Carrying meat in/on your pack?

[lyle_destroys]

I was hoping some people could post pictures of how they strapped quarters of elk or game bags to their packs. Ive never done it and Im trying to prepare for next year, I want to use the internal frame pack I already have but Im having trouble imagining how to tie a couple bags or quarters of an elk or muley to an already stuffed pack.
I haven't been able to find a thread like this and thought everyone sharing their loaded setup would be helpful for newbies like myself.

 

[Owenst7]

I use an 85 liter internal frame and just put two quarter bags inside my pack on top of my gear. I use a compactor bag over the game bags to keep blood out of my stuff.

 

[Nick-D]

Yeah man, Get the meat in the pack, as close to your back as possible. Use the remaining gear & compression straps to pack and cinch it as tight to your back as possible. Attach any left over gear to the outside. I carry a thicker dry bag for this, sleeping bag and spare clothes go in this as they are bulky but light. This gets strapped on to the outside. I can pack out a weeks gear and a full boned out red deer in a 60l pack this way.

 

[hammer0419]

∆∆ I do the same thing. I always have my Outdoor Research Dry bag in my pack. Weights nothing, takes up no space and perfect to throw all my clothes and stuff in then strap it onto my Peregrine pack.

 

[davsco]

wow i was going to ask the exact same question/favor. yes some pics please!

so if i get lucky and get a bull elk, and bone it out in the field. just start filling up game bags (just bought some black ovis, today's special on camofire)) and fill up my backpack (for now, just a 5.11 72 hour pack, so sure there will be MULTIPLE trips, plus i don't really want 100# on my back...).

for bone-out in the field, just big chunks at this point, right, then cut into steaks etc back at the truck, or do you even leave in chunks/sections til you get back home (some 3-6 days for me)?

 

[DangerRanger]

Ill see if i can dig up some pictures. Last year I put the meat directly into my bag. I wont do it again that way if I can help it. The meat shelf addition to packs now looks freaking awesome for not making an absolute mess of everything else. Keeps the meat between your frame and bag.

 

[RustyHazen]

I just packed out two bulls last week. Four trips total. Game bag inside the Kifaru in a white trash bag. Four loads with varying amounts of camp and gear around the meat. It took us three and a half days total to pack it all out (10-12 miles per round trip). Never got one drop of blood on or in my pack and zero smell. Works just fine for me.

 

[ahlgringo]

I just packed out two bulls last week. Four trips total. Game bag inside the Kifaru in a white trash bag. Four loads with varying amounts of camp and gear around the meat. It took us three and a half days total to pack it all out (10-12 miles per round trip). Never got one drop of blood on or in my pack and zero smell. Works just fine for me.

Exactly what I do as well, use the white compactor bags (thicker)


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[davsco]

wow, i hope i have half your (rusty) success!!!

 

[archer wapiti]

Yup. Meat in game bags inside plastic bags large enough to fit over the game bags.
No blood inside the pack.

 

[JP100]

Just jam her in the pack.
I generally go my gear in a pack liner/trash bag and have meat in game bags or just straight into the pack.

NEVER put warm meat into plastic.

Always wait for it to go cold. Might take a while for big quarters but warm meat in plastic is bad idea, can get nasty quick.

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[Lockster]

Just jam her in the pack.
I generally go my gear in a pack liner/trash bag and have meat in game bags or just straight into the pack.

NEVER put warm meat into plastic.

Always wait for it to go cold. Might take a while for big quarters but warm meat in plastic is bad idea, can get nasty quick.

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Nice drumstick there mate

 

[JP100]

Nice drumstick there mate 

near on a whole stag in there! was pretty pleased to see the truck haha

 

[Formidilosus]

wow i was going to ask the exact same question/favor. yes some pics please!

so if i get lucky and get a bull elk, and bone it out in the field. just start filling up game bags (just bought some black ovis, today's special on camofire)) and fill up my backpack (for now, just a 5.11 72 hour pack, so sure there will be MULTIPLE trips, plus i don't really want 100# on my back...).

for bone-out in the field, just big chunks at this point, right, then cut into steaks etc back at the truck, or do you even leave in chunks/sections til you get back home (some 3-6 days for me)?

Leave the meat in as big of chunks as possible. I go against the grain here- unless there is absolutely no way to get the animals out without boning, I quarter and bring the quarters out with meat on. Those quarters get put on ice, and will hang for 7-10 days before butchering. If you pull the meat off the bone before it has come out of rigor mortis, it’s going to be significantly tighter grained and tough.

 

[vanish]

I'm going to have to agree to disagree with Formidilosus on leaving the bone in.

Those bones are heavy and I have not had any problem with the meat being tough or gamey. I serve venison to non-hunters all the time and they are always amazed. For years, we aged our deer in a cooler and I just don't see any difference in tenderness. The difference between then and now is that we used to just gut the deer and then hang, and now we immediately quarter with the gutless method, so I'm not sure if that makes the difference somehow.

When I bone out an elk hind quarter these days, first I pull the hind off and hang it to cool. When ready, I pretty much go straight to the muscle groups with it. It needs to be done eventually anyway, and it only takes a a few minutes more than cutting the bone out directly. A full elk hind quarter is a real pain to work with.