Contributors to this thread:
What are your opinions on game bags? Are they a necessity? Not worth it? If you use them, which brands? Or do you make your own?
Caribou Gear bags are the best. And yes, unless you can drag the animal to your truck, I believe game bags are necessary if you plan on saving as much meat as possible.
The best we've found --- and have been using for years --- is old pillow cases. They keep the bugs at bay and still breath. I still carry a couple light weight commercial type G.B. in my day pack.
Tag Bags are the best. Lol
Durable and lightweight and clean up really easily.
Caribou bags have worked great the last few years. I can't imagine going back to the old heavy cotton bags.
Sturdy bags of some sort are critical for keeping moose meat clean.
Surplus GI mattress covers are what I have used for years. Picked up a pallet of them 40 years ago at Ft Wainwright. They obviously can be washed.
Pete
I like game bags. caribou game bags are my favorite Last long time
Yes. I use Black Ovis and like them. My buddy has Kuiu and I’ve used his too. They both look and feel the same. I’m going to look at some of these other brands mentioned. But I’m very happy with BO. I get mine off of Camofire when they are on sale.
I had a bunch of meat bags custom made to my specifics. They absolutely are better for me than any commercially made bags. Perfect size. Great drawcord closures. Washable and reusable of course. No wasted weight. And honestly....I've seen more moose meat come out in pillow cases than any other bag period. They do a very good job and cost little.
Whichever brand I wouldn't use anything but cotton and it needs to be able to breath
What about the ones from Koola Buck that claim to be antimicrobial? They also have spray that does the same thing. Sometimes it's really hard to tell in this hobby what's real and what's fake/not necessary.
I will never have to buy another game bag in my life. So many people have left there bags at my plant through the years. I wash, fold, and place them in a box. Lots of those stretch bags, nice canvas bags, kuiu, caribou, and many others. I actually use a lot of light weight garbage bags in my pack then transfer to a game bag once I reach my destination. Meat is always cooled out before putting into the garbage bags.
I’m never without game bags in my pack…ever. I prefer Caribou. I vacuum seal them so they take up little room. I can’t imagine anyone not having game bags, unless you want to share your meat with flies and yellow jackets.
I use Caribou bags. I have had the same set for years. There have been moose, Antelope and several elk in them. We killed 2 bull moose a few or more years ago (getting old) ?? and my partner had Tag. Some of his bags tore while mine didn't. Both are good I prefer Caribou.
My GF has a nose like a bloodhound and I'd get caught if I used pillow cases, so I just use Allen game bags.
I have used Caribou Gear bags for years. I cannot imagine not using game bags. The one time I didn't, a rancher convinced me it was too cold for flies on an antelope hunt in Wyoming when it was snowing. With ranch access I was able to skin the animals in a barn, so I skipped the game bags and ended up losing some meat to blowflies. Never again.
I've never heard of the antimicrobial game bags, but citric acid is supposed to help retard bacterial growth. I have some, but have never felt the need to try it.
Both tags and caribou bags are great bags. I like the caribou bags sizing a little better so that's what I use. Live in my kill kit.
Cotton bags have some advantage in that they actually soak up and hold moisture/blood thus tend to keep the meat cooler.... kinda like cotton clothing kills in the mountains, gets wet and cold, stays wet and cold. They are also heavier and not nearly as tough, tend to dry rot and when they fail it's a catastrophic fail. Rare to get more than a year or so out of cotton with our use and climate.
If weight isn’t a concern old military surplus army Laundry bags. If weight is a concern. Any of the stretch bags listed above will keep bugs and dirt off and let a crust form
A friend of mine once described buying bulk rolls of tubular cheesecloth from NAPA. It was the same stuff used as polishing cloth. He would simply cut off as much as needed, put a knot in one end, and drop meat into it. Tie another knot and that was it. If needed, he would double it up for extra protection. Around $20, and more than enough for a whole moose. Ingenious.
Good game bags are reused and well worth it. TAGS bags, caribou gear are great. Money well spent.
I used Kuiu lately and they are fantastic. If you're flying in a float plane know that your meat will be laying on all kinds of stuff and fuel beside it etc.
TAG bags for backpacking, very light, tough and compact and wash up great.
Old pillow cases or homemade larger versions (made from sheets) for moose qtrs and truck based hunts are excellent too. Wash them up and use them for years as well.
I’ve been using sone I made. They worked great until my hot knife gave out and I started using scissors. Who’d think that washing them would pull the nylon crops weave out? I sent some to Huntman to test out. And, as expected, he put them to use. They did great until he washed them. lol.
Seriously, I still have several sets made with the hot knife. They’ve lasted for 6-7 seasons now and do great. But, I don’t have time for making them anymore. So, I ordered a Kifaru set and will try them when/if these ever wear out.
Before making my own though I’ve used pillow cases and the old cotton bags. Pillow cases don’t get the crust I like but, they work fine. If the old hunters specialties were more durable, that’s all I’d ever use though. After hanging for a day, the meat was always invaded in a nice dry case protecting the yumminess.
Allen bags Xl ,kuiu. caribou bags work really well 44 moose and counting
I used whatever microb resistant brand from cabelas. no complaints
ben H,,,, OMG if I used the good pillow cases my wife would string me up by the nads. LOL
Normally get about 4 to 5 uses (washes) out of each pillow case, then they begin to dry rot.
I’ve tried them all. I recently bought the Kifaru game bags. Can’t wait to get them bloody
I can’t wait to finally get mine.
once cooled, I place the bagged meat in large garbage bag for transport and to keep in clean
once cooled, I place the bagged meat in large garbage bag for transport and to keep in clean
Been using caribou for a number of years. Very good. When I get home I soak them overnight in cold water with a little bleach and then launder them. Come out perfect white. only issue ever was a pine marten overnight thought he'd found his winter food supply. Sewed the hole up and good as new.
For those of you that make your own bed sheets, what size do you make them? Do you just use a regular sewing machine or does the thread need to be heavy duty in order to hang them? I'm considering making my own and I'd probably put a drawstring in.
Which Caibou would you pick for a backpack elk hunt? Carnivore lll ? Thanks, TODDY
TODDY, I’ve used the Elk Magnum Pack on a yearling cow, a big 6 point, and a few in between. As I posted earlier, I compress the bags by vacuum sealing them so they take up minimum space.
EDIT: Since I’ve had mine for a few years, I just checked and now there’s a pack called “The Wapiti”. If I were buying them now, that’s what I’d go with. Another plus…they’re about $25 cheaper than what I paid! ;-)
Toddy, the Carnivore III is great if you want to debone. If there is any chance you'll leave meat on bone you'll want bigger bags. Of course, that comes with a size/weight trade off. I actually have both, as well as full carcass bags for deer/antelope. What I pack just depends on the type of hunt.
Thanks for the replies guys! TODDY
I used all my cabelas bags last year on my elk and ended up using a horse feed sack for the remainder
