Transporting Meat Dilemma....Thoughts on Cooler Setup

broodc2

Four Pointer
Thinking about my upcoming out of state deer hunt this fall that I'm driving to. At the club here in NC we are fortunate to have a walk-in cooler. I'm used to being able to skin, gut, and hang the entire carcass in the cooler for 10+ days to let the blood drain out and let it age before taking it to the processor. I've found handling this way is optimal and have never really tasted any bitterness or gaminess in the meat as a result.

So, I won't have the time and luxury of this setup should I be fortunate enough to bag a big buck this fall out of state. I was thinking about getting a few of those Styrofoam coolers and cutting up one of those grid suspended light panels you get at Home Depot or Lowes to put inside. I figure if I can put ice (or maybe even dry ice) on the bottom and then sit the fresh cuts on top of the inserted grate it might do the same thing as the walk-in cooler for the drive back. Has anyone ever constructed something similar to this? Think it will work?
 

Markfromflorida

Eight Pointer
I hauled a bunch of lobster and fish up from Florida when I moved up here. I had a chest freezer I was bringing with me. I used that, and added dry ice at the bottom. The freezer was in the bed of my truck for 36hours total. I was able to plug it in when I stopped after ~12 hours. Everything stayed nice and frozen.

I've had buddies in Florida make their own big coolers out of wood/fiberglass/foam... The coolers could fit while alligators in them. Also, they used them for commercial fishing.

According to how big you want, you can make your own. But, even if you buy them, dry ice is a great thing and lasts days.
 

Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
What time table?
Time of year?
time of travel?

Why not get a small freezer and find a generator to run it.
Small 5 to 7cf would work fine. Turn it up to age or age in a cooler for the first few days then pack and freeze.
If you plan to take to someone to cut it up then just use clear leaf bags and place in the freever.
 

UncleFester

Old Mossy Horns
If you are going to skin it then I think you're over thinking it. Just put it in a big cooler and keep the meat covered in ice. Just keep an eye on it, drain the water and add more ice on top. If I'm not sending mine off to a processor then I use the cooler method and have let them stay in the cooler for over a week. If it's not covered in ice it can go rancid quicker than you might think, found that out the hard way.
 

QBD2

Old Mossy Horns
I'd just qtr it and toss it in a cooler, then ice it down. Keep the water drained and roll on with it. I've done this for 10 days or so with no issues. Shoulders on the bottom, ice, then hams, ice, backstraps and trimmings on top then fill it up with ice. Once the meat gets cold you won't need much ice.
 
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broodc2

Four Pointer
The trip is the second week in November. I'll be driving from Kentucky to NC. I estimate it to be about 9 hours. A freezer or chest freezer would work but I'm trying to find the most economical solution. I could get one of those really big coolers as I think I'd use it more than for just this time. My main concerns though are temperature and getting the meat wet. I've heard of some nasty things happening if either of those go wrong. So my goal is to mimic the walk-in setup as best I can, as affordable as I can.

So I am more inclined to go the dry ice route and either wrap the meat or have it raised somehow off the ice if unwrapped. My club is more than an hour from my house. So I'd probably do all the ageing at my house (which would be a first for me) and then take it to a processor nearby, rather than my typical one closer to the club. So I guess whatever setup I go with it will need to be viable for 9 hour drive in the back of a truck, and then 7ish days at my house.
 

QBD2

Old Mossy Horns
My main concerns though are temperature and getting the meat wet. I've heard of some nasty things happening if either of those go wrong. So my goal is to mimic the walk-in setup as best I can, as affordable as I can.

I'd guess there are more than 2-3 million deer chucked in a cooler with ice every year, with no issues. If you're that worried about water, bag the qtrs. As far as size, a 65 qt cooler will hold one easy.
 

nhn2a

Ten Pointer
If you are going to skin it then I think you're over thinking it. Just put it in a big cooler and keep the meat covered in ice. Just keep an eye on it, drain the water and add more ice on top. If I'm not sending mine off to a processor then I use the cooler method and have let them stay in the cooler for over a week. If it's not covered in ice it can go rancid quicker than you might think, found that out the hard way.

I 2nd this one. Ice, drain, and repeat has worked for us when we didn't have access to a walk in cooler. Done it on several out of state trips when hunting in TN or SC. This year were planning to do the same for Mule Deer when bringing it back from CO.
 

