Caribou Gear Tarp

Fanny pack for hunting

VAspeedgoat

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 4, 2014
Messages
2,888
Location
Timberville, VA
I was curious if anyone had preferences on what fanny packs worked well for normal day use while hunting. It obviously wouldn't be used for meat hauling but it would be nice to have lash traps for clothing layers and enough room for a water bottle, lunch, field dress kit and a small emergency kit. I don't want huge waist pockets that interfere with a sling rifle.

I find when I am still hunting and require fast shots, that the shoulder straps of a backpack seem to interfere. So I figured a fanny pack may be a good alternative. I'm not sure if there are backpacks with a good waist belt but very thin shoulder straps. I guess that would be a good option as well.

I've got a pop up 28 I carry where meat hauling would be required.
 
I have a really unique one that I love. It's made by Big Woods Bucks, which is Hal Blood's company. They make stuff for dyed in the wool deer trackers who pronounce "deer" "dee-ah."
It's made of wool, with a nylon inner layer and has a really stout strap for your waist. Inside, it's just two spaces, one really big and one small. It's built so that it can hold a ton of stuff if you want, or it just kind of lays flat against your body if you only have a little. I can put in a water bottle, lunch, extra gloves and hat, gps, compass, fire stuff, first aid kit, drag rope, knife and other kill stuff, extra ammo, headlamp, etc. And I can still squeeze in a lighter top layer if I'm getting too hot, or a game camera, etc.
I really like it and I know they still make fanny packs, but I think the newer ones are a tad smaller. The one thing I wish it had was some removable straps for lashing additional clothing on the outside.

I find that all backpacks get in the way when you're still hunting, or tracking through thick woods. They make too darn much noise and catch on stuff. I wear a pack when I hunt out west, but here, I just use the fanny pack.
 
Yes I hunt with a fanny pack, I use the AlpZ little bear set up. It carries all I need for a day(s) hunt in the stand. From calls, snacks and lunch, hydration, extra ammo, and kill kit. No it doesn't't pack out meat, but deer and turkey hunting hunting out east, having to pack out isn't really an issue.
 
I used to use a fanny pack, but have switched over to a KUIU stalker 500 and couldn't be happier.

It's a super compact, low profile, pack that weighs nothing. The straps are also ultra low profile and well designed so that they do not get in the way of anything. It can house everything you need for a kill kit, first aid and even houses a water bladder in the most compact way imaginable. On the exterior, it also has a couple of straps so that you can attach bulkier items such as a jacket.

Absolutely love this little pack and highly recommend checking it out.
 
I've often used one similar but a bit smaller than the pic above. It has lash loops on top to tie down jacket etc. It's great when the truck is a reasonable distance away. Big enough for game bags and essentials but really nice in warm weather. water bottle pouch on the side. I recommend one w/ light shoulder straps
 
Last edited:
This one would fit my needs very well and I've all but pulled the trigger on it multiple times. Just worried about it being louder than I'd like. And to get it outfitted as shown would not be cheap...


Another I've considered is from Tenzing


I do not want one big enough to be able to load it heavily enough to need shoulder straps. If I needed extra capacity I'd add a chest pack, something like the Kit Bag from HPG.
 
Back
Top