Cooler Question

Ltsheets

Ltsheets

Very Active Member
Messages
1,126
So I'm going to need a cooler (hopefully) for my upcoming elk hunt. I'm heavily considering just going for one of the high end coolers. I have a yeti already that I used on my fishing boat but it's only a 65qt so way too small for an elk. I'm considering a 120 or 150 qt igloo Yukon b/c they are on promotive and I can get a good deal on them compared to a similar yeti. If anyone has any experience with the igloo, how do you like it? Also, do you think a 120 is big enough or do I spring for a 150?? Thanks.
 
YETI!

And the Biggest Money can buy!

Got/Had a few Igloo's & Not Impressed!

Won an Igloo at an SFW Banquet & Swear to GAWD they forgot to put any Insulation in it!

SFW must of got one Hell of a Deal on them!:D










[font color="red"]From My Smokin Cherry Red Hot Barrel & My Dead Cold Hands I Shall go down Fighting for American Pride & Rights!
I Know I'm Out Numbered by Pusssies & Brainwashed Democrats that'll Throw Their Hands in the air & I know I can't Lick the U.S. Military by Myself when they Turn on us but I'll make
you one Guarantee,They'll be Enduring a Situation where I Hope to Hell All Americans become True Americans once again & Stand up for their Rights!
 





[font color="red"]From My Smokin Cherry Red Hot Barrel & My Dead Cold Hands I Shall go down Fighting for American Pride & Rights!
I Know I'm Out Numbered by Pusssies & Brainwashed Democrats that'll Throw Their Hands in the air & I know I can't Lick the U.S. Military by Myself when they Turn on us but I'll make
you one Guarantee,They'll be Enduring a Situation where I Hope to Hell All Americans become True Americans once again & Stand up for their Rights!
 
LAST EDITED ON Jul-29-14 AT 06:38PM (MST)[p]



You definitely need at least a 150 for an elk hunt. I just pulled the trigger on a 250 yeti. They don't go on sale, so I just kept watching craigslist and finally got a good deal

You might try that. However, if you look hard online, you can find a grizzly 150 qt for $450 (retails for $550). That is the same quality as a Yeti. Grizzly is also 6 lbs lighter than Igloo Yukon

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)
 
Was the Igloo that you won the Yukon model? They are made with the same process as Yeti's regarding the rodo molding or whatever it's called.

>YETI!
>
>And the Biggest Money can buy!
>
>
>Got/Had a few Igloo's & Not
>Impressed!
>
>Won an Igloo at an SFW
>Banquet & Swear to GAWD
>they forgot to put any
>Insulation in it!
>
>SFW must of got one Hell
>of a Deal on them!:D
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>[font color="red"]From My Smokin Cherry Red
>Hot Barrel & My Dead
>Cold Hands I Shall go
>down Fighting for American Pride
>& Rights!
>I Know I'm Out Numbered by
>Pusssies & Brainwashed Democrats that'll
>Throw Their Hands in the
>air & I know I
>can't Lick the U.S. Military
>by Myself when they Turn
>on us but I'll make
>
>you one Guarantee,They'll be Enduring a
>Situation where I Hope to
>Hell All Americans become True
>Americans once again & Stand
>up for their Rights!
 
Can't remember the Model!

But a Cooler without Insulation is like.............

The IRP's look Solid!










[font color="red"]From My Smokin Cherry Red Hot Barrel & My Dead Cold Hands I Shall go down Fighting for American Pride & Rights!
I Know I'm Out Numbered by Pusssies & Brainwashed Democrats that'll Throw Their Hands in the air & I know I can't Lick the U.S. Military by Myself when they Turn on us but I'll make
you one Guarantee,They'll be Enduring a Situation where I Hope to Hell All Americans become True Americans once again & Stand up for their Rights!
 
Went Fishing with a Guy in Alaska that had a YETI 420!

It wasn't Big Enough!:D

If I remember Right He told me the Cooler alone weighed over 100 Pounds!:D










[font color="red"]From My Smokin Cherry Red Hot Barrel & My Dead Cold Hands I Shall go down Fighting for American Pride & Rights!
I Know I'm Out Numbered by Pusssies & Brainwashed Democrats that'll Throw Their Hands in the air & I know I can't Lick the U.S. Military by Myself when they Turn on us but I'll make
you one Guarantee,They'll be Enduring a Situation where I Hope to Hell All Americans become True Americans once again & Stand up for their Rights!
 