Homebrewale

Old Mossy Horns
I don't have access to a walk-in cooler. Every deer I get goes into a cooler with ice for about a week in my garage. I have not died yet.
 

badlandbucks

Ten Pointer
If you have access to a freezer for a night while you are in KY, freeze the meat and then put in a cooler before you drive home. 8-9 hrs is nothing..it wont thaw in a cooler in that amount of time. Even without freezing, putting in a cooler of ice will be perfectly fine. I drove home from Wyoming two years ago with 3 antelope in a cooler of ice. I added a bag of ice whenever I stopped for gas. everything was fine.
 

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
I'm with QBD2,,,,ice that sucker down and drive home,,,,,I've done it that way for decades from a lot farther away with ZERO issues,,,,,if you don't want it "soaking" in melted ice, then use a frame at the bottom like you already are thinking

if you like to age your venison do not freeze it first,,,nor use dry ice,,,,dry ice will freeze up the lower layers, if not all of it.

I have used the cooler with ice option to transport / age meat (whitetail, elk, antelope, moose, etc) with ZERO issues,,,,,,

I expect unless you already have a source, finding dry ice in Ky will be problematic.

don't over analyze it - it's a simple thing
 

Tipmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
Dry ice will freeze your meat. I don't think you want that.

I wet age my deer in the cooler covered with ice every year. Just drain it daily and add more ice. It will be just fine.
 

Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
For that time and length.....
Just get some cheap coolers, place ice in the coolers to pree cool them add meat, more ice and drive on. If iced good you will be fine.
 

Doc

Twelve Pointer
The trip is the second week in November. I'll be driving from Kentucky to NC. I estimate it to be about 9 hours. A freezer or chest freezer would work but I'm trying to find the most economical solution. I could get one of those really big coolers as I think I'd use it more than for just this time. My main concerns though are temperature and getting the meat wet. I've heard of some nasty things happening if either of those go wrong. So my goal is to mimic the walk-in setup as best I can, as affordable as I can.

So I am more inclined to go the dry ice route and either wrap the meat or have it raised somehow off the ice if unwrapped. My club is more than an hour from my house. So I'd probably do all the ageing at my house (which would be a first for me) and then take it to a processor nearby, rather than my typical one closer to the club. So I guess whatever setup I go with it will need to be viable for 9 hour drive in the back of a truck, and then 7ish days at my house.

Thousands and thousands and thousands of deer every year are quartered and put in cooler full of ice... keep water drained off, keep cooler full of ice...
 

ScottyB

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Dang for a 9 hour ride......depends on the weather......I have let them lay overnight before and as long as it was good and chilly.....meat was fine the next day when found...I too think you are over thinking this. If the weather is cold....gut him and hang him in cooler while in KY and throw it in the truck with skin on for a ride home.(no diff than hanging in cooler as long as weather is cold)

Some rednecks ride them around on the hood of the truck longer than that before they dress them!!
 
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Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
Got to remember from that area you can not have any head, brain or spine.
For the most part it all needs to be boned out....

But not sure on that not keeping up
 

ScottyB

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Got to remember from that area you can not have any head, brain or spine.
For the most part it all needs to be boned out....

But not sure on that not keeping up

I hadn't thought about the stateline thing either......
 

dobber

Old Mossy Horns
have driven many a deer back from NC and the cooler ice trick works like a charm, think one year our group brought back a dozen deer all in bits and pieces in coolers

If i get to go on my moose hunt this fall i will have a freezer and generator to keep things cold. Its a 24hr drive so need to make sure i keep things cold, ice won't work for 500# of moose meat thats cut and wrapped
 
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pattersonj11

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
If you are going to skin it then I think you're over thinking it. Just put it in a big cooler and keep the meat covered in ice. Just keep an eye on it, drain the water and add more ice on top. If I'm not sending mine off to a processor then I use the cooler method and have let them stay in the cooler for over a week. If it's not covered in ice it can go rancid quicker than you might think, found that out the hard way.

My luck as well. Gotta keep the meat covered. I dont know why, but thats how it has worked
 

pattersonj11

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Outside of bow season, we take plenty of time skinning and cleaning and use plenty of water to rinse to try and pulled excess heat out of the meat.
 

useyourbow

Eight Pointer
I travel to Kentucky and Alabama every year on two seperate trips. Bring back deer every time in 100qt cooler. I debone as it hangs, straight into plastic bags and then cover with ice. Your over thinking it. Plus that time of year outside temps will keep ice for along time even if you don't have one of those fancy expensive Yeti coolers. I age my deer in a cooler of ice anyway so that just accounts for aging days.
 

DRS

Old Mossy Horns
I'm one that ages in a cooler with ice too. Keep the water drained off daily. I have kept deer like this up to 14 days. I have had people I have given meat to ask what/how did I soak the meat it, because it was better than any they had had. As others have said, aging in the cooler works well.
 
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