Do you hunt to fill the freezer?

Fjellvei

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Definitely hunt for the meat except for mule deer. I hunt mule deer for a week every year because I like to hunt them for the challenge and it's just fun. Antelope, cow elk and antlerless deer we hunt for the meat. It's all fun but the meat is important. Our family can put away 2 elk, a deer and an antelope each year so it's definitely needed.
Not against what you said but curious... Why not mule deer for meat? I've heard this more frequently lately, but my first deer ever was a muley and my family absolutely loved the meat. Am I missing something?
 

Wags

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I have 2, 26 cubic ft uprights plus a garage refer with a freezer. If I were able to fill those I'd happily buy another. With 4 kids plus friends and family it goes quick. We killed 3 antelope, 2 deer and a cow elk this October and all of that will be gone by summer.
 

Glendon Mullins

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Sometimes yes, sometimes no, depends on how much i have in my freezer, and time of year etc. I pass on smaller bucks, but if I aint killed something by late december, I will fill the freezer etc.
 

bigeyedfish

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We have run out of venison before the bow season opener two years in a row now. We have one in the freezer now. Ideally I will kill one or two more just for us. If those come easy enough, and some friends or family ask for some meat, I might hunt some more, but by the end of the season I'm ready to hang out with my kids.
 
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Ok here’s a kicker…. Does everyone prefer the chest or upright style freezer. And what cu size?
 

CRJR45

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Being in Florida , I have fish of all kinds , snapper , Dolphin , Cobia , in the freezer most always . But , I am lucky , we have Elk now . I went to Co bow season and shot a barely legal bull , but it was hot and nothing was moving , so I took him . I figure one in the freezer beats two in the bush , or some shit . My wife loves all things wild , Deer , Elk , whatever , she loves it .
 

Sled

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I hunt to fill the freezers, plural, and stop when that happens. I don't let tags go to waste after that but I'm more selective on what I take and usually will help someone else hunt. On years where my time is limited, I'm done once I get a single elk.
 

Sled

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Ok here’s a kicker…. Does everyone prefer the chest or upright style freezer. And what cu size?

Why not have both?

Upright works well for accessing things that are packaged. For pre processed the chest freezers work well. Add a temp control device and you have a fridge.
 

07yzryder

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Las Vegas, NV
Being NV we are lucky to draw a tage every few years. When I say I hunt to fill the freezer I mean I'm not holding off for a giant, I'm looking for anything that doesn't look like a baby
 
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Chest , because it keeps the cold in better when you open the door . IMO
I didn’t know or even realize that!!
Why not have both?

Upright works well for accessing things that are packaged. For pre processed the chest freezers work well. Add a temp control device and you have a fridge.
I know uprights are a little more costly, but I have memories of the deep freezer my grandpa had. I don’t think they make chest freezers that big any more.
 

Sled

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I didn’t know or even realize that!!

I know uprights are a little more costly, but I have memories of the deep freezer my grandpa had. I don’t think they make chest freezers that big any more.

i picked up an upright for around $300 at home depot last month. i also fit a quartered bull in my mid sized chest freezer last month.
 

Sled

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small but fits processed meat just fine.

if you get creative you can fit several bodies in some of these chest freezers:
 

Geewhiz

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I dont think I could shoot enough stuff to solely rely on to feed my family each year. Last year between my wife and I we brought home 3 elk, 2 antelope, 1 deer, 1 bear, and a wolf (wolf nachos arent as bad as you'd think, dont judge me 😜). The only reason we had any left when we brought in the first animal this year is because we started supplementing with other sources since we were getting low.
 
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