2018 High Buck PACK SHAKEDOWN

[Karl Blanchard]

Not sure on a video it's just something I do. Bottom and top of the ribs are connected by cartilage.  Where the rib connects to the bottom of the rib cage I cut down into the cartilage on both sides of the rib bone.  Give it a good pull and it pops free.  Reach in and claim your prize.

Tenderloins just push back on the gut sack and cut it out.  They come out blood free and perfect.  Slice thin, toss in a Ziploc qith beef ramen flavoring and sear on a stick over the fire😍

There's lots of wasted steps in deboning an animal.  Example:buddy quarters the animal, lays quarters out, then debones.  Quartering is a wasted step in that process.  Bone it out on the carcass and save yourself the time.  If processing is in the near future I'll take it off in roast form.  If it's gonna be a hot minute I'll fillet out the bone and take the whole quarter off in a single piece.  Neck comes off in a single piece per side as well as I braise those as a whole roast (two roasts per side actually).

[yakimanoob]

OK, y'all sold me on dropping the leatherman.  I'll carry my regular pocket knife (which can't weigh more than 1/3 the leatherman) and the gerber vitals.

I'm surprised how many folks don't carry an extra set of clothes.  Coming from backpacking, that's always been a bit of a golden rule to ward off hypothermia.  I'll have to chew on that idea. 

[7mmfan]

Speak of the devil.

[7mmfan]

OK, y'all sold me on dropping the leatherman.  I'll carry my regular pocket knife (which can't weigh more than 1/3 the leatherman) and the gerber vitals.

I'm surprised how many folks don't carry an extra set of clothes.  Coming from backpacking, that's always been a bit of a golden rule to ward off hypothermia.  I'll have to chew on that idea.

If you're going to carry extra clothes, make them count. No cotton, high insulation only for emergencies, like a pair of wool long underwear and a highly compressible down jacket in a vac seal bag or something. If you get wet, those items will do you the most good while you get your other set dried out.

[shmacker]

[Karl Blanchard]

Speak of the devil.

just like that except you don't need two ribs and I can't for the life of me figure out why he took all of it out.  The heart is right there, just nick the sack and yank it out.  Literally start to finish it takes like minute/minute and a half at most.  Good visual reference though.

[idaho guy]

bring 2 headlamps! ditch some of the other things mentioned. I had to pack an elk out by myself. in a thunderstorm at night and my headlamp malfunctioned. Visibility was zero it was about 6 miles and there was no trail to take out.  that is the one time I really thought I might not make it out. It was my third trip packing out when the thunderstorm started and the headlamp farted out on me. It was north Idaho so most of you know how thick and dark that can be, bring 2 headlamps! and extra batteries of course

[Doublelunger]

Cut your toothbrush in half and drill holes in it. Don't forget whisky.

[MtnMuley]

Take this for what it's worth but if you are boning out your meat it is absolutely silly to gut the animal.  There's literally ZERO point in adding that step.  Also if you are gutting, splitting the pelvis is also a wasted step.  Ring the pooper and it all comes out when you pull the guts out.

Ditch any duplication in clothing.  Good wool socks just need a good mid day scrubbing in a creek and a solid naps worth of time to dry and they are good to go.  Same with undies.  Any good synthetic or wool will easily scrub to "good enough" with some water and a rock.

I agree with others on the game bags.  Not only weight but serious space can be saved.  I take half a B.O.M.B. kit per deer.

Id leave my wife before i evwr left my spotter.

Hammocks are the devil but to each their own.

I don't even waste space with T.P.  100% wetwipes for this guy.
If weight is an issue then dry them out then rehydrate once you are up there.  I also take a travel sized bottle of gold bond for any chaffing issues or to just clean up a bit.

 Other than that evwrything looks solid.  Give er hell up there!

