Sheep/extended muley pack

RedStag

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 8, 2012
Messages
170
Well just had my new MR metcalf out for its maiden voyage.
I packed the bag with everything I am carrying for a 10 day stone sheep hunt, which includes the following:

Mec Merlin Sleeping bag
Klymit Static V sleeping pad
MSR hubba hubba tent
Jetboil Flash stove
1 small gas/fuel cannister
snow peak titanium spork
12lbs of misc food
katadyn vario water filter

6 pairs of socks, 4 liners, 2 wool
2 pairs of merino boxers
Patagonia capilene 2 long underwear
Sitka traverse shirt
kuiu guide jacket
kuiu superdown hoody
sitka shooter gloves
Arcteryx alpha rain pants
Sitka Stormfront jacket
first aid kit
kill kit (havalon piranta wth 12 spare blades, 100' paracord, 2 alaskan game bags, opinel carbon backup knife)
18 rounds of ammunition
headlamp
flashlight
space blanket
2 lighters
pac rain cover
1 roll tp, small package of wet wipes, sunscreen, toothpaste tooth brush, smal sheet of moleskin
rangefinder
1L nalgene

My total pack weight was right around 48 lbs
Think my pack should be right around 62lbs once I split some gear with my partner

Still to pack:
Salt 3-4 lbs
junk food 2lbs??
SPOT
Hydration bladder 4.4 lbs full
Rifle 6 1/2 pounds (kimber montana 300wsm, 4 rounds)
spotting scope and tripod unsure of total weight
small point and shoot digital camera

I was very impressed with how light the metcalf was compared to my previous MR packs, a 6500 and crew cab. The pack carried extremely well, I did 8.5km up a local hill and had no shifting of weight or gear at all. The pack is deceiving in how much it can carry, I would estimate I have 10% able to expand with the pack already loaded and nothing strapped to the outside. Having the side zip on the Metcalf made accesing any gear inside a lot easier than the 6500. I did buy a ripzip pocket from MR and i use it to carry my rain gear.

Just my $.02 but I think this is by far the best pack MR has to offer, they have done a phenemonal job of bridging the gap between a day pack and expedition size pack.

ANyone with suggestions on something else I should pack? Besides GOLDBOND of course
 

Snyd

WKR
Joined
Feb 10, 2013
Messages
808
Location
AK
That MR looks like a great pack.

Looks to me like your heavy on socks and light on food :D Unless that's 6 total... 4 liners and 2 pair of socks.
I can't seem to get much under 17-20lbs for food, gatorade and coffee for a 10 day hunt. About 3500 calories per day
Why a headlamp and flashlight?
I ditched the Nalgenes years ago and now pack a 6L MSR Dromelite. Weighs less than a Nalgene and you can have 6L of "camp" water at the tent. Some guys like them though cuz they say if it's real cold you can fill it full of hot water and throw it in the bag with you.

How'd you get your Kimber to 6.5lbs? My 325 is 7lbs 4ozs with 3 rnds, scope, light sling.

A couple things I bring on a sheep hunt. A chunk of closed cell foam to sit on while glassing. A balaclava, a cotton handkerchief and a packtowel like the MSR ones.
I'd bring more fuel.

Man, I'd love to hunt Stone Sheep someday. But I can't complain, I'll be headed for Dall's again this year. When and where are you going. Good luck!
 

jherald

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Sep 16, 2012
Messages
833
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Alaska
I think the 20 rounds is fine, even for a the 300. My dad and i had an incident with a brown bear where i fired my .338 3 times and he fired his 12 ga 3 times. Afterwards i was glad to be toting around an extra 17 rounds of ammo for my rifle. 20 rounds is a good all around count to carry while hunting. I only used another 3 rounds after that for deer but the extra ammo gave me peace of mind. You cant load or buy any ammo when your on a remote trip.
 

jherald

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Sep 16, 2012
Messages
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Alaska
I would cut the sock numbers in half, go with smr or platypus bladders over the solid nalgene and cut the paracord to 50 feet unless you find yourself needing 100 ft. Lose the flashlight for just the headlamp. Is your carbon knife totally carbon fiber? You may think about ditching the wet wipes and using a small microfiber towel lik 8x10 inches and some lightweight soap sheets for hygene. Just so long as there is water available nearby for it. You could ditch the filter and bring water treatment tablets but your downside to the tablets is waiting 20 or so minutes for the water to treat. Ditch the shooter gloves for some fleece or merino liner type gloves (weather and temperature pending). I would also take only one set of long underwear. If they get too funky and the weather is sunny you can always wash them in a creek. Cut your toothbrush in half and take only a tiny travel sized toothpaste.
 
Joined
Feb 28, 2012
Messages
440
Great thread I am taking my metcalf up to alaska on a dall hunt this summer. I too have been very impressed with the pack and how it carries when it is packed up. I think mr hit a home run with this pack.
 
OP
RedStag

RedStag

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 8, 2012
Messages
170
Socks are 6 pairs total, plus the one I will have on me.
I'll look into packing some more food, not having enough to eat could kill the hunt

as far as the ammo, my partner is shooting 300wsm as well as me, so he may just take 4 in his gun and5 on his buttstock holder, same as I will.
The way I see it, I only need 2 rounds for sheep (one for anchor) the rest are grizzly insurance, or elk/moose/caibou medecine for the long hike back down to our pick up point

We are going 10 days up the Muskwa river in northern BC (both of us are residents) with KEVIN at riverjet adventures. Jet boat in and out.
 
