I used to carry a fanny pack that contained all of the miscellaneous things needed for a hunt and a backpack that contained my safety harness, leafy suit, and a couple other items. This season, I put all of my fanny pack items in the back pack so I would only have one pack. The problem is that this thing is heavy now. It's fine if I use it alone when going to a stand that I already have out. Many times though, I hunt with my Lone Wolf lock-on and five LW climbing sticks. When my pack is strapped to my stand, that thing is fairly heavy. I can carry it without too much of a problem but it is noticeably heavier than when I used a fanny pack strapped to the front of my waist and the backpack with only the safety harness strapped to the stand. I'm going to go with the one backpack this season and see how it goes. It is easier having everything in only one pack and I guess that I will get used to the extra weight. So, what do y'all do as far as packs go and how heavy are they? Any tips to lighten my load would be appreciated. Thanks

It's all relative. Where ya going, what ya doing, how long ya gonna be there?

Been gone for hours... been gone for weeks.

I only do day trips now so I use the "Quickdraw" by Alps Outdoors, it has everything I need and all the stuff I take fits-lol I have never put it on a scale but I guess 6-8lbs.

Single-sling design allows swing-around access to compartments Padded shoulder strap can be switched to either side of the waist belt Accommodates left- or right-handed shooters Easy-access quiver holder on right side of the waist belt Range finder/optics pocket on left side of waist belt Two liter hydration reservoir with insulated hose included Drop-down pocket to help carry bow securely Two entry points to access main compartment Organizational pocket to keep gear organized D-ring clip to hang from deer stands Side webbing loops for lashing extra gear Padded waist belt

day trips I just use a Turkey Vest and it has worked great for me

In 1984 it was 90 # for 21 days. Now 9 ounces. Rooty

I only hunt whitetail and day trips only. My safety harness is a lot of the weight. This is what I carry. Limb saw, hand pruners, gps, monocular, pull-up rope, safety harness, leafy suit, camo face paint, zip ties, two flash lights(one headlamp and a very small hand held), compass, extra bowstring, bright eyes, extra phone charger(credit card size), grunt tube, ink pens, keys for stand locks, lifeline, two tabs, water bottle,extra batteries, one screw-in bow holder and a screw-in gear holder, and maybe another item or two. I use all of that or need it as backup. I really don't see what I could do without. I could find a lighter safety harness maybe. Mine is about ten years old but it's a good one and works as a climbing belt when hanging stands as well. I guess that I can either go back to my two pack system or deal with the extra weight.

That is why I went to a framed pack. For tree stand and gear needed in colder weather, it was ridiculous how much it weighed when I had to carry it a long ways. So, I bought a Kifaru frame and, small pack bag that separates from the frame. I sandwich the stand between the pack bag and frame. Works well and while everything is pushing 25-30 pounds, it carries very easily in comparison to using the tree stand shoulder straps and strapping excess gear on it. God Bless

Get rid of two of the sticks. Five sticks will take you over 20 feet. The shot angle becomes very small/acute at that height. Pare the rest of the pack down to the essentials. If you're just doing day trips in familiar, not terribly remote country, you really don't need much in your pack. If you're going to be out for several days at a time, that's a different story.

Maybe 25 - 30lbs.

What do you use to store your pack when up the tree? I have a prussic rigged line with a loop to encircle the tree. I attach my pack to that loop with a carabiner on the pack top hand loop. My quiver is also hung on the pack and the open end is moved to the pack carabiner for easy access.

Ditch what you haven't used from your pack on the last three hunts. Make sure you don't have useless items in your pants or jacket pockets. Sometimes I forget my mini harmonica or change purse.

The colder it gets, the more upper body items ride on/in my pack.

RayJ, I don't even OWN that much stuff! :-)

10 lbs. Including water and safety harness.

Let me ask this; what do y'all carry in your pack for day hunts? I use everything in mine or I have items as backup such as , extra batteries, bowstring, small flashlight. I also forgot to mention that I carry one fold-up screw-in step. That's not absolutely necessary but I use it on occasion.

Most of these guys are hunting close to the truck I'm guessing and, need not carry outer layers, etc....

