Exo Journal — Backpack Hunting Basics

What is the best way to put on a heavy hunting pack? That depends on the weight of the pack, the terrain, and your physical abilities. While those variables may change from hunt to hunt or person to person, there are also some things that every person should do every time. In this article, we explain the "5 L's" that you should think through every time you need to put on a heavy pack.

The hunt ends, and the work begins. When you recover an animal, there is a combination of excitement, accomplishment, and often circumstances (such as fading light, rising heat, or quickly passing time) that can make you feel a bit rushed. But before you start turning this animal into high-quality protein to feed your family, it is worth pausing, planning, and organizing before you start skinning.

The hunt doesn't end when you shoot an animal. Immediately after you shoot, there are important decisions to make and steps to take. Amidst the adrenaline and excitement, take a breath, take a moment, and make a plan. In this video, we explain some of the first things to do after you shoot an animal.

Start sharp and stay sharp. That should be the goal for your hunting knife. When it comes to keeping your knife sharp on a backpack hunt, we have experimented with a lot of different options — from replaceable blade knives to a wide variety of sharpening devices and methods for fixed-blade knives. In this video, we demonstrate the technique and share some tips for using our go-to knife sharpener for backpack hunts...