What do you use for a hunting bag?

S

Strobengh

Joined
Dec 15, 2006
Messages
622
Specifically, for those who hunt big game, and only do day hunts, what kind of a bag do you carry with you (or do you even carry a bag)?

I've carried backpacks for years, but I get tired of dealing with the rifle sling fighting with the backpack strap for position . . . the rifle always looses.

I carried a waist pack once, but it couldn't hold enough water, and was a bit wobbly.

I've seen some people use vests, and others use a messenger bag . . .

So what do you use, how do you like it, and what, if anything, would you change about it?

Thanks
 
I have a new Maxpedition Typhoon that is going out with me this fall. Single strap across the right shoulder. Perfect for a left-handed shooter, left shoulder is free from straps. Not too big either, so there's less danger of filling up space with unecessary stuff. Room on the left outside for a small hatchet or my 12" Ontario. I'm usually out at dawn, back at dusk and I think it's just the right size, but we'll see.
 
Hey Guys..

Stro..

I use a camo messanger bag most of the time..
It's handy and comfortable to carry..
Doesn't get in the way of the strap...

ttyle

Eric
O/ST
 
I use a cabelas fanny pack with shoulder straps, I don't remember the model. I really like carrying my gear lower on my back and still being able to sling my rifle. It is also big enough to pack anything I need and has external lashing points for raingear, an extra jacket or the jacket I am wearing if I get too hot. Chris
 
I use a Cabelas fanny pack without any straps. Holds all my gear, and stays where it belongs, no bouncing around.
 
I too use a fanny pack , no big name , just a pack and a place for a water bottle. I got a pair of workbelt suspenders from home depot to split the wieght.

Phil
 
I use a cabelas backpack. I have tried fanny packs and the like but I have not liked them for whatever reason. i do hunting outwest as well so I need to carry alot of gear and possible emergency gear so a backpack works best for me.
 
I use a backpack that is designed with a holder for a rifle or bow. It is a bit cumbersome if you are doing a spot and stalk or still hunt, but works great to walk into an area and then sit, or walk to an area then begin a spot and stalk with the weapon in hand. When I need my rifle more handy, I put the back pack on the I just put the rifle sling over one shoulder crossways across my body (like a messenger bag).

This is not exactly the pack, but close enough that you couldn't tell without reading the label.

cabelas rifle pack
 
It depends on the time of year, but for deer, because it's july, I wear a pistol belt with 2 canteens and a possibles bag. But the bag can get in the way during odd shooting possitions, where the bag pulls away from the body causing movement, so I'm working on getting butt pack.
 


Swiss mil-surp bag. Small, but with adjustable shoulder strap, and a loop on the back that can be attached to a belt to keep it from swinging. It can be worn in the rear for hiking, side for walking access, or swung around to the lap when seated. I sewed in a few extra pockets to help keep things segregated and out of the way. I use it like an old fashioned possibles bag. A flat plastic pint water flask fits in the rear inside pocket, snacks and assorted needful things. The main compartment can hold calls, lunch, trioxane tabs, ziplocs, etc. The smaller flat pockets I added inside hold my hunting license and I.D., pencil, game regulations book, flagging tape. I also use this bag when wade fishing because the strap can be shortened to make it ride very high and the small plano boxes fit. I tie my stringer to the strap to make it easy to locate and retrieve when needed. I am sure there are better purpose made bags, but this is what works for me. FOr under $20.

Codger
 
Depends on where you are and how your hunting.

In MN and WI for the opening weekends I just sit so I bring a backpack with what I'll need for the day.

After that it's usually short sits with still hunt drives to posters so a fanny pack with outer straps to hold a inner layer coat is the ticket for me.

If I'm grouse hunting my coat has a pack built into it that I keep the dogs and mine aid kit in, with lunch for two and a folding dog bowl in case it's dry, with a liter of water in the bird part of the coat along with a leash.

Helle
 
I've been looking at the Kifaru Day Stalker, but I'm having a VERY hard time pulling the trigger on a $230+ pack.

I do my hunting out West, and our seasons are in October, which makes it interesting when it is in the 30's in the morning, and 70's in the afternoon.

We leave camp in the morning with jackets, water, lunch, and whatever else we need for the day, and stay out until dusk.
I tried a smaller waist pack one year, but it was just too much load.

I've used my old Camelback HAWG for many years. This is the model that was barely bigger than the reservoir itself . . . years before they made the HAWG into a massive pack.

It's just about perfect, except the shoulder strap ALWAYS fights with my sling. :grumpy:
 
I use a High Sierra backpack, which I would consider small to medium in size, for when I'm sitting most of the day. If I'm planning on being mobile and covering a lot of ground, I have a couple of coats that I can fit the essential gear in and go packless. The pack I have is small enough to not get in the way when I sling my rifle, so I'd say it's good, but I'm always looking for something better. -Matt-
 
I have a selection of packs from a fanny pack that also holds two Nalgene bottles for warm-weather hunting to a very large daypack for late season hunting and backpacks for backwoods camp-out hunts. I hunt in a hilly area and have to carry in my warm clothes so I don't get sweated up on the way in. Sometimes I hunt from a treestand and other times I still hunt, so clothing and gear requirements and the means to carry them vary. You can never have too many fanny packs, daypacks and backpacks!

Good hunting,
desmobob
 
Depends on the hunt. If I'm going to be out all day, a chest rig worn as a butt pack, and a very small back pack that has stuff like tags, spare orange vest, lunch and extra water in it.
 
Strobengh said:
I've carried backpacks for years, but I get tired of dealing with the rifle sling fighting with the backpack strap for position . . . the rifle always looses.
Click to expand...
I would take a different tact altogether, namely, moving the rifle to the chest. It won't catch on things as often, throwing you off balance or perhaps damaging optics. The only impediment to that is that rear sling post is in the wrong position on most civilian style rifles. On my shotgun, I attach the rear of the sling to the top of the stock by using my spare ammo holder that velcros onto the buttstock. It may not work with the buttstock ammo carrier that merely slides over the buttstock. You could do that or make some other more elegant solution. I think there are a few of the "tactical" stocks that are designed to slip on to a sniper rifle without upper rear sling mounts. Something like this: http://www.actiongear.com/cgi-bin/t...query.ctx=sling&backto=/agcatalog/results.tam
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top