Noob Question: Coolers and Ice or Meat locker?

[sparelink]

I am still relatively new to hunting and yet to be successful. Hoping my luck changes this year.

If it does, i am trying to decide what to do with the meat afterwards. There is a meat cooler near where we hunt that i can hang meat in. I also have a couple 70qt, a 120qt and a 150qt cooler and access to ice.

What is the benefit of paying to use a meat locker to hang the meat?

What is the benefit to use coolers and ice? Looks like keeping meat dry in bags and on ice is best from what i can read.

 

[jspradley]

If you have access to a locker that's gonna be best hands down, if not a cooler with the drain plug open and ice refilled every few days works just fine too.

Main thing with the cooler is you just dont want the melt water to pool up and submerge the meat.

 

[Jsunkler]

Fill your coolers with frozen 1/2 gal milk jugs of water. If you are lucky, place meat bags on top of the jugs, and get the meat to the locker ASAP. Having access to a locker, where the meat can be hung in the proper temp & humidity and air circulation, is huge in my opinion. If you have the time and the butcher has the space, let the meat hang prior to processing.

Since the post was titled "Noob" I will assume you wont be self processing the animal, and allowing the butcher to process the meat. Either way I would definitely utilize a locker if I had one close by.

 

[Florida Bow Hunter]

Meat locker is the cats meow, no doubt.

But for me, I like a day or two in a cooler loaded to the top in ice. Drain the water and replace ice.

I’ve found this method of cold wetness tightens the meat up, while it pushes the blood out and washes into the melted ice. The blood is what gives that “Gamey”or “rank “ taste, especially with hog and bear .


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