For an ultimate ounce counter, I can't believe you pack any size bottle of Gold Bond and not take a mini Ziploc with some anti monkey butt in it...…..also dubbed as wind checker

[Karl Blanchard]

Take this for what it's worth but if you are boning out your meat it is absolutely silly to gut the animal.  There's literally ZERO point in adding that step.  Also if you are gutting, splitting the pelvis is also a wasted step.  Ring the pooper and it all comes out when you pull the guts out.

Ditch any duplication in clothing.  Good wool socks just need a good mid day scrubbing in a creek and a solid naps worth of time to dry and they are good to go.  Same with undies.  Any good synthetic or wool will easily scrub to "good enough" with some water and a rock.

I agree with others on the game bags.  Not only weight but serious space can be saved.  I take half a B.O.M.B. kit per deer.

Id leave my wife before i evwr left my spotter.

Hammocks are the devil but to each their own.

I don't even waste space with T.P.  100% wetwipes for this guy.
If weight is an issue then dry them out then rehydrate once you are up there.  I also take a travel sized bottle of gold bond for any chaffing issues or to just clean up a bit.

 Other than that evwrything looks solid.  Give er hell up there!

For an ultimate ounce counter, I can't believe you pack any size bottle of Gold Bond and not take a mini Ziploc with some anti monkey butt in it...…..also dubbed as wind checker

I fear change 

[milldozer]

I pretty much agree with what everyone else has said.  Another suggestion: ditch the bino soft case and get a bino harness.

[Bill W]

I'll critique your list later but where's the garbage bags?  Those have multiple use.  Pull them over the feet of your sleeping bag if your feet are cold, put your boned out deer in them... and there's other uses still.   I did check out your list and you have gear you can leave at home.

[Stickerbush]

They have super might disposable toothbrush/toothpaste combos. I've been using water purifier tablets instead of a filter. Maybe less clothes if you are hunting early, don't remember if you have a sitting pad for glassing

[Branden]

Alright folks, shake down my setup.

Where can I cut weight?  What could I do as an alternate strategy to carry less gear and thus less weight?  How can I get better at this?

Mission: take a bear or mule deer out of ALW or GPW. 
General strategy: solo rifle hunt. mix of trails and bushwhacking.  Get as high as I can on the forest roads and hoof it up into the wilderness alpine/sub-alpine areas.  Not likely to be more than 4-5 miles in as I would likely need to make two trips to get all the meat out.  2 nights / 3 days max.

Pack and poles:
- Osprey Aether 60 (I know, I know, I should get a different pack from your favorite brand, but I'm neither sold on that idea nor flush enough with cash to buy a big hunting pack.  Maybe one day.)
- Leki Makalu Ultralight Ti trekking poles

Findin' and Killin':
- Savage Lightweight Hunter, 7mm-08 with Nikon Prostaff 5 2.5-10x44mm scope and Quake Claw sling
- 4 rounds in the mag + 4 extra rounds of Hornady Precision Hunter ELDX factory ammo
- Leupold BX-4 10x42mm binos, with soft case and tripod adapter
- Vortex Summit SS-P Tripod
- Thermarest Z-Lite Seat
- Bushnell SpaceMaster 15-45x50mm spotting scope
- Dead Down wind checker

Misc tools and Kill kit:
- Leatherman
- Gerber Vitals knife, with extra scalpel blades
- electrical tape (currently about 1/5 of a "full" roll)
- tags and license
- 4pk 48" Alaska Game bags
- 2 pair nitrile gloves

Toilettries:
- toilet paper
- Duece of Spades trowel
- moist wipes
- contact solution and case
- glasses and case
- toothbrush and toothpaste
- floss

Light and electronics:
- Black Diamond Storm headlamp, plus 1 set of extra AAA batteries
- iPhone 7 in UAG case
- Anker PowerCore 13000 portable charger
- 2' iphone charger cable
- Garmin InReach SE+
- in-ear headphones and adapter

Shelter and sleep system:
- Hennessy Expedition Ultralight hammock
- Mtn Hardwear 20° down sleeping bag
- Exped Synmat HL, large
- Sea2Summit Aeros Ultralight Pillow (you keep your dirty mitts off my pillow)
- **3x9' Tyvek (in case I need to use the hammock like a tent in very cold weather; may double as a ground sheet for processing meat)
- two MSR groundhog stakes

