The Teratorn: A Shoot2Hunt X EXO Bag Collab

[ChrisAU]

I've also struggled with how to I'd want to put an OBI slot on an EXO shoulder strap, would like to see how others are. I have them on a Kifaru day pack using the one that clamps to a strap.

 

[mtnbound]

Right on. I carry a 4" barreled sidearm with 17rds that qualifies as minimum length for centerfire so I can use it for defense, and punch a tag if I absolutely need to. But, otherwise, for trips in and out, the rifle is strapped to the pack. To each their own.

The wolves or bears that I have taken have not been from a self defense range. One dog was about 80y and the other was a little over 100y. I haven’t taken a bear in sometime but the last one was under 200y. I frequently have encounters with animals while walking in so that’s why I keep whatever I am using at hand.

 

[mtnbound]

I am also a "rifle in my hand if I think I'm going to need it" type of guy, and I also don't like slings. It is new to me, so I have limited hunt experience with it, but so far, I am liking the OBI system as an option to quickly secure my rifle to the front of my pack and be hands-free to glass.

Mark
I would also be interested in seeing this in action. I would buy it just for the name after all I pack Fresh Balls, I might as well carry Old Balls, but wait I already have one set of old balls, so I would be packing 2 sets of old balls, that might be a dealbreaker.

 

[24valve]

I have a SG one sitting around but I dont love the pull strap. Maybe I will use that bottom and exo top, need to play with that a bit.

I was in the same boat, but was shown a way to avoid using the finicky pull strap that's also faster and less awkward than undoing straps behind you.

After your put on your pack, place the butt of the rifle in the SG sling, but then run the rifle up underneath your armpit, and use the pack sternum strap around the forend of the stock to hold it in place. It takes a little adjustment to get the scope sitting right underneath your arm, but is an extremely quick way to remove your rifle from the pack and distributes the weight better on your pack by moving the rifle closer to your body.

As a bonus, the muzzle is right in front of you and makes you quite aware of where you're pointing your rifle at all times.

 

[Ajsomp]

I was in the same boat, but was shown a way to avoid using the finicky pull strap that's also faster and less awkward than undoing straps behind you.

After your put on your pack, place the butt of the rifle in the SG sling, but then run the rifle up underneath your armpit, and use the pack sternum strap around the forend of the stock to hold it in place. It takes a little adjustment to get the scope sitting right underneath your arm, but is an extremely quick way to remove your rifle from the pack and distributes the weight better on your pack by moving the rifle closer to your body.

As a bonus, the muzzle is right in front of you and makes you quite aware of where you're pointing your rifle at all times.

Sounds like the way the kifaru gun bearer carries the rifle? Or am I reading that wrong?

 

[Jon Boy]

It certainly sounds like some one could make a lot of money developing a legit rifle carrying system. It also seems like the opportunity to miss game is just as high by carrying rifle in hand as it is with rifle in pack. You just can’t glass effectively with one hand as you roll through country to your next glassing point. I know this because I was hunting with rifle in hand and my partner had his stowed while we were rolling out a ridge system. I glasses passed 4 or 5 bulls that day that he spotted after I had glassed the same avalanche chutes. Big blonde bulls in avalanche chutes. On the other hand, we were also in fresh tracks so I wanted to be fast on the gun. But, I want my cake and to eat it too!

If it’s cold and a day hunt I normally wear a waist pack and a safari sling to accommodate all of it now.

 

[Netherman]

I attached a kifaru gun bearer bucket the same as ztc92 has the stone glacier mount and have the kifaru shoulder strap mount. With that setup I have three options:

Hand carry typically with a bipod attached (we'll see if I re"Form" my opinion and stop using a bipod)
Hands free glassing with quick deployment out of the shoulder strap mount
Super secure for long hikes or packing meat by attaching the rifle with a pack side strap.

The only thing I could see being a bit better is if you could keep the kifaru shoulder strap speed, but get the rifle behind your shoulder.

