Kifaru Frame for Whitetails

Sekora

Lil-Rokslider
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Kind of an offshoot of the "Must Have" Kifaru thread, but a little more item specific. I currently have a Kifaru Lite frame, Reckoning bag, OGL, a Grab-it, and a few pouches. When I purchased all this gear, my plan was for future DIY Western Elk hunts, but also possible use for Eastern Whitetail hunting. I hunt Whitetails in some rugged mountain ground in NC PA. Usually I am 2- 4 miles from the truck and dragging deer has been getting more difficult every year. I was hoping to be able to use this frame to pack out a quartered Whitetail to eliminate the drag. I have never hunted Whitetails with a backpack, so I want to keep it simple. I know the Reckoning will haul my meat out, but it will be empty until hauling. I was looking at either the cargo panel, or the quarter panel to run on the frame with the OGL and maybe a belt pouch and grab-it for my Whitetail hunting to keep it as compact as possible. Obviously the quarter panel is smaller and simpler, but I'm not sure it will be enough to haul all 4 quarters plus trim meat, plus head and cape. Anybody have experience with this type of set up and a Whitetail sized animal? How has either worked out for you? I understand that I may have to make 2 trips, but that will still be much easier than the drags I encounter. Thanks.
 

Tradchef

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The cargo panel, guide lid and some pouches are what I run for day hunts out here for deer and elk. Compresses down super thin, can hold what I need and hauls anything I can put in there. I think it would work perfect for what you are looking for. I had the exact same set up as you with the reckoning but with work getting in the way of extended hunts this year I sold my bag and kept my cargo. Where in Pa are you at? I’ve got family down in Bucks Co and used to hunt there and over in Pike.
 

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Brendan

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Personally, I'd just use the Reckoning. The pack will compress down to the size of the frame anyways, and you always have the option of going meat-shelf mode or sandwiching stuff between frame and bag.
 
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Sekora

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Very nice! That's what I was thinking may suit me best being I will not need the pack for anything other than hauling if successful. I will hold on to the Reckoning for my elk hunts though. I hunt Elk and Cameron Counties the most.
 
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I dayhunt in NY and north east PA with a backpack. I ran a woodsman for something similar on a 26 inch and then 22 inch frame. I swapped to a mystery ranch crew cab and now use a pop up 28 for the same role. The MR stuff fits me better but both MR and kifaru are great.

The deer I have hauled in PA and NY are probably 110-150 lbs on the hoof. Maybe a bit more for some of the bigger ones. That is 50-70 lbs of bone in meat, heart and liver. Add a cape and head to that and you are talking about a heck of a load. More than I would choose to haul at once. A kifaru frame will definitely handle the load in a sling but I wouldn’t carry that much in one trip over rough terrain unless I had to. I prefer a pack with a load sling so I can keep other gear in it when not hauling.
 

PMcGee

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I use my duplex and emr2 every time I go out for deer. Throw my harness and rain jacket in the bag and everything else goes in the lid.
2784008f7ff66649923fb38120d7bd15.jpg



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Sekora

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I should also mention that I am rifle hunting only. I do not bow hunt and strictly hunt from the ground. I get by now carrying everything I need in my pockets. The only additions I will have if I go this route is probably my skinning knife (I know I can get by with my Havalon but the skinning knife makes it easy), and game bags. I have drug many deer out of the mountains whole, so I think I can handle the weight of a quartered animal if I can secure it to the pack. I may have to make 2 trips to get to the top of mountain or to a forest road, but once there, I think I can handle the load. I may be wrong.
 
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I am a pennsylvania guy who has hunted Cameron county a good bit when I was younger. We always drug deer out of those hills and it really sucked.

I now hunt elsewhere and no longer drag deer anywhere.

I run a kifaru hunter frame. I started out with a reckoning and always used the meat shelf to haul meat. I switched to a cargo panel. It's worked Ok but is not perfect.

I just ordered another reckoning and will be hauling meat in the bag from now on. It's just too simple to put a contractor bag in the reckoning and throw deer quarters in and go.
 

Tradchef

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I am a pennsylvania guy who has hunted Cameron county a good bit when I was younger. We always drug deer out of those hills and it really sucked.

I now hunt elsewhere and no longer drag deer anywhere.

I run a kifaru hunter frame. I started out with a reckoning and always used the meat shelf to haul meat. I switched to a cargo panel. It's worked Ok but is not perfect.

I just ordered another reckoning and will be hauling meat in the bag from now on. It's just too simple to put a contractor bag in the reckoning and throw deer quarters in and go.


Another great point. I don’t use the meat shelf on my bags. The reckoning is a great do all pack for sure
 

adamm88

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I use my duplex and emr2 every time I go out for deer. Throw my harness and rain jacket in the bag and everything else goes in the lid.
2784008f7ff66649923fb38120d7bd15.jpg



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What is this setup that holds the stand? Grab it and guide lid with-a extra compression strap around the stand? What stand are you running? Thanks


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Sekora

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I know my Reckoning will work. Thats why I bought it. It is probably my best option but I'm always searching for a better mouse trap. Thanks for the replies.
 
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FWIW, I recently started hunting some public land in MO that is about a mile back through thorn patch after thorn patch. Dragging dead animals is not an option so I started carrying my ILBE instead of the small waist pack I used to have. With a couple external straps, I can compress it down to be quite compact. I also ground rifle hunt and my tripod chair fits nicely in the side pocket.

I haven’t hauled a deer out with it get, but have practiced with 50lbs of sand. It will do the job.
 

Brendan

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I know my Reckoning will work. Thats why I bought it. It is probably my best option but I'm always searching for a better mouse trap. Thanks for the replies.
My opinion: I've had the cargo panel. I wouldn't consider it a better mousetrap. Sold it and went back to other bags for whitetail and stand hauling. I like having the bag to allow me to layer up/down easily and not sweat, haul harness or saddle and ropes.

22 Mag is my favorite, use it on a 22" frame and attach stands over the bag. If I could only have one bag for everything it'd probably be an EMR2 on a 24" frame.
 

BAKPAKR

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If you are just wanting to get new/different Kifaru gear, you might consider a Woodsman. I carried one all last fall on my tactical frame. Although I kept most of my whitetail hunting stuff in the guide lid and pockets, I did keep my raingear/camera/tripod in the bag.

9FEB0A5F-F73B-427D-B718-16F7808D133D.jpeg
 

PMcGee

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Pottsville, Pa
What is this setup that holds the stand? Grab it and guide lid with-a extra compression strap around the stand? What stand are you running? Thanks


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Yeah grab it and extra strap. Stand is a summit open shot.


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Great thread! Kifaru frame and nomad work great to haul a ground blind and chair too! Did it for turkey this year! Never using the cheap primos bags again! Wish I had a picture


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Felix40

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A grab it and guide lid will probably be the lightest option. It will work good but you will need at least a couple extra straps to get quarters to be secure. A grab it can actually be used to haul out a whole deer if you are close enough to want to go that route.

A cargo panel or bag would be easier to stuff quarters in and go. You might consider one of the minimalist bags to save some weight compared to the reckoning. I run a highcamp 4800 and its really nice to be able to just drop the quarters in and go.

Ive done it both ways and I think its worth it to have a bag and a grab it both so you have options. If you kill one fairly close to the truck its almost easier to just bring him out whole.whole.PNGquartered.PNG
 
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