Cooler size for black bear

[samuela]

What size cooler do you use for black bear meat or meat + hide?

Also how big are black bears in your area, and do you bone out the meat?

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

I like a 140, block ice on bottom, bone in quarters in game bags, hide on top. You could probably go smaller but it’s a good fit for it all. These are Montana bears, 180-250lbs

 

[Coveyleader]

I don’t know how any big game hunter wouldn’t have a 150 x 2 anything elk sized Or bigger.

 

[deer310sg]

We take a homemade plywood foam insulated cooler probably 200 qt.
And a couple 120 qt for hides. Between 3 of us making the trip. Manitoba, Sask. 175- 400 lbs

 

[Elkhntr08]

I’m taking a 105, 65 and 35 to Saskatchewan in May. Don’t figure I’ll need all that, but they ride nice in the truck.

 

[samuela]

Seems people are bringing larger coolers than I expected. Anybody run something smaller?

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

We fit a small bear, bone in quarters, no hide in an Rtic 65 last fall but it was tight with the bones in.

 

[Blind Squirrel]

Seems people are bringing larger coolers than I expected. Anybody run something smaller?

Yeah. You don’t need a massive cooler. Once the hide is off, they are much smaller than you think. If you’re just keeping quarters, an average sized family cooler works fine.

 

[StuckoYota99]

I use a 100qt cooler that is prechilled with ice for the meat and hide

 

[Mikey_B79]

A lot depends if you are going to strip the carcass out fully including rib meat or not. I know more than a few guys who take the quarters and leave the rest.

I definitely recommend keeping as much as you can if you have the means to do smoked sausage - the rib meat is *extraordinary* when mixed with a bit of bacon and ground and seasoned with even just salt and pepper. Smoke until 170 and my word. Or brown then braise the ribs until they are fall apart tender in a red wine reduction. Next level.

I have used a 66 and two 50s before, but it's usually cold enough here in Manitoba to keep for a while with just a few bags of ice to bring the temps down.

 

[samuela]

A lot depends if you are going to strip the carcass out fully including rib meat or not. I know more than a few guys who take the quarters and leave the rest.

I definitely recommend keeping as much as you can if you have the means to do smoked sausage - the rib meat is *extraordinary* when mixed with a bit of bacon and ground and seasoned with even just salt and pepper. Smoke until 170 and my word. Or brown then braise the ribs until they are fall apart tender in a red wine reduction. Next level.

I have used a 66 and two 50s before, but it's usually cold enough here in Manitoba to keep for a while with just a few bags of ice to bring the temps down.

Great info, thanks!

 

[Nick Muche]

I own 10-12 coolers, and I couldn't tell you what size any of them are!

 

[RADunfee]

Coleman 120. In GA they are 150ish average. If you have to pack out a bear then it will definitely fit in a 120.

 

[D.Blake]

105 was tight with the hide but I got the lid shut. Boned out hams and bone in fronts.