BOMB bags
2-contractor bags
2-25' pieces 550 cord
1-aluminum carabiner
2-pelican strobes
Roll flagging tape
Havalon with 4 extra blades
5 pair nitrile gloves

Can't really see anything I don't need or won't use.

Could drop a couple of pair of gloves, strobes, and carabiner but keep thinking I see a use for them in the field.

Give me some experienced opinions to help ease my pre-season GIF moment.

 

[matthewmt]

I'm working on building a better kit currently but having experience with the contractor bags they are pretty heavy. Are you using these for a clean area to place meat/quarters or for cooling meat in a water source?


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[rayporter]

a plastic sheet or tarp
drop 2 pair of gloves

add 2 carabiners-for moving big animal on hill
add 2 zip ties

 

[Ross]

I like having more rope and pack 100 ft. Have done many elk by myself and never regret having more than enough though I do use a meatpole. I would drop two sets of gloves.

 

[FlyGuy]

A "roll" of flagging us pretty heavy if it's a true role. If so, I'd pair it down significantly to what you might use. I keep a smallish bit of it wrapped around a trekking pole and secured with tape. I have gps/Gaia app got Marking blood trail, so I really only need a few visual marks - where I shot from, where elk was when shot, last blood if trail gets lost for a while. Less than 10 feet of flagging...

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[7-Pointers]

Regarding the roll of flagging tape, that is really heavy. I took a knife and cut through one entire side of the roll, turning the continuous roll into about 500 strips 6-8" long. I take about 20 strips with me on each trip, held together in my kill kit with a paperclip.

 

[Jmock97]

Homemade pullout. 1oz
Tag Bomb bags 9oz
Tyto/sheath/6 blades 1.6oz
3 pair gloves. 1oz
Flagging. .5oz
4 25' zing-it cordage. 3oz

Total 16.1 oz.

 

[AK Troutbum]

I also have an ultra light weight/thin (approx. 6'x6' ), piece of cheap plastic and a headlamp in my kit.


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[mrbillbrown]

I'm working on building a better kit currently but having experience with the contractor bags they are pretty heavy. Are you using these for a clean area to place meat/quarters or for cooling meat in a water source?


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Both. Figured they were a multipurpose item and made sense to have them in the kit.

 

[oldgoat]

Can't help you, I'm still not sure why I bought not just one but two, one f for each of us me and the wife, but they sure seem cool to have just in case, lol!

 

[mrbillbrown]

Thanks for all the help fellas. Greatly appreciate the insight and wealth of knowledge shared.

 

[matthewmt]

Both. Figured they were a multipurpose item and made sense to have them in the kit.

I can see the cooling side but otherwise I feel like skinning an elk per say you would have plenty of room to plop a quarter down on the hide while prepping for the game bags. Curious to hear what others think for sure.

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[Jmock97]

I have quartered a bunch of deer and just use the hide if I did need a place to lay meat out I carry a emergency blanket in my bino harness. If I need to submerge the meat in a Creek I'm fine with just placing the game bags in the water.

 

[Elkfitness]

I'm working on building a better kit currently but having experience with the contractor bags they are pretty heavy. Are you using these for a clean area to place meat/quarters or for cooling meat in a water source?


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I've used them for both. I always have them too.

 

[mrbillbrown]

They would also work as a pack cover, rain water catch/solar still, dry bag for gear etc...

 

[AK Troutbum]

The disposable piece of thin visqueen I bring in my kill kit I have used for pretty much all of the above suggestions; a clean place to put meat, something to tarp out and catch rainwater, a cover over my meat and or salted cape when it's raining, and a makeshift ground sheet inside my floorless shelter when it's been extremely wet.


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[tttoadman]

Sea to Summit 4L bag
Tag BOMB bags
2-25' pieces 550 cord
Havalon with 4 extra blades

I have ditched the ribbon, and the strobe since I have a GPS.
I have never used gloves.
I don't take any lay down material. I am always able to work on top of the animal or on the hide.

 

[rayporter]

a space blanket

if you take the pieces off by cutting the hide up the back you dont have much hide to lay out. this is the reason for a tarp to lay down. the lightest and most compact sheet to lay meat on is a space blanket. one of the wally world jobs-cheap and effective.

i have skinned 2 out and had the hide tanned. after those two i decided that the hide was a pain and just destroy it to get to the meat.

personally i like to leave the hide on the legs as long as possible. this way you can lay the leg down and keep it clean. and the hide is much easier to get off once the leg is hung.

 

[KJH]

Grab a $2 emergency thermo blanket... they are the size of a pack of cigarettes. Use this as your clean place for meat. Then throw it out later... light, cheap, takes no space.

 

[mtwarden]

^ I use a similar thing- it's a 4x8' of polycro- 1.6 oz, doubles as a ground cloth if needed

I've also replaced paracord with this- it's made to slide with it's flat weave and coating- plenty strong at 850#- 100' only weighs 2.2 oz

The Griz - Ultralight Bear Bag Line - Mountain Lite Gear

two pairs of gloves should be plenty