I wasn't looking for anything new, but after reading this thread and watching Form's video I'm interested in some side bags for late season day hunts where unpacking/repacking my 5000 is a chore. I'm also going to look at the OBI mount for archery season so I can be hands free glassing. I tried the montana bow sling by creative outdoors, but felt like it had too much going on.

More rabbit holes and more money. Thanks rokslide...

 

[Q_Sertorius]

It seems like a three-point sling could be a good option as well, so long as you were good about not getting your binoculars tangled up with it. With the relatively short barrels on many of the rifles I see around here, that could be a decent option.

I’ll confess that “what to do with binoculars and rifle?” just isn’t a problem for me still hunting on private land, since I have a 3-9x optic I can use for in-stride “glassing”, while constantly having my rifle in my hands. When I hunt without an optic, I keep my rifle hanging from a three-point or loose sling around the back of my neck. My binocular strap is around my neck and under one arm. So I can let my binoculars ride under my arm while I move.

A lot can also be gained by not walking straight up the crest of a ridge, but zigzagging diagonally back and forth across it. And spending most of your time on or near the military crest, not the actual crest. That keeps you from moving while silhouetted for very long and makes your progress more methodical. One of the biggest sins while still hunting is moving too fast and exposing yourself to view before you can get a good look at an area. My goal is to only be where I can only be spotted moving after i have already glassed an area and while I am looking in the direction from which I can be spotted. This gives me at least a chance at a snapshot at anything in that direction. I don’t know how practical this is for elk, but it works for spotting bedded down whitetails before they spot you.


____________________
“Keep on keepin’ on…”

 

[Ajsomp]

It seems like a three-point sling could be a good option as well, so long as you were good about not getting your binoculars tangled up with it. With the relatively short barrels on many of the rifles I see around here, that could be a decent option.

I’ll confess that “what to do with binoculars and rifle?” just isn’t a problem for me still hunting on private land, since I have a 3-9x optic I can use for in-stride “glassing”, while constantly having my rifle in my hands. When I hunt without an optic, I keep my rifle hanging from a three-point or loose sling around the back of my neck. My binocular strap is around my neck and under one arm. So I can let my binoculars ride under my arm while I move.

A lot can also be gained by not walking straight up the crest of a ridge, but zigzagging diagonally back and forth across it. And spending most of your time on or near the military crest, not the actual crest. That keeps you from moving while silhouetted for very long and makes your progress more methodical. One of the biggest sins while still hunting is moving too fast and exposing yourself to view before you can get a good look at an area. My goal is to only be where I can only be spotted moving after i have already glassed an area and while I am looking in the direction from which I can be spotted. This gives me at least a chance at a snapshot at anything in that direction. I don’t know how practical this is for elk, but it works for spotting bedded down whitetails before they spot you.


____________________
“Keep on keepin’ on…”

Am I reading this right? You’re using your rifle, pointing it at things you have no idea what is there - for the intention of glassing?

That’s just not something I personally subscribe to or get behind. Or have ever done while western hunting. Even hunting white tail on the east coast, I’m using binos. Rifle optics are for killing things, binos and spotters are for glassing.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

Am I reading this right? You’re using your rifle, pointing it at things you have no idea what is there - for the intention of glassing?

That’s just not something I personally subscribe to or get behind. Or have ever done while western hunting. Even hunting white tail on the east coast, I’m using binos. Rifle optics are for killing things, binos and spotters are for glassing.

On my own - posted - land, with a mountain as my backstop, and ten miles of public national forest on the other side of the mountain, yes. I’m not saying I would do that on public land or in an unknown area.


____________________
“Keep on keepin’ on…”

 

[24valve]

Sounds like the way the kifaru gun bearer carries the rifle? Or am I reading that wrong?

You're reading that correctly, it's similar. Depending on the pack you have, the SG holder fits in the bottom of the frame and the Kifaru holder attaches to the hip belt so they likely carry a little differently.

One advantage to the sternum strap rifle holder is that it's one less strap to release when removing your rifle and pack quickly.

