West Texan

Is there a way to keep meat cool on a 7 hour drive back to the meat processor besides a large ice chest? I was thinking maybe after field dressing, putting dry ice or ice in a plastic bag in the body cavity.
I was drawn for an antelope hunt the 1st week of October and I am driving at least 7 hours in my pickup to hunt.

hal

I wouldn't worry, I have hunted all over texas,Junction, comfort,fredksberg,kingsberry. seguin, animals shot in the morning were just field dressed and wrapped to keep flies off. took them home after the evening hunt, and butchered the next morning, if you keep the flies off should have no problem.

trigger creep

Dry ice is probably the best option, that stuff keeps stuff COLD.

terry_p

On hot days I have put bag(s) of ice in the body cavity and hauled in the back of my truck to the butcher but it was maybe an hour drive. When I was in North Carolina hunting I brought back frozen quarters to NH in a cooler, thawed, cut up myself, packaged and refroze. I had no choice as I was there a week and wound up with three deer to bring back. I would rather find a processor closer than 7 hours though and bring back frozen in a big cooler. Sounds like I have talked myself into being one of the bring it home in a cooler crowd. It isn't a big deal to skin and quarter yourself if that is what you have to do. They sell hoists that mount into a receiver hitch and you can get it done off that.

They don't cool out well with the skin on in the heat and to me that gives them a gamey flavor. I try to get my meat into a controlled temperature cooler as quick as I can, guess I am real anal about it but the meat is always excellent. I have tasted some that people let hang outside for the northern freeze/thaw cycle and the meat gets rank.

Mayor Al

We will have the meat gained in our Hog and Deer hunt next week in Missouri processed at the camp. That means butchered, vac-sealed and quick frozen at the Ranch. We will then haul the packages home in ice-packed coolers. For us it will be a 6-7 hour ride in what is forcast as an 'Mid-80's, Sunny Day in the 10 day forecasts we see now.

If you use Dry Ice, insulate it from close contact with the meat as it will cause Instant Freezer Burn to whatever it touches. It will do well in a cooler full of 'pre-cooled' meat, if you have an inch or more of insulation to prevent direct contact.

RJTravel

I'm no expert, but I have taken big game all over Idaho and Montana. When you are packed in 2 or 3 days you have no choice. Get the hide off, hang it, and keep the flies off. In my experience you should be good for a week or more in eighty degree heat. We never had a problem.

Benemorte

I have taken a lot of game in my lifetime, but most of it was taken in northern parts of the continent, where temperatures were typically low during the hunting seasons. On the occasions where I knew there would be possibilities of either a warm day, or a long pack-out, I always took a 120qt cooler with either ice, or dry ice wrapped in old but sterile towels. Another option when packing out is a 12v fridge/cooler made for vehicle use, although most of them are too small for deer sized game.

If forced to, I would always opt to get an animal that has been without refrigeration to the closest processor I could find even if it meant just having them quarter and pack the meat, then take it to preferred processor later. This is also what I typically do when I am lucky enough to get an out-of-state tag.

RNorris

Get the hide off, keep the flies off, and keep it out of the sun. If you quarter and debone an antelope, the meat will fit into a medium sized cooler.

RockDoctor

Since opening day of deer season, the first weekend in November in Texas, can be short sleeve weather, getting the deer field dressed, skinned and cooled down will lessen the chance of gamey taste later. My hunting buddies and I generally take deer to a nearby processor, but prices have gone up to $80 in some places just for processing, that we pack the body cavity with ice and put ice around and wrap with plastic. One friend likes to quarter his deer and along with the blackstrap, pack it in a cooler with ice.

TomP5

West Texan, what's the problem with the big ice chest? Is it the case that you don't have one? The reason I ask is I learned a trick from a cousin-in-law from South Georgia and heard it again from a guy from Texas. You gut and skin the critter ASAP. Then you quarter it and put it in a big ice chest packed with ice. The ice is directly on the meat. I know, I know, that sounds crazy. But it works! First of all, it cools the meat fast. Second of all it draws the blood out of the meat. What is interesting is I've used it several times and not just with antelope, though we always use it for antelope now.

For example, one time I used it with some jackrabbit. Growing up, everyone told me that "no one eats jackrabbit". But later, I found out that it wasn't true. So after shooting some we gutted them and put them on ice. You keep adding ice and draining the bloody water until the water runs clear. Then you can process the meat. Well, we did that with those jacks and when we cooked them, I kid you not, without any seasoning the meat tasted like... nope, not chicken! Beef! I gave some to my dad and asked him what it was. He guessed beef, too.

Somehow the process of the melting ice draws the blood out of the meat. (I don't pretend to understand it, but the same thing happens every time we thaw frozen meat from the store.) It seems to be in the blood that the strongest gamey flavor resides. When we have done this to our antelope, it still has that excellent prairie goat flavor, but it is milder. People who wouldn't normally like it will eat it.

And it cools the meat in a hurry! But you've got to keep it packed in ice.

Forgo the dry ice idea. That seems to me a way to freeze your meat. Instead, pick up a bunch of bags of ice cubes and pack the quartered meat directly with the ice. One antelope fits nicely into a normal, but big, ice chest.

Yep, I see Rock Doctor beat me to the punch. That's the ticket!!

dV8r

I concur, in fact some age most of their meet like this.
Have you checked the price on "aged" beef steaks?

TomP5

Actually, I've read in several places where aging beef is quite different than aging game. Mostly what I've read discourages aging game. You could do it, but you risk spoilage.

Go with the ice! Lots of it. Drain the bloody water. When the water is running clear (a couple of days or so depending on the temperatures), process the meat. I butcher my own, and it is a nice temperature for cutting when it has been on ice.

Dsteele

Ok I cant speak on dressing game, but I can speak on basic food safety. I cook for a living so Its been drilled in my head for a long time. There are two magic numbers to keep in your mind. 45 degrees and 2 hours. Once the meat goes above 45 degrees you have two hours until bacteria can start to form. Icing it from the inside will help alot. May I suggest covering your truck bed in some fashion. Keeping the the air from constantly rolling over it will help keep the temp down quite a bit. Its convection that kills not so much the difference in temp.

James6591

I always thought it was keep it covered and keep it cool.

crazyponie

I have driven from Pinedale, Wy too Tucson, Az in 15 1/2 hours. Albeit I was flying low and not just driving normal. If you get the meat set up, cut, wrapped and packed in coolers with duct tape around the lid and frozen as needed you can get home and in the freezer w/o problems. We just had tacos 3 nights ago with burger from elk 2007. It was lost under a couple of thunder chickens and roast's in the freezer. I believe it's all in the prep of it.