Coolers for elk?

[Luked]

What size coolers do you all use for transporting your elk.
Years ago my dad went on his first elk hunt in CO and they fashioned up a pretty large cooler box that went on a trailer. Thing was pretty big but there were like 6 of them that went out. They used dry ice to put in the cooler they made.

With this coming season being my first time going I need to figure out coolers also. Buying something Luke a huge yeti is just not in thr budget so I'm looking at just getting coolers from wal mart but unsure of what size to get. I would assume I would probably ly have to get 2 but also what would be the best way to keep them cool while the truck is parked at the trail head.

Would I be better to buy block ice to put in the cooler on the drive out? Small thing of dry ice in each cooler then if I were to kill an animal just buy ice as needed?
This is something I really know nothing about.
Any advise would help.

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[wmr89]

I use an igloo 150qt ($100-150) for ice/meat and a cheap 55qt cooler for food on most hunts. For longer hunts I dump some ice in the cooler and let it sit in the 150 cooler over night to get the cooler nice and cold. I dump the ice and fill the cooler with milk/juice jugs that a filled with water and frozen. I use towels to fill any empty space and keep the ice insulated. If I am worried about the heat or I am going for a longer hunt I will fill the space between the milk jugs with loose ice. Get the cooler cold and get rid of as much air/space as you can. If possible, keep the cooler out of direct sunlight. The only time I open the 150 on a longer hunt is to put in an animal. On shorter hunts I will use it to restock the 55 qt with ice. I don't bring a lot of food that needs to be kept cold on longer hunts so that I can avoid opening the 150. On hot hunts the ice is usually melted after about 5-7 days but the cooler is still cold and you can restock on ice after you get the animal in the cooler. I haven't messed around with dry ice too much.

I have fit a quartered bone-in cow elk into the 150 and 2 mule deer into the combined 150 and 55. I haven't tried a bull with that set up but you would probably want a little more space for a bull but it might fit if boned out.

I have heard of people using a generator and chest freezer for long trips. I don't know much about it but that combo is probably cheaper than an yeti of the same size.

 

[NDGuy]

I use an igloo 150qt ($100-150)

This is the correct answer unless you won't be able to transport the meat out for a good amount of time.

Cheap, light, effective.

 

[Ron.C]

I'm with ND guy, and wmr89. Igloo 150qt.

Can find them used for a good price. Especially if you can find the ones with the high lid!!!!

I make 10 liter ice blocks and fill one of the coolers. Put an old sleeping bag on top to take up any air space, close the lid and cover it with another sleeping bag or blanket and leave it closed until you need it.

I can fit an elk between the 2 coolers with ice. Bone out your elk if you want to maximize room for ice. And I keep my ice in the bottom in contactor bags, lay a game bag on top, put your meat on this.

I've also used a Honda Generator/small freezer with good success on a couple early season elk hunts/deer hunter and a spring bear hunt. I removed the lid, laid a 2x4 across the top, hung quarters and covered with a sleeping bag. Worked really well and probably a better method if your elk is warm as you can easily let the humidity escape. Can throw a small fan in the bottom blowing up and it works great. Downside, it's not hard to freeze the surface of the meat so you need to watch it. Once the meat is cooled, I prefer coolers with ice.

 

[cnelk]

This bull fit in 2 coolers - bone in with frozen milk jugs.

Definitely get dry ice if traveling a further distance

 

[CCooper]

Last September I did a couple 125 quart coolers. Pre chilled both for a day before and put 4 frozen milk jugs in each and filled the coolers up about 3/4 of the with with regular ice. Kept them in the shade, 9 days later everything was still froze pretty well. I have no problem dumping ice and milk jugs to make room for elk.

 

[butcherboy]

I like to use frozen water bottles. Take up less room and you can squeeze them down into tighter spots. Freeze the whole case at once and place however many classes you want into your cooler and keep your cooler covered. I have also made “sticks” out of 2” pvc cut to fit my cooler. Fill with water leaving room for expansion and glue both ends with end caps. Freeze them before you go on your hunt. When your done just keep them stored in a box for the next hunt and freeze again before you leave.

