Whitetail hunters I'm looking for your advice

[KyleR1985]

Long torso guy that has killed public land whitetail in several states bowhunting, and packed dozens out.

Most important is a frame that fits you. Focus on that first.

Bags are way less important in my opinion.

I don’t put my heaviest clothes in a bag - they’re strapped to it.

Meat goes in between bag and frame.

Incant help you with sticks and platform or a stand - and packing it in a frame pack. I can’t find a way to do that that either doesn’t destroy a pack, or puts the sticks/platform behind the bag, which puts weight further from your center of gravity. Besides being incredibly comfortable and versatile- this is why I landed on the JX3 hybrid I’ve used since 2018.

Mine is heavily modified - but the upshot is that it’s a military MOLLE frame I attached an exo harness and belt to. Built load lifters. Any sticks, animal meat, water, or densest layers get packed tight to the frame. I have lashing webbing. I use a bino harness for everything I whitetail hunt with, or if I need food or extra water, the Jx3 versa pack strapped back there(it’s a 1000ci bag I think).

The way mine is built, it’s about a 3-4lb weight penalty over someone using normal saddle gear and a frameless pack. It’s about even or lighter than someone doing saddle stuff but using a frame pack.


I say all this to say - the frame matters. To the point I’d consider buying or building the frame you want, and strapping your day pack treestand bag whatever it is to that frame for hike in. Ditch frame a hundred yards down wind of your approach. I did that a lot. It’s more versatile too.

I killed and packed out 10-15 with a mystery ranch pop up 28(original version). From 50lb to 110lb total weight pack outs. And half a cow elk on a brutal hike out(this was over the limit of that pack’s use case but handled it like a champ).

If you subtract your clothing, and you need more than a 1500-2000ci bag, you’re doing whitetail hunting wrong I think. If you’re stuffing heavy insulating clothes into a bag, you’re doing it wrong I think.

 

[Macintosh]

If you’re stuffing heavy insulating clothes into a bag, you’re doing it wrong I think.

This is my only quibble. I like to keep my stuff dry. We get snow, often plenty of it, and it loves to dump down the back of your neck and onto your pack every time you brush against an overhanging branch. Put clothing in a drybag in your load shelf or strapped on if you want, but I would say if you hunt in weather and terrain where I would bother to bring bulky whitetail clothing in the first place, you are doing it wrong if your clothing ISNT inside the pack.

 

[KyleR1985]

This is my only quibble. I like to keep my stuff dry. We get snow, often plenty of it, and it loves to dump down the back of your neck and onto your pack every time you brush against an overhanging branch. Put clothing in a drybag in your load shelf or strapped on if you want, but I would say if you hunt in weather and terrain where I would bother to bring bulky whitetail clothing in the first place, you are doing it wrong if your clothing ISNT inside the pack.

It may be that much worse with snow.

But I predominately hunt around weather movements (cold fronts) which involves either walking in or sitting in precip, mostly rain.

I just pack whatever layer will be my outer layer, in a way that precip doesn’t get inside it. And I put all other layers in there. Then I put it on. And then it gets wet. Just like it would if I took it out of a dry bag.

I end up wet on the outside of this shell for the majority of the hunt. The outside of the shell getting wet for 20 minutes before I get to a place to hunt is no different to me.

Maybe I’m doing it wrong. But it’s worked a lot. Again, maybe snow is somehow different

 

[Macintosh]

@KyleR1985 I wouldn't try to argue against something thats working for you, I used the phrase to make a point. The point is that there is no world in which putting clothes inside a pack is “doing it wrong”. Advising someone to set their treestand upwind of where they think the deer is coming from is “wrong”. Getting your clothes more soaking wet than necessary on the approach is “wrong”. If you have a system to keep your clothes dry enough, thats great—but clothes outside as a “rule” is very much in the “preference” camp, at best.

 

[KyleR1985]

@KyleR1985 I wouldn't try to argue against something thats working for you, I used the phrase to make a point. The point is that there is no world in which putting clothes inside a pack is “doing it wrong”. Advising someone to set their treestand upwind of where they think the deer is coming from is “wrong”. Getting your clothes more soaking wet than necessary on the approach is “wrong”. If you have a system to keep your clothes dry enough, thats great—but clothes outside as a “rule” is very much in the “preference” camp, at best.

That’s fair. Adding a little effect to elicit the conversation for sure.

There’s a question buried in there - a big bag means more weight, more noise, and more bulk to hide and shrink somehow. Does it offer an advantage I’m not thinking of, besides protecting my outer shell from the elements for the duration of my walk?

Only one that I’m trading off as far as I know is potential to pick up briars and hitchhikers on the clothes. I’ve accepted that trade and keep everything above my waist and inside my shoulders.

 

[Maverick1]

That’s fair. Adding a little effect to elicit the conversation for sure.

There’s a question buried in there - a big bag means more weight, more noise, and more bulk to hide and shrink somehow. Does it offer an advantage I’m not thinking of, besides protecting my outer shell from the elements for the duration of my walk?

Only one that I’m trading off as far as I know is potential to pick up briars and hitchhikers on the clothes. I’ve accepted that trade and keep everything above my waist and inside my shoulders.

Just put the clothes into a stuff sack and then lash that to the outside of whatever frame or backpack you are using. Cost is $15, keeps briar and hitchhikers off your clothes, keeps them dry if it is raining out, and is a place where you can put the socks you take off at the base of the tree. Get the 60L version, plenty of room to stuff bibs, jacket, and several other layers. Much easier than making a jacket/bib taco and strapping that to the outside of your pack, too.

 

[Macintosh]

Or start riding the whitetail companies to make warm clothing that is actually designed to be carried. My 0* sleeping bag takes up less room in my pack, and weighs literally half as much, as my bibs alone. My solution is a thin quiet-fabric outer layer with a down puffy underneath. Just as warm, but packable and lihht. So I get to keep my stuff dry, AND carry a small pack. Because I agree 100% with the advantages of a small pack.
But if the standard WT stuff is what you’re using, then a big pack or somehow packing it externally are the only two choices Im aware of.

 

[KyleR1985]

Just put the clothes into a stuff sack and then lash that to the outside of whatever frame or backpack you are using. Cost is $15, keeps briar and hitchhikers off your clothes, keeps them dry if it is raining out, and is a place where you can put the socks you take off at the base of the tree. Get the 60L version, plenty of room to stuff bibs, jacket, and several other layers. Much easier than making a jacket/bib taco and strapping that to the outside of your pack, too.

I accept the trade off of clothing lashed on outside of pack. But I agree if I cared to have them in something waterproof- the stuff sack, still strapped to outside of smaller bag on frame would be my preference.


Someone needs to invent a whisper quiet battery powered vacuum that fits in a pocket. Think the reverse of the little pumps for sleeping pads. Then you could use vacuum bag to tote in layers.