1st year Elk hunt, cooler size?

[wapitibob]

Just an fyi, if you separate the hind at the end of the Femur and let the shank hang loose, it's a lot easier to get into coolers.

 

[coy17]

Just an fyi, if you separate the hind at the end of the Femur and let the shank hang loose, it's a lot easier to get into coolers.

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That's exactly what I had to do to make my first raghorn fit into 2 yeti 105's. That cooler combo fits great in the back of my 4runner next to the diy sleeping platform/drawer.

 

[OPSCWAL]

(2) 70L Coolers. You can go (3) for the insurance policy and not play Tetris

 

[thegrouse]

(2) 70L Coolers. You can go (3) for the insurance policy and not play Tetris

I have a 65 and I could get a 100 and fit both without too many issues. Do you need to bone out to get an elk in 2-70s

 

[ndfb35]

I have a 140 and 65 and its enough space for a bone-in bull. Dry ice is my favorite cooling method.

 

[OPSCWAL]

I have a 65 and I could get a 100 and fit both without too many issues. Do you need to bone out to get an elk in 2-70s

boned out.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Learn from me and don’t pack out bones! Debone and you can fit an elk in not all that much cooler space.

Fill the coolers the the brim with one gallon jugs. Pour some water out and freeze them. Have the ice jugs take up as much space in the coolers as possible. Then just leave 2 or 3 jugs in the cooler to keep the meat cold, set the rest to the side somewhere. The cooler will already be very cold and unless you are traveling very far, the meat will stay cool and dry.

You can re-use the ice jugs for other hunts and year to year.

 

[Tx270WT]

Good ol annual cooler thread. Take it for what it’s worth me being 0-4 now but the good old stand by igloo 120 is hard to beat plus it can act as storage if it doesn’t get used

 

[Neckbone]

My first and only elk was an adolescent bull 2x4. Bone in It took a 145QT RTIC a 65QT RTIC and a 48QT Coleman (Just what I had). There was room for ice and bone in meat. Drove it from WY to SW Florida in 3 days with zero spoilage. Drained and re-iced coolers daily.

This time I will be flying in to the same area. As always I will bring by 120qt coleman as checked baggage loaded with gear and my weapon as the second checked bag (Bow this year). Plan to purchase a second 150QT coleman and keep it in the cab of the truck. If I don't tag out I will return it. I will fill my 150QT with as many blocks of ice as I can fit and loose ice in between, duct tape it shut and not open it unless I tag out.

If I do tag out, all meat will get hung and cooled. I will split the ice between the 2 coolers. Debone the meat, bag in 2 gallon ziplocks labeled and keep them on ice. The day before my flight I will empty and dry the coolers, lay the meat on the bottom, cover the meat with a layer or two of reflectix and top cooler off with dry ice. Morning of the flight I ensure all dry ice is emptied, cooler is relatively dry inside and it will get duct taped shut.

Coolers can weigh no more than 100lb each total, so that is roughly 85-90lb of meat per cooler. I may need to purchase a smaller 3rd cooler depending on size of the elk. Can get a soft sided cooler and use as carry on/personal item.

 

[taskswap]

It's also fair to note that cooling type affects "effective capacity" in a cooler. You need a lot less physical volume of dry ice than water-ice. But bear in mind when shipping by air, AFAIK all air carriers require you to disclose that you have dry ice in the container, and the container cannot be sealed. You need to provide a ventilation hole or breather tube so the CO2 can escape.

 

[Neckbone]

It's also fair to note that cooling type affects "effective capacity" in a cooler. You need a lot less physical volume of dry ice than water-ice. But bear in mind when shipping by air, AFAIK all air carriers require you to disclose that you have dry ice in the container, and the container cannot be sealed. You need to provide a ventilation hole or breather tube so the CO2 can escape.

IF i recall, Delta does not allow dry ice at all. There are at the very least quantity limits.

With that said, I have used dry ice to freeze meat in a cooler, then removed remaining dry ice, packed the cooler with the frozen meat and sleeping bag/clothes and gotten home with still frozen meat. Much simpler that way, but just be sure to seal any openings in the cooler and bag meat so it doesnt leak

 

[taskswap]

IF i recall, Delta does not allow dry ice at all. There are at the very least quantity limits.

With that said, I have used dry ice to freeze meat in a cooler, then removed remaining dry ice, packed the cooler with the frozen meat and sleeping bag/clothes and gotten home with still frozen meat. Much simpler that way, but just be sure to seal any openings in the cooler and bag meat so it doesnt leak

They do allow it, but in very limited quantities. Details here. https://www.delta.com/us/en/baggage/prohibited-or-restricted-items/food-alcohol-transportation It's good advice to check first because every airline is different.

 

[88man]

don't forget a 48 qt for the cape

 

[thegrouse]

don't forget a 48 qt for the cape

I like your optimism for a 1st time hunt

 

[thegrouse]

I just picked this up on local classified site for $10. I am guessing it is a 130qt or so ext dimensions 41”/20”/18”. I will take this and a 65 and hope for the best

 

[taskswap]

You might need to debone your rear quarters but unless you get a monster you should be fine.

 

[BigLou]

CaterGator CG200SFW Seafoam 210 Qt. Mobile Rotomolded Outdoor Cooler / Ice Chest

Built for the great outdoors, the CaterGator CG200SFW seafoam 210 qt. mobile rotomolded outdoor cooler / ice chest keeps your food items cold for any occasion! This impressive feat is made possible with a triple-insulated design, which boasts a layer of high-density polyethylene, a layer of...

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I use one of these. half the cost of a yeti and it has wheels. fits an entire quartered bull...

 

[hunter4528]

I hunted last year 3rd season in early nov and got a bull first day. Lucky my friend lives out there and we quartered it up that evening and hiked it out to camp and mid day the next took it to his father inlaws and hung it til after our hunting was done. Processed cut/ground and packaged i filled 2 coolers with dry ice and regular ice. They are about a 100qt and 75 qt. Now again that was cut and processed if you dont have this option you may be looking into another cooler or bigger ones. When we would hunt archery up at our camp 2 full sized whitetail we would end up de boning the entire deer and could get them into a cooler each.
Archery is going to be warmer so i would expect to have extra room for ice in a cooler and plan on spending some time deboning the meat if you can before you pack it too head home. I debated this year bringing on my trailer a small chest freezer that holds about 100qt to help freeze my meat on the way home with a genny. I prefer burger so it makes it easy for me it doesnt matter if its a bit sloppy of a cut up im not making steaks.
I would plan on 3 decent size coolers and even plan on buying dry ice from somewhere local as well. You can always but another cooler while there.
2 worked for me but we spent half a day cutting and grinding mine before i left.

 

[mad_angler]

What size cooler for a bone-in cow?

 

[hunthikecamp]

I just picked this up on local classified site for $10. I am guessing it is a 130qt or so ext dimensions 41”/20”/18”. I will take this and a 65 and hope for the best

10 bucks, wow! Time to start crawling marketplace for coolers. This is my plan this year, I've been running shitty small coolers for years and finally got fed up last year after I couldnt even close the lid on a deer quarter...im planning to buy 2 of these for 1 elk, $100 a piece at Sportsmans so theyre not a terrible deal new either.