First Aid/Emergency
- 1 roll 2" Coban
- 1 roll 1" athletic tape
- moleskin
- surgical pad
- 2 non-stick gauze pads
- various band-aids
- antiseptic ointment
- alcohol wipes
- ibuprofen
- antihistamine
- anti-diarrheal
- pepto tabs
- space blanket
- lighter and firestarter
- ~50' reflective cord

Apparel (everything is synthetic):
- Sunglasses
- OR boonie hat
- Prana Stretch Zion pants
- OR pants (backup in case my zions get soaked)
- 2 pair Darn Tough hiking socks
- 2 pair undies
- longsleeve t-shirt
- short sleeve t-shirt
- Marmot Variant jacket
- **Mtn Hardwear Phantom puffy jacket
- OR Foray Rain Jacket
- **Cabelas spacerain pants
- **Patagonia Capilene 2 long undies
- Scarpa Zodiak Plus boots
- OR Flextex II gaiters
- **OR overdrive convertible gloves
- **OR Guide gloves
- **Mtn Hardwear beanie
- Scarf

Water:
- MSR Hyperflow water filter
- 2.5L Osprey Hydraulics hydration pack (filled to the minimum point I think I need at any given fill-up spot)
- 1L Platypus collapsible water bottle (used almost exclusively in camp)

Cookware/Kitchen:
- JetBoil Sol Titanium stove
- small JetBoil fuel can
- Sea2Summit Titanium cup
- MSR Mugmate coffee filter
- Sea2Summit long spoon

*Food:
- Mtn House dinners, portioned into foodsaver zipper bags
- oatmeal for breakfast
- lara bars
- trail mix
- deer summer sausage for good luck
- sometimes dark chocolate


*Obviously highly dependent on the length of trip, which varies from an overnight to 2night/3day.
**May be left at home depending on the weather forecast. 


I'm about 100% I've forgotten to list something, so I'm sure I'll be editing this as we go.  Thanks in advance folks!!

I changed the stuff to red that I would leave behind. Plus I didn't go through all your clothes or first aid. I'll list what I take for that.

When I first started hunting the high country here is what I used for clothes.
2 pair of Smartwool socks
1 pair of Exoficio boxer briefs
1 pair Arc teyrx long johns
1 pair of board shorts. (the swimming kind that dry fast)
1 thin fleece 1/4 zip.
1 thick fleece 1/4 zip.
Marmot precip rain gear.
Under armour beanie
Glo mits
Balaclava

I have packed in during the regular season with this same setup. I wear the rain gear a lot as a layer while sitting glassing. It blocks the wind extremely well and cuts down on the amount of clothes needed.

First aid I only bring Aleve, Zantac, and blood stop powder.

I think you will have a tough time getting all that gear in an Aether 60. I have one, and my dad has actually used it on the high hunt. But we had to pack some of his gear because it wouldn't all fit in the pack.

I would add a couple garbage bags like someone mentioned above. I use one to line my pack, then while sleeping at night I use it as a pack cover. I use one to lay meat on when butchering, and sometimes I will use them to put meat in and submerge them in a creek to cool the meat if its hot out.

Good luck

[Mtnwalker]

I've broken down a couple elk and half a dozen deer with nothing more than a havalon and 2-3 extra blades.  Heart, tenderloins, boned out meat, cape/hide in some cases.  Literally my backpacking kill kit is one game bag, a havalon and a 60L dry sack.  For laying out meat, you can lay it on grass, tree limbs, smooth clean rocks, the animal hide itself etc. 

Coffee I go with Via because I'm usually just guzzling it anyway and want the warmth and caffeine.  That and a squirt bottle of Mio is all I need for food.

For clothes put on everything you'd wear during the coldest glassing session - and only take that plus whatever rain gear 

Savage