I carry a minumum while hunting, everything I need fits into a fanny pack. Once the elk is on the ground, we use bare frames to pack out the elk. It is nice to use a good pack and frame for the loose meat like the neck meat, rib meat, loins, etc.
Make sure your packs are adjustable for shoulder width! A comfortable pack will do wonders on how far and how much you can carry!
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A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have.
I use an external frame moose pack. It can be top loaded or front loaded and it has straps that secure the load across the front. A load that is secure is much easier to pack. The pack has a small item pouch that covers the top and has one large compartment for packing. I leave that in our backcountry camp and will use a small daypack/fanny pack combination while hunting.
I personally use theDwight Schue series. It is a modular system with an external frame and several packs that mount to it. It's an awesome concept since you can take things on/off depending on the situation. Bone it out, put the meat in the upper "tube". Take that off, and pack out quarters using the bottom pouch for support. Take everything off and just lash stuff to the frame. The list goes on and on. They make 2 sizes, 3500 and 5000 (off the top of my head).
Anyway, it's a great modular pack that fits all of my hunting and backpacking needs plus some.
"david" = "dwight"???? The Cabelas' Alaskan Series is far superior to the Coleman line.
If you are packing out meat, the frame pack is a MUCH better idea. It will only take one trip with a soft pack to teach you otherwise.
Good luck,
CE
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"A hunter should not select a caliber and bullet that will kill when everything goes right, rather,
should choose ones that will kill when everything goes wrong."
"Recoil lasts a second, but gravity lasts forever."
The Cabelas Alaskan series has a set of FULL SIZE shoulderstraps and waistbelt, built into the softpack, so it "becomes" an internal frameyou can pack out, and then carry everything else on just a pack frame with another set of straps.
Good luck,
CE
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"A hunter should not select a caliber and bullet that will kill when everything goes right, rather,
should choose ones that will kill when everything goes wrong."
"Recoil lasts a second, but gravity lasts forever."
It's even written on the back of the pack, he's onlya famous bowhunterand I still can't remember the name! So, I'm bad with names, but it's a great pack! LOL Thanks for the correction WyomingElk... err... ColoradoElk!
Elk Hunting Pack Suggestion
It's even written on the back of the pack, he's onlya famous bowhunterand I still can't remember the name! So, I'm bad with names, but it's a great pack! LOL Thanks for the correction WyomingElk... err... ColoradoElk! 
