Keeping Meat Cool

BucCrazy1 · Aug 1, 2017

With the Archery season fast approaching, how do you guys cool your meat after harvest? I've been doing lots of internet scouting and most say gutting the deer as fast as possible and/or hanging in shade to cool until transport.

What about transport and keeping the meat clean, do most of you use frozen water bottles in an ice chest to get the meat home or to the butcher?

Looking for tips as all my hunting has been in late October where it's much cooler and spoil doesn't happen as quickly.

Thanks
Brandon

DW · Aug 1, 2017

LAST EDITED ON Aug-01-17 AT 01:11PM (MST)[p]Do it as close to what a butcher does to a prime beef as possible. Get the hide off, quartered, sacked and hanging as quick as possible. If daytime temps hit 50 get it on ice. Those early season hunts are tough meat care wise. Sometimes even those first couple weeks in October are tough. Those frozen bottles are liable to be thawed by the time you leave, pack it in regular ice and drain frequently on your way home.

BeanMan · Aug 1, 2017

If you use dry ice remember not to be in a confined space with it like a tent or camper, it can kill you.

TOPGUN · Aug 1, 2017

Deer really aren't that hard to take care of if you do like DW mentioned. It's elk that really require immediate attention because of their size and if you don't really get them skinned, broken down and cooled properly in the shade and then on ice you can lose a lot of meat in a hurry.

Soj51hopeful · Aug 1, 2017

I have killed bucks in the California back country heat, 5+ miles in that took well over 7 hours from killsite to the truck to get out. Get the meat quarterd and or boned out and in game bags. Hike to the truck and put the ac on the meat as best as possible. It seems like 80-90' heat will warm the meat but it will actually cool off the first day if in the shade or you keep moving. If you let it cool during the day and over night then still haven't transported it out by the next days warming then you will have problems.

Bucknut · Aug 1, 2017

... once back to the pickup, I prefer dry ice, if available. Just remember to put a towel or something down between the dry ice and the meat. Yeah, it's spendy... but well worth it to me.

BIGJOHNT · Aug 2, 2017

LAST EDITED ON Aug-02-17 AT 04:46PM (MST)[p]Here is probably the best way to keep your meat cool. A portable cooler. You can pick one up at Bass Pro Shop.

I have thought about getting one myself. But isn't our wild game already the most expensive meat on earth. ?

BucCrazy1 · Aug 3, 2017

Thanks for the tips guys. Since I'll be hunting close to home I plan to quarter the deer and use frozen milk jugs in my ice chests to transport the animal back to the butcher.

brutus54 · Aug 3, 2017

Here's my set up I use a Igloo cooler not sure of the size. But I made a rack out of PVC pipe and an old wire shelf. I use old antifreeze jugs four fit perfect in the bottom under the rack. And I have some freeze packs for on top of the meat. I wrap all the frozen jugs and packs in canvas until I need them keeps them frozen longer. Then I use the canvas on top after I fill the cooler with meat.I always try to cool the meat down as much as I can before I put it in the cooler so it won't sweat.

elkassassin · Aug 3, 2017

The Best one I've seen was the one that the Guy on KSL was trying to Sell!

What's another 30K when it comes to Hunting?

Back Me Off to 1,700 Yards,650 is a Little Close & I'm Not Comfortable with it!

A GUT SHOT at 1,700 Yards will Still Make Some Good BRAGGIN Rights so I Can Say I At Least Hit Him!

Gator · Aug 5, 2017

Old chest freezer and a small Gen. plug in the freezer and start the gen and cools the meat good and when you drive home it keeps right on running. Great for those long and short trips.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
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kalielkslayer · Aug 6, 2017

On one speed goat hunt in Wy I saw 3-4 trucks running around with chest freezers in the bed. Then I saw the same crew parked at a motel with extension cords running out of their rooms to the freezers.

We'd drive an hour or more, kill a goat, throw it on the tailgate, skin/quarter/bag and hightail it to the butcher. We'd kill one in the AM and one in the afternoon. Those guys hunted all day.

So if you own a truck, load a frozen chest freezer in it and have no worries.