I don't disagree with anyone recommending a yeti. I love my 65 qt yeti but I question that it's enough better than the igloo Yukon for me to not save almost 200$ on the igloo b/c of the discount I get.
 
I'd save & Spend an extra 200.00!

You buy that Igloo & they're runnin low on Insulation you're gonna be mad!:D










[font color="red"]From My Smokin Cherry Red Hot Barrel & My Dead Cold Hands I Shall go down Fighting for American Pride & Rights!
I Know I'm Out Numbered by Pusssies & Brainwashed Democrats that'll Throw Their Hands in the air & I know I can't Lick the U.S. Military by Myself when they Turn on us but I'll make
you one Guarantee,They'll be Enduring a Situation where I Hope to Hell All Americans become True Americans once again & Stand up for their Rights!
 
>YOU GOTTA SAVE?
>Get a real job Bess!
>jester

PAY ATTENTION SMACKDADDY!














[font color="red"]From My Smokin Cherry Red Hot Barrel & My Dead Cold Hands I Shall go down Fighting for American Pride & Rights!
I Know I'm Out Numbered by Pusssies & Brainwashed Democrats that'll Throw Their Hands in the air & I know I can't Lick the U.S. Military by Myself when they Turn on us but I'll make
you one Guarantee,They'll be Enduring a Situation where I Hope to Hell All Americans become True Americans once again & Stand up for their Rights!
 
$367 shipped for the yukon 120

$448 shipped for the yukon 150

>How much can you buy the
>Igloo for?
>
>txhunter58
>
>venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore
>I am)
 
LAST EDITED ON Jul-29-14 AT 08:31PM (MST)[p]How long do you need to ice down your elk?
Is it a bull or a cow?
Quartered, boned, whole?
Dry ice, frozen jugs, blocks?

You're getting lots of good but pricey answers, but depending on your situation you may be able to go other routes.
I've got a 100qt coleman that works fine for elk that are skinned, quartered, and lower legs removed as long as I keep an eye on things and rotate or remove moisture as necessary, or just use cardboard, game bags, and dry ice.
 
This PELICAN Looks Decent!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pelican-32-...522?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35da109cea







[font color="red"]From My Smokin Cherry Red Hot Barrel & My Dead Cold Hands I Shall go down Fighting for American Pride & Rights!
I Know I'm Out Numbered by Pusssies & Brainwashed Democrats that'll Throw Their Hands in the air & I know I can't Lick the U.S. Military by Myself when they Turn on us but I'll make
you one Guarantee,They'll be Enduring a Situation where I Hope to Hell All Americans become True Americans once again & Stand up for their Rights!
 
Hey Lt?

How bout this one?

6620cooler.jpg










[font color="red"]From My Smokin Cherry Red Hot Barrel & My Dead Cold Hands I Shall go down Fighting for American Pride & Rights!
I Know I'm Out Numbered by Pusssies & Brainwashed Democrats that'll Throw Their Hands in the air & I know I can't Lick the U.S. Military by Myself when they Turn on us but I'll make
you one Guarantee,They'll be Enduring a Situation where I Hope to Hell All Americans become True Americans once again & Stand up for their Rights!
 
For my elk and bison hunts I built my own cooler to fit into my pickup bed. Outside dimensions were 4 foot wide, 8 feet long and 22 inches high.
I used 1/4 inch plywood for the outer shell on a 2X2 inch frame. On the inside I used 1-1/2 inch foam insulation sheets with a foil backing on both sides. I cover that with 1/8 Masonite board. lid was hinged and foam gasket material used to seal lid when closed. You will not need one this big as I was able to fit two meat bison inside that was about 800 pounds each on the hoof. I would put about 20 pounds of dry ice inside, used a small cheap foam cooler for the dry ice with lid off. It would keep meat cold for 3-4 days while driving back home.
My material cost was about 170 bucks 6 years ago. still have it and it is still in great shape for the next out of state hunt.
I also installed a latch and lock on the lid and it was great for transporting rifles and gear to hunting area locked up and out of sight of would be thieves.

