What's everybody using for a durable, dependable saw on their backpack hunts? I used only a havalon on a coues deer a couple years ago on a backpack hunt, but the thought of only a havalon on a mule deer or elk is kind of intimidating.
Thanks for any input you may have.
My favorite knife for boning meat and caping is a Outdoor Edge knife with replaceable blades. I used a havolon knife on a couple trips and it was pretty dangerous. On a dall sheep hunt the blade snapped and almost went into my leg! That was the last time I used a havolon.
If you are trying to shave pounds off your pack I would recommend weighing every item on your list on a scale. The heaviest items on your list are likely where you will loose the most weight the quickest (tent, backpack, tripod, sleeping bag, mattress, camp stove, clothes, etc). This usually comes at a cost. Dependable, ultra-light gear is usually fairly expensive!
Your tent and backpack are likely the heaviest gear you can shave pounds off of. Most guys bring WAY too much gear that they really don't need! A lot of guys bring way too many clothes. I weigh all my different clothes and figure out which shirts, pants, raingear, socks, etc I can shave weight off. If I'm only hunting a few days I may take food I don't need to cook. That eliminates a stove plus fuel, frying pan, etc. You may think I'm crazy saying this, but it really isn't that big of deal eating cold food for a few days. Some guys can't live without coffee and there are ultra-light stoves and fuel available. You may want to try a scouting trip in the summer to test things out?
You can do everything you need to with one small replaceable knife.
To each his own for sure
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Robb
Skull plate is the only reason I need a saw, I use a Gerber folding saw, pretty light and small.
How much does a saw plus skull plate weigh? I bet it’s about the same as the skull without the lower jaw.
Remind me again why you want to carry a saw around?
That said the Trailblazer Sawvivor is/was an extremely light saw similar to the Wyoming saw. The problem was finding bone blades for it - most places sold it with a wood blade, although bone blades were available. It's no longer made, so even finding one may be difficult.
Cut down on clothing. Plan on wearing the same set for the time you are in there. Limit yourself to packing only a merino top and bottom, a pair of extra socks, and lightweight rain gear. Don’t get wrapped around the wheel on being scent free because you can’t.
Take a pack of scent free wet wipes for “spit baths”. Worth their weight in gold!
Take food you don’t have to cook and leave the cooking stuff at home. Think stuff like dry salami, cheese, crackers, granola bars, vac sealed burritos, etc. get creative for variety.
Usually there’s a water source where you are hunting. Use it and don’t pack extra water. There are great purifying filers out there that are lightweight and work great. Instant tea, coffee, or fruit drink mix is good for variety.
Find a good lightweight bag and tent. You can probably shave at least a pound there.
Diet to lose weight. Every pound you take off before the hunt is one you won’t have to lug up the hill!
Spend time with your pack and get used to carrying it before the hunt. You can load it up and just do an hour or so in the evenings or weekends to know how to make adjustments when you’re changing up loads on the hunt. Also, practice shooting with your pack on.
Be careful not to leave your pack or boots on a stalk where you can’t find them in the dark.
Make sure those boots are broken in and fit like a glove.
Easiest way to cut down weight is to find a young guy to hunt with and make him carry the head back to camp.
Agreed on clothing. Bring an extra pair of merino underwear and socks. Rotate daily. Everything else I use is also merino and I wear it daily. Never had an issue with merino smelling.
They are an amazing invention, tho! Heck, that might be the one thing I would want if I were ever stuck on Naked and Afraid!
As for gear, I'm pretty lined out as I've been acquiring better gear every year. Some of you will complain about my optics, all vortex, but that's ok, I'm very happy with it all.
The only extra clothes I have are rain gear (kuiu chugach), a change of underwear and socks, and a puffy (not sure which 1 I'm taking yet.)
My tent is a BA copper spur. Thermarest neoair pad. 0° kifaru slick bag(I'm a cold sleeper, and I like synthetic....so this isn't negotiable...lol)
The stove idea is good. I love my coffee, but I could just heat some on a fire every couple days. I hate mtn house anyways!
I was planning on taking 3 liters of water in my bladder, but I'll cut that and just take a couple bottles and use my Sawyer mini and maybe take my bladder empty to use for camp water.
As for the saw, thanks for the ideas and suggestions. I have the older bigger 1, Buskill. I'll have to look at their current offerings. I may just throw mine in my "basecamp" totes, and go with my havalon only though. Thanks again guys!
WV Mountaineer's Link
I have cut the skull plate off of several and it is no fun with a small folding saw. I picked up a larger Corona folding saw for this fall. It cuts through wood more than twice as fast as my other folding saws. Hope it does the same on a big mature bull skull cap!
+1 joehunter---very true if you are crossing state lines travelling home.
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Robb
Either decide you need a saw or don't. Don't is the lightest option.....
And that depends on what you may use it for. If skull capping, bones AND packability are the requirements, the small WY saw is the gold standard. If you want to work at it a bit harder the gerber saw will work and is lighter. Both work OK for wood with the wood blades. Anymore that's the only reason I would have one in a day pack.... to make ground blinds and cut shooting lanes. BUT.... if that's pretty much all I would use it for, I'd take my folding Silky as it kicks about any other compact wood saw up and down the block and runs it out of the neighborhood..... that thing is a beast.
My saw and a skull plate/horns weighs less than half of what the whole head minus jaw weighs.
The folding Gerber will work, but they're on the same level as a replaceable blade knife. I've broken so many of them over the years my garage looks like a used gerber factory.
Capping a skull is weigh lighter than a euro and way less time.
I'm still looking for that perfect saw, but the Gerber works, just be careful as they can "hurt you"