 

[Bluumoon]

I attached a kifaru gun bearer bucket the same as ztc92 has the stone glacier mount and have the kifaru shoulder strap mount. With that setup I have three options:

Hand carry typically with a bipod attached (we'll see if I re"Form" my opinion and stop using a bipod)
Hands free glassing with quick deployment out of the shoulder strap mount
Super secure for long hikes or packing meat by attaching the rifle with a pack side strap.

The only thing I could see being a bit better is if you could keep the kifaru shoulder strap speed, but get the rifle behind your shoulder.

I wasn't looking for anything new, but after reading this thread and watching Form's video I'm interested in some side bags for late season day hunts where unpacking/repacking my 5000 is a chore. I'm also going to look at the OBI mount for archery season so I can be hands free glassing. I tried the montana bow sling by creative outdoors, but felt like it had too much going on.

More rabbit holes and more money. Thanks rokslide...

If it’s the universal Kifaru upper strap you can move it to the top of the frame on the EXO and have your behind the shoulder carry. I’ve posted pics and videos of the way I have mine set up. I have an idea for a better upper strap, but haven’t figured out the combo of pieces I like.

 

[ChrisAU]

After years of having a rifle under my arm and a barrel in my face I’ve really really enjoyed this setup - Exo lower in the mode for carrying rifle strapped to pack, but using the Slik Sling V2 upper piece. Can get rifle super fast, and can put it back on easily without taking my pack off. You can emulate the Slik V2 upper pretty easily with some spare webbing and buckles.

 

[sndmn11]

On my own - posted - land, with a mountain as my backstop, and ten miles of public national forest on the other side of the mountain, yes. I’m not saying I would do that on public land or in an unknown area.

Firearm safety rules be damned!


I'm with @ChrisAU , the v2 slick sling is fine enough for me.

 

[Bluumoon]

After years of having a rifle under my arm and a barrel in my face I’ve really really enjoyed this setup - Exo lower in the mode for carrying rifle strapped to pack, but using the Slik Sling V2 upper piece. Can get rifle super fast, and can put it back on easily without taking my pack off. You can emulate the Slik V2 upper pretty easily with some spare webbing and buckles.

View attachment 894773

New Slick sling rubber strap is appealing to me for an upper solution, but there some changes I’d make. In your picture it looks set up very similar to how I use the Kifaru and l
demonstrates one of the primary weaknesses. You can see the upper strap has slipped down between the barrel and stock, it’ll do the same thing between barrel and scope. Problem being when you are swinging rifle around the strap gets twisted just enough to hang up and slow the “draw”.

Additionally another primary issue seen here is the rifle is a little floppy at the top/forend of the stock hitting shoulder. Not a huge deal unless you have a fore end rail rubbing your shoulder all day.

 

[ChrisAU]

New Slick sling rubber strap is appealing to me for an upper solution, but there some changes I’d make. In your picture it looks set up very similar to how I use the Kifaru and l
demonstrates one of the primary weaknesses. You can see the upper strap has slipped down between the barrel and stock, it’ll do the same thing between barrel and scope. Problem being when you are swinging rifle around the strap gets twisted just enough to hang up and slow the “draw”.

Just gotta make sure there's enough room in your stock for dead cats so that isn't a worry. I could see it being bad for setup with low barrel clearance but I haven't had an issue with it yet. I do keep meaning to test it with a rifle in a Hnt 26 chassis, will try that out tonight.

 

[Bluumoon]

Just gotta make sure there's enough room in your stock for dead cats so that isn't a worry. I could see it being bad for setup with low barrel clearance but I haven't had an issue with it yet. I do keep meaning to test it with a rifle in a Hnt 26 chassis, will try that out tonight.

I use big dead cats. It’s the twisting motion on the rifle that gets me sometimes. Not a deal breaker, and is the best solution I have so far.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

Firearm safety rules be damned!

I’m not scanning the other side of the valley with my scope. I’m using it for Positive Identification.

Deer hunting where I am is a movement to contact. Unless it is too dark to see, or I negotiating an obstacle, my rifle is at the alert the entire day. If I am stopped at one of my vantage points to look into a draw, I have already seen that there are no apparent humans there with my eyes since I cannot see more than 400 yards anyway. So the scope is telling me that the deer with its head partially obscured by the branches is a buck or doe.

