Backcountry Meat Pole & Knots

BKhunter

WKR
Joined
Oct 13, 2016
Messages
373
Location
New York
Can anyone lend some tips for making a back country meat pole and the best knots to use to hang quarters?
 

Beendare

WKR
Joined
May 6, 2014
Messages
8,247
Location
Corripe cervisiam
Granny for just about everything

When you need it strong ..... double granny

When you need it really strong triple granny!

Naw kidding

I like the klemheist over prussic.. due to my arrogant arborist buddies no doubt- grin
Every bowhunter needs to know the clove hitch works for bags too
 

Ray

WKR
Joined
Oct 5, 2012
Messages
1,097
Location
Alaska
When I was a young dude, an old dude showed me how he tied off his moose meat bags. He hunted solo a lot in the Fairbanks area. His meat bag gear box had dozens of items he had made over the decades.

Using about a 3 foot length of cord, tie a simple half hitch wrap around the lower leg or top of the bag.
Whittle a two to three inch toggle out of willow or spruce limb at least 1/2" thick. Make sure the ends are rounded off with a point. Then tie a hitch around it using one end of the cord around the bag. Three inches long is enough.
Tied a bowline knot in the other loose end of the cord. Loop needs to be at least 3/4 the length of the toggle stick.
Set your meat pole at just over head height so that you can back up to it with the pack frame.
Toss the toggle end over the pole and then thread it through the loop in the other end. Get out of your pack straps and take pack off hanging meat.
With enough practice this can be accomplished with out needing to look at anything.
 

WyoElk

WKR
Joined
Mar 11, 2014
Messages
683
Truckers hitch is super easy and works for almost everything. I like it for when I'm trying to tie a heavy load solo.
 
Joined
Feb 21, 2017
Messages
1,794
Location
Colorado
Prussik. This allows you to ascend a rope, or tighten a load, or capture progress on a haul system (like hauling a bag up a tree). http://www.animatedknots.com/prusik/index.php

Girth hitch (works with webbing or rope), good for grabbing onto leg bones to hang quarters by. http://www.animatedknots.com/girth/index.php

There are tons of knots out there, and that website is a great resource. Learn to tie a loop via Figure 8 on a Bight, or Bowline, or both. Learn an Inline Figure 8 or Butterfly knot. Master a few knots, and practice, practice, practice. Put a 6' piece of rope near the toilet and tie knots while you have your BM. Tie knots while you watch TV. It should become second nature for you, then you won't need a phone app when you need a knot.
 

wawhitey

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jun 29, 2013
Messages
191
Bowline, clove hitch, square knot, truckers hitch. Learn those 4, and figure out how to work bites to your advantage into the bowline and truckers hitch, and youll be set. Those 4 simple knots will be all you really need.
 

mod700

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 2, 2016
Messages
243
Location
Magalia Ca.
Some good knots mentioned above, I have had the pleasure of hunting with a couple of guys in the past who relied on the hatchet knot. About the only way to get it undone after load was applied was with a hatchet. More important during the early season, is to consider shade on the meat pole, consider afternoon sun and locate accordingly if possible. Consider height off the ground too, if in bear country, buddy of mine had 2 different bear get into his deer one year on a backpack hunt.
Mike
 

Idahomnts

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 6, 2016
Messages
241
More important during the early season, is to consider shade on the meat pole, consider afternoon sun and locate accordingly if possible. Consider height off the ground too, if in bear country, buddy of mine had 2 different bear get into his deer one year on a backpack hunt.
Mike








I like to also leave a piece or two of something with human scent around ,
 
Top