RELH
 
LAST EDITED ON Jul-30-14 AT 05:53AM (MST)[p]>$367 shipped for the yukon 120
Yukon may be as good as, but Grizzly is a known quality cooler and it is 6 lbs lighter. I would buy the 150 qt Griz before the Igloo since the same price. It says $5 shipping:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aag/main/r...LHNU&isAmazonFulfilled=0&seller=A1IR407Y5YLJ5

>
>
>$448 shipped for the yukon 150
>
>
>>How much can you buy the
>>Igloo for?
>>
>>txhunter58
>>
>>venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore
>>I am)


txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)
 
Try Sportsman's they have a 400 QT that is a very well built unit. We have used one for years in the outfitting business. It will hold a 1/2 dozen antelope or a couple of elk. Expensive put worth the price.
 
I have the 150 Grizzly and I think it is well worth the money. The Grizzly looks more durable than the Igloo to me.
 
elkassassin, that's what you get for going to sfw banquet, the rmef gave a way a big yeti. and a grizz.
 
Thanks guys for all the inputs and advice. I don't think anyone has really said whether or not a 120qt or 150qt will actually be big enough to hold a boned or deboned elk either. I want a cooler big enough to hold a bull elk. If i need to debone to fit that's fine but I don't to take up more space in the bed of the truck than I need to. I was thinking 2 120 or 150 qt coolers might handle 2 deboned elk but I could be wrong. The elk hunt I'm doing is with a buddy who also has a tag and I'm assuming he'll buy a cooler as well. I just need one to handle my elk.
 
I have used the 150 igloo. We had it 3/4 full of ice. Lasted all week sitting out. We used 3 of them for the bull we shot. That was plenty. 2 would ahve been fine, but we had it between the 2 of us, so why not bring extra ice. But 2 150 is good if its boned out.
 
120 igloos are on sale at Big 5 sports this weekend for $69.99 Not a bad deal for a decent cooler.
 
You would be hard pressed to get a boned out elk in one 120 qt cooler. We usually take two 120 qt coolers per boned out elk but we take every scrap of meet.

Type of cooler will depend on the time of year you hunt. We have four 120 qt Igloo cooler (the regular ones) that we take to Colorado with us at the end of Oct. We come home with the same blocks of ice we left Calif with two weeks earlier.
 
I used 2, 150 qt Igloo coolers for my moose hunt in British Columbia. 4 quarters, not deboned, backstraps and loins all fit fairly well into 2 of those igloos. The cape had to go into it's own 120 qt cooler and took the entire space of the cooler. I believe it was about 300 pounds of meat that I dropped off at the butcher. Dry ice is impossible to find up there so we had to use some ice and there was enough room still left for a couple of bags in each cooler.

If you debone the meat, one elk would fit into a 150qt cooler just fine I would think. I think my moose would have been really close to fitting in just one if it was deboned. Plus with access to dry ice here in the states, it would keep it perfectly fine since dry ice takes up very little space. For the cost of the coolers at about $70 bucks a piece, you can get plenty of use and then buy more down the road if you need to replace one. You're talking 8 coolers before you get to the price of some of the Yeti's, and those 8 coolers would last a pretty long time. The latches on them suck but those can be replaced too for fairly cheap. It truly comes down to how much you will use it, how hard you will be on the cooler and how that all affects how long it will last and how soon you would spend enough to buy just one yeti or similar cooler.
 
One more Idea!

May or May not work?

You can Buy a Small Freezer Reasonable!

You've got a Generator,Right?










[font color="red"]From My Smokin Cherry Red Hot Barrel & My Dead Cold Hands I Shall go down Fighting for American Pride & Rights!
I Know I'm Out Numbered by Pusssies & Brainwashed Democrats that'll Throw Their Hands in the air & I know I can't Lick the U.S. Military by Myself when they Turn on us but I'll make
you one Guarantee,They'll be Enduring a Situation where I Hope to Hell All Americans become True Americans once again & Stand up for their Rights!
 
I still have 8 blocks of ice and 75% of a 20 lb bag of ice that went deer hunting opener in cali came home put it back in the freezer, used it again for 3 days in temps up to 100 and its back in my freezer, the cooler a piece of junk old colman covered with packing blankets and a plastic tarp.thats a lot more insulation than a yeti but cheaper. I can get an elk into 150 qrt if it is not frozen.I do use three smaller coolers for my game for the ease of moving around.
 
