Cubic feet of elk

[BrentD]

I was going to wait until I find out that I've drawn my elk tag on Thursday, but I feel it is coming in my bones so I will get ahead of myself and probably jinx the system by asking a technical question that worries me.

How many cubic feet (or quarts if you prefer) of cooler space does it take to hold 2 boned out bull elk (350-400" class - okay, just kidding)? No ice (I'll factor that in later).

I have built my own custom super cooler but I doubt it will hold 2 bulls. I'm wondering how far short I will be.

 

[ccc23454]

I am guessing about 100-125 qt per adult elk deboned. I like extra room to allow better cooling and eventually more ice blocks.

 

[Elkish]

Deboned without ice, I bet you could fit 2 in a 150 quart. It would be a tight fit though...
However, I avoid deboning unless I have to. Everything cools better and goes through rigor mortis better with the bones in. I can usually fit a quartered bone in elk in a 150 with ice. Sometimes I need to use my food cooler as overflow if it’s bigger bodied elk.

 

[O C Hunter]

I would allow 150-200 quarts per animal with ice.

 

[BrentD]

Yeah, bummer. Just went and measured it. 144 quarts. I'm in trouble.

 

[Quest1000]

Lets see a pic of the super cooler!?!

 

[WapitiBob]

I use 2, 120qt coolers for Elk, bone in, separated at knees.
I did have one NM Bull, all muscles separated from bone, fill two of those coolers to the brim; a freakishly large amount of meat.

 

[dcopas78]

Dad and I have a 400 qt Alaskan Guide cooler we purchased before Cabelas stopped selling them. We put two bulls (processed) in them and put 50# of dry ice and covered it all with our sleeping bags. We probably had about a foot of empty space before we put on the sleeping bags. Froze solid from New Mexico to home.

 

[BrentD]

Lets see a pic of the super cooler!?!

Here is it. Not very good pictures. The walls are 3" thick and the interior dimensions are 32"x17"x14.75"

It is not super big, just super insulated and and it fits just perfectly into my F150 with the bed cover.

I've put two boned out antelope in there with dry ice and then stuffed the rest of the airspace with a sleeping bag. Everything was frozen when I got home. dcopas78, what you did is what I want to do, but where to put the rest of the gear with such huge coolers? I need a new truck .

 

[Bearclaw Bob]

Nice Cooler BrentD! Can't tell from the picture but is the interior lined with a hard plastic or is it direct contact with the foam board?

 

[BrentD]

It is direct contact with the foam board - so it is a bit delicate. I treat gently. It is made strickly for dry ice use though I slotted the bottom for drain board channels if I ever wanted to insert a drain system for wet ice use.

Maybe I should make another for elk. I'm thinking about how to make a soft-side cooler that big.

By being straight sided and not tapered or with rounded corners it is efficient with space in the truck bed for the volume it holds. It's just not big enough for elking.

 

[BrentD]

Dad and I have a 400 qt Alaskan Guide cooler we purchased before Cabelas stopped selling them. We put two bulls (processed) in them and put 50# of dry ice and covered it all with our sleeping bags. We probably had about a foot of empty space before we put on the sleeping bags. Froze solid from New Mexico to home.

dcopas78; do you think that 300 quarts would have got the job done? there are certain economies with one large vs 2 or more smaller coolers. Maybe I could make another. I'm penciling out the size that might be needed.

 

[Addicting]

I’ve had mold grow on that foam board before where it contacted the wood. If mold can take hold so can bacteria. Do you wrap all your stuff in plastic bags to keep fluids from contacting the cooler? I would be worried putting that much unfrozen fresh meat in that environment without some type of a disposable liner.

 

[dcopas78]

Yes i would say 300 would work fine.

 

[BrentD]

I’ve had mold grow on that foam board before where it contacted the wood. If mold can take hold so can bacteria. Do you wrap all your stuff in plastic bags to keep fluids from contacting the cooler? I would be worried putting that much unfrozen fresh meat in that environment without some type of a disposable liner.

You have a very good point. But we have, in the past, butchered the meat to the final dimensions, placed it all in labeled ziplock bags and then frozen it with dry ice, so the inside of the cooler does not get wet with anything. It would be possible to line it with some 0.1" thick plastic sheets if needed. Certainly, something to consider if we were to bring back meat in simply game bags on ice.

 

[BrentD]

Yes i would say 300 would work fine.

Thanks!

 

[plumber1969]

You have a very good point. But we have, in the past, butchered the meat to the final dimensions, placed it all in labeled ziplock bags and then frozen it with dry ice, so the inside of the cooler does not get wet with anything. It would be possible to line it with some 0.1" thick plastic sheets if needed. Certainly, something to consider if we were to bring back meat in simply game bags on ice.

I would use FRP to line the inside of that custom box. By the way, I've got a new project thanks to you.

 

[BrentD]

What is FRP?

Could just put the meat in big drumliner plastic bags too.

FWI worth, the box is made with 2" foam glued to 1/4" ply with 3/4" (1x4 lodgepole boards) framing, and then 3/4" foam glued to the outside of the box, inside the 3/4" framing.

 

[onpoint]

My preference would be breathable bags over plastic FWIW

 

[Poke 'Em]

But what happens if you throw it out of a truck!?!?!