Packs and Meat

[Coveyleader]

Thanks for the info. I've been thinking about this today, and I will either get a used old Kifaru frame, or the K2-3 type and get this Nomad on the frame. I can't see any other pack being as versatile and easy as the batwings as I've been using them forever and they just straight up work. The Nomad will do what I need on my goat hunt. My elk hunts, it's the 2200 and Kelty. Putting meat in a bag is a non-starter for me.

 

[Theringworm]

A lot more convenient for me to sandwich the meat between the bag and frame in the load shelf than pack it down inside the bag. I have done it both ways. Prefer the load shelf. I have used Osprey, Kuiu and Mystery Ranch packs. Moving over to the EXO this year.

 

[Theringworm]

I just would like a bit more so I can take the whole goat out in one trip if possible.

Most of these packs with meat shelves that sit between the frame and bag ……..It just “seems” slow and time consuming.

If you are wanting to take an entire goat out in one trip you are either in some hell of shape or grossly underestimating it all. Maybe if it’s an early season hunt where their coat is short and thin, and you debone all of the meat out and the terrain isn’t unforgiving then maybe it’s possible. No way I could have done that this last year on my goat hunt. Then again, maybe I am not fit to do so, which is possible lol.

At least on the Kuiu, which is what I packed my goat out with this year, you can pull a bag off in 30-60 seconds easily to access the meat shelf. Maybe another 1-2 mins to get it loaded and re-attached. This is not a time consuming process if you are familiar with your bag. I recon the other brand of bags aren’t much different, however it was a bit of an ordeal for me to get the Mystery Ranch bag off and reconnected. More like a 10 minute process. Admittedly I wasn’t as familiar with it compared to the Kuiu.

 

[Coveyleader]

If you are wanting to take an entire goat out in one trip you are either in some hell of shape or grossly underestimating it all. Maybe if it’s an early season hunt where their coat is short and thin, and you debone all of the meat out and the terrain isn’t unforgiving then maybe it’s possible. No way I could have done that this last year on my goat hunt. Then again, maybe I am not fit to do so, which is possible lol.

At least on the Kuiu, which is what I packed my goat out with this year, you can pull a bag off in 30-60 seconds easily to access the meat shelf. Maybe another 1-2 mins to get it loaded and re-attached. This is not a time consuming process if you are familiar with your bag. I recon the other brand of bags aren’t much different, however it was a bit of an ordeal for me to get the Mystery Ranch bag off and reconnected. More like a 10 minute process. Admittedly I wasn’t as familiar with it compared to the Kuiu.

I’ve shot two goats in the past, had help on the first, solo on the second. I’m not going back up, it’s all coming down in one trip. Meat is/was boned out, and only did shoulder mounts so not a lot there on a September hunt. Place I drew this year is a long way in and steep so it may be two trips but either way, a little bit more than a 2200 is what I want to go with this time around.

 

[Deleted member 8-15-23]

Mystery ranch 50l.

 

[LuvsFixedBlades]

I've run most of the high-end packs.

Exo, Tenzing, Eberlestock, Stone Glacier, Kuiu, Sitka, Kifaru and Mystery Ranch.

My hands down favorite is a Mystery Ranch. Someone earlier in the thread mentioned you have to choose between good fitment and meat hauling ability. I respectfully disagree. I have hauled 100lbs+ on my Mystery Ranches many times. Meat (bone in and bone out), awkward shaped loads, tree stands, full-size ground blinds, big water containers, long backpacking trips, etc.

They are extremely comfortable and pack weight really well. Kifaru makes an excellent pack as well, but the shoulder yokes are too narrow for me. Stone Glacier makes a great pack also, but their waist belts have too thin padding for my liking under load.

It's kind of like bows or boots...try a few until you find something you love. If you're really in the market for a great pack though, I think you would be missing out if you didn't try a Mystery Ranch. I've been running the Beartooth 80 for the last 3-4 years. I've done 13 days out of that pack with the lid on it. I have a Pintler (two elk images below) as well that is day pack size, but have hauled around 100lbs on it, no problem. The frames/bags are modular, so you can switch between bags on the same frame as you like.

Here are some Mystery Ranch specific hauls...

 

[Ross]

So many good options today and no real bad packs on the high end scale. Find the one that fits you best and has the design you prefer. When you grew up packing elk on a military pack board anything is an upgrade and a Cadillac to your body

 

[tater]

That Nomad on a Kifaru frame with one of their original hanging meat bags that suspend off of the top the frame and sits between the batwings should do what you have described.

