Hauling meat inside pack vs outside

FlyGuy

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Pretty simple I think. Not sure why people are getting testy. I've got a reckoning.

In daypack mode = meat in pack. Way faster and not worth the trouble of switching to the meat shelf mode.

With camp = meat shelf or fill in camp items around and strap to outside.



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Jimss

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I place camp/gear above and below the meat. Sometimes I use an internal shelf but most of the time I don't....its quicker and easier without dealing with a shelf. The bag is super tall so everything fits fine and tight to the back when cinched down. It's actually pretty quick and easy. I've hauled out elk, moose, mtn goat, dall sheep, bear, etc plus camp, rifle, gear, capes. It obviously takes a large volume bag and a frame capable of supporting hefty loads to do this.
 

Trial153

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I use a load shelf if I have one and I can't recall not having one in some time. For some day hunts for mule deer or Lopes ect I might run a pack like a 14r in that case meat goes in the bag. If I had a pack like SO that have an nternal load self ...that works just as well.
 
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I place camp/gear above and below the meat. Sometimes I use an internal shelf but most of the time I don't....its quicker and easier without dealing with a shelf. The bag is super tall so everything fits fine and tight to the back when cinched down. It's actually pretty quick and easy. I've hauled out elk, moose, mtn goat, dall sheep, bear, etc plus camp, rifle, gear, capes. It obviously takes a large volume bag and a frame capable of supporting hefty loads to do this.




A reckoning will hold a 50 pound camp, plus a 100 pounds of deboned meat? My spike bag is a DT2 and while it is smaller, it wouldn't come anywhere close to that. That is with a tent and a quilt run under the compression straps that connect the bottom of the bag to the upper compartment. My camp, clothes, gear, and bag for September elk hunting weighs in at 23 pounds give or take. Add water and food, there is no way I'm getting anywhere in the same universe as 100-110 pounds of deboned meat in it too.
 
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MT_Wyatt

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I read this whole “camp is further off your back” thing on here from time to time. I simply don’t understand - the volume is there, in the bag or out. It’s all about how effectively you pack it, how you spread gear and meat around. And how you prefer to carry it. Both ways work - volumetrically though, gear and meat are exactly the same, so I don’t really think there’s a “superior” argument because it’s so dependent on personal implementation.

Getting the highest density load against your back and the rest of the load spread out as close to your body as possible is all that really matters I think.
 

netman

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I bought the SO Saker over the Brooks for the option of carrying meat outside the pack instead of meat in the pack.
So when it came time to hump out the elk meat I dropped the deboned quarters in game bags and then dropped the meat inside the pack. I then cinched the pack up tight making the meat taller in the pack.
I had my first aid kit, kill kit and my emergency kit all in separate zip lock bags stowed in the bottom of the pack. The meat was stacked ontop of the kits.
We humped out the entire elk in one trip as our packs were very heavy.
Once back to the main camp and the meat was unloaded I looked to see how big of a mess I had inside. Absolutely nothing.
My Saker did a great job.
 
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I bought the SO Saker over the Brooks for the option of carrying meat outside the pack instead of meat in the pack.
So when it came time to hump out the elk meat I dropped the deboned quarters in game bags and then dropped the meat inside the pack. I then cinched the pack up tight making the meat taller in the pack.
I had my first aid kit, kill kit and my emergency kit all in separate zip lock bags stowed in the bottom of the pack. The meat was stacked ontop of the kits.
We humped out the entire elk in one trip as our packs were very heavy.
Once back to the main camp and the meat was unloaded I looked to see how big of a mess I had inside. Absolutely nothing.
My Saker did a great job.
Deboned meat inside of game bags then dropped directly into pack, and no blood seepage through the GB's into the pack? Are your GB's dry bags?
 

netman

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The deboned quarters were hung in the shade while working on the carcass. They were semi dry to dry when dropped into the game bags. That’s what made the difference.
 
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cornfedkiller
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I guess the meat getting everything bloody inside my pack was the main concern, but I'm figuring out that most of the guys that carry meat inside their bags put it in a contractor bag, so I guess that would solve that problem.
 
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Carrying in the bag without a waterproof bag of some sort will typically result in blood inside the pack.
Using a Kifaru bag I use a garden hose to wash the blood out if it is not completely dried. If completely dry I add peroxide.

Esse quam videri
 

Jimss

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As Netman mentioned it doesn't take long for deboned meat to get a semi-dry crust on it. It generally takes me a while to bone and cape my animals and by that time the meat has cooled fairly well there is a shallow crust on the surface. It's obviously a great idea to let meat cool before setting it in a pack. When possible I let it sit in the shade or cool overnight. There shouldn't be hardly any blood on your meat if you de-bone the gutless method properly. I often bring along paper towels to absorb blood...especially while caping. Your taxidermist will thank you! Pretty much the only bloody meat is around the bullet/arrow holes and that meat is unedible and cut off. I often place paper towels in the mouth and bullet holes to prevent blood contaminating the meat and cape. My game bags are pretty much free of blood. I'm not exactly sure where all the blood comes from that some of you are worried about?
 
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Much prefer the batwing style packs where you can just get pack ready, opens wings, drop meat on top of bag, suck tight and go. I hate putting meat inside a bag that has all my gear in it. I guess if you're alone, that means your're packing out to go home and clean up mess when you get there. If with a partner, that means getting meat out and trying to kill another animal i.e. potentially dealing with bloody clothes without a dry sack of some sort/contractor bag.
 

ljalberta

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Dec 7, 2015
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Everything in the bag for me. Works fine. I'll probably give a shelf a try someday, but I've never had an issue so far carrying it in the bag.
 
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