12 days, minimal gear, Elk hunting in October "Colorado" Which Kifaru pack you bringing?

[Garrett.Stump]

My 2 cents

First off I don’t think I could handle 12 days off my back at elevation, in the mountains with hunting gear. I’d probably split it up with a day or 2 not freezing. You might get lucky and have good weather, or you might be melting snow and ice to make water. October at 10k feet gear for me is heavy. All that aside, most Iv done is 12 days straight. My food took up an easy 4500cu. I use a fulcrum for everything.

The idea of getting away with the smallest bag possible sounds good. I went down that road. Then I learned I can just buy a big bag make life way easier. Then I started carrying animals out on my back and found that a big bag makes life even easier yet.

Iv done some 5 days in a spike camp, 7 days in a 4800 highcamp multiple times, in warmer weather. Now I just use my fulcrum for everything. You don’t want to be finding out you need more space in the dark when it starts snowing, after cutting up an animal. The idea is great in theory, not in use.

I learned the hard way that 4800 just isn’t enough when there is meat on the ground. Bought a fulcrum and have been happy since.

sounds like a very wise man has spoken, as many in this thread have said the same thing in different ways.

 

[GunsUp]

I think the Mountain Warrior has some versatility that’s worth mentioning. Use a guide lid with a stadium seat foam pad inside to sit on.

 

[Marble]

Ive never been in the backcountry with a dead elk or mule deer and wished my pack was smaller..

I bought a big pack so I could carry eveything I need out. I still pack the same stuff in as I always have.

 

[TradLife406]

So I'll have about two weeks and change to hunt elk. The three of us will pack in a spike camp about three miles.

But I'm with the other guys. Wevll take about five days of food and give it hell for that many days. Even if we kill we'll cache the meat in one of the many cold drainage bottoms/streams. Then keep hunting as long as our food lasts.

So day five comes around we'll hike out, maybe go to town for a real meal then come back in with a resupply. And God willing drop off an elk at the butcher or at least rent a meat locker. Then back in.

The problem with more than five days is the food eats up a ton of space in the pack and weight. Especially if you're packing enough calories for a hard hunt. Like I take 4500-5000 cals a day which is about 2.5lb or so. I can't see a need to pack in for more says than that at a time. Unless you're on some epic sheep hunt or something crazy and you're 10 miles deep and have horses or stock. I'll admit I'm newer to this. But I do know packing an elk out 3-4 miles with a buddy sucks. It's freaking missursble. So I don't think it's smart going deeper than that on foot without stock. I don't care what people say about 10 miles deep lol. Even to get to where we camp were knowingly walking by elk that are probably only a mile in.

But back to the question I'd definitely go bigger. The 44 is a badass bag but with five days in it last year it was a tight fit. Now 3-4 days it was perfect.

The Crater was a great bag. Very simple. But I traded it for a Ma Duce which should be about perfect. Last year I was hoping for an 88 mag... The Ma Duce.



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[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

I could physically get the load into my Reckoning with Guide lid. I've done 8 days in September, and the only changes for October would be more food, drop the spotter and tripod, add an extra puffy and 2 layers of gloves. My sleeping bag and pad would be strapped on the outside of the pack on the bottom. But no way in hell am I going to be staying in one spot for 12 days in that season for elk. I don't want to pack an elk out more than 3-4 miles from a road, and that means I'll have hunted out my area by day 3 or 4.

Now, backcountry sheep hunt? Yeah, I could fit it all, but it would be a spartan camp with no luxury gear. The issue is gear volume, not total weight. And you have to plan on two trips to get the gear + animal out, no matter what.