Backpack for Alaska Moose Hunt, Bone in Requirement

CC

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May 7, 2012
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Dillon, MT
So excited to started planning a DIY Fly in Moose hunt in Alaska for 18. I am researching which Pack I should go with. I have been blessed to own a Barney Pack frame and a Kifaru Argalli. I have hauled out a bull Elk on the Barneys and cow on the Kifrau. The Kifaru is hands down the most comfortable pack for hiking in the timber and for lighter loads 60-70 lbs a great pack. I know it can handle more! I haven't put 100 lbs in the Kifaru yet, but the Barneys sure handled 105lbs Nice when I hauled out my bull elk. I know Moose quarters will top the 100lb mark and cape and Antlers are huge. The question that I have, should I get a Barneys bag to go on the frame, Yukon or Hunter? I know I loose the shelf going to the Yukon....good or bad? or should I take the kifaru? Can I fit a moose quarter in that bag? Can I strap a skull and cape too? Hoping for Luke to Chime in and others who have owned both bags. Thanks again for helping me along. Blessings
Casey
 
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Apr 22, 2012
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I think that with the Barney's frame you have the perfect moose quarter hauler and unless your going to be doing some kind of backpack hunt, there's no need to purchase a bag. I don't think fitting a moose hind quarter (bone in), into the Argalli bag is going to happen unless you shoot a pretty small moose. The average rear Alaska/Yukon bull moose quarter is going to weigh somewhere in the neighborhood of 120 lbs and can push 160-170 for a big bull. Coupled with that, they can be pretty big in diameter, again assuming your leaving it on the bone. Hey, I have a question for you, how's the fishing in Poindexter Slough these days?
 
OP
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CC

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Dillon, MT
I think that with the Barney's frame you have the perfect moose quarter hauler and unless your going to be doing some kind of backpack hunt, there's no need to purchase a bag. I don't think fitting a moose hind quarter (bone in), into the Argalli bag is going to happen unless you shoot a pretty small moose. The average rear Alaska/Yukon bull moose quarter is going to weigh somewhere in the neighborhood of 120 lbs and can push 160-170 for a big bull. Coupled with that, they can be pretty big in diameter, again assuming your leaving it on the bone. Hey, I have a question for you, how's the fishing in Poindexter Slough these days?

Thanks for your advice! I'm thinking I would like to have a bag along for the trip as we like to backpack as much as possible. We do all most all of our hunting here 1.5 miles plus from the road. I was told with an Alaskan Moose you don't want to get much father than a couple miles from camp though. Can I fit a rear quarter into a Pinnacle bag? Or Go with the hunter and compress the bag when not in use and strap on the quarter with the frame. I wish I could see a hunter bag with a quarter still on the meat shelf, I agree the Barney's frame is just about perfect for hauling a quarter. The meat shelf seems to put the weight right where it needs to be... That's why I'm kinda afraid of attaching a bag to it, although I have read people like the pinnacle bag. I was thinking It would be hard pressed to fit a quarter into the Argalli. I have read where some attach the grab it, but to me it seem like it wouldn't function as well as the Barney's.

We moved to Dillon a couple years ago. The slough is still very popular, can see it out our back window. My son pull a nice trout out of the upper Beaverhead last year.
 

luke moffat

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Feb 24, 2012
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Barney's packs have hauled more moose quarters in the last 30 years in Alaska than any other pack...and for good reason...they flipping work. The Kifaru is great overall pack, but if I was hauling quarters give me the barney's....or my EMR 2, but def not the Aragali. ;)
 
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CC

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Barney's packs have hauled more moose quarters in the last 30 years in Alaska than any other pack...and for good reason...they flipping work. The Kifaru is great overall pack, but if I was hauling quarters give me the barney's....or my EMR 2, but def not the Aragali. ;)

Thanks for chiming in Luke. Yukon or Hunter?
 

luke moffat

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I like on big bag of the pinnacle more than either but of what you mentioned I would get the Yukon for sure
 

GKPrice

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I think that with the Barney's frame you have the perfect moose quarter hauler and unless your going to be doing some kind of backpack hunt, there's no need to purchase a bag. I don't think fitting a moose hind quarter (bone in), into the Argalli bag is going to happen unless you shoot a pretty small moose. The average rear Alaska/Yukon bull moose quarter is going to weigh somewhere in the neighborhood of 120 lbs and can push 160-170 for a big bull. Coupled with that, they can be pretty big in diameter, again assuming your leaving it on the bone. Hey, I have a question for you, how's the fishing in Poindexter Slough these days?

I agree with what he says ^^^^^^^
 

geriggs

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I'm going with papa bear for first time this year. I'm bringing mountain rambler and cargo panel. Probably overkill but we will see. Hoping for best.
 
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CC

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That said I would just bring a frame myself like Troutbum suggested. Doesn't get much simpler than that and save ya money.

I just got done with some testing. I found for me with 90 lbs of rocks in a sack, the Kifaru would carry the weight a little better. I have had a bad back and the kifrau keeps the weight on the hips better than the Barneys so I don't need to lean forward as much... both are extremely good packs! I have a 32 inch waist and the Barneys just doesn't nail it like the Kifaru. I like the idea of keeping the frame bare as both of you have mentioned. So my plan is to keep the frame bare and use as/when needed for haul outs. I may look into getting an EMRII bag to take for the Kifaru as you mentioned it works for Moose quarters too. I hope to do some Pack rafting in the future and I believe the EMR will hit the spot. Hopefully the next test will be with 600-700 lbs of meat :) Thanks again all for your advise!!!!
 

Daniel_M

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Keep in mind a moose hind quarter can weigh upwards of 150#, and typically not boned out in the field. Tough to beat the Barneys load shelf.
 
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You won't find a better stable platform to strap bone-in moose quarters onto than the Barney's. I run 4 NRS camlock straps on mine and it's super easy to just flop a quarter down and strap it down solidly. I've seen/heard of guys putting a Kifaru belt onto a Barney's before. If all it is is the hipbelt comfort, I'd just mount that Kifaru belt onto the Barneys and call it good.
 
OP
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CC

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Dillon, MT
You won't find a better stable platform to strap bone-in moose quarters onto than the Barney's. I run 4 NRS camlock straps on mine and it's super easy to just flop a quarter down and strap it down solidly. I've seen/heard of guys putting a Kifaru belt onto a Barney's before. If all it is is the hipbelt comfort, I'd just mount that Kifaru belt onto the Barneys and call it good.

I thought about that. The hip belt is where its at on the Kifaru. Does anyone have pictures of a modified Barneys with a Kifaru hip belt? I know this has been brought up before but I have never found any pictures.
 

kodiakfly

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I thought about that. The hip belt is where its at on the Kifaru. Does anyone have pictures of a modified Barneys with a Kifaru hip belt? I know this has been brought up before but I have never found any pictures.

Friend of mine down the road did it and has hauled with it. I'll see if I can get some pics.
 

Stikine

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Sep 28, 2016
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Wrangell, AK
Just bumping this back up...I'm interested in any belt modifications to the Barneys frame that folks have tried and had success with? Mine seems to eventually slip down on me.
 
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