Pack Opinions for Shed Hunting/Day Pack Hunts

[COBoy97]

Hi I'm looking into getting into shed hunting and want a pack that I can use as a day pack hunting in October, and possibly haul some meat out if needed. In the past I've been fortunate enough to have snow or short down hill drags on deer and some elk to the pickup, in the past couple years the areas I've been finding the animals are about 1.5-2 miles from the pickup so it could be beneficial to invest in a pack.

I was looking at a mystery ranch mule/cabinet, a Sitka Bivy 30, or an ALPS Hybrid X. But I'm open to other suggestions. I want to try to keep the price to $450 or less.

 

[cahunter805]

You will probably get all sorts of different opinions. Kinda like Ford vs Chevy.
For a daypack/meat hauler I like my Kuiu 3200. Some other good choices are EXO, Kifaru, stone glacier. They all have interchangeable bag systems also.

 

[EmperorMA]

Mystery Ranch Pintler or Sawtooth.

Great meat-haulers, great hunting day (or even overnight) packs.

Same goes for the Seek Outside Peregrine.

 

[kylemcintyre67]

I have a pintler. It is a great pack.

 

[.270]

I have the mr mule and it is a great day pack. You can easily haul game quarters or sheds with that pack. It will hold everything you need to be gone from the campsite all day as well. If you want a more versatile backpack for overnight trips I would get a different pack or buy a larger bag for longer trips. I dont have any experience with the other pack you listed.

 

[Ajax2744]

I actually really like my eberlestock frame with a spike duffle zipped to it. For horn hunting I drop the bag and run the frame and a water bladder. Strap my spotter on and hike away.

 

[COBoy97]

Thanks for opinions! I’ll look into those other packs as well.

 

[Karl]

I have a MR Cabinet and really like it for day hunts. Plenty of room to carry the essentials and it carries a load well if you need to haul something out.

 

[COBoy97]

I have a MR Cabinet and really like it for day hunts. Plenty of room to carry the essentials and it carries a load well if you need to haul something out.

can the side pockets fit a spotting scope?

 

[squirrel]

Get a pack just for horns, preferably cheap. If you make a habit of finding many you will simply chew up and spit out any pack known to man down to the frame (and even this to some extent). Then get you a yuppy for "showing off pack" for the other stuff. If you think of successful shed hunting as a hundred horns/year this advice is not nearly as valid as if you are thinking a hundred pounds/day as your measure of success.

 

[Karl]

can the side pockets fit a spotting scope?

Yeah plenty of room for a spotting scope.