Backpacks, Bags & Accessories
Mystery Ranch Metcalf 50: A Bow-Carry Hunting Pack That Won’t Snag in Brush
Sep
A bow carry is only useful if it stays quiet when the cover closes in.
In the blue-black minutes before dawn, a bowhunter may be slipping through alder, deadfall, and tight conifers with a headlamp off and both hands needed for balance. A bow lashed loosely to a pack can catch a cam, scrape a limb, or shift just enough to announce every step.
The Mystery Ranch Metcalf 50 is aimed at that compromise: bow retention that holds the riser and limbs securely, a profile controlled enough for brush, and a release sequence that does not turn a shot opportunity into a wrestling match. Capacity matters too. A serious day pack must still carry insulation, water, optics, field essentials, and potentially the first awkward load of meat without letting the bow become an afterthought.
Mystery Ranch Metcalf 50
Top choice for accessible, brush-ready bowhunting gear
The Metcalf 50 is a framed hunting pack for bowhunters moving far from the trailhead with enough equipment for a long day or a pared-back overnight. Its roll-top body can be compressed as a load shrinks, while the side zip avoids unpacking the entire bag for a buried layer or food bag. With a bow carried close to the pack, it suits spot-and-stalk travel where hands need to stay free for poles, glass, or uneven ground.
Brush clearance depends on setup, not magic: keep the bow oriented narrow to the direction of travel, cinch loose webbing, and resist overstuffing the exterior. A broad riser, dangling release, or gear strapped outside can still catch alder and deadfall.
- Framed support for substantial hunting loads
- Bow carry leaves hands free while moving
- Roll top compresses for lighter day loads
- Side zip reaches core gear quickly
- Accessory loops support organized internals
- Exterior attachments can compromise brush clearance
- Bow orientation needs attention in tight cover
- No stated waterproof construction
- Capacity may encourage overpacking on day hunts
The Metcalf 50 combines a load-bearing frame with adaptable volume and direct access to the main compartment, making it well suited to extended glassing days and compact overnights. Its bow-carry value is practical rather than automatic: careful bow orientation, tightly managed straps, and a restrained exterior load are what preserve its profile in brush. For hunters who prioritize hands-free movement without dropping to a small daypack, it is a strong contender.
A bow carrier, not an afterthought
The Metcalf 50’s bow-carry arrangement is more than a pair of convenient compression straps. With the bow seated low and drawn firmly against the pack, the system limits sway that can loosen a cam into alder or pull a string across branches. The objective is a narrow, controlled profile—not an unrealistic promise that a broad-limbed bow will glide through every thicket untouched.
Careful setup matters. Cams should sit inboard where practical, strings should not cross abrasive buckles or exposed hardware, and loose strap tails need securing. That is materially different from hanging a bow from a generic front lash point, where bouncing, rotation, and cam contact are more likely during sidehilling or crawling.
Capacity should match the hunt
At 50 liters, this is a credible choice for all-day backcountry hunts, variable weather layers, water, optics, and the possibility of hauling meat after a successful pack-out. Compression lets it behave reasonably on shorter outings, but its frame and volume are still more pack than many minimal day hunts require.
For a treestand sit or a close-to-truck morning, it helps to choose a practical day-pack capacity rather than carrying unused bag. A compact pack is quieter and less cumbersome when extra layers, shelter, and extended food are not part of the plan.
A repeatable brush-carry test
A bow carry should be judged while moving through the cover it will actually see, not by how neatly it sits on a pack in camp.
Mount the actual bow with stabilizer, sight, and loaded quiver. Confirm the cams, strings, cables, and sight housing clear the frame, compression straps, and side pockets through a full walking stride.
A loose yoke or lightly loaded bag can let the bow pendulum outward. Test at realistic water, insulation, and gear weight; tighten compression straps and note whether the bow remains close to the back without blocking hip-belt movement.
Walk a short route through alder, willow, deadfall, or thorny brush twice: once slowly and once at hunting pace. Count snag points, listen for strap slap, and inspect whether broadheads, fletchings, quiver hood, or accessories catch first.
Repeat with the bow carried on each side if terrain or shooting-hand access changes the preferred orientation.
Set the bow tight to the frame
Start at the lower contact point. Seat the bottom limb securely in the pack’s bow bucket or lower retention point, with no pressure concentrated on a cam, cable, or broadhead. The bow should rest low enough that the riser is supported rather than hanging from the upper strap.
Run the upper retainer across a solid part of the riser, then tension it until the bow cannot pendulum away from the pack. It should not be cinched hard over sight housing, cable guard, or a delicate quiver mount. After walking a few steps, lift the pack by its haul loop and tip it forward: any visible swing is a reason to reset the two contact points.
