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

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12 days of food?!? Nothing less than my 44 mag and even then I might get hungry!


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OP
Garrett.Stump
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12 days of food?!? Nothing less than my 44 mag and even then I might get hungry!


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I'm a pretty light eater,I need a packet of oatmeal in the morning I do not really eat during the day I'm a snack here and there and then a mountain house in the evening. I use my nomad generation 1 with a 55 liter dry bag and I can get away with 8-9 days which puts me sub 40 lb not including rifle or water

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Rock-o

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How do you like the access of that pack?
<shrugs>

Just got it the other day and haven't used it other than to put some weight in it for adjusting. I think I'd prefer to have zips that go to the top of the collar [like Reckoning and Fulcrum, I believe], but I like the dual zips and believe I'll get by fine.
 

prm

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Hmmm, 12 days. For me that would be a lot of food. October in CO can be cold too. My reality would be 5-6 days of food in the pack and the rest in the truck. If I haven’t shot anything in 5-6 days I probably need to move anyway.
I‘ll be using a Stryker with a 55l bag and have done the same with a Nomad. The Reckoning is about the same, just doesn’t compress for day hunting as well. I think you’ll need bigger than a Reckoning. Ma Deuce perhaps.
 

TheGDog

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I love my EMR II. Can carry everything and the kitchen sink! Places I go ya gotta bring in your own water. So I like that with this pack I can do that plus also put everything INSIDE the pack with like only my REI Macro seat attached outside of it at the bottom. Then if I get lucky, I can just elect to attach a few more things to the outside of the pack to make room for the meat bag.

I envy you guys that can hunt places where you can filter water whenever ya want. I often have to pack-in water ahead of time and stash it out in the areas I'm focusing on, just so I'm not killing myself with water weight when the season opens.
 

fatrascal

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Nomad 1 or 2. You can put as little or as much as you want on that thing. If you have to have an enclosed pack then I'd go Fulcrum. If you can get by with a little bit smaller enclosed pack then Reckoning or Mountain Warrior. Fatrascal.
 
OP
Garrett.Stump
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Hmmm, 12 days. For me that would be a lot of food. October in CO can be cold too. My reality would be 5-6 days of food in the pack and the rest in the truck. If I haven’t shot anything in 5-6 days I probably need to move anyway.
I‘ll be using a Stryker with a 55l bag and have done the same with a Nomad. The Reckoning is about the same, just doesn’t compress for day hunting as well. I think you’ll need bigger than a Reckoning. Ma Deuce perhaps.
I mean I dont mind the pack recommendation, but I am more interested to see which packs people have used for there unintended amount of days, such as using a 2-3 day pack for 8-9-10 or more days and how did you pull it off. I really just want to create a thread to see how creative people can get.
 
OP
Garrett.Stump
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I love my EMR II. Can carry everything and the kitchen sink! Places I go ya gotta bring in your own water. So I like that with this pack I can do that plus also put everything INSIDE the pack with like only my REI Macro seat attached outside of it at the bottom. Then if I get lucky, I can just elect to attach a few more things to the outside of the pack to make room for the meat bag.

I envy you guys that can hunt places where you can filter water whenever ya want. I often have to pack-in water ahead of time and stash it out in the areas I'm focusing on, just so I'm not killing myself with water weight when the season opens.
I am glad I am not in your predicament. I usually can plan for being close enough to water for use.
 

Brendan

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I mean I dont mind the pack recommendation, but I am more interested to see which packs people have used for there unintended amount of days, such as using a 2-3 day pack for 8-9-10 or more days and how did you pull it off. I really just want to create a thread to see how creative people can get.

My "creative" way for this is to use a back that's designed for bigger loads and then compresses down to day pack size...

No way you're going to make a 22 Mag do 12 days without looking like the Beverly Hillbillies and crap hanging everywhere, but you can use an EMRII, Fulcrum, Hoodlum etc as day packs and even tree stand packs pretty easily. That's why if you're only going to own one, make it a bigger one.
 
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Garrett.Stump
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My "creative" way for this is to use a back that's designed for bigger loads and then compresses down to day pack size...

No way you're going to make a 22 Mag do 12 days without looking like the Beverly Hillbillies and crap hanging everywhere, but you can use an EMRII, Fulcrum, Hoodlum etc as day packs and even tree stand packs pretty easily. That's why if you're only going to own one, make it a bigger one.
I have gone 9 days with a Gen 1 Nomad and a 55L OR dry bag, I think the 55l comes out to around 3400 ci. I did not even use the wing pockets for anything other than cinching, I did have a small pocket on both sides of waistbelt.
 

Brendan

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And what were you carrying? Full hunting setup including cold weather gear suitable for October in the high country (bigger bag, extra insulation layers, burlier outer layers), tripod, optics, weapon, kill kit, camp with appropriate high country shelter, 2# of food per day, and then meat on the way out? Remember, we're not talking summer scouting here - 12 days in mid-season Colorado Elk Hunting? (Edit: Even though there is no 12 day Elk season in Colorado after September)

Packs like the Nomad, Quarter / Cargo panel, Stryker you can make stuff work because of tying everything to the outside. Doesn't mean I'd want to. Same with meat shelves - they help, but center of gravity starts to suck.
 