How do you all hunt in timber? You are telling me that when something jumps up at 40-80 yards in timber, you are using binoculars to confirm it is a bull you want to shoot and that you have a clear shot? And not making that confirmation with your scope while preparing your shot?

It seems like elk hunting as you describe it is a very deliberate process. It sounds like you hike from checkpoint to checkpoint and spend hours looking for the animals that are very far away. Is that right? If that’s the case, I certainly wouldn’t use my scope for that.

I honestly can’t imagine thinking that I was hunting if I had my rifle strapped to my pack. When I see a hunter with a rifle across his back, he better have both hands full of game or otherwise encumbered. And most of the time, a hunter walking with his rifle over his shoulder has mentally given up on the hunt.


____________________
“Keep on keepin’ on…”

 

[sndmn11]

You are telling me that when something jumps up at 40-80 yards in timber, you are using binoculars to confirm it is a bull you want to shoot and that you have a clear shot? And not making that confirmation with your scope while preparing your shot?

Yes, don't aim at something you don't want to destroy. Don't aim at something you aren't sure. Both paraphrased from four core safety rules that keep people from being shot, the wrong species from being shot, the wrong sex from being shot, etc.

I also don't take sound shots. I also don't aim at "something" that jumps up in front of me. The lethal weapon I carry doesn't fulfill any non-lethal tasks.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

Yes, don't aim at something you don't want to destroy. Don't aim at something you aren't sure. Both paraphrased from four core safety rules that keep people from being shot, the wrong species from being shot, the wrong sex from being shot, etc.

I also don't take sound shots. I also don't aim at "something" that jumps up in front of me. The lethal weapon I carry doesn't fulfill any non-lethal tasks.

You are paraphrasing the four weapon safety rules, not applying the intent behind them. I am treating the weapon as if it was loaded. I am pointing the weapon at something I intend to shoot. I am keeping my weapon on safe until I am ready to fire. I am keeping my finger straight and off the trigger until I intend to fire. I know my target and what lies beyond it. The whole time I am using the weapon for potentially lethal tasks. And that is the essence of firearms safety: being aware that what you are doing involves a lethal instrument you need to handle it with care and making sure that when you fire your weapon, you do so at what you intend to kill.

The whole reason we put optics on our M-16A4s, M-4s, SAWs, and M240s was to confirm positive identification. To make sure that we killed the right person. To enable us to kill a terrorist in a crowd. It is part of the safety system to avoid collateral damage. So, when I see a deer, I intend to shoot it, unless I am unable to confirm that it is a legal animal and that it is a safe shot.

My targets aren't so far away that I can't usually tell the difference between a person and a game animal with my eyes, but if my eyes deceive me and I were to point my rifle at something that turned out to be a person or non-game animal, they are still far better off for me looking at them with a scoped rifle, on safe, with my finger straight and off the trigger, than if I didn't have an optic. And if it is a legal animal, but I am able to see something unforeseen behind it that doesn't need killing, then that thing is still safe.

Not all hunting is a deliberate process of sitting on a mountain top glassing the surrounding area for hours and then getting into your maximum effective range to shoot at some unaware animal. I'm not using a scope for that. And a lot of hunting is more dynamic than that.

If you don't feel comfortable hunting in woods or timber, that's fine. But you surely know that you cannot go into woods or timber and expect to have more than a few seconds to gain and maintain positive identification and decide to shoot. Having a plan for that is important. Being prepared to do that safely is important.

Have you ever hunted grouse? Better be prepared for snapshots. Better be ready to make fast decisions and fire your shotgun in a split second. Deer, turkey, squirrel, etc. hunting in constricted terrain is the same way.

Anyway, enough of that digression. Feel free to go back to talking about the best way to strap your rifle to your packs until you have used your 50x spotting scope to decide that it is a 6x6, not a 6x5, and you are going to shoot it at 600 yards.