Cooling meat in warm weather

[StHubert]

If you are in the back country and it might take a few days to pack your big game out. What are some of the best methods to cool the meat. This would be in the rocky mountain range, in September and more than likely Montana or Idaho?

 

[Redwood]

Bone it, put in cheese clothe, some will put citrus juice on, and hang it in the coolest place you can find like the shade near a stream.

 

[sbhooper]

As long as you get it skinned and off the bone, meat will stand quite a bit of temp if you hang it in the shade. As stated, near a stream would help some. Just get it hung up and get it out as soon as possible. If it stays real warm, so that you are not getting low nighttime temps, it will be even more critical to get it out. It is hard to say how long you can leave it, as there are lots of temp variables. The bottom line is try to get it out and on ice asap.

 

[Sytes]

On the couple occasions for Sept temps in a distance unable to pack out for a couple days, we have immediately deboned, separated into 6-7 Alaska type game bags. The more separated the better airflow. As mentioned, hang in cool shaded area preferably along a stream. It works great when base camp is designed around this setup (50-100yrds or so in bear country).
I've not tried this though heard it works pretty well when tagging and bagging early day time... Debone and bag as above mentioned. Place inside glad bags and submerge in a stream for about 1/2 hr. This immediate drops the initial game temp and preps it to be staged for normal storage.

 

[Carrion Carrier]

I take all of the muscles off, hang from a tree in the shade to cool, and spray with a heavy citric acid solution. Towards evening, throw them in a good game bag and hang over a stream, preferably in a shaded canyon where the water is really moving.

 

[cowboy]

Find some shade along a running creek. Cut yourself some lodge poles and lay across the creek about 6-12" above flowing water. Lay your meat in the game bag on the poles.

One of the most important things while deboning your meat is get rid of the bad blood shot portions. When meat starts to spoil it starts with the nastiest stuff. Plenty of black pepper will reduce the flies and they are usually a problem when temps are warm. We've had the flies so bad at times that we completely covered our game bags on the poles with cut pine boughs.

 

[Kaitum]

I've harvested several caribou in August and had to deal with warm temps. As others have said, citric acid works well. It lowers the pH of the meat surface which slows bacterial growth. Build a rack with sticks and rocks on a gravel bar where air circulation is adequate. Use a tarp for shade. I've found once you get the core of the meat cool it'll stay cool if you keep it shaded and allow for good aid circulation. A small instant read meat thermometer works great for checking the meat from time to time. One year I used heavy duty contractor bags and submerged the meat in running water. Air temps that day were in the 70s but water temps were in the low 40s. Just submerge the meat long enough to lower cord temps into a safe range. You might have to do this multiple times each day if it's really warm.

 

[sbhooper]

Find some shade along a running creek. Cut yourself some lodge poles and lay across the creek about 6-12" above flowing water. Lay your meat in the game bag on the poles.

One of the most important things while deboning your meat is get rid of the bad blood shot portions. When meat starts to spoil it starts with the nastiest stuff. Plenty of black pepper will reduce the flies and they are usually a problem when temps are warm. We've had the flies so bad at times that we completely covered our game bags on the poles with cut pine boughs.

Great points. The pepper really works well.

 

[LopeHunter]

Placing meat in cool stream works. Protect meat from actually touching the water by enclosing inside plastic contractor bags as mentioned in post above. Divide into lots of bags so cools faster.