Options for keeping meat in the field for 14 days.

[WyoDoug]

Those of you really worried about CWD have to do what you think you need to do to protect yourself and your family. You ought not need no biologist, game warden or fellow hunter to say that or otherwise. That goes without saying it really.

Me myself, I am comfortable with removing the spine and brain matter and deboning where required. I like my ribs and like some of my roasts and steaks bone in. So I don't plan on a complete deboning job. I process what ever I kill and hold it until test results come back. I didn't draw deer which would have been in a CWD area but I did draw two elk tags which will not be according to the latest CWD map on Wyoming G&F website. So essentially, I do not have to worry much bout CWD. Right now my understanding is antelope is not affected. I drew 3 tags on that.

 

[MTLabrador]

Right now my understanding is antelope is not affected.

Correct. CWD is only found in cervids.

 

[tarheel]

I quartered and wet aged a whitetail last fall for 17 days in a 150 quart Igloo and only had to add 10 pounds of ice toward the end. I kept the drain open, the game was in black garbage bags, it came out tender with no gamey taste or smell and we've been enjoying it ever since. That will be my standard method from here out.

 

[Shangobango]

I quartered and wet aged a whitetail last fall for 17 days in a 150 quart Igloo and only had to add 10 pounds of ice toward the end. I kept the drain open, the game was in black garbage bags, it came out tender with no gamey taste or smell and we've been enjoying it ever since. That will be my standard method from here out.

It is pretty standard down here to ice down meat for several days before processing.The meat is fine but the ice water seems to draw some of the flavor out. If you like mild meat I guess that is a good thing. I handled one of the deer I put in the freezer that way this season and it eats just fine.

Those of you really worried about CWD have to do what you think you need to do to protect yourself and your family. You ought not need no biologist, game warden or fellow hunter to say that or otherwise. That goes without saying it really.

Me myself, I am comfortable with removing the spine and brain matter and deboning where required. I like my ribs and like some of my roasts and steaks bone in. So I don't plan on a complete deboning job. I process what ever I kill and hold it until test results come back. I didn't draw deer which would have been in a CWD area but I did draw two elk tags which will not be according to the latest CWD map on Wyoming G&F website. So essentially, I do not have to worry much bout CWD. Right now my understanding is antelope is not affected. I drew 3 tags on that.

I like bone in roast myself. I have six deer tags in my pocket for Louisiana so I should have plenty of deer. Not to mention my son's six.

I will have any deer we kill up there tested. I will just have to label in a way that I know which deer is which in case of a positive. I usually do that anyway.

My main concern with CWD is doing my part to not spread it to other areas.

 

[MarvB]

I am exploring my options for storing meat for potentially up to 14 days in the field this fall . Will be hunting and camping from a truck camp in SE Montana the first two weeks of November. From the first day of hunting until getting back to my house should be 14 days.

I have kept meat in coolers for 6 or 7 days but never longer. Will meat hold in coolers for 14 days if handled properly? Should I use dry ice for this? I have never used dry ice before.

I will be trying to minimize trips to town due to COVID.

Right now one course of action I have come up with is putting a medium sized chest freezer in the cargo trailer. I already have the freezer and the trailer. Freezers go out so I wanted to also be prepared for that. I guess another option would be a processor in the area I am hunting but I really would rather do the processing and packaging myself if possible. I enjoy it.

Any suggestions?

There's a guy out our way, Bob's Cold Storage Solutions in Portland, that rents out refrigerated trailers using the Coolbot system. Claims they will hold temperatures flawlessly at 34*F even while sitting directly in the mid-day summer sun. Have never tried it personally but have know of a few groups of guys that have tried them with success. I don't usually hunt in a large enough party that would warrant it (cost & need).

 

[Werty]

Dry ice

 

[rmagnus]

My concern would be a freezer on a trailer being bounced around. Most freezers are not exactly that robust. I think coolers and dry ice would be the ticket. A 105 cubic inch cooler will freeze the meat for 6-7 days easy using 8-10 pounds of dry ice. Keep the cooler in the shade. If temps are cold hang in the evenings then back to the cooler during the day.Wrap dry ice it in paper bag and place it on cardboard on top of the meat. Wear leather glove so as not to touch the ice. Not sure about all your regulations but if it were me I’d bone it out, butcher the meat, pack & wrap and place it in the cooler. Make a second trip to town for more dry ice if needed before heading home. I’d rather not tow a trailer if I didn’t have too.

 

[matt0550]

Take the freezer and the geny...you'll be shocked at how well the meat stays frozen once you have it in there overnight. I haul at least one chest freezer every year on my long trip (18-20 days) and I freeze the meat and then dont run the generator again for 3 days...run again 1w hours and then not again for 3 more days. The later in the season the longer it stays frozen solid...3 day trip home and still frost on the freezer walls.

 

[matt0550]

My concern would be a freezer on a trailer being bounced around. Most freezers are not exactly that robust.

I've bounced my two chest freezers across the country multiple times and back, rain, snow, salted and sanded roads, never an issue. I have used plastic and gorilla tape to seal off the rear access panels though to minimize road debris and water intrusion. I haul them on a trailer fully exposed.

 

[Shangobango]

I've bounced my two chest freezers across the country multiple times and back, rain, snow, salted and sanded roads, never an issue. I have used plastic and gorilla tape to seal off the rear access panels though to minimize road debris and water intrusion. I haul them on a trailer fully exposed.

I'll be hauling mine in a enclosed cargo trailer so I should be good to go. I am adding additional tie down cleats to the plywood floors and walls on the inside of the trailer so I can ratchet strap the heck out of the freezer , four wheeler, and whatever else goes in the trailer. I'm gonna have my Tacoma in a bind and getting about 8 mpg when I head north. Just gonna let her eat lol.

 

[Flatlander3]

Whats everyones thought meat in a cooler for about 7 to 8 days?

 

[thusby]

Whats everyones thought meat in a cooler for about 7 to 8 days?

If you’re talking about iced down quarters. I’d rather hang it or freeze it.

 

[Shangobango]

Whats everyones thought meat in a cooler for about 7 to 8 days?

I have kept boned out deer in coolers directly on ice for 6 or 7 days. The meat is perfectly fine to eat. The meat won't be as strongly flavored as dry aged meat. You will be surprised how much blood is drawn out of the meat by the ice. That is even more pronounced if you leave the drain plug closed on the cooler.

The other option is to freeze milk jugs or something to keep the ice from contacting the meat directly. Works fine to. For how long I am not sure. I haven't kept meat like this for over 5 or 6 days.

The catalyst for starting this thread was that I had never attempted to keep meat in an ice cooler for longer than 7 days or so and wanted peoples input on keeping meat for a couple of weeks without special trips to town for ice.

 

[SD_Prairie_Goat]

Sorry I didn't read all the comments, but the back woods way is to hang your meat in the shade in bags and spray it down with citric acid on the outside of the meat. This prevents bacterial growth on the meat, but does result in minor meat loss.

Just another option that doesn't require ice or a freezer.

 

[TWC]

I would hang in a shaded spot from a tree where the air can move around it. Assuming the temp stays at or below 40f / 4.5C. If it freezes at night, well thats going to keep the meat cooler in the day should the external temp rise slightly above those values in the day.