Man my kill kit is heavy. Whats the deal? Help....

[hflier]

Here is my scenario. I am going to Northern AZ on an Archery Bull Elk hunt Sep 13-22. I will be at 7,500 to 8,500 feet. I am 51 years old in good shape. I will be hunting solo. Probably no more the 2-3 miles from my truck. I won't be truck camping, but backpack camped away from the road hunting types. I figured at that time of year the AZ heat may be an issue and I am alone. If I were lucky enough to get a bull. I figured I am looking at about 6 trips (I'm a small guy) back and forth on a pack out. So I constructed a kill kit based on this scenario and the fact that I may have to cool the meet in water (if I find some) due to the fact I am humping it out on my own.

Here is what is in my kit:

A Kifaru Ultralight Pullout to hold everything
3 Contractor trash bags (they seem heavy!)
1 Kifaru Meat bag to protect my pack (weighs next to nothing)
1/2 roll or 75 ft of light flagging tape for marking
2 - 25 ft lengths of Paracord
TAGS Bags BOMB Game Bags Kit
Havalon Piranta and 6 blades
2 pairs of latex gloves
Small plastic spray bottle and some citric acid powder.
Space Blanket

This whole kit weights 30oz. and seems heavy. Am I going overboard? I am worried about my solo packing time, but maybe I am being overly anal about the scenario I am dealing with. Comments would be appreciated.

 

[colonel00]

Well, the first thing that stands out is what you have already noted, the trash bags. What is your intended use for them? You have a meat bag for hauling the meat in your pack so it seems kind of redundant.

 

[hflier]

I thought that I may have to submerge the meat in a stream to keep it cool during what I believe would be a 24 hour pack out time frame. Maybe at this time of year and elevation the temps will allow me just to hang it?

 

[Liv2HntBigBullz]

You won't be that far from the truck. Why not hit the bare essentials for one trip out and grab the rest of the bags, etc when you go in for another load?

Just a thought...

 

[JNDEER]

I hang deer killed in CA when the temps are in the 90's. Keep it in the shade and in a place that gets a breeze. Keep the meat as seperated as possible and you should not have any issues going up to 48 hours and possibly more (assuming you have bags that breathe, but make sure the flies cannot get to the meat through the bag).

 

[Colbyqueso]

Here is mine.
Havalon Bolt
6 vinyl gloves
Game bag's
1 trash bag. Small.
Black pepper in a straw. Sealed up.
I use paracord from survival bracelet if I have to.
hang meat.pack out.

 

[Daniel_M]

I wouldn't consider 30oz heavy. Shit my moose killin kit is 4x that in weight.

1lb 14oz is light when it comes to meat preservation.

 

[endorice]

Contractor trash bags are heavy. I would eliminate or use the good recommendation of making a trip out, and then bringing bags back in. No need to lug the extra weight days on end.

The 75' of flagging tape is really excessive (IMO). Cut 1" off of a tiny wooden dowel, and rap up 20' (max). Remember to pull back down the tape on your last trip out.

I get the citric acid powder, but a spray bottle? Is this a powder spray to detect wind direction?

I think one space blanket is good to have in the bottom of your pack with an emergency kit. If you're already doing that, eliminate the blanket from your kill kit.

 

[shaun]

My kill kit is
Kifaru chamber pocket
4 tag bags
Havalon with 12 blades
1 contractor trash bag
25' paracord
Comes in at 11.3oz

To me 30oz sounds heavy I would try to trim out extra stuff it seems like you got quite a bit of extra

 

[squeekieslayer]

I think you are looking good for weight to me.... I mean when it comes to dropping a garbage bag or some flagging, we are starting to worry about a few ounces. I know that people will say that ounces add up, but take a big pee before you take off and call it a draw. I would honestly always err on the side of too heavy if it is at the risk of losing game meat. It jjust isn't fair to kill and waste.

Joe

 

[cmeier117]

Seems fine to me, maybe leave one garbage bag out.

 

[hflier]

I wouldn't consider 30oz heavy. Shit my moose killin kit is 4x that in weight.

1lb 14oz is light when it comes to meat preservation.

This was my thinking also, but I live at 700ft elevation and I feel every ounce of weight when I crank go up to 8,000 and so I am trying to strick a balance between the two. Will be worse on my CO hunt in October, that will be about 10,500 ft.

 

[Daniel_M]

I get the citric acid powder, but a spray bottle? Is this a powder spray to detect wind direction?

No. It's an aide with meat preservation and deterrent of flies.

2.5oz. Citric kit



6# flat including the mesh bag.

 

[AZ Ron]

Hflier, unless you are going to be in the extreme eastern part of the state, I doubt you'll find too much water available to put your meat in to stay cool. Your trash bags would probably be better served as 'tarps' for providing shade for your meat. Good luck to you!

 

[AZ Vince]

Kill kit seems too heavy to me and I suspect it weighs more than 30oz.
Lose the bags, half the paracord, all the knives except one knife and saw, the gloves, and use a ziplock bag instead of the pullout if you're looking to shave weight. Use the elk's hide as your groundcloth while you're working. Take everything else and keep it in the truck. Then, after your first haul out, take back in what you need.

 

[bowinhand]

My kill kit:

med KU pullout
Havalon bolt w/6 extra blades
Tag bags BOMB pack
One pair gloves
25ft para cord
Elk/deer tags
Mini sharpie marker w/marking tape wrapped
One contractor bag

This comes in at 20 oz

 

[hflier]

Ok, thanks for the inputs. Here is what I will do. I will measure the weight when finished and repost.



A Kifaru Ultralight Pullout to hold everything. Keep - Very light
3 Contractor trash bags (they seem heavy!) - Eliminate, Dry environment, not much water, leave in truck if needed I will go get them
1 Kifaru Meat bag to protect my pack - Keep weighs next to nothing
1/2 roll or 75 ft of light flagging tape for marking Reduce to 25ft eliminate heavy cardboard roll in center.
2 - 25 ft lengths of Paracord - Reduce to one 25ft length and leave the other in truck
TAGS Bags BOMB Game Bags Kit - Keep
Havalon Piranta and 6 blades - Keep
2 pairs of latex gloves - Reduce to one
Small plastic spray bottle and some citric acid powder - Keep
Space Blanket - Keep duel use.

 

[squeekieslayer]

looks good.... I get a kick out of how only on a backcountry/backpacking hunting forum will you see a .5 ounce 2 in long cardboard tube get called heavy hahaha

Joe

 

[todd kelly]

Ok, thanks for the inputs. Here is what I will do. I will measure the weight when finished and repost.



A Kifaru Ultralight Pullout to hold everything. Keep - Very light
3 Contractor trash bags (they seem heavy!) - Eliminate, Dry environment, not much water, leave in truck if needed I will go get them
1 Kifaru Meat bag to protect my pack - Keep weighs next to nothing
1/2 roll or 75 ft of light flagging tape for marking Reduce to 25ft eliminate heavy cardboard roll in center.
2 - 25 ft lengths of Paracord - Reduce to one 25ft length and leave the other in truck
TAGS Bags BOMB Game Bags Kit - Keep
Havalon Piranta and 6 blades - Keep
2 pairs of latex gloves - Reduce to one
Small plastic spray bottle and some citric acid powder - Keep
Space Blanket - Keep duel use.

Looks a lot better. Only thing I don't get is the space blanket. What two uses are you getting from it?

 

[realunlucky]

Use as a tarp and also a blanket if he gets lost