Issue #12Aug 23, 2026 · 8 min read
The long way out: packing a buck from the backcountry
Plus the value frame pack we trust, the gutless method step by step, a 14-year-old still holding point, and dove opener nine days out.
When a buck falls a long way from the truck, the hunt is only half done. This issue walks the gutless method, the pack that actually carries the load, and the decisions that keep meat cold in August heat.
Bone on the mountain. Leave the hide. Get the meat onto ice before the August thermals cook it in the pack. The frame pack from this week's gear check is the one that didn't squeak on a four-mile walk-out.
Dove opener is nine days out. License, HIP, and non-lead shot — don't be the guy arguing with a warden in the parking lot.
The NorCal Hunt Team · #012