Ice chest rack ideas
- Thread starter MaddH
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ignorethefringes
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Cooling racks like you use to allow baked goods to cool on the counter. Prop them up with something if you need to get a little higher, or just make sure you keep the cooler drained every day.
AntelopeWalker406
Active member
My second cousin keeps a small chest freezer that doesn't work and throws the baskets that came with it upside-down onto of dry ice and puts the quarters on top of a chunk of cardboard that lays on the racks. I guess that really isn't an answer to your question, but it's cheaper and works better than about anything else I've seen.
Scott85
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Frozen water jug along with ice.
BenhuntinMT
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frozen water bottles.
Elky Welky
Well-known member
I freeze milk jugs and don't use ice. They sweat, however, so I also recommend covering them with a black contractor bag.
I normally use the frozen water jugs but I’ll be leaving home 3 days before the hunt starts and it’s in July so not sure if they’ll still be frozen
Wyo_Jeeper
Member
Make sure to pre-cool your cooler. We used to put a block or two of dry ice (depending on cooler size) in the night before packing up. The next morning the frozen bottles would go straight from the freezer to the cooler with the cooler lid open as little as possible. We would then pack all the space between the bottles with crushed ice. I have had ice last with very minimal melting for up to 10 days during Central Wyoming archery seasons doing it this way.
Once you are successful with your hunt, make sure the meat is cooled as much as possible before putting it into the cooler, don't want to waste all that effort you put into making sure the ice made it through the hunt.
How you prep and pack the cooler is just as important as what you put in the cooler.
ETA: if you have access to a walk in freezer, leave the cooler in there over night with the lid open and all your ice already packed in. We would also add salt to the ice around the bottles if we really needed to drop the temp.
ETA 2: The cooler with the ice in it only gets opened once an animal is ready to go into it.
Once you are successful with your hunt, make sure the meat is cooled as much as possible before putting it into the cooler, don't want to waste all that effort you put into making sure the ice made it through the hunt.
How you prep and pack the cooler is just as important as what you put in the cooler.
ETA: if you have access to a walk in freezer, leave the cooler in there over night with the lid open and all your ice already packed in. We would also add salt to the ice around the bottles if we really needed to drop the temp.
ETA 2: The cooler with the ice in it only gets opened once an animal is ready to go into it.
For shorter term hunts, where game is stored for a week or less inside the cooler on ice, we vacuum seal deboned meat. The meat is in the largest chunks and bags we can fit in the cooler until we can process it further at home. Then lay it directly on top of the ice, and keep the cooler closed until we reach home. If we have extra ice it goes on top of the meat. The cooler is prefilled to the top with ice. Have brought home multiple elk, deer, and birds this way with zero issues. The meat is sealed so it never touches the ice directly or deals with water from the ice melting.
WildWill
Well-known member
I like the Gatorade gallon jugs thicker plastic and better fitting caps then milk jugs and less likely to crack plus they're fairly square. Line the bottom of the cooler with the frozen jugs meat in a game bag on top then ice over that. Drain it once a day and your meat should never be soaking in ice water.
Elky Welky
Well-known member
Fill your cooler with ice early and then again before you go. Pre-chilling makes a big difference. Are you using a rotomolded cooler?
3 rotomolded and two igloo. Need to fit a cow bison. Only need to cool the meat in the field and overnight before getting it to the butcher. Will qtr the animal and debone ribs, neck, etc. Thenafter processing I’ll put dry ice for trip home. Just going to be hot in the field and need to cool the meat down
Elky Welky
Well-known member
I'd pack the rotomolded coolers completely full with all of your ice, and then not open them until it is time to take ice out and distribute it across your other coolers. Those igloos won't keep your ice cold for 3 days.
HuntTalk Freak
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Piggy backing on Elky’s advice. Pack frozen jugs in rotomolded coolers and leave them
closed. Pack the igloos with as much ice as possible.
Try to save one to keep closed as well and have one for food and drinks. Pre chill all drinks, etc. If I’m bringing bottled water and sports drinks I’ll freeze half of them to also help.
Bow season here in TX temps are still in the 90’s and even well into November. These methods have helped me
closed. Pack the igloos with as much ice as possible.
Try to save one to keep closed as well and have one for food and drinks. Pre chill all drinks, etc. If I’m bringing bottled water and sports drinks I’ll freeze half of them to also help.
Bow season here in TX temps are still in the 90’s and even well into November. These methods have helped me
Brittany Chukarman
Well-known member
I use these wood racks on the bottom of the cooler
That’s a great idea
Rzrbck918
Well-known member
I prechill the cooler for a couple of days and then I use PVC pipe on the bottom to elevate the meat. I also drain it daily.
SC Living Outdoors
Well-known member
1/2 gallon milk jugs or the plastic jugs that like cranberry juice come in (the juice jugs are a little thicker plastic). Put the meat in contractor bags.