Keep the silhouette narrow
A compact bow position changes how the Metcalf 50 moves through cover. It passes under low limbs with less catching, stays closer on side-hills instead of levering the wearer downhill, and is less likely to bang a trunk when the pack is set down. Loose compression tails can undo that advantage; roll and secure every excess tail so it cannot rake through stems or slap the riser.
Quiver placement deserves the same attention. Rotate or mount it so arrows do not become the outermost feature of the load. Broadheads need a protected orientation and clearance from the pack fabric; fletchings should not be forced into branches or crushed against the frame. A quiver that projects beyond the bow can snag even when the bow itself is firmly retained.
Pack carry is not always the quietest choice. In close-range stalking, frequent glass-and-move travel, steep scrambling, or any terrain where a quick shot is plausible, hand-carrying the bow may be smarter. The pack system is most useful for longer transitions where both hands and a stable load matter more than immediate access.
With the pack loaded, make three movements: duck under a branch, lean into a side-hill angle, and set the pack down. If the bow shifts, arrows touch the ground, or a strap loosens, re-tension before moving into thick cover.
Load it like a hunting pack
A 50-liter hunting pack earns its space when the bow is mounted and the remaining gear still rides close to the frame. The Metcalf 50 has room for a realistic all-day load: insulating layers, rain shell, food, water, headlamp, kill kit, first-aid supplies, and compact optics. That reserve capacity also makes an unplanned overnight or a long pack-out more manageable when gear is chosen carefully.
Keep heavy gear centered
Place water, dense food, and other heavy items high and near the frame; soft layers can fill the outer spaces and quiet the load. Optics, wind checker, calls, gloves, and a headlamp belong in pockets or the side-access area rather than buried under a jacket. A loosely packed bag shifts with every step, creating noise and making the bow mount work harder.
Compression is the key connection between capacity and brush travel. After the load is built, side and lower straps should pull the bag into a narrow column, with no dangling webbing, tent fabric, or loose clothing outside it. Overnight gear should remain inside the pack when possible; exterior lash points are useful, but a rolled pad or jacket can catch alder and announce movement. A compact, compressed load leaves essential hunting items accessible without turning the pack into a snag-prone bundle.
Built for the hunt that gets bigger
The strongest match is the hunter moving between day pursuits and loaded backcountry hunts. Ultralight hunters seeking only a minimal bow carrier may prefer a simpler, lighter platform.
Checks that matter more than the spec sheet
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Frame fit under a real load
A pack that feels fine empty can reveal lumbar gaps, shoulder lift, or hip-belt slip once water, layers, and optics are aboard. Test it weighted to the intended hunting load, with the bow mounted.
ConfirmThe belt stays planted and the load lifters pull the bag into the back.Reconsider ifHot spots, shifting weight, or a bow that changes the pack’s balance. -
Actual bow-and-quiver clearance
Wide cams, long stabilizers, exposed broadheads, and bulky quivers can turn a clean side profile into a snag point. Mount the complete hunting setup rather than judging the bare bow.
ConfirmCams, strings, sight, and arrow fletching clear the pack and remain protected.Reconsider ifCompressed cables, contact with broadheads, or arrows projecting outward. -
Cold-hand operation
Buckle placement and tensioning should be checked with hunting gloves, not bare hands. The carrier is less useful when remounting requires removing gloves or wrestling webbing.
ConfirmOne deliberate mounting sequence with glove-friendly buckles and pulls.Reconsider ifSmall tabs, crossed straps, or adjustments buried behind the bow. -
Quiet, contained webbing
Loose strap tails can tick against buckles, brush, or the bow—especially after the pack is compressed for a day hunt. The Metcalf’s clean profile depends on securing every remaining tail.
ConfirmTails are rolled, retained, and clear of moving hardware.Reconsider ifDangling webbing or hard buckle-to-bow contact.
Roll excess webbing and secure it with elastic keepers, tape, or purpose-made strap retainers. Then shake the loaded pack, lift it by the haul loop, and walk through brush-height branches.
A quiet pack is a system: loose buckles, zipper pulls, quiver hood contact, and a bow touching the frame can all create noise even when the carrier itself is secure.
A Strong Fit for Bowhunters Who Carry Far
- A controlled rehearsal exposes clearance and access problems before they become a hunting-day distraction.
The Metcalf 50 is a compelling option for bowhunters who need stable, hands-free bow carry without giving up the capacity and frame support useful on long approaches, changing weather, and the possibility of hauling more out than went in. Its advantage is most apparent when the bow is pulled close to the frame and the pack is properly compressed.
Before relying on it afield, hunters should load the pack as they would for a real hunt, mount their own bow and quiver, then walk through brush, crouch, climb, and remove the bow with gloves on. Rehearsing that sequence reveals whether strap routing, arrow orientation, and tension settings suit the actual setup.
