Thanks everyone for your help, especially scp. Your post cemented my decision. I'm going to go ahead and get the AGC Kodiak Cub maybe with Max & the Marsupial Padded Harness. I wish AGC would only sell their pouches, like Marsupial, but they are a good value.
Would it be possible to use the Marsupial harness with the AGC pouches?
If so I believe I will go with the AGC Kodiak Cub as the side pockets on the smaller 2 pouches will get caught on brush for sure around here and I'll try the Marsupial harness along with their Pack Strap Kit, so I can...
Maybe I should just order both & see which one works the best. I guess it depends on their return policy & if both can ship about the same time. Both have 30 day money back guarantee from the purchase date. Problem around here is it often takes 30 days to get here.
Thanks for the great & on topic responses. I can tell none of you are politicians. Next question - If I were to carry a 40 lb. backpack overtop with either the AGC or Marsupial, which one would you choose? Case would be mountain goat hunting w/ as light a gear for a spike camp.
On the AGC...
I moose hunted this fall with a neck only bino strap & it was very uncomfortable. I'm intrigued by this Cotton Skout design, but I have two concerns with it: One it is not balanced & I fear with a heavy back pack on it would be annoying and two I'm not 100% confident in how it locks in place...
Well don't get too jealous, we pay for it with the shoulder season climate 'wet & cold + mud', groceries that are twice as much and fuel that's at least 50% higher. We live in a very small home to make up the difference.
I thought he said 700 yards was the closest they got. He was hunting caribou at the time. I'll email him & see if I can get a reply. Correction: 800 yards.
Friend is getting a 6.5-300 Weatherby Mag because last year he had a couple of wolfs out of his comfortable range & was unable to sneak up on them. The rifle he is purchasing is a Vanguard First Light. I just don't see the need for this overbore cartridge & thinks he would be better of with...
Yes, the "monsoons", as I like to call them, start around mid-August here & continue until mid-Jan. Although by the time you get into mid-Nov. in my area it is usually snow, but we've been getting a lot of freeze thaw events the first half of winter, which was not the case 20 years ago...
We have fairly good mountain goat hunting in my area, but they are difficult to get to because of our 'U'-shaped glacier valleys & lower elev. brush. I could hunt from my house every morning & do the 3,000 ft. ascent everyday or throw the extra gear in the pack & hunt from a basecamp. Guys...
I should mention that I'm in remote Alaska (Haines to be exact); not much agriculture around here or cities. Maybe I'll check with the local gas stations.
My buddy puts a handful of quarter size holes in a 55 gallon drum chained to a tree. Use enough chain so the bear can bat it around & get out kibble or oats or whatever. He says there is a balance as to keep the black bears interested but not enough of the food falling out to keep brown bears...