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OP
Garrett.Stump
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And what were you carrying? Full hunting setup including cold weather gear suitable for October in the high country (bigger bag, extra insulation layers, burlier outer layers), tripod, optics, weapon, kill kit, camp with appropriate high country shelter, 2# of food per day, and then meat on the way out? Remember, we're not talking summer scouting here - 12 days in mid-season Colorado Elk Hunting? (Edit: Even though there is no 12 day Elk season in Colorado after September)

Packs like the Nomad, Quarter / Cargo panel, Stryker you can make stuff work because of tying everything to the outside. Doesn't mean I'd want to. Same with meat shelves - they help, but center of gravity starts to suck.
Basic idea of what I carried was everything is light as possible and I mean everything was either titanium or ultralight material I probably have thousands of dollars in my setup. So I purchase Quaker oats small packets Maple brown sugar I eat one packet per day in the morning and 9 mountain House meals for every evening then I might snack during the day that would include goose jerky that I make up myself and package into very small quantities. My sleep system is a mountain hardwear phantom which comes in at just over a pound. My tent is just over a pound I do not carry poles I make them as I get to the area out of wood. I only carry one extra pair of socks that is it for clothing what I wear is what I have. Kill kit is simply four bags and a knife. I have been through some massive snow storms hunting Montana in October which is we're all of my hunts have taken place and I have never done a bow season with this setup.

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Brendan

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If you've done it, I don't want to tell you that you can't, but most people definitely shouldn't try.

For me, just going in and not even considering carrying meat out yet, there is NO WAY i'm getting by with a small bag, small volume, small weight for an October Elk hunt of that duration. Let's just use Wyoming or Montana as an example, because there is no 12 Day Elk Season in Colorado in October or November.

Take my lightweight summer gear, add weapon, add kill kit, add tripod, add binoculars and harness, rangefinder, etc. Even leave the spotter at home. Add extra puffy top and bottom. Add heavier sleeping bag instead of my down quilt. I'd choose synthetic everything because I'm staying in and the chance of bad weather and getting things wet. Swap out light rain shell for heavier duty rain gear top and bottom. Swap out lightweight shelter for heavier duty, for me 12 days during October it'd be my Sawtooth and Stove because you can get two feet of snow. Heavier Boots, Gaiters. Stove that's heavier and better on gas, spare fuel. Spare batteries because of the cold. I know you say you get by on a small amount of food, I don't. I've lost a pound a day Elk hunting during September eating 4000 KCal a day, so I carry 2# a day which would be 24# of food, but the volume alone would take up a smaller pack completely. Add snow and cold - it starts to get worse. I'd be at 60# pretty easily without water going in, probably more.

Basically, there's a reason big bags exist, this is the prototypical scenario why, even though most people can't actually hack a hunt like this.
 
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Garrett.Stump
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If you've done it, I don't want to tell you that you can't, but most people definitely shouldn't try.

For me, just going in and not even considering carrying meat out yet, there is NO WAY i'm getting by with a small bag, small volume, small weight for an October Elk hunt of that duration. Let's just use Wyoming or Montana as an example, because there is no 12 Day Elk Season in Colorado in October or November.

Take my lightweight summer gear, add weapon, add kill kit, add tripod, add binoculars and harness, rangefinder, etc. Even leave the spotter at home. Add extra puffy top and bottom. Add heavier sleeping bag instead of my down quilt. I'd choose synthetic everything because I'm staying in and the chance of bad weather and getting things wet. Swap out light rain shell for heavier duty rain gear top and bottom. Swap out lightweight shelter for heavier duty, for me 12 days during October it'd be my Sawtooth and Stove because you can get two feet of snow. Heavier Boots, Gaiters. Stove that's heavier and better on gas, spare fuel. Spare batteries because of the cold. I know you say you get by on a small amount of food, I don't. I've lost a pound a day Elk hunting during September eating 4000 KCal a day, so I carry 2# a day which would be 24# of food, but the volume alone would take up a smaller pack completely. Add snow and cold - it starts to get worse. I'd be at 60# pretty easily without water going in, probably more.

Basically, there's a reason big bags exist, this is the prototypical scenario why, even though most people can't actually hack a hunt like this.
I 100% agree with everything you just said . I am a small guy so I do not require a lot of food nor do I fluctuate in weight very often. But I am the opposite of you when it comes to clothing I will pack extra clothing but that is staying at the truck unless I absolutely need it, I will also pack extra food but that is also staying at the truck in case I needed it most of my hikes in are miles in and quite inconvenient to get back to the truck so I try to not do that which I've been pretty successful at other than I had one of my buddies get wet so I went back and got his clothes for him as he warmed up. I am not telling anybody they should do what I do but this post for me was just to see if there's anybody as extreme as I am.I absolutely do not like carrying a bunch of weight I did that in the military I'm not doing it now..lol in your defense I am not considering my weapon binoculars rangefinder in GPS as part of my pack weight because I carry it on my chest rig I also am not considering water into my pack weight if you consider these things as part of my pack weight then yes it does not look nearly as minimal because my rifle is 8 1/2 lb, we all know what water Weighs. I will be hunting Colorado this year in second season which is a 9-day season but I will be out there for 12 days.

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Either my Hoodlum or DT1. Not much need for creativity needed with either pack. Both very capable and straight forward
 

Lawnboi

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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 10 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.
 
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