Meat care for the trip home

[Travistroop]

Hi guys, any insite to this would be nice.
Our group has three cow tags for WY. Its a 35 hour drive and we will be there about 8 days. So the plan is to bring a chest freezer and generator in a cargo trailer. Once we get one back to the truck to cut cut it up into 4-5 lb cuncks and wrap and/or vacuum pack and runt the generator with the freezer while we are there. And top off with a full tank and leave it running while we are out on the next hunt. I am hoping that with it running overnight and with a full tank on the generator it will freeze solid. And be good for a few days in the freezer.
Do you guys think that would work or would you drive the junks into Cody to have someone freeze them to be safe?

 

[rayporter]

dry ice.
i have added a couple of 10 lb chunks of dry ice to a freezer and had frozen meat by the time i hit texas for one.
personally i would not take a genny.

 

[Tmac]

A generator works well for a longer stay like you plan. Once it is all frozen solid, and depending on how much meat you put in at a time it can take a day or 2 or more, it’s easy to keep frozen. Once it’s all frozen, you should only need to run the freezer/generator half or less of the day.

 

[Travistroop]

A generator works well for a longer stay like you plan. Once it is all frozen solid, and depending on how much meat you put in at a time it can take a day or 2 or more, it’s easy to keep frozen. Once it’s all frozen, you should only need to run the freezer/generator half or less of the day.

But we don't plan on staying at the truck. It really depends on where we find the elk. I wouldnt want to rely on going back to the truck every night

 

[Bighorner]

The generator is a good idea. Depending on where you are at you may be able to find a locker that will hang it for you for a couple days.

I would take a look at how long your generator will run, how much you trust letting it run with no one around for x hours.

It's not as fun, but once a guy gets something on the ground getting it good and taken care of trumps your buddies unfilled tag.

 

[Tmac]

But we don't plan on staying at the truck. It really depends on where we find the elk. I wouldnt want to rely on going back to the truck every night

Then I have a local processor either bone & freeze or hang it for me. Time of year/weather matters, if the weather is cold, options increase.

 

[brettdunn7]

Then I have a local processor either bone & freeze or hang it for me. Time of year/weather matters, if the weather is cold, options increase.

This is a good idea.

Depending on how you have the generator setup or mounted, located you will need to vent it out of the trailer if it’s kept inside. Just something to consider.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Travistroop]

I think I'll ask the local VFW in Cody for some help once it get closer to the date. They might know where I could get walk in freezer space in cody for three elk. I hear you about keeping the meat good is more important then filling tags and i totally understand. Thats why I'm having this conversation now.

 

[wytx]

Ask them if they'll just let you plug your freezer in. Are you staying at a hotel or camping? If a hotel again ask if they will let you plug in your freezer. Most hotels have outdoor plugs for our engine block heaters. Offer a few dollars for the expense.

 

[muddydogs]

I think I'll ask the local VFW in Cody for some help once it get closer to the date. They might know where I could get walk in freezer space in cody for three elk. I hear you about keeping the meat good is more important then filling tags and i totally understand. Thats why I'm having this conversation now.

You didn't come off this way in your second post and a lot of these posts are the same, but we have X number of tags we need to fill so piss on the meat.

Maybe the guy that filled his tag should hang back from the group and take care of the meat, if nothing else the meat will need moved around in the freezer a couple times for complete freezing as well as to guard the generator. I would give a chained up and left outside generator a 50/50 chance of still being where you left it after a couple days. Also think about the ramifications if you leave the generator running in the back country and something goes wrong, you may have just started a few thousand acre forest fire.

If your going to process the meat when you get home then keep it simple in camp. I use the small trash can bags purchased from Costco, they come in a box of a ton, to put my meat chunks in for short term freezing. The bags will easily hold over ten pounds with enough room to squeeze the air out and tie the top. Once home cut the bag open and go to work.

If your going to find freezer space in town make sure you do your home work, biggest question to ask is if they will take boned meat. A lot of places don't as its harder to clean and store. Most butcher shops have more wild game meat then they have room during hunting season so some just don't want to deal with the extra hassle of boned meat.

 

[Travistroop]

You didn't come off this way in your second post and a lot of these posts are the same, but we have X number of tags we need to fill so piss on the meat.

Maybe the guy that filled his tag should hang back from the group and take care of the meat, if nothing else the meat will need moved around in the freezer a couple times for complete freezing as well as to guard the generator. I would give a chained up and left outside generator a 50/50 chance of still being where you left it after a couple days. Also think about the ramifications if you leave the generator running in the back country and something goes wrong, you may have just started a few thousand acre forest fire.

If your going to process the meat when you get home then keep it simple in camp. I use the small trash can bags purchased from Costco, they come in a box of a ton, to put my meat chunks in for short term freezing. The bags will easily hold over ten pounds with enough room to squeeze the air out and tie the top. Once home cut the bag open and go to work.

If your going to find freezer space in town make sure you do your home work, biggest question to ask is if they will take boned meat. A lot of places don't as its harder to clean and store. Most butcher shops have more wild game meat then they have room during hunting season so some just don't want to deal with the extra hassle of boned meat.

Thanks, im thinking of loking in some freezer space and ditching the generator. The trash bags are a good idea. Im planing on boneing out the meat anyway before we bring it to town. I want to number the bags so I can make sure we get it all back. I think 10 lb bags seems just about perfect.