Should be an easy question about meat storage in the field....

[bigdonniebrasco]

I am trying to think of everything but one thing that I haven't really considered.

Once I harvest an antelope, and put the quarters in a cooler, how long can I keep them in there before they need to be frozen?

I am bringing a huge cooler, with 12 solidly frozen gallon jugs, so the meat will be kept DRY and cold.

thanks!!

Don

 

[Deleted member 20812]

As long as it's cold, you should be fine for 5-7 days. If you're needing longer, put some dry ice in there and it will freeze the meat.

 

[Muskeez]

You should be fine for 4-5 days (probably longer) till you get home and get it processed. As long as it's cool it will be fine. I would advise putting the meat bags between layers of frozen jugs so both sides of the meat cool quickly. Also bring some good quality garbage bags (non-scented) to put bags of ice in later in the trip and put those bags on the game bags of meat. Lastly drain off any water in the cooler so that the meat doesn't end up laying in water/blood mixture. Happy hunting, Good eats ahead if you cool it just as fast as possible. We do gutless method at the kill site and get air moving around the meat to cool it in the shade of a sage bush while working on the rest of the animal. Also, caution, if you want to do a shoulder mount, don't drag it and be careful with the hide/cape, the hair falls out easily.

 

[Goatshoes]

Will the meat get wet as a result of the condensation on the jugs? Is that of any concern? If so what is the appropriate counter measure?

 

[SoTex]

What we did on our Wyoming elk hunt last year was bring a generator and a small deep freezer. I dropped my first bull opening day and had it back in camp, quartered, and frozen the next. My buddies were still hunting and I was catching cutthroat trout and exploring the beautiful countryside.

 

[ccc23454]

You will be fine with that set up, but go get some construction trash bags 50 gallon and thick from hardware stores if your putting whole quarters in. We usually process on tailgate and put in gallon bags and works great. If you are gonna be more than week use dry ice, you can find it all over out there.

C

 

[WapitiBob]

I shoot 2-4 each year and they all go in a cooler with bag ice. I add ice for a cpl days and the. The temp will stabilize and the ice will quit melting. I leave the meat in that same cooler till I have time to cut it up. Might be 3 days might be 7. You will notice the outer membranes separation from the muscle slightly, making it easy to fillet that membrane off when you separate the muscles, if you cut your meat that way. I try to keep meat from being submerged in ice water as it will leach out the meat, but other than that, water has not posed any problems.

 

[NoWiser]

Kept an elk on ice for 14 days last year. Tastes great and didn't lose an ounce.

 

[wytex]

Instead of garbage bags that are treated get some of those big Ziploc bags for the meat and or ice. The XXL ones work great.

 

[Trial153]

Cold and dry...about as long as you want.

 

[Speeddmn]

1/2 gal jugs seem to work for me. In my coolers I think I use 12 of them, 8 in one and 4 in the other. Freeze em good and lay on their side, then put a large piece of cardboard on top, then game bags of meat on top of the cardboard. keeps any condensation off the bags/meat. But I am also a 30 min ride to town for more ice if I need it.