Good point WV.

Water is heavy. If you want to lighten your pack, start drinking water early that morning, and keep drinking it until you walk off. I drink water like this on walk in fishing trips and it saves carrying the second liter.

Well my last hunt was several days in a colorado wilderness area. My pack was a little north of 50lbs including food and bear canister.

Hunting around home the way I do most of the time 5 pounds or less.

For a day hunt:

Camel-bak, first aid kit, game bags, extra knife, sometimes something to sharepen a knife (strop), two flashlights (one is a headlamp), Garmin GPS, some snacks, glasses, rain jacket, thermals (in case I have to spend the night!), wet-naps, TP, some paper towels, a plastic ground cloth so I can dismember a deer without getting it on the dirt (I quarter them out and carry them out), I think that's about it. Sometimes a spotting scope and tripod.

My packpack is a Mystery Ranch 'CrewCab', it's a heavy pack but it fits so well that you don't even notice it. I've actually used it for a backpacking/hunting trip for elk, not optimal for that purpose but on balance worked well. It expands for hauling out a deer or elk. I had a Eberlystock 'Just One', a good back but when it comes to hauling a HEAVY load, the Mystery Ranch has them beat pretty handily.

I hunt for elk high in the mountains and carry a pack with food, water, clothes for varying weather conditions, everything I need to take care of the elk if I get one and basics to spend the night, if necessary, and my quiver. It probably weighs around 15 lbs and I wear it all day. At age 70 is seems heavy but you get use to it.

Mine is around 10lbs with something to drink and my lineman belt. I was actually thinking that I need to lighten it up some, but you never know when you'll need extra batteries or a spare flashlight.

Mine must be the lightest cuz I don't need packs for 90% of my hunts. Lol. I use a small fanny pack to carry a spare string, compass spare shooting glove, bandanna for a bunch of uses and a flash light and pull rope. screw in bow holder. The small mini ones. Once cold out I put a pair of gloves and a hat in too.

My pack weighs 4lb 1oz. this time of year. That's because I have a new 6.5oz. can of bug spray. When the mosquito season ends, I drop to around 3 pounds 11 oz. max. It's a pretty heavy load to carry but has everything I need for an evening of hunting. Ignore the flea combs in the upper left corner. I was combing the cats and forgot to get them out of the way.

Joe

I'm hunting from the ground this year. My load will be a lot lighter since I won't have the tree climber.

I wear a safety harness vest because it has pockets. Between that and my cargo pockets on my pants I carry all I need. I wear a folding limb saw on my belt and a Sog multi plier. I can't see the need on a day trip for all the extra gear.

I have scaled way way down, maybe due to age, I do not know,,,, but when your in that tree, think about the junk you have, and what you really need, and what you never use, and lose it....

My new Millenium M7 stand and two LW sticks comes in under 9lbs. I wear my tree spider safety harness, do not even know its there,,,,,,,,,

I have my tag, my bow, and my havalon knife, and some water and light snacks for all day

this is for daily deer hunts,,,,,,,,,,, Got rid of the back pack, found a small hunting vest that works great,,,,,,

My emergency kit, pruners, compass etc easily fits in a fanny pack or I could stuff my pockets. But the pack makes it easy to carry water, extra layers and I strap my quiver to it.

The pack also makes you hundreds of times less likely to forget something (it's already packed and always in the same spot) and less likely to lose something.

I hunt residential farmland but I am out where I would be hard to find. I always have a Poncho and a way to start fire and a small first aid kit, whistle...stuff would take hiking.

another thing I started bringing with me is a small Rite In Rain pen and note pad. It has come in handy a few times leaving notes on hunting stands that shouldn't have been there or on my car

Cargo pockets and a haversack do it for me, but I only hunt for a few hours at a time and am within a mile of a house. Maybe 5-8 lbs of gear. I don't need food and only a little water, maybe a couple granola-nut bars on cold days.

Geez, must be nice to hunt close to the house or the truck! My day pack for the mountains is probably 10-15#, and about 45# for multi-day trips.

Surfbow, it is nice to hunt near the house/truck but day after day after day it leaves you wishing you had a place to pack in and get away from the road.

