packing meat in your back pack question

[Ry151]

Currently looking to upgrade my tatonka pack to a "eberlestock dragonfly" or "just one" pack. They seem like excellent packs with a ton of features but the best is the gun scabbard, so tired of my gun not being comfortable to pack. i have a gun bearer on my tatonka and it worked fine for a while but im starting to find its not comfortable any more.


The only thing holding me back right now is the worry of when packing a quarter out of the bush the blood in the meat will leak through the game bags and wreck the pack. With my external frame pack the quarters can cool and is easy to clean.

How are the guys using this packs hauling thier meat?

Cheers Ryan

[sheephunterab]

I just take the garden hose to mine after packing meat inside the bag and have never had an issue.

[bigslim]

If you are worried about blood leakage, you have the wrong hobby!!

[Boner]

Good question. I'd like to find out myself. I wrecked a cotton jacket and a couple of fake poly pro style shirts because I used them while gutting out animals in the past. They seem fine wearing them until I start to sweat, then they reek really bad. I washed them quite a few times.

Can a drycleaner take the blood and resident meat smell out of a good pack and good sitka style camo outerwear?

[Downwind]

Dry cleaning will NOT get the blood out. It will cook it into the fabric. Blood is full of proteins and when you add heat it denatures those proteins and essentially binds them to the fabric. Same reason why you don't wash clothes that have blood in warm or hot water.

[Fred1]

Blood - cold water to clean. As mentioned. I pack meat in/on my pack in plastic bags and/or wrapped in sheets- I will let it cool as much as possible first (I know sometimes there just inst much time for this) and then get it into a cooler asap! I try to keep the hide on the deer until I get home. Makes packing a bit heavier but ces't la vie, I'm still strong enough for that chit. As for getting blood on stuff... havent figured out how to NOT do that yet...
I keep a couple 2 gallon jugs of water and paper towels in the truck to clean up. And a change of clothes for post gutting - keeps the inside of the truck clean - er.

[E.V.B.H.]

[QUOTE=bigslim;1322082]If you are worried about blood leakage, you have the wrong hobby!![/

That's pretty much all that needs to be said.:-D

[RiverOtter]

Heavy duty garbage bag makes a good pack liners....

[pnbrock]

Clear plastic yard waste bags. Black garbage bags are petroleum based not good on meat.

[sheephunterab]

Heavy duty garbage bag makes a good pack liners....

Don't let meat contact the garbage bags though....many garbage bags have chemicals in them to reduce odour that can badly taint meat. Industrial size Zip Locs are good though.

[longstonec]

I don't worry about getting blood in mine. Lack of a garden hose here that time of year means I infuriat the Missus by sticking it in the shower and run cold water all over. No soap. Sometimes a bit of baking powder.( whichever comes in the box not the round plastic container. It's Friday. I'm not getting up to go look)

[Fred1]

Clear plastic yard waste bags. Black garbage bags are petroleum based not good on meat.

Yes I should have mentioned that too!! Clear plastic!! and big zip locs too if you have the time to cut up and bone out.

[lineofsight]

Find the Dragonfly extremely comfortable, well laid out (top entrance a little tight without using the zipper) but a little on small for longer trips but there is a zip on/off duffle bag. Positive is adds a lot more capacity (and may solve your difficult to wash problem), negative is its destabilizing effect (puts load away from your CG). Use if for day pack (light 3 day) and have Badlands 4500 with more capacity for longer stints.

If you have not handled one and are in my neck of the woods welcome to try it with zippered duffle and load. Check out warriorsandwonders for pricing.

Interesting point on the black garbage bags.

[bighornbob]

Ziplock makes some very big bags. They are the size of a large pillow case (2feet X almost 3feet) and are quite sturdy. They also have a handle cut out at the top for carrying. Mind you I would not want to carry meat and bag too far with the handle. But for putting into your pack or taking out it would work.

A box of three costs around 6-7 dollars if memory serves me right. Bought them at walmart but I would imagine most places probably have them.

Bhb

[Fosey]

I use the big clear plastic fish bags. I buy them from River Sportsman in Campbell River by the case for fish. They don't rip and definetely don't leak.

[kennyj]

I carry a small tarp that I put the meat on as I de-bone it. Then I rap the meat in the tarp and put it in my pack
( badlands 2200 ). Any seepage gets washed with cold water. Works great.
kenny

[KTownKiller]

Meat can go bad real quick in plastic, especially if it's still warm. I just put mine into cotton pillow cases, and into my pack. Get it out of pack ASAP. As said already, wash out pack with cold water, and don't worry about your pack.

[wlbc]

I don't use the bag on my Tatonka, I just lash the quarters to the frame in a game bag. Even if lashed in the bag I find the quarter rides too high and is less stable.

You may consider trying the Safari style sling rather than a device that attaches your rifle to the pack. I have found this to be more comfortable over a long day of meat packing when I choose to continue to carry a rifle. With the Safari Sling rifle is readily available at all times.

[swampthing]

You are on the right track with the dragonfly. I love mine and have packed out about a half dozen animals with mine. I have never got enough blood on mine to wash it yet. The way the pack zips open to the meat carrying compartment is an excellent feature. Mine is in my bedroom right now and doesnt smell at all. Eberlestock recomends washing it by hand in a bathtub or something similar. Use one of the scent free, uv hunting soaps. Enjoy your pack. By the way, there is some blood on my pack, just not enough to be offensive in any way.

[Quesnel Kid]

Yeah I have never been concerned about the blood on my pack or on myself, it is all part of it. The stains are like battle scars they remind me of all the great times and animals that I have been lucky enough to harvest. That said hygiene is important and you gotta get the meat cooled down and hung ASAP. I have used pillow cases, my shirt and plastic bags to get meat home, if it is cool plastic is alright but if its warm I would be carefull. Cotton pillow case let the meat breath a bit even in your pack and you wont get the condensation like you do in plastic. It is amazing how fast your meat will get slimmy in plastic bags.

I have been looking at the Dragon fly pack, I m glad to get some feed back on it. It deffantly looks like a well thought out pack. How do you find it as a day pack, is it frustrating to used when it is all closed up? can you still used the main compartment with out undoing everything.

Cheers QK

[Vinny]

I have the Dragonfly and it works well. As for cleaning, I placed in the bathtub with some vinegar and cold water, soaked for 30 mins, then rinsed with clear cold water. No stains, no smell, and didn't fade color at all, and there was alot of blood because I forgot game bags so put quarters in bag bare.

[Ry151]

Getting blood on or in the pack doesn't bother or worry me, it's the getting the blood out that did because I didn't want a stinky mouldy pack after one animal. This is clearly not an issue from all the great advice you guys have given and now I'm getting one for this season for sure.
Cheers

[swampthing]

I use my dragonfly as a daypack too. It is heavy for that chore . I bought the smaller X2 to use as a daypack but ended up going back to the dragonfly. Its very easy to get access into it. I like that it holds everything, including my rifle, ready to go. I will bone out and carry an animal rather than dragging it almost every time. This pack excells for this. Its a bit small for extended trips and a bit big for a daypack, but, it does do the job for both. It is one of my favourite pieces of equipment.

[604redneck]

u have a tatonka and wanna get rid of it?!?!?!?!? why does the smell matter anyways?

[lorneparker1]

If you are worried about blood leakage, you have the wrong hobby!!

This.

But use a garbage bag

Lorne