How many freezers is too many....??

[SQRL_HUNTER]

Hi all- curious to find out what everyone's freezer situation is

avid full year hunter and have upgraded to 2 chest freezers to maximize my wild protein storage-
open to suggestions as to best practices when you are blessed with multiple large harvests
thinking about pressure canning some of my deer harvests this season to save room for my wild boar/bear/ elk harvests for the freezer

currently have (2) frigidaire commercial chest freezers which are great but live in a very hot climate and need to keep other foods stored in addition to my wild protein harvests

looking forward to hearing what is working for you other successful hunters out there
- sh

 

[bsnedeker]

If I buy more freezers it means my wife will just buy more shit from Costco to fill them up with.

I have three, two chest freezers and and an upright. I was very clear when I bought the second and third that they were for my game ONLY and she could have the other one... guess how well that has worked for me...lol.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[5MilesBack]

If I buy more freezers it means my wife will just buy more shit from Costco to fill them up with.

Yep, this is absolutely true! The worst is when I need to put my water filled milk jugs in to freeze them before a hunt, and she decides to load up on something from Costco or Sam's and fill my jug freezer literally the day before I was going to put the jugs in. Then I have her scrambling when I take all her stuff out and fill it with my jugs.

We have two uprights and a chest freezer in the garage, and another chest freezer in the basement. They're all mine except one of the 26sq ft uprights. I keep telling her that anything besides game meat and bacon, doesn't need to be in the freezer longer than a week or two. That doesn't seem to compute for her.

 

[PablitoPescador]

I have a chest freezer and an upright and I’m always amazed out how much meat they hold. For example, in 2019 we killed a bull elk, 2 mule deer, a WT doe and 4 antelope. Filled the upright up but still had plenty of room in the chest freezer. Granted, my wife and I don’t use them for much other than game meat.

 

[Ucsdryder]

in November I had 2 chest freezers so full I put a brick on them to keep them shut. Then the garage freezer was tied shut to keep from popping open. The kitchen freezer was packed as well. I considered another chest freezer but decided 2 chests and 2 freezer/fridge combos were enough. They all close now without straps or bricks but we need to keep eating or else we might need another one come September!

 

[5MilesBack]

This is the time of year when I start giving more meat away to make room for this year. I've had so much moose in the last 8 months that I'm actually getting tired of it.

 

[camping1601]

I have a small chest freezer, med chest freezer, an upright, and a fridge- freezer in the basement. The more room you have the more you'll store stuff without thinking of the long term. Here we are a few months from hunting seasons and I have no idea what I'm gonna do with what I already have.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

You only have too many when at least one is constantly empty.

We have a large upright (regular frozen items and handles wild game overflow), a small chest freezer (wild game), and a large chest freezer (wild game).

This normally works pretty well but when I have to hang onto capes for awhile, available storage space can get tight (depending on what I've been hunting).

In dire situations, we've given wild game to family and friends in order to free up some freezer space. Seems like we are able to put a dent in the amount of wild game we have only for a new batch of meat to appear.

 

[CCooper]

2 big uprights for game, a chest freezer for bait. Ditched the chest freezers- seemed like the shit I wanted was always on the bottom. Most bang for your buck for storage though- you can really stuff meat in a chest. The wife get's the freezer that's below the fridge in the house. I am always eyeballing used commercial freezers/ fridges and ice machines on craigslist. I want one I can fit a yeti 125 in and my own ice machine.

 

[Mule3006Elk]

If I buy more freezers it means my wife will just buy more shit from Costco to fill them up with.

I have three, two chest freezers and and an upright. I was very clear when I bought the second and third that they were for my game ONLY and she could have the other one... guess how well that has worked for me...lol.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

LMAO. So #*^%ing true!

A few months before hunting season I lock the freezer and hide the key. I'll throw away her shit to make room for the good stuff.