As large as the state of Texas is, there are very very few places where you can pack in and camp overnight on public land. Remarkably few in fact. And that's a real shame.

Move on up to Colorado John. We'd love to have you. You'll be free to roam to your hearts content on the land we ALL own. Feel free to spend the night where it suits you, too.

My go to stand is 200 yds from the house, so my pack is pretty lite. When I hunt in Northern MI in the big woods I carry way to much junk, probably 35#..

T4

I am going to try hunting without the backpack and use a lrg fanny pack instead. My backpack empty feels like it weighs 4 or 5 lbs.

late season packs are always heavier for me.

add the weight of a treestand..a pack, all your clothes a lunch ect..it can add up to 40lbs or more pretty quick.

I was doing a search for some other stuff and came across this thread. OP - here's what I did. I have a LW climber and typically strap my pack on it. The simple straps aren't any good for this on a long hike. I bought a military surplus belt and shoulder harness for the pack. They are separate pieces but with the belt the weight is on your hips and shoulder straps are comfortable. I cinch everything down prior to climbing. I think I have $25 into it but well worth it.

It all depends upon the month. I bow-hunt whitetails from mid October until New Year's Eve. In October, I travel lightly with a small backpack with an extra layer of clothing, food and incidentals such as a call and/or rattling antlers. In November, I break out the big full-sized-internal-frame JanSport pack that will hold a an extra thermal ASAT coverall along with a goose-down vest and fleece jacket. I walk in under-dressed and add clothing at the base of my tree. At the end of December, I end up hunting days in the 10-20 degree Fahrenheit range. I add another XL Sticks and Limbs coverall to the November pack for really cold sits. I like deer hunting in all weather and like to be comfortable. A series of pack and clothing options make it all work for me. Also, some of my stands are a long walk from my vehicle. That adds to pack size as well regardless of the temperature. I have shot deer on the ground on the way in and the way out from my stands while burdened with a full large internal-frame pack which is actually easier than shooting with all the layers of clothing on. Key thing is to practice shooting with the heaving clothing and with the full packs as you never know when an opportunity will present itself. Sitting long and comfortable makes the burden very worthwhile.

Depends on my adrenalin factor. Kill an elk, its far heavier than if I'm back packing in for a weekend of fishing. At that point they both feel like they weigh the same though.

No matter how hard I try to reduce weight, it stays around 20 Lbs.

This and my Bow, along with a Bison Gear haversack and sometimes a little ground seat

complete set up for me

I hunt from the ground now also. I carry a Waldrop Pack Seat and strap my wool jacket, extra clothes right to the seat. The seat acts as a pack frame. I also carry a haversack with everything I need. FAK, Gut bag, Deer drag, Leatherman tool, pruner (optional), Folding saw, (optional), Binoculars, Calls -(seasonal) grunt & bleat, Cell phone w/ camera, Head lamp, Extra glove, Extra reading glasses, License & back tag, water bottle, Snack bag. Knife on belt. Add bow w/ 5 arrow quiver and I'm good to go.

Sometimes it's the smart hunter who doesn't get too far from the truck. In Pennsylvania, unless you're in the northern part, there aren't many places you can 'hike' too far to begin with, and the deer aren't impressed with how far you walk.

I never go to the woods without water or gatorade, and a few snacks to keep hydrated, and have used just a fanny pack for about thirty+ years...I don't hunt from trees so don't have to carry that stuff. Three miles would be a deep hike around where I live, and likely bring you out the other side close to someone else's house or truck. Guys in the western states have those miles and miles to get lost in, but I can de-stress just five hundred yards from the truck, if it's a good spot and no one else is around.

16-18 pounds........if I leave my lunch home 3 pounds.

I want to know where to find a 4lb hang on stand.

MP

EXO Mountain 3500 Training hikes have been 9-12 miles with 60 pounds for the past two months, first of May the weight will go to 75 pounds then up again in June and July. I use 15 pound bags of lead shot along with water and snacks. Pack weights hunting are way lighter but depends upon what where and how long until something dies then they get heavy again.

