There are very few examples of early shooting bags available nowadays. Early bags where purely a utilitarian design, just to carry your gear in.
Early examples where made of leather from the skins of the game that had been shot for food. They would be skinned and the hide used to create bags and other clothing. Bags made from material where rarely used.
It wasn’t until the 19th century when shooting matches were popular that design became an issue, it was important at these matches that your expensively designed gun had to have a matching horn and bag.
Hunting Bags & packs are essential pieces of gear for hunting effectively. A good hunting bag will be able to carry a large amount of gear yet remain comfortable to carry. Not surprisingly hunters need to have their hands free to carry the rifle, ready to take a shot on short notice. Having the correct equipment is vital to having a successful hunting trip.
Choosing a hunting pack is not the same as choosing a pack for hiking. Hiking backpacks are not made for carrying the extra gear a hunter needs, nor do they have room for hauling deer meat or a trophy head. A hunting pack will have more external compartments and attachments for securing the specialist equipment a hunter needs.
A hunter also needs to be able to take a shot at a moments notice so fiddling with your pack to get the right gear is unacceptable. Make sure you choose a pack that you can unhook quickly and quietly. Certain models are also available that can swivel from the back to the front with an easy access zipper on the back of the pack.
Durability is also a prime consideration of your hunting packs. A good pack needs to be protected with a water resistant coating. UV resistant material will also go a long way to making sure your pack can last the distance of many hunting trips.
Choosing bags and packs for hunting can be a daunting task. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and always try them out in store. Put them on and walk around with them in the store with a full load before making your final purchase decision. If you purchase online make sure the store has an excellent return policy.
Choosing from the best Hunting Bags & packs is an important consideration as they come in many styles . One important thing to consider is how the bag should fit to your body, some hunters enjoy a style that is simply placed over the shoulder. Other hunters opt for the backpack style.
Color is another important aspect to consider, you may want to choose a camo design in order to blend into your surroundings. Coloured bags will typically stand out more and may not lend themselves to your particular type of hunting as they may too bright. Some hunters simply choose these bags as a fashion accessory.
Regardless of what you are looking for in terms of design, it is also important to realise that the primary function for the bag is to store all of your hunting accessories for the trip.
Hunting bags are produced in many varied guises. From materials such as Canvas, Border Tweed or even my favourite, full grain leather.
A good bag will set you back anywhere between $200 -$400 although such bags as cabela’s catch all bags can be picked up relatively cheaply, Eberlestock Bags tend to be at the higher end.
My favourite is the Badlands 2200 day pack which is a good sturdy 6lb backpack with aluminium crossbars and a camo design, Mine cost in the region of $250 but is worth every cent.
