What is the best lightweight day pack for spot and stalk western hunting where you're covering a good bit of ground every day, like an archery elk hunt? Assume the meat is coming out via horses.
Best Lightweight Day Pack
- Thread starter hoshour
- Start date
I'd still grab my Exo with either the 2000 or 3500 bag most of the time. That pack moves with me well enough it's like not having a frame until you need the frame. Even if I'm not packing much weight the frame still makes a good shooting rest for a sitting shot.
Predator hunting I use an Eberlestock X3 or Team Elk quite a bit. I have a giant FoxPro Prairie Blaster 3 call that takes up almost all of the main pocket of the X3 and is pretty heavy. The Team Elk is just enough bigger I can hold a puffy jacket and insulated hat with it. I don't like having a sling on my predator rifle, I figure it's just one more thing to get tangled or have visible movement when getting a shot. The scabbards are really nice and I've been a fan of them for a long time.
Archery hunting I'd definitely choose the Exo. The only reason I'd consider the Eberlestock instead is the scabbard. That said I haven't carried one on a western hunt since I got my Exo. The layout of the Exo, especially the 3500 bag, is great for me. I can get my optics out and set up quick and quiet, no zipper noise or hassle. I don't currently bow hunt so I can't say much there, but the guys who invented the pack are bowhunters.
Something else to consider is that even with horses available elk don't always end up dying where the horses can reach them. A pack-out of some length may still be needed, I've been there.
Predator hunting I use an Eberlestock X3 or Team Elk quite a bit. I have a giant FoxPro Prairie Blaster 3 call that takes up almost all of the main pocket of the X3 and is pretty heavy. The Team Elk is just enough bigger I can hold a puffy jacket and insulated hat with it. I don't like having a sling on my predator rifle, I figure it's just one more thing to get tangled or have visible movement when getting a shot. The scabbards are really nice and I've been a fan of them for a long time.
Archery hunting I'd definitely choose the Exo. The only reason I'd consider the Eberlestock instead is the scabbard. That said I haven't carried one on a western hunt since I got my Exo. The layout of the Exo, especially the 3500 bag, is great for me. I can get my optics out and set up quick and quiet, no zipper noise or hassle. I don't currently bow hunt so I can't say much there, but the guys who invented the pack are bowhunters.
Something else to consider is that even with horses available elk don't always end up dying where the horses can reach them. A pack-out of some length may still be needed, I've been there.
Good point. I'm asking for my son-in-law, who is going on his first ever elk hunt and was told to keep things as light as possible.
I'm looking too. The full size pack I hunt with now seems like overkill for much of what I do, so I'm also looking to size down a bit. We both will be hunting from tents at least a couple miles back from the road. He's using horses, I'm taking llamas for the first time.
CoHiCntry
Veteran member
I'd look at the Mystery Ranch Pintler, the EXO 2000 and maybe the Kuiu 1800, 1850, or 2200. All three are light weight daypacks with the ability to haul meat to the horses if needed.
I generally have found it not necessary to carry a pack on a day trip.
picking a day pack is really not something one needs to put A lot of thought on
on those few occasions when I do bring one, the only things I really look for in the pack is,
1. color(generally camo)
2.that it is made out of a material that will be silent when walking through brush
and 3.will it fit whatever items I wish to carry
any pack that covers these three things will do.
picking a day pack is really not something one needs to put A lot of thought on
on those few occasions when I do bring one, the only things I really look for in the pack is,
1. color(generally camo)
2.that it is made out of a material that will be silent when walking through brush
and 3.will it fit whatever items I wish to carry
any pack that covers these three things will do.
Quote Originally Posted by mcseal2 View Post
Something else to consider is that even with horses available elk don't always end up dying where the horses can reach them. A pack-out of some length may still be needed, I've been there.
this is true, I have a couple times had to pack an elk a short distance to the horses,but in all the years I have been hunting elk ,this is a rare situation. but it DOES happen. once had a bull bail off a cliff and roll down into some ugly, steep, stuff, where , I did not particularly, want to be , let alone take a horse.
for the most part though , if an elk can get there ,so can a HORSE. and on those few occasions I did have to pack it to the horses ,it was never a far pack. generally less then a couple hundred yards at most, with the exception of that one ,which was probably closer to half mile
Something else to consider is that even with horses available elk don't always end up dying where the horses can reach them. A pack-out of some length may still be needed, I've been there.