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Kevin is a great guy and runs a top notch business. You'll have a great trip with him. Do you think the metcalf is large enough to use on a 10 day sheep hunt? I use my 6500 and don't think it's big enough. I still wish I got the 7500 instead. Yes it's plenty of room for the hike in, but once you get an animal on the ground. the cu/in get eaten up really fast from the cape and meat. I'm using my Metcalf as a day pack more then anything. I don't see how a guy could use it on a week long trip.
 
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- I seem to average ~1.8 lbs/day of food on a sheep hunt. If it's a remote drop off, I carry a couple extra days worth "just in case". Can leave it at the drop point.

- I'd ditch the Guide jacket, at least for the sheep hunt... can't ever think of a time I thought I needed a soft shell while sheep hunting.

- Never needed a flashlight AND a headlamp.

- Might think about leaving the salt at airstrip/base camp.

- You planning on bringing binoculars?

- I like to bring a heavy duty trash bag or two for keeping the meat clean.

- GPS? Maps? Compass?

- I usually have a fleece hat and neck gaiter

Good list all in all. Have fun out there.

Yk
 

cmeier117

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Feb 24, 2012
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Salem, OR
I want to see what the pack looks like when it is packed with your gear. Seems like a good list. Are you still able to use the frame extension points for the load lifters when you are packing out meat?
 

Snyd

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Socks are 6 pairs total, plus the one I will have on me.
I'll look into packing some more food, not having enough to eat could kill the hunt

as far as the ammo, my partner is shooting 300wsm as well as me, so he may just take 4 in his gun and5 on his buttstock holder, same as I will.
The way I see it, I only need 2 rounds for sheep (one for anchor) the rest are grizzly insurance, or elk/moose/caibou medecine for the long hike back down to our pick up point

We are going 10 days up the Muskwa river in northern BC (both of us are residents) with KEVIN at riverjet adventures. Jet boat in and out.

Something I stared doing a few years back regarding food is to make up "daily rations". I split it up so it's easy to see what I have to eat per day. It serves several purposes. Helps make sure you have enough food and that you eat enough each day. We hump it in, setup the tent and then when taking off hunting I throw a couple days+ food in my pack incase we siwash it somewhere. Having food packed in daily rations (zip lock) makes it easy.

I pack 15 rnds. 3 in the gun, 3 on the stock and the rest in my pack. A guy can loose a round or 2 out of those stock shell holders busting through brush, etc. I'd pack 15 rnds apiece.

Sounds like a great adventure. We look forward to the future hunt report!
 

Rackmastr

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Great thread with some really good opinions, experience, etc shared so far!! I like it!
 

MattB

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Kevin is a great guy and runs a top notch business. You'll have a great trip with him. Do you think the metcalf is large enough to use on a 10 day sheep hunt? I use my 6500 and don't think it's big enough. I still wish I got the 7500 instead. Yes it's plenty of room for the hike in, but once you get an animal on the ground. the cu/in get eaten up really fast from the cape and meat. I'm using my Metcalf as a day pack more then anything. I don't see how a guy could use it on a week long trip.

Having maxed out a 6,000 ci pack on sheep and goat hunts, I can't see using a 4,500 ci pack for that purpose. Based on that experience, I recently order a 7,000 ci pack for my upcoming sheep hunt. Unless a guy was planning on dumping all the food to use that space for meat on the pack out and/or strapping gear to the outside of the pack, I just don't see it.
 

Snyd

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But Metcalf is designed to pack meat against the frame like the Stone Glacier packs rather than stuffing everything inside. I think it could be a viable pack for a DIY 10 day walkin sheep hunt. I was considering one but ended up going a different route. I'll be morphing a 7200ci bag I have on to a bikini frame instead.

Screen-Shot-2013-01-31-at-1.42.05-PM-615x315.png
 

cmeier117

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That type of method for carrying meat is the worst part about the nice frame. Because I don't think you can still use the upper attachment points for the load lifters?
 
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That type of method for carrying meat is the worst part about the nice frame. Because I don't think you can still use the upper attachment points for the load lifters?

You are correct, the load lifter extension is useless when used like that. I really think they have that picture of the meat against the frame to "keep up" with SG and Kuiu. I really don't think they designed it to be used this way, I have the pack and would never use it in this way. I don't think it would be a fun pack out with the weight that far away from your body. Yes the heavy part (the meat) is against the frame but there is still a lot of weight hanging out there away from the body. IMO.
 

MattB

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But Metcalf is designed to pack meat against the frame like the Stone Glacier packs rather than stuffing everything inside. I think it could be a viable pack for a DIY 10 day walkin sheep hunt. I was considering one but ended up going a different route. I'll be morphing a 7200ci bag I have on to a bikini frame instead.

Screen-Shot-2013-01-31-at-1.42.05-PM-615x315.png

By using the pack with the meat between the frame and bag, you eliminate the ability to use the upper attachment points for the load lifters as I understand it and put much of the weight on the shoulders. I personally like to shift a high % of the weight to my hips. To each their own, but I would only look at the Metcalf if I could get everything in the bag to retain the load lifter functionality, and (unless the ci rating is substantially understated) a 4,500 ci bag won't permit that.
 
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