Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Coolers?

Did I mention that we three are each carrying an either sex tag?

I sure don't want to dash your hopes,but in areas that offer Either Sex tags,the cows come just as hard as the bulls. Just because the CPW issues those tags,don't mean there is an elk behind every tree..

Example.Unit 54 offers 500 Either Sex w/cap tags for the 2nd season.
Last year,the largest part of the herd was camped out on a private ranch, 400-500 head. They moved on there about the 2nd day of the 1st season

Two of us hunted the full ten days and I got a small 5x bull. My partner saw 12 elk at about 400 yards,moving fast.That was it. I killed the only elk I saw.

The local outfitter killed one cow first season and no elk the 2nd seaosn out of all his hunters in all camps

KC on here can verify that.

Hopes not dashed at all, and no elk come easy (at least on public land).

Unit 45; first rifle.

Used half sized 7 cu ft chest freezer, over 200 quarts, takes up less space in the truck bed because it's taller, use as ice chest, no generator, has drain plug, from now to the hunt one of you should find one for 50 bucks, ugly it up some so no one wants to steal it. I'd be more leary of leaving some nice 60.00 ice chests. Plus they take up most the bed.

If it works turn it on weeks ahead, freeze ice and fill it, putting meat in an already cold chest will save much ice in the initial cool down.

Kent

This is what I use with dry ice and duct tape.

Dry ice is your friend. 1 big cooler per hunter. Fill the coolers with your gear. If you kill a elk put your gear in a big duffel and strap it to the top off your cooler. Hope that it dont rain on your duffel. Or get a camper shell and double you space in the bed of the truck. Bring a couple of smaller coolers for food and beverages. Icing the meat down will work also but you will have to unload the truck to drain and refill the coolers. With the dry ice throw a couple of chunks in each cooler duct tape the seams and leave the drain open so the gas dont build up inside the cooler. We had a homeade cooler that would hold four quartered elk easily. We would throw in a bunch of dry ice and duct tape the seams and by the time we got back to Missouri the Elk were frozen. Good luck on the Hunt hope you fill all your tags.

You have a bunch of good suggestions, we use 165 Qt coolers about $90 at club or big box store. Pack your stuff inside the coolers in duffle bags and use as waterproof containers on the way out. Big plastic bags should be covering your duffle bags on the way back with the coolers full of meat.

The larger size allows you to leave the meat on the quarters if you want and regular ice is great for some time to cool & clean the meat if you don't have a nice walk-in cooler to hang them in.

For transport we use dry ice and even through the desert things stay almost solid. I usually have 2 tags - this year 3 and I plan for 2 animals hoping to buy a 3rd cooler...we also have a truck rack over the camper shell that can hold up to 6 coolers on top full of meat on the way home if necessary. Animals take earl that can get out in larger pieces are usually processed there but pieced out mostly done at home when we get back and vacuum sealed.