What do y'all do with meat when bouncing around out west?

[type2bowhunter]

My buddy and I are CA residents and we've got mule deer tags in Colorado for early September. We hope to punch those tags quickly so we can head out to NM where I've got an elk tag (we also intend on hunting bear in NM).

My question is a logistical one. Let's say we both kill a buck in Colorado, what would you guys do with the meat while elk hunting in NM? Driving it back to CA is not an option and I'd rather not pay the butcher to store it as I know that can get pricey.

If anyone lives in the Colorado Springs or Northern NM area and would be ok with us dropping off a freezer full of deer in your garage for a week or 2 that'd be much appreciated. We'd be happy to compensate with meat and/or money.

Thanks in advance

 

[grfox92]

If your having it butchered have him freeze it solid. Put it in a good quality cooler with ice and it should be fine for quite a while.

You could also split a cheap chest freezer and use that as a cooler, pluging it in overnight when you can.

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[Ducks&Bulls]

Yeti 210 and another cooler...
Kill in CO, hang it one night in quarters, ice in bottom, keep plug open, dry ice on top, garbage bag it, cardboard it then duct tape it, then drive your happy butts to NM, find a butcher to get it cut up, pick it up once you kill in NM. Put cut deer in other cooler and then do the same with the elk quarters in yeti 210, drive home.

OR

Small chest freezer with a Honda 2000, freeze the deer quarters. Put elk in yeti 210.

You'll need to buy dry ice 2 or 3 times. Probably will be $200-300 in dry ice and ice. Early sep is hot

 

[htlt_surfboards]

following

 

[bdan68]

I think the easiest, and maybe even the cheapest option, would be to take the deer to a meat processor in Colorado. Have them cut and wrap, and on your way home from New Mexico pick it up. This way you're not having to constantly be buying ice, or hauling a freezer with you everywhere you go.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Pelican Elite 250 Cooler. I call it “the hunting freezer”. Freeze 12, one gallon plastic jugs full of frozen water and line the bottom of the cooler with them. Place another 12 or more one gallon jugs full of frozen water as your supplemental ice to surround the meat later.

Shut it and DO NOT open it. Get another strong guy to load it into your truck or trailer (it’s massive).

Once you have your deer quartered, or boned out, place the meat in plastic bags and seal tight. Get ready to open the cooler only once per deer.

Remove the top layer gallon jugs and leave the bottom jugs alone. Place the meat strategically on top of the bottom 12 one gallon jugs. Replace as many of the top 12 gallon jugs around and on top of the meat as possible. Do all of this quickly and then close the cooler. Repack as many of the supplemental ice jugs as possible before closing. Use the jugs that didn’t fit back in the cooler for water or use in smaller coolers or whatever.

Do not open that cooler until you are ready to drop the meat at a butcher or place in your freezer at home for butchering.

I’ve had 3 boned out deer in the cooler, done in this exact fashion and the meat stayed super cold for 16 days and would have gone longer. I’ve had 2 quartered deer done in this fashion and the meat stayed cold for 9 days and would have gone much longer.

A picture of my hunting “freezer”. That’s a Yeti 65 and Yeti 45 on top for size reference.

 

[SW hunter]

Ive found processors have way too much work to drop everything and cut a deer in 2-3 days. For $200. For a stranger thats not a returning customer. 20 years ago it seemed like places did that. But I noticed more places will offer to hang it in cooler for your trip duration. I paid $30 last time I did that.

 

[Marble]

If it isn't cool enough in September to hang all day, then I would hang the deer at the butcher while you were still in CO, transport to NM and drop off with butcher there. Your storage issue while hunting is now gone.


Frozen meat in a yeti type chest will last for several days.



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[DenverCountryBoy]

We'd be happy to compensate with meat and/or money.

Be careful here. Using game meat as compensation is illegal.

You can give it as a gift, but not as a payment.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

Got prepared. If you do fill your tags don't quarter them, bone them out, takes up far less room in ice chest. Strat wet aging process as soon as you get them. Put 1/2" wire rack in bottom of ice chest then a layer of ice, meat on top of that more ice them meat, keep this up until chest is full, last layer of ice to completely cover meat. If chest go in bed of pick leave plug open, if in truck just drain water for chest daily. Make sure to check meat daily and always keep ice layer on top of meat, Leave meat like this for up to 12 days. Meat will be fully wet aged and ready to process. I have done this with eight Elk, comes out great.

 

[Brandon.miller.4]

Got prepared. If you do fill your tags don't quarter them, bone them out, takes up far less room in ice chest. Strat wet aging process as soon as you get them. Put 1/2" wire rack in bottom of ice chest then a layer of ice, meat on top of that more ice them meat, keep this up until chest is full, last layer of ice to completely cover meat. If chest go in bed of pick leave plug open, if in truck just drain water for chest daily. Make sure to check meat daily and always keep ice layer on top of meat, Leave meat like this for up to 12 days. Meat will be fully wet aged and ready to process. I have done this with eight Elk, comes out great.

Is the 1/2" wire rack for water draining and keeping meat from soaking?

 

[GSPHUNTER]

Is the 1/2" wire rack for water draining and keeping meat from soaking?

Yes, even deeper on if you have them.

 

[Brandon.miller.4]

Yes, even deeper on if you have them.

I'll have to incorporate this. What size cooler do you use?

 

[GSPHUNTER]

I'll have to incorporate this. What size cooler do you use?

I have two 125 qt. Canyon coolers. One will hold, one boned out elk no problem.

 

[Brandon.miller.4]

I have two 125 qt. Canyon coolers. One will hold, one boned out elk no problem.

That is what I wanted to hear. Would a boned out bull fit in a 100? I have a 70 and a 45 currently, thinking about adding a 100qt

 

[dtrkyman]

Slice, Dice and Ice! Lot's of good suggestions here.

I would prefer a few smaller coolers as opposed to one monster, easier to move around!

If your meat cooler is not full, stuff something over the top to take up the space, sleeping bag inside a heft works well. Or stop at a home depot and cut some type of insulation to fit over the top.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

That is what I wanted to hear. Would a boned out bull fit in a 100? I have a 70 and a 45 currently, thinking about adding a 100qt

Depending on size of animal, and how well it is packed.

 

[Brandon.miller.4]

Depending on size of animal, and how well it is packed.

I can't stand really big Coolers. I'll settle for a 100, that way loaded down I can still shift it around/move it with a buddy. If I can't fit I'll have the other Coolers too!

 

[GSPHUNTER]

I can't stand really big Coolers. I'll settle for a 100, that way loaded down I can still shift it around/move it with a buddy. If I can't fit I'll have the other Coolers too!

We did have that problem when full, so I made a ramp out of 5/8" plywood works great for loading truck. When full of meat and game, they do get heavy. all two guys can handle.

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

There are a lot of ways of doing it. I’ve bounced around with 3 moose for almost a month using coolers, dry ice, occasional stay at an air bnb with a full size freezer. Also have put out an ad on here to use someone’s freezer that worked out well.
I know a lot of people travel with a chest freezer but never found it necessary. If you do need to freeze, dry ice will be cheapest at welding supply stores, not the grocery.