Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Gonna Build a Walk-in Cooler...Ideas?

My dad built a walk in cooler a couple years ago. He got his locally when a business was moving/upgrading. They basically gave it away to get rid of it. It’s made of prefab panels. It has changed the way we hunt. No more rushing to get stuff broken down and in the freezer. We let stuff hangs month or more and it’s the best game meat we’ve had. The prefab panels are super easy.

I put together a prefab cooler here for a client last year in his hanger. They can be had from a restaurant supply house for around 3K +/-

Barring spending that kind of money, 2x8 construction with either blue board or spary urethane insulation should do it. Stagger 2x4's studs on 16" or 24" layout from the inside and outside so there is no penetration through the wall from a stud on either side. I'd line the interior with the white, textured, plastic coated plywood panels (the product name escapes me), or galvanized sheets.

We made one for our deer lease and built it on a skid, so we can pull it onto a trailer if we ever move leases. We have a true refrigeration unit and the cooler is made with interlocking insulated steel panels (found a used cooler on ebay). I know a number of folks that have used the coolbot without any problems.

You’ve met my lovely wife I see....I told her about Cinch’s idea on buying a small cargo container. She said “Those are ugly, I want to match the house siding, not something that looks awful”.

Build a facade around it...Cool idea. Thanks, B!

😎

Yeah buddy! That’s the reasoning, right there. Better tasting vittles by allowing the game to age. 😎

Thanks Brad....That’s a possibility. I guesstimated my spend would be upwards of $6K with concrete pour, buildout and making the exterior match the cabin. I don’t have a HOA, but worse, a wife. Enough said! 😎

Just an aside...A cold room seems like a natural, must have, for many of us who don’t have access to cold storage.

I don’t hunt archery, but those that do have it hard enough sometimes getting all their meat out of the field in warmer months when they are typically hunting.

Like some members have said, the space doesn’t have to be really large. I’m going bigger because there are times when we have multiple elk needing a cold room. And, I’m hunting in September thru January where in other States it may be cold enough to allow hanging in a shop or garage...

Weather patterns may have changed for me, but I couldn’t imagine not having a space if I was archery hunting in August or in warmer States where heat is always a problem.
😎

I'm not sure an AC unit will get things cool enough for aging

Evidently they will. I always thought you needed something special, but it looks like they just use a window unit. Check out the specs they recommend. This thread is pretty interesting. I might have to consider building one some time. Like most of us, the early season is too hot to let it hang, and late season it's cold enough to freeze it. Nothing worse than trying to cut up a frozen deer.

https://www.storeitcold.com/build-it/ac-selection/

Hmm very interesting! I have a dedicated refrigerator I use for quarters but elk are not in the equation obviously.... I can fit 2 deer and that's plenty for my needs
I'll follow along to see how you end up Beaver10
FRP board is what you might want for wall covering

Before ac there were ice houses. It takes a lot of ice to keep a cooler temp down but it naturally holds temps for hanging meat. Backs up electricity. Allows rapid cool down in hot weather of quarters. Depending on your weather, you can make your own ice in 5 gallon buckets during overnight hard freeze and store in freezer till needed.

Thank you everyone! Really great information to assist me on my build.

You suggestions will reduce the “Oh, I wish, or I should have done this or that” after the fact.

I will tag this as I move along for anyone’s curiosity.

😎

My buddy built one, I donated an extra ac unit I had. Hung an antelope for a few days at 36 degrees using a cool bot.

He just insulated all sides (floor, roof, and walls).

Definitely want to use the coolbot to control the air conditioner to get it down to 36-38 degrees

https://www.amazon.com/Store-Cold-LLC-Controller-conditioner/dp/B003VSLTAI

Without a doubt!

I did a refrigerator I gutted at my old house and made a rack I could hang meat in there separated and added a fan to circulate the air. Worked like a champ as well. Wasn’t too bad to skin and quarter and hang the parts and pieces. Was much better than to process after hunting all day!

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

B,
Very clever and ingenuous. That’s just getting it done.

Bud, we’re going big time now. Keep us updated as you progress on your cold room.

😎

I believe interior wall cover Brad referenced is FRP (fiberglass refinforced panel). We've used it in commercial apps; waterproof, easily cleaned, sanitary. I'd invest in a true refrigeration unit, install high on wall, hang rails and buy stainless trolley hooks. Install lighting, and a floor drain with removable grate. The weak link is usually your door seal, if site built.

Good luck !

Good stuff...Wife thought I should go with a type of commercial refrigeration unit instead of a window shaker unit. She’s kind of a smart girl. 😎

Just installed a coolbot for a cider maker who has retail bar area and the manufacturing area behind it. Throws kegs in the coolbot with taps running Into the bar.
They work damn good.

Pour the desired slab with drain and build it out of ICF ...You can put whatever exterior you want on it and nothing will compete with it . Should save a bunch on electricity.


Link to one manufacturer of ICF there are a lot out there