this is true, I have a couple times had to pack an elk a short distance to the horses,but in all the years I have been hunting elk ,this is a rare situation. but it DOES happen. once had a bull bail off a cliff and roll down into some ugly, steep, stuff, where , I did not particularly, want to be , let alone take a horse.
for the most part though , if an elk can get there ,so can a HORSE. and on those few occasions I did have to pack it to the horses ,it was never a far pack. generally less then a couple hundred yards at most, with the exception of that one ,which was probably closer to half mile
Maybe I should have been more specific. I always have my weapon, spare ammo, 3 liters of water/day minimum, the pack itself, knife and other essentials, rangefinder, headlights, lunch, snacks, often a 65mm spotter and tripod, and layers I take off. That's 25 lbs, so we're not talking a lunch sack.
That's pretty much what I pack in my Exo. I prefer the 3500 bag most times because the side pockets are great for my tripod and spotter. With the 2000 bag I used the water bottle holder and compression strap for my tripod and put the spotter in the stretch pocket on the back. The 2000 fits everything fine, but I prefer the layout of the 3500 for the extra half pound or so. The 3500's long side pockets will also hold my rifle if I want to get it out of the way for a long hike or climb. It's just easier to get everything organized in the bigger pack and then compress it down. I rifle hunt so I usually have a puffy jacket and pants stuffed in there later season too. I can dress light for the hike in and put them on at my glassing point.
It's probably a bit more common where I hunt than most places. A big fire went through the canyon and left lots of sharp limbs and down trees that make getting horses into spots a little more hazardous. It can be easier to pack an elk a half mile than saw your way to where it dropped so horses can safely reach it. I also hunt the end of rifle season when bulls are pushed back into some really nasty stuff but they are pretty reliably in those spots.
25contender
Veteran member
- Mar 20, 2013
- 1,638
- 90
I guess it depends? Since we don't use guides or have access to horses and pack in for 7 days at a time I don't carry a day pack at all. I empty my Kifaru except for water bladder ,food for two days, first aid stuff, cleaning gear with meat bags and other essentials. I always plan on killing a elk on every venture away from camp. (It doesnt always happen that way) So if I head back to camp I plan on it being with a heavy load!! I have never had any issues carrying my regular pack. 
Bonecollector
Veteran member
I agree 100% with this statement.I guess it depends? Since we don't use guides or have access to horses and pack in for 7 days at a time I don't carry a day pack at all. I empty my Kifaru except for water bladder ,food for two days, first aid stuff, cleaning gear with meat bags and other essentials. I always plan on killing a elk on every venture away from camp. (It doesnt always happen that way) So if I head back to camp I plan on it being with a heavy load!! I have never had any issues carrying my regular pack.
Slugz
Veteran member
Same here, that's why I went with the Kifaru Woodsman. Gives me a ton of options......even if I have stock tied up in the valley to get meat out.I agree 100% with this statement.
Bonecollector
Veteran member
Slugz
Veteran member
Yep. I think there is a bunch of great options out there to accomplish this.
25contender
Veteran member
- Mar 20, 2013
- 1,638
- 90
I agree! I use my AMR when backpacking and my mountain rambler on most day trips. But have been eyeing the fulcrum. I do run a Nimrod pack for short hunts closer to the base camp or pickup. Much quieter material, suspension isn't comparable though.I guess it depends? Since we don't use guides or have access to horses and pack in for 7 days at a time I don't carry a day pack at all. I empty my Kifaru except for water bladder ,food for two days, first aid stuff, cleaning gear with meat bags and other essentials. I always plan on killing a elk on every venture away from camp. (It doesnt always happen that way) So if I head back to camp I plan on it being with a heavy load!! I have never had any issues carrying my regular pack.
ore hunter
Very Active Member
- Jul 25, 2014
- 699
- 114
I like my kuiu icon pro 1850 pack for day packing,,,I have weighed all my stuff to minimal amounts and have my entire pack weight down to about 13 lbs including the pack at about 3 lbs.of course that is minimal good weather hunting,,but I have packed out a 100lb elk quarter on it,,very impressed with the carbon fiber frame.