Why not carry both? Plus a Buck knife.
Weight. The less I have to carry the better. Most of my elk hunting has been done on horseback but I have hoofed it a few times and you learn to keep the weight down. The best elk hunters I know carried a rifle, extra ammo, a 3 bladed pocket knife and a small hand axe. In an old GI fanny pack he carried a pen light flashlight, extra batteries, small survival tent, Para cord and fire starting gear. He never carried water since finding water wasn’t a problem, he’s drink a bunch before heading out and get what he could along the way. That man was my Pop and he kept the locker full of fresh meat, beef was a rarity for us.
“Why not carry both? Plus a Buck knife.”
Katana is probably too heavy to lug around.
L