I got a pretty good size cow quartered in a 150 qt cooler. I feel you can get most bulls in a 150 if fully deboned. 150 is the smallest I would try and do it. Only way a 120 would work is if cut and wrapped already.

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)
 
Yeah i've seen this as an idea too. I do already have a small chest freezer, 7 cu ft maybe? Also have a generator but don't know if I'll have the space for it in the bed of the truck. I think I may take the small chest freezer as it's almost empty right now and use that as a cooler along with a 120 igloo of the less expensive variety and my smaller yeti to preserve ice until needed...

>One more Idea!
>
>May or May not work?
>
>You can Buy a Small Freezer
>Reasonable!
>
>You've got a Generator,Right?
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>[font color="red"]From My Smokin Cherry Red
>Hot Barrel & My Dead
>Cold Hands I Shall go
>down Fighting for American Pride
>& Rights!
>I Know I'm Out Numbered by
>Pusssies & Brainwashed Democrats that'll
>Throw Their Hands in the
>air & I know I
>can't Lick the U.S. Military
>by Myself when they Turn
>on us but I'll make
>
>you one Guarantee,They'll be Enduring a
>Situation where I Hope to
>Hell All Americans become True
>Americans once again & Stand
>up for their Rights!
 
>Yeah i've seen this as an
>idea too. I do
>already have a small chest
>freezer, 7 cu ft maybe?
> Also have a generator
>but don't know if I'll
>have the space for it
>in the bed of the
>truck. I think I
>may take the small chest
>freezer as it's almost empty
>right now and use that
>as a cooler along with
>a 120 igloo of the
>less expensive variety and my
>smaller yeti to preserve ice
>until needed...
>
>>One more Idea!
>>
>>May or May not work?
>>
>>You can Buy a Small Freezer
>>Reasonable!
>>
>>You've got a Generator,Right?
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>[font color="red"]From My Smokin Cherry Red
>>Hot Barrel & My Dead
>>Cold Hands I Shall go
>>down Fighting for American Pride
>>& Rights!
>>I Know I'm Out Numbered by
>>Pusssies & Brainwashed Democrats that'll
>>Throw Their Hands in the
>>air & I know I
>>can't Lick the U.S. Military
>>by Myself when they Turn
>>on us but I'll make
>>
>>you one Guarantee,They'll be Enduring a
>>Situation where I Hope to
>>Hell All Americans become True
>>Americans once again & Stand
>>up for their Rights!

I've been known as the Guy with the Refrigerator when I'm in Southern Utah on Elk Hunts where Weather is Quite Warm!

Saved meat many a times that mighta Spoiled trying to get it back to town/Monticello!

Trick is,to get the Meat Cooled down enough you can close the Lid!

I'm not much for packing a Generator but sometimes you gotta do it!














[font color="red"]From My Smokin Cherry Red Hot Barrel & My Dead Cold Hands I Shall go down Fighting for American Pride & Rights!
I Know I'm Out Numbered by Pusssies & Brainwashed Democrats that'll Throw Their Hands in the air & I know I can't Lick the U.S. Military by Myself when they Turn on us but I'll make
you one Guarantee,They'll be Enduring a Situation where I Hope to Hell All Americans become True Americans once again & Stand up for their Rights!
 
Picked up a Grizzly/Cabela's on Sale this last month.
The one( Grizzly) I used last year carried a whole steer cut and wrapped back from SD with just a 10 lb block of dry ice in it.
I'm a believer in them. They are heavy weighting in at 90 lb empty. But they can carry the mail for sure.


"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
>[Font][Font color = "green"]Life member of
>the MM green signature club.[font/]
 
9319coolers_alaska.jpg

For me it is the cheap ones and I hunt late season. These are the perfect size for airline luggage.

DZ
 
LT, two 120qt coolers from Walmart will work just fine. They're like $50 ea. They'll both fit on the back seat of a full size truck for the ride home. I take one with me and buy the 2nd one on location after I'm tagged out.
 
