Questions on getting meat home

[Tim Pierce]

My nephew and I have a hunt booked for NL moose. We were supposed to go last year, but canceled for Covid. I'm flying up, but he is driving his truck. We are trying to figure out how many coolers and what size we will need to transport butchered meat back home . ( provided we are blessed with 2 moose)I'm thinking have the meat frozen, then either pack in coolers with dry ice, or possibly have him take a chest freezer for the meat and run off inverter, or plug-in at night where he stays on the trip home. It will take him 4 days to make the trip.
Any real world experience is appreciated.

 

[Trial153]

You will need 175- 200 quarts per moose if they are all butcher and Vac and that will leave you some-little room for ice

 

[tntrker]

I'd plan on freezer in the back of the truck with either a 100ft extension cord to plug in when he stops, or a generator to run while driving and cut off when he stops. I took a freezer with me to Montana from SC for elk and used the cord for when I stopped and LOVED it but finding a place with a plug in outside late at night when you're ready to stop and sleep for the day is a hassle but doable. Freezer and generator for me next trip. I figure cutting it off at night when I sleep MAY not draw as much attention as one running and sitting there unattended. I'll be flying to NL 2nd of Oct, flying back and hopefully having some meat to ship back via their processor/trucking option. I don't want to do the driving/freezer this time due to time constraints.... GOOD LUCK!!

 

[Short Track]

I never had a problem with dry ice. Except the airline limitations.

 

[PA Hunter]

You can have it processed in Newfoundland and flash froze vacuum packed overnight. That is what I do every other year. Last time up there 3 yrs ago I brought 9 moose & a 500 lb bear back from 10 hunters in a 17 ft enclosed trailer with 2 chest freezers and a few smaller coolers. Anyway at a minimum you need two 150 qt coolers per moose but I would get two 200 qt to be on the safe side. Regular bags of ice are great and easy to find up there.

I also have a Cabelas 400 qt cooler that I put two processed moose in that were still in the cardboard packaging boxes that fit great with about 15 small bags of ice. The ice bags were not melted from Newfoundland to Pennsylvania.