 

[Mikecarr94]

So when you have the elk or whatever down, are you putting meat inside the bag of pack? Or do you have a batwing style? I've been using batwing style packs and love them. The simplicity when it's dark etc is what I like.

Where am I going? I picked up a Kifaru Nomad for 80 bucks a few years back, but have never bought a frame. I'm contemplating a new pack and really want to stick with what I know and like, but wanted to hear about the pros and cons.

I'm not really a fan of Kifaru's lumbar pad as it always seems to pull my pants down (partners pack) so I'm not sure If I tough my goat hunt out this year with my 2200 or make the swtich. In my 50's, not sure how much more big hunts I will have, so not all crazy about investing in a pack as I've used the same pack for Goats, Sheep, etc already, and it worked fine, just looking at alternatives.

Maybe just go with Kelty If I can clean it up from all the bear grease.

I’m a really big fan of all of my Mystery Ranch packs I’ve had. They’ve got a meat “shelf” between your back and the bag so it sits tight to your body. It can fit an elk quarter with a full pack pretty comfortably. Boned out you can carry two quarters plus gear but that’s obviously a little more work. I’d recommend the metcalf for day hunts or even 3-4 day backpack hunts depending how much gear you take. If you want more of a back country hunt pack I think their next step up is the Marshal. Seems to be a great pack as well. I’ve had a few of their smaller packs as well and they’ve got solid frames and very durable packs. I’ve beat the crap out of em and they still work great.

 

[HenDawg3]

I use the Mystery Ranch Frame and bags which holds the meat between the bag and the frame. They’ve never failed me and is super handy and a lot cleaner to have the meat separate from the inside of the bag and rest of the gear. Have plenty of friends that use the Exo bags as well and they love them .

 

[Jeremyc_1999]

I’m moving away from the meat shelf and going to put meat in a contractor bag and in the main bag. I bone out everything and don’t feel like I can get the kid to carry very well. I did get a very large bag so that I can carry meat and camp in the same trip

 

[BDRam16]

At this point I’m surprised there is anyone running a pack without a meat shelf. At least for the initial load out with your regular hunting pack on. If you get back to the truck and decide to switch to a sturdy (heavy) aluminum frame pack I understand. Unless I was base camping and ditched all my gear I would have zero room for meat inside my bag.

 

[dlp3719]

A lot of good info in this thread

 

[venado mula]

I run a Stone Glacier Sky Guide 7900 (this is the size for me for a typical 10 day hunt and I pack my horses with the same gear I bring on a hunt without the horses, so ultra light). If the horse panniers are full or I'm running without the horses (I only hunt mule deer bucks, so I know if I'm by myself, I can only take one load each trip, the head and antlers with my camp in my pack the first trip back to the truck, then come back and get the rest of the meat so, 1 trip with horses, 2 trips just me) I put the meat in a Grakksaw game bag and then put a black contractors trash bag in the main compartment of the pack, I don't use the meat shelf (having all the meat in the pack makes it easier to pack out and the load doesn't shift, meat is always moving on a load shelf and I debone all the meat before pack out). It's a minimalist pack and it does its job perfectly. This has been the best pack I've owned and I've owned packs since the late 1980's. Hope this helps.

 

[Jeremyc_1999]

I run a Stone Glacier Sky Guide 7900 (this is the size for me for a typical 10 day hunt and I pack my horses with the same gear I bring on a hunt without the horses, so ultra light). If the horse panniers are full or I'm running without the horses (I only hunt mule deer bucks, so I know if I'm by myself, I can only take one load each trip, the head and antlers with my camp in my pack the first trip back to the truck, then come back and get the rest of the meat so, 1 trip with horses, 2 trips just me) I put the meat in a Grakksaw game bag and then put a black contractors trash bag in the main compartment of the pack, I don't use the meat shelf (having all the meat in the pack makes it easier to pack out and the load doesn't shift, meat is always moving on a load shelf and I debone all the meat before pack out). It's a minimalist pack and it does its job perfectly. This has been the best pack I've owned and I've owned packs since the late 1980's. Hope this helps.

Out if curiosity why do you use the sky guide over the terminus?

 

[Walthers]

I think a log of it is personal preference that comes with trying many different types of bags and systems. My buddies and I go back and forth on Which brand and style of pack works best, the way to do it is get together, load up packs with weight and try them out.

With that said, I really didn’t like my kuiu 2200 becuase it made a terrible squeaking noise right next to my ear. Once it broke in the noise went away and I really like how the frame and pack come apart and the meat goes in between. I feel like it is a much more stable way to hold the meat.