 

[Weldor]

150's and 50's . The only issue I have now that I am older, lifting a 150 cooler full of de boned meat into the pick-up. Used to use the 150 Yukon but it weights 80 lbs by its self. I use 150 Colemean extremes, they are lighter and hold ice just as long as the Yukon. Yukon stays in the out building now.

 

[Wyobohunter]

This is the correct answer unless you won't be able to transport the meat out for a good amount of time.

Cheap, light, effective.

I really need to pick one of those up. Especially if I take the wife’s Jeep

 

[Weldor]

Now that is a block of Elk. LOL.

 

[Wyobohunter]

I won a five dollar bet with my igloo 150qt by fitting a entire rag bull in it. I’ll never forget the look on my buddy’s face.

Was that boned or quarters? I don’t really like to bone out in the field if I can avoid it.

I love that they are mad in the USA

Edit: Crap! I decided to pull the trigger and they are sold out at igloo. None at the local Mall Wart and it appears that they don’t deliver. I guess I’ll keep looking.

 

[Wyobohunter]

They were bone in. Was able to fit everything including neck/parts bag. To make room for bigger bulls you can trim off the shanks or fold up the back legs before rigor sets in.

100% convinced if it’ll fit in the Jeep. Just need to find one and check dimensions now. Do you happen to know the LxWxH? Igloo doesn’t list them that I could see.

 

[camelcluch]

I while back I picked up two Rubbermaid marine 150 qts for $50 each on Walmart.com. I use them for dry storage until I transport meat. They do well enough to keep things cold. For cold food storage I use a rtic 65. I just don’t see the need for a premium cooler to transport.

 

[Jimss]

I did a search on youtube videos that compaired different coolers (including Yeti) to others in ice melting tests. I ended up saving several hundred $ buying the largest coleman cooler they make. Ice actually lasted close to the same amount of time as the yeti. I can put an entire boned elk plus a cape in 1 cooler. It's really nice having the room because I don't have to bone the meet off large legs such as elk so they fit.

I also have 2 freezers in my garage that I can place meat when I get home (if temps are warm) That way I can go back to work the next day and process the meat when I have time. My mondo sized cooler is also great for placing capes in the same freezer.

Another good idea is to place large sleeping bags over your cooler to give them extra insulation on extended long trips home during warm weather. Your ice will last longer. Dry ice usually outlasts regular ice. It's also wise to check for water as ice melts. Most coolers have a plug in the bottom to drain water. I usually have my cape above a layer of garbage bags above my meat so the cape stays dry and away from blood. Never put a cape on the bottom of the cooler above ice or you are asking for trouble!

 

[doc holiday13]

my 80 qt cooler will hold 2 whitetails with bone in front should and rear legs along with all the trimmings but I think an elk would be about 2x that so the 150qt would probably do you a solid. That said. I'm borrowing a 150qt cooler next week and bringing my 80qt just in case for a 1/2 cow i bought off a friend. It'll be 185# of neatly packaged meat so that takes a bit more room than raw chunks of meat

 

[Dos Perros]

One thing to note: you can knock off the end of a rear quarter, like the knuckle side, with an axe or a saw/chainsaw/sawzall, and save some length, 6" at least.

 

[Chambers4]

What size coolers do you all use for transporting your elk.
Years ago my dad went on his first elk hunt in CO and they fashioned up a pretty large cooler box that went on a trailer. Thing was pretty big but there were like 6 of them that went out. They used dry ice to put in the cooler they made.

With this coming season being my first time going I need to figure out coolers also. Buying something Luke a huge yeti is just not in thr budget so I'm looking at just getting coolers from wal mart but unsure of what size to get. I would assume I would probably ly have to get 2 but also what would be the best way to keep them cool while the truck is parked at the trail head.

Would I be better to buy block ice to put in the cooler on the drive out? Small thing of dry ice in each cooler then if I were to kill an animal just buy ice as needed?
This is something I really know nothing about.
Any advise would help.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

We just use the big white Coleman coolers. We usually take a couple so we can keep the meat from being too much in each cooler.

 

[UZJ100]

Thanks for the info this is helpful for a novice!

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Here’s a video from a family camping trip. This is the one you want.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

How much did you pay for yours?

I bought this about 3 year ago now. My friend used to own an outdoor supply store and he got it for me at his cost plus 10%. $650 cash.