Meat Transport....Garbage bags?

[Lukem]

I know we don't want to overthink stuff (isn't that what we do anyway ) but I thought that's part of what this thread is about is figuring reasons not to us plastic bags. There's several posts that make the point in specifically saying that the meat never touches the garbage bag. I'm curious why. Additionally with this being such a weight conscious group, meat bags inside of garbage bags seems redundant. Garbage bags serve multiple purposes, what else does a meat bag serve?

Not trying to pick at anyone just trying to learn why people 'look down' on garbage bags.

 

[Mike7]

1) Stid, you have some of the most informative posts...always extra little nuggets of info hidden in there along with pictures, thanks. I am going to have to try that UV Aquaseal I saw that you mentioned in another post (I like fast repairs).

2) I don't know much about the safety of the deodorizer in some trashbags, but it is my understanding that you don't need BPA free plastics for simple food transport...as long as you are not exposing the plastic to high temperatures, harsh chemicals/cleaners, or marinading the food in it. In the past, I went to a lecture by the lady who actually discovered all of this (unexepectedly at first). In their research they noticed that rodents placed in plastic containers which were washed with harsh chemicals had offspring which had much lower fertility rates if I remember right. Anyway, she recommended against washing plastic food containers in anything but warm or cool water and mild soap (like regular dish soap), and recommended against placing hot food in the containers, leaving water in plastics in a hot vehicle for prolonged periods, or especially using the containers in microwaves or dishwashers. If you look at any plastic containers at home which have been used to heat foods in the microwave, you can see the disrupted platic surface where portions have been potentially released into your food. It sounds like storing some cooled lasagna, a sandwich, or cooled bagged game meat in plastic will not be an issue. I never heat foods now in plastic, and always get BPA free plastic water bottles for the bicycle as it is hard to avoid these getting sun exposure with hot water in them at times.

 

[Stid2677]

Game bags protect the meat from dirt and and other debris, but are designed to BREATH, there for they will allow blood to drain, even more so when meat is boned out. The purpose of a trash bag is to prevent this blood from leaking into the pack while the meat is being transported. While a bloody pack may be a badge of honor for some, it can make for a dangerous situation when living in bear country.

Plus very rarely is my pack empty, by using a waterproof bag I help protect all my gear from getting soaked in blood, as the meat carries better when packed close to the body and lighter gear under lower in the pack.

 

[Lukem]

Thanks stid, so meat bags are better for storage like in your float pack or other instances where the meat isn't headed straight to the truck, but what about when the meat is going to the truck? The purpose of the meat bag isn't being fully used, so wouldn't it be a bit of extra weight?

I've never done a long trip like that and am just trying to ask questions I don't feel like are being asked. Got nothing against game bags, obviously serve a very good purpose.

Thanks for all the info!

 

[MattB]

The garbage bag is a moisture barrier to keep moisture from moving from the meat to your gear or from moisture moving into the meat from outside sources (i.e. on the bottom of a raft, soaking in a creek, in the rain). The game bags are needed to protect the meat from debris and insects when not in a garbage bag/dry sack/etc. If I had to leave one or the other at home, it would be the garbage bag.

 

[Matt W.]

I try to keep things as clean as possible and used a combination of garbage sacks and some ITW X-Proof pack liners. I have not hauled a BIG critter this way, just one ram. It worked slick. I mistakenly grabbed the wrong garbage sacks in the mad dash to the truck to head north. For me they have to be the heavy duty contractor bags, like Aron uses.

These are the ITW Bags:
http://www.botachtactical.com/itwxpali17ba.html

Works pretty slick for a sheep size critter and can double as a dry bag of sorts before you bloody them up. I use T.A.G. bags the rest of time and only use the plastic bags for transporting or dipping the meat in the creek for cooling purposes. This year's sheep hunt was unusually warm and I really respect guys that go deep into the back country in high temperature areas and come out with good meat.

 

[luke moffat]

Thanks stid, so meat bags are better for storage like in your float pack or other instances where the meat isn't headed straight to the truck, but what about when the meat is going to the truck? The purpose of the meat bag isn't being fully used, so wouldn't it be a bit of extra weight?

I've never done a long trip like that and am just trying to ask questions I don't feel like are being asked. Got nothing against game bags, obviously serve a very good purpose.

Thanks for all the info!

If I am hunting within an area that I could easily pack an animal out and have it to my house in the same day as I killed it then a garbage/dry bag may be all that is needed. However, I don't usually have that luxury as at a minimum its 24 hrs or more before I get my meat to my house and in Stid's case I shot my sheep on the 10th and was home on the 23rd of August. If for anything but going straight from the field to house (whitetail deer hunting in a stand over a bean field) then I'd rather have my meat protected from bugs and able to breath than rely on a garbage bag to keep my meat clean.

Doubling up with game bags and dry bags just makes sense for the kind of hunting I do where its usually 3+ days at a minimum due to logistics of hunting in Alaska from the time I kill an animal to the time I get it home for processing.

 

[Stid2677]

The garbage bag is a moisture barrier to keep moisture from moving from the meat to your gear or from moisture moving into the meat from outside sources (i.e. on the bottom of a raft, soaking in a creek, in the rain). The game bags are needed to protect the meat from debris and insects when not in a garbage bag/dry sack/etc. If I had to leave one or the other at home, it would be the garbage bag.

What he said.

 

[Lukem]

Awesome. Thanks for all the info. It's good to get the 'why' on things like this. So often we like to tout the 'what' when it's the the 'why' that's most important in picking and choosing gear.