Pack meat shelf

Red33

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Joined
Oct 8, 2019
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73
Now that I'm in my mid/late 50s, I'm mostly hunting out of camp, truck, or sxs rather than packing in, in North Idaho. I hunt solo and I have a Kuiu Venture 2300 and two different Badlands day packs that I usually use to carry gear for boning/ skinning and a game bag or two for the first pack back to the truck, where I get my heavy hauler for the larger quarters and rest of the trips back and forth. I've been using my old ALICE pack from my days in the Marines (yeah, waay back in the 80s and 90s) to stick a quarter in, but it has finally gone chi-chis arriba. What do you all recommend for a reasonably priced ($300 or less) meat hauler? I'd like to get a kuiu complete system, but I think the war department would divorce me if I spent $450 on a pack when I just picked up the Venture, and I really don't want the weight of a frame pack everyday up and down the mountains of the Idaho jungle. Ideas?
 
Joined
May 3, 2020
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542
My buddy got a meat hauling frame for doing exactly what you’re talking about from alps. He’s packed quarters with it a couple times and seems to like it and it was very affordable. I’ve seen them pop up on camofire a couple times, you might give them a call and see if they still have them in stock.
 
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Red33

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Oct 8, 2019
Messages
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My buddy got a meat hauling frame for doing exactly what you’re talking about from alps. He’s packed quarters with it a couple times and seems to like it and it was very affordable. I’ve seen them pop up on camofire a couple times, you might give them a call and see if they still have them in stock.
Maybe I'll try them out again. I had one from Alps a few years ago that I used for 1 load and hated it. I could not get the fit right, the quarter slid all over the place, and I had hot spots from the metal frame hitting my back. Haven't used it since. Any brands other than Alps you'd recommend?
 

Superdoo

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Feb 21, 2020
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ND
Your other option is selling your daypacks and buying an SG 2800 that will weigh 1 lb more than your Kuiu...
 
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May 3, 2020
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Maybe I'll try them out again. I had one from Alps a few years ago that I used for 1 load and hated it. I could not get the fit right, the quarter slid all over the place, and I had hot spots from the metal frame hitting my back. Haven't used it since. Any brands other than Alps you'd recommend?
I had a mystery ranch cabinet that I liked. It worked as a good daypack too. I traded it on here and see them used from time to time. Not strictly a hauling frame though but I did pack a whole quartered blacktail in it for a couple miles once.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2019
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Missouri
If it's strictly for meat hauling, you could pick up a secondhand premier brand frame (Kifaru, Exo, MR, etc) for $200-300 and use a cargo net/panel (i.e., no bag) to secure the load.
 

LostArra

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Joined
May 9, 2013
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3,471
Location
Oklahoma
This year we hauled my elk out with a Kelty Cache Hauler and my Exo/meat shelf.
They both worked fine but the Kelty is so much simpler to attach the quarter and go.
(If you are hauling meat BRING TREKKING POLES. This year we packed out in melting snow/mud which can be an accident at every turn)
 
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Red33

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Oct 8, 2019
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I'll go and try a Kelty at Sportsmans. I'd like to try others, but there are very few places in N Idaho that have a variety of packs. Thanks for the suggestions!
 
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Red33

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Oct 8, 2019
Messages
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This year we hauled my elk out with a Kelty Cache Hauler and my Exo/meat shelf.
They both worked fine but the Kelty is so much simpler to attach the quarter and go.
(If you are hauling meat BRING TREKKING POLES. This year we packed out in melting snow/mud which can be an accident at every turn)
Yep- I use trekking poles. Thanks.
 

Elkhntr08

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Nov 3, 2016
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1,088
I like my Eberlestock F1 tall. I can configure it however I want or need it to be.
Get the tall so that the load lifters work.
 
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Red33

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Joined
Oct 8, 2019
Messages
73
@Red33

You won’t find a better external frame for hauling meat than this:


It is the Alaskan big game hearse! Seriously, more critters have hitched a ride out of the backcountry on this thing than you could count. It’s basically the Kelly cash hauler with a much improved suspension system and padding.
Any idea where I would find one in Idaho to try before I drop a bunch of cash? I've learned the hard way that if they don't fit my body well, I won't use it.
 
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