Using Kifaru Gun Bearer during archery season

[bsnedeker]

I was in Montana hunting elk with a rifle a couple of weeks ago for the first time with my Kifaru after I failed to punch my general tag with my bow (I also failed with a rifle, but that is another story!). I purchased a gun bearer specifically for this trip. It took some getting used to, but once I figured that my rifle liked to hang with the scope down it worked pretty well, but absolutely not fast enough to deploy when still hunting through the timber (which was my primary strategy for this hunt).

What I ended up doing was keeping the rifle in the gun bearer for the initial hike in the morning and after dark, but then I would just hold the rifle across my chest (weight of the rifle sitting on my AGC bino harness), and I put my trekking poles in the gun bearer. This worked GREAT as the trekking poles were held securely, but within easy reach so if I needed to head up or down something steep I would just swap my trekking poles for my rifle and head up the hill.

This has me convinced that I need to run the gun bearer during archery season as well. While I obviously won't be able to hold my bow with the GB, being able to secure my trekking poles without taking off my pack is really nice.

Anyone else use their GB for holding stuff other than a rifle?

 

[bsnedeker]

Here is a pic kind of showing how I carried stuff during the day... rifle resting on bino harness, poles secured in GB.

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[ChrisAU]

So I too found that the gun bearer worked poorly for my top heavy rifle, and had to ride scope down to not whack me in the head and bounce around. I replace the lower part (the part that attached to the pack belt) with the lower part from the Kuiu quick draw gun holster (link below). It attaches at each end to the belt instead of in the center, and consequently grabs the butt of the rifle much better and keeps it from rotating. I've found the quick draw mechanism working the same when you still use the upper Kifaru part.

Quick Draw Gun Holder - KUIU US

 

[bsnedeker]

Really interesting idea, I can see how that design would work a lot better for the butt stock. I think it would still be too slow to deploy in a still-hunting situation as I generally had 3-5 seconds at most to get a shot off, but it would carry much better with your innovation!

 

[realunlucky]

YouTube maybe you need this mystery ranch sling.

I use the gun bearer without issue.

 

[ChrisAU]

Really interesting idea, I can see how that design would work a lot better for the butt stock. I think it would still be too slow to deploy in a still-hunting situation as I generally had 3-5 seconds at most to get a shot off, but it would carry much better with your innovation!

Yeah if actively hunting I'd rather just be holding the rifle. But for the initial hike in its nice to be able to access it pretty quickly just in case.

 

[bsnedeker]

Just to be clear, I had no issues with the gun bearer. It worked just fine once I started carrying it scope down which didn't cause me any problems. The point of this post was more about using the gun bearer for holding my trekking poles, not to complain about the GB.

 

[FlyGuy]

I like that idea. I keep my poles in the side pockets of my reckoning and dont use them the majority of the time unless there is a prolonged climb (1000ft or more) or a really, really sketchy section. (Used them a lot more in the past but need them less as my fitness level improved). Anyway, ive been thinking about a better way to carry the poles, something more similar to running vests, but this could do the trick.

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[ChrisAU]

Just to be clear, I had no issues with the gun bearer. It worked just fine once I started carrying it scope down which didn't cause me any problems. The point of this post was more about using the gun bearer for holding my trekking poles, not to complain about the GB.

Oh yeah, it worked great for me like that too. I think it was me having a 28 oz scope on a light rifle. I preferred having it upright though because I had longgg hikes in and out.

 

[Kraze]

I hadn't used my gun bearer to carry my trekking poles in the past, but you can bet I'll use it for that now! Great idea!

And for what it's worth, I also find my rifles carry better scope down in the gun bearer.

 

[Read1t48]

It carries a bow great!

 

[bhylton]

^^ It even carried my recurve really nice. i figured it would work fantastic for a compound

 

[Frosty82]

A different kind of hunting and a rough cell phone photo...but I carried my camera/lens/tri-pod with the GB and it worked amazingly well!

A photo from that trip;

 

[JohnnyB]

I use my Kifaru Gun Bearer more during archery season than during rifle season. It gets used most when hiking into or out of an area I want hunt. Once I get to the area I was heading towards, the rifle gets carried in my hands. Same with the bow.

 

[Blockcaver]

I've carried my bows in a Gunbearer for a decade or more. Works just great for me on the various Mathews, a Hoyt and now a Prime. You can access the bow in a second to start nocking an arrow, and I feel the bow is more secure in front/side of you than on the back of the pack. And I can still use my hiking poles when I am using the Gunbearer with the bow in it.