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Old 01-13-2017, 08:47 AM
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nast70 nast70 is offline
 
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Default Gearing up....best options for packing your gear

So this is either really, really early, or really, really late. But it's something that's been nagging me since my last jaunt in Nov.
How do you guys pack all your gear around when you walk?
To start, I have a daypack, binos, and a rifle, not to mention bits and pieces in pockets etc.
I could not find a comfortable way to manage slinging my rifle with backpack straps on my shoulders, and leave my hands free to grab the binos or get the rifle shouldered for a quick shot.
I'm going to get a bino harness for sure, or something like this:

A friend of mine carries his rifle across his chest. Fine for cutlines or wide trails but in the trees it would be a nuisance.
How else can you mange a rifle with backpacks etc for long hikes?
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  #2  
Old 01-13-2017, 08:55 AM
BackPackHunter BackPackHunter is offline
 
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Kifaru Gun barer
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Old 01-13-2017, 10:24 AM
Savagelh Savagelh is offline
 
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Default alaskan guide creations

I just got an Alaskan guide creations bino pack and really love it so far. Enough room for my binos and all my essential hunting items. It will be the one pack I grab for every single adventure
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Old 01-14-2017, 03:04 PM
Wellsy Wellsy is offline
 
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I have been thinking about this same thing since November. My dad has been using a Safari sling and when I tried it out I like the way it handles. I ended up getting one for Christmas and I've also made a couple out of paracord. The design allows you to have the gun in a safe ready position, while at the same time allowing you to use both hands to handle the binos. Great timing on this thread as I was actually watching Into The High Country on Wild TV this morning and noticed the way the guy was carrying his rifle. I took photos of it because I thought this would be a good way to carry as well, as long as the muzzle was above your head! It looks like he has the buttstock in a pocket made from webbing which is attached to his belt, or backpack, and then has another strap off the backpack around the forend of the rifle. I think this could be run with or with out a pack and I might try and set something up similar to this. The last picture is not a great shot of the paracord safari sling but gives an idea of how the rifle sits with the safari slings for those that have not seen them.









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Old 01-14-2017, 03:07 PM
JohnB JohnB is online now
 
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Kifaru Gun barer
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Old 01-14-2017, 09:01 PM
Wellsy Wellsy is offline
 
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Just looked up the Kifaru gun bearer and it appears that is the system that the guy from Into the High Country was using. May have to pick one up.

https://store.kifaru.net/mobile/univ...rers-p197.aspx
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Old 01-14-2017, 09:27 PM
Abe89 Abe89 is offline
 
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Randy Newberg on Fresh Tracks uses the same system. End of video https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kFa8C6NvbEw


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Old 01-14-2017, 10:09 PM
Pathfinder76 Pathfinder76 is online now
 
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If I want to pack like that I use the Kifaru Gun Bearer.
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Old 01-14-2017, 10:25 PM
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Interesting. I might look into this.

For binoculars, I have something like this and did not see anything better yet (it is not exactly like this but idea is pretty much the same; too lazy to look for an actual pic):



Also, that Telus box on top of the TV on the photo is waiting to fall.
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Old 01-15-2017, 06:21 PM
katts69 katts69 is offline
 
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Default Gearing up....best options for packing your gear

Get an actual harness. As suggested AGC makes the best one I have used. Had the kuiu one. Liked it but no room for rangefinder and other essential.
I.E.- headlamp, flint and steel, firestarter, lenspen, havalon knife and spare blades, licenses and tags
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Old 01-15-2017, 07:30 PM
Bushleague Bushleague is online now
 
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I carry my rifle in my hand, and take very little gear... problem solved.


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Old 01-15-2017, 09:18 PM
bcpappy bcpappy is offline
 
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I use the kuiu ultra 1800 pack for day hunts and swap out the bag to the 6000 for week long mountain hunts. I have the gun carrier attachment for when I need 2 hands and it fits my bow but it's not "designed" for that. I usually hold my gun but I found I can use a sling on my shoulder easily with the smaller bag. I packed out a de-boned mulie this November, I weighed the load when I got home and it was 98lbs. Both bags have compression straps that make them compact when unloaded. The straps to the frame are long enough to fit some loaded game bags or a moose quarter in between the frame and bag when hiking to the quad or truck. It's been a good system so far.
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Old 01-15-2017, 09:22 PM
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mtnhunter mtnhunter is offline
 
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Stone Glacier has a neat system for carrying your rifle as well. Has a quick release and the nice thing is the rifle is carried behind your arm so it doesn't snag on every branch as you're walking through the trees.

https://www.stoneglacier.com/accessories/weapon-sling
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Old 01-15-2017, 09:25 PM
jayquiver jayquiver is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bushleague View Post
I carry my rifle in my hand, and take very little gear... problem solved.