 

[SQRL_HUNTER]

I have a chest freezer and an upright and I’m always amazed out how much meat they hold. For example, in 2019 we killed a bull elk, 2 mule deer, a WT doe and 4 antelope. Filled the upright up but still had plenty of room in the chest freezer. Granted, my wife and I don’t use them for much other than game meat.

cool, good to know- have one currently dedicated to protein right now, hopefully it will be filled with some wild protein come fall : )

 

[Jbxl20]

Beer fridge in the garage/ freezer
Kitchen fridge/ freezer
Medium deep freeze and small deep freeze in basement. Besides game meat We grow/process our own turkeys/chickens/geese. They fill up quick. When we only had 1 deep freeze it was a nightmare pulling out everything to get to something on the bottom. I saw a video on YouTube where a guy had meat organized in plastic totes inside the deep freeze. Would take some up extra space but would be easy to find what your looking for

 

[Fordguy]

Canning is a great way to eliminate the need for a freezer. When I was a kid my mother used to can a lot of venison, and now that I'm getting older I find myself doing the same. Non-refrigerated storage is great, its precooked, extra tender and delicious. It also speeds up meal prep significantly.
I use a mirro pressure canner and pint jars. For the record, fish cans up very well too. Make your own canned fish and you'll probably develop a dislike for store bought canned tuna and salmon. If you fish for trout and you end up catching chubs, shiners, dace etc- keep a few dozen and clean them like smelt, can them with a little salt, mustard and olive oil. Eat on crackers- you'll be very surprised.

 

[go_deep]

This is the time of year when I start giving more meat away to make room for this year. I've had so much moose in the last 8 months that I'm actually getting tired of it.

I'll PM you my address...

 

[Where's Bruce?]

I have two refer/fridges at home (one in the garage) plus three chest freezers in the garage in addition to 3 large commercial freezers at work plus one walk-in freezer. I prefer to hunt big animals.

 

[5MilesBack]

Make your own canned fish and you'll probably develop a dislike for store bought canned tuna and salmon.

You don't need to can anything to develop that dislike for canned tuna, salmon, or even canned chicken (which smells surprisingly like tuna for some reason). Never tried canned normal meat, so can't comment on how that is.

 

[Ucsdryder]

LMAO. So #*^%ing true!

A few months before hunting season I lock the freezer and hide the key. I'll throw away her shit to make room for the good stuff.

the girlfriend and I had a fight about a year ago. I come home to 2 packs of ground turkey. Wtf!!! We have 2 elk, a deer, and 2 antelope in our freezer! I told her ground turkey was made with lips and assholes and to quit bringing that shit home. I haven’t seen any ground assholes lately so I think I made my point.

 

[Fordguy]

My point was more that when you can your own fresh high quality fish and meats you quickly come to the realization that there's a significant difference in quality and flavor compared to store bought. If someone has never tried home canned they might assume that all canned goods tasted like store bought, commercially canned "stuff".
As with the "lips and assholes" comment above, I'm pretty sure they put less desirable cuts and parts into canned products because the heat and pressure cook it enough to soften it. The texture becomes more tolerable, but it sure doesn't improve the taste.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

I have 5. However, the smallest stays in our camper for hunting, fishing and clamming trips mostly and is off most of the time. I used to have only 3, then I killed a moose. Add one more freezer. I like multiples as it reduces a total loss from a single point failure. 2 are dedicated to seafood and meat. The other 2 mostly frozen veggies/fruit from the yard.

We also can A LOT, both game meat and veggies/sauces/salsas. If you've never had canned venison, you will be amazed. It will become a lifelong obsession.

 

[Geewhiz]

Kinda seams like if you have to keep buying freezers then you arent eating what you're shooting and maybe you shouldnt be shooting more stuff. I've got 2 uprights that are usually packed full at the end of seasons and plum empty come the following august.

If I'm shooting so many critters that I have to keep buying more freezers and/or give meat away then maybe don't shoot any more animals?