Man.....my pack doesn't weigh much more than 20lbs. for a week long trip.

I can't imagine carrying 30lbs. for a day hunt.

Uhg... this spring my kids wanted to turkey hunt. Bare minimum with all their stuff and mine counting decoys my pack weighed 83#. I don't want them to grow up, but they better start carrying more than snacks and attitudes or I'll leaving them at home next time!!

14 day extended back country, Kifaru pack weighed out at just shy of 49 lbs

90% of the time I hunt deer and turks from the house. I didn't even carry a pack this year. Just had what I needed in my pockets. I don't eat much more than a Nature valley granola bar and drink what I need to on the way out the door or in the truck if driving to Waterville. For that 25 min drive I have a large coffee. I used to carry water, but never drank it. Not maybe I carry a small ten oz bottle. That's my eastern hunting kit. I quit wearing the fanny pack and never wore a backpack here. Just out west.

I do some 2-3 day backpacking trips here in upstate NY. Not hunting just backpacking with my son. 6-8 miles per day. I'm 60, he's 25. We try and keep our pack weight to 28-30 pounds all in. We both carry, cook kits, hammocks, tarps, food -deydrated, water, water purifier, knife/leatherman, small amount of extra clothes, FAK, fire starting kit, headlamps, extra batteries, cordage, camera, basic toiletries - tp, tooth brush. We hike in the summer and were advised to carry 4 liters of water just in case there are no reliable water sources. Water is the heaviest thing we carry, 2 pounds per liter.

That's way I carry no packs now, I may have to shoot 'on the fly'. I can with my current setup - pockets and the bare minimums, but enough to survive a longer stay if hurt or lost. PS I got lots of pockets.

Ray,

Start by losing two of those climbing sticks. If you pick your trees wisely (look for forks and branches about 12-14' up) you don't need to be so high. I use 3 sticks and often only use 2.

As fine a stand as that Lone Wolf is, there are lighter lock- on stands. I still use a 15 year-old Gorilla aluminum stand that weighs about 8 lbs. Together with my three climbing sticks, that puts me at just over 12 lbs. for my sticks and stand.

The rest of what I carry goes in a small day pack that is hung over the "spikes" at the floor frame that go against the tree, and in there I have my pull-up rope, safety strap, jacket, food, water, etc. for the hunt. I think the whole thing weighs about 20# max.

By comparison, my elk hunting day pack weighs right at 28# and my overnight elk hunting pack weighs about 35-38# depending on one or two nights.

In my home state of Wisconsin, I travel light...really light! No need to pack extra nonessential gear.

Out west, different story. Let's just say I prepare for the unexpected.

I started this thread last year and just saw that someone brought it back up. I ended up using a fanny pack for the small stuff and a backpack that is strapped to my deerstand. My safety harness is the heaviest item in my backpack. I also carry my leafysuit in the back pack. I hunt large tracts of public land and after almost every hunt, if I don't kill one, I'm scouting. I carry a folding saw and pruners if I find a spot that I like and will hunt again to trim small shooting lanes if needed. My gps is a must as well as extra batteries for the gps and my two small flashlights. I like to be prepared. I never want to be in a position of being a mile from the truck and not having something that I need. My safety harness is the heaviest of my gear, not counting the deerstand, but that is a must. I also have four hang-on stands that I leave out at various sports(which I frequently move) and when I hunt one of them then my trip is much lighter by not having to haul my Lone Wolf in on my back. I have an API climber that I use on occasion if I find a tree that is straight enough for a climber and has decent cover. Since I hunt public land exclusively, my system might be a little different than someone who hunts a lease or private land.Messing with all of my gear is part of the fun though.

Hunting in Southern AZ; water, two to four canteens, depending, 4 to 9 pounds. Osprey 44 lightweight pack, 2.25 lbs. pistol, bullets (border state and/or bears) 2-4 pounds; knife, headlamp, snack, extra layer, etc...5 lbs maybe. Total approximately 10 pounds minimum, 20 maximunm. Shot last two deer with the pack on, btw...never knew it was on me.

If you have already registered, please

sign in now

For new registrations

Click Here