How do you like the hip pouch? Any issues with it falling down or other issues? I want to move to something like this for day hunts. My rifle doesn't shoulder (fit/feel) properly while wearing my back when I have to make a quick shot.
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Old 01-15-2017, 09:27 PM
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Eberlestock. Easiest way to carry a rifle period
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Old 01-15-2017, 09:51 PM
Bushleague Bushleague is online now
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jayquiver View Post
How do you like the hip pouch? Any issues with it falling down or other issues? I want to move to something like this for day hunts. My rifle doesn't shoulder (fit/feel) properly while wearing my back when I have to make a quick shot.
For the most part no, I do need to hitch up my pants a few times in a day, but I haven't found it to be a major issue. I keep a micky bottle of water in my back pocket which I think helps keep the pack up, I think wearing suspenders on my pants might help a bit too. Way easyer to move through thick bush quietly than a regular pack.

For the backpack thing, I totally know what you're saying, I hate trying to shoot while wearing a pack with thick, padded straps. I have a really old canvas army surplus daypack with plain leather shoulder straps, I can shoot while wearing that pack pretty well.

I use a possibles bag when I hunt with my muzzleloader and have found it to be pretty convenient. I think a properly sized "man purse" could work well, probably use one as small as possible to carry just the necessities.
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Old 01-15-2017, 09:51 PM
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mgvande mgvande is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bub View Post
Interesting. I might look into this.

For binoculars, I have something like this and did not see anything better yet (it is not exactly like this but idea is pretty much the same; too lazy to look for an actual pic):



Also, that Telus box on top of the TV on the photo is waiting to fall.
Gunbearer is good, been using for 8 yrs. the pic above looks like a bra. No good.
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Old 01-15-2017, 09:55 PM
Bushleague Bushleague is online now
 
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Originally Posted by mgvande View Post
Gunbearer is good, been using for 8 yrs. the pic above looks like a bra. No good.
I used one of these this year, it makes my bino's feel a lot lighter than a neck strap. That being said I find that it makes actually using the binoculars far more inconvenient. A harness like that with a pouch might work better for some people, for me I think I just need to get some lighter binoculars.
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Old 01-15-2017, 10:38 PM
Bganz Bganz is offline
 
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Gun bearer is top notch. Its easy to use and solid construction. I use a badlands magnet Bino case but want to get an AGC for next year.
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  #20  
Old 01-15-2017, 10:40 PM
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Kifaru gunbearer and Badlands bino case
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Old 01-16-2017, 01:56 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mgvande View Post
Gunbearer is good, been using for 8 yrs. the pic above looks like a bra. No good.
Never thought of that. Right away that Seinfeld episode with the manssiere came to mind
Mine is slightly different, but also I do not really care what I look like in the bush

I think that harness is spot on and DEFINITELY better than wearing your binos around your neck.

Also, I did not find it more inconvenient using the binoculars with this harness. Although my binoculars being pretty small could be the reason. But I would recommend that thing to anyone. Or whatever I have, rather.
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Old 01-16-2017, 06:12 AM
Bushleague Bushleague is online now
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bub View Post
Never thought of that. Right away that Seinfeld episode with the manssiere came to mind
Mine is slightly different, but also I do not really care what I look like in the bush

I think that harness is spot on and DEFINITELY better than wearing your binos around your neck.

Also, I did not find it more inconvenient using the binoculars with this harness. Although my binoculars being pretty small could be the reason. But I would recommend that thing to anyone. Or whatever I have, rather.
I found that unless I had the harness fairly tight the binoculars hung far lower than I prefer. I like to keep mine inside my jacket, and getting at them quickly and if they hang too low requires keeping my jacket half unzipped all day. Holding the binoculars up to my eyes against the stretch of the tight harness was more fatiguing than with a neck strap, especially because I usually glass one handed... because my rifle is in my other hand where it belongs.

For somebody who sits in a blind, or on a hill, and glasses for long periods I think keeping the bino's in case, or unhooking them from the harness would be ok. But for still hunting neither of these solutions is a good fit for manner in which binoculars are used.
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