>I still have 8 blocks of
>ice and 75% of a
>20 lb bag of ice
>that went deer hunting opener
>in cali came home put
>it back in the freezer,
>used it again for 3
>days in temps up to
>100 and its back in
>my freezer, the cooler a
>piece of junk old colman
>covered with packing blankets and
>a plastic tarp.thats a lot
>more insulation than a yeti
>but cheaper. I can get
>an elk into 150 qrt
>if it is not frozen.I
>do use three smaller coolers
>for my game for the
>ease of moving around.

I used to do something similar, and for JUST cooling ability, you are spot on. However, I try and INVEST in at least one quality piece of equipment a year. I can't tell you how many cheap coolers I have thrown away through the years or had latches/hinges/handles break during a trip. Finally got tired of it and INVESTED in the Yeti this year. I know it will do the job and unless it falls out of the back of my pickup, I suspect that cooler will be handed down to my heirs


txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)
 
I have 165 Igloo that I got from Costco for 89 bucks and I can put a Elk qt. or cut and wrapped with 15 to 20 pounds of dry ice for the ride home 18 drive straight through or a lay over in Vegas is still frozen when I get home
 
I took two 150 qrt coolers from Costco with me last year on my elk hunt. Stopped in Reno and filled them up with huge blocks of ice and then topped each chest with 20 lbs of dry ice. That was on Sept 12th. I came home on Sept 30th and still had 1/3 of my ice left. No elk though, just ice.

If you want ice to last you have to take extra steps. Each ice chest was covered with a couple of bed sheets and then wrapped in a 0 degree sleeping bag. They were always in my enclosed trailer and never sat in the sun.

I'll be doing the same thing in a few weeks for my UT LE elk hunt. Going to get twelve 25 lb blocks of ice and top each one with 30 lbs of dry ice. That should be good for a couple of weeks of that Southwest Desert heat.

If I can get ice to last this long why waste that kind of money on a Yeti!
 
How much did your sleeping bag cost? That is part of your "cooler cost". Also, you bought them last year. Was that your first year elk hunting? Or did you have some other cheaper ice chests that had to be replaced last year?

Again, insulation is insulation and keeping ice cold is not rocket science. Where the premium coolers shine is in toughness and longevity.

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)
 
>How much did your sleeping bag
>cost? That is part
>of your "cooler cost". Also,
>you bought them last year.
> Was that your first
>year elk hunting? Or
>did you have some other
>cheaper ice chests that had
>to be replaced last year?
>
>
>Again, insulation is insulation and keeping
>ice cold is not rocket
>science. Where the premium
>coolers shine is in toughness
>and longevity.
>
>txhunter58
>
>venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore
>I am)

You bring up a point. The sleeping bags were bought in 1987 from Gander Mountain for $59 each. One of the ice chests was bought 14 years ago when I guided and the other was bought new last year for the elk hunt. Neither of them replaced an older ice chest.

With the sleeping bags I have about $280 invested into my system. If someone steals all of it it's not the end of the world. If you want to spend $1,200+ for two 160 qrt Yetis go right ahead. Keep them hidden and locked because that's a lot of money to replace them.
 
You makes some good points, but I must be harder than you on cheap coolers because I have never had one last that long.

However, I just paid $550 for a nearly new Yeti 250 qt off craigslist and I consider that a pretty good buy.

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)
 

Similar threads

devobrodie
Reloading?
Replies
34
Views
2k
BroadHead
B
W
Wyoming elk 62
Replies
11
Views
2k
Traveler
T
baerman
Recommended Sheep Hunting Guides in the Frank
Replies
11
Views
1k
Muleskinner
Muleskinner

Click-a-Pic ... Details & Bigger Photos

Member Gallery Photos and Videos!

_0032d.jpg
2875F234-6E7D-4C13-B2DE-12250A017A07.jpeg
9BFB8892-2886-4668-BAA1-7B175F4BA92D.png
Nice Heavy Buck
IMG_2781.jpeg
Momma Coyote and Pups Playing in the Snow @MonsterMuleys.com
5x5-2.jpg
D866F1E1-6F3B-4E15-A344-35CB5EDE2E54.jpeg
99 buck.jpg
FB_IMG_1655620336607.jpg
Arizona Strip Beast
Long Beamed Beast
Back
Top Bottom