Size and type of freezer?

[wraithen]

So let's say I get supremely lucky this year and tag out on elk and blacktail. What size chest freezer do I need. I know I do not want a "frostless" or whatever freezer due to it cycling. Anything else I should know? Oh, I also know I'm going to get one of those alarms too so I don't have a freezer of ruined meat from something like a tripped breaker or something.

[runamuk]

Well i got a free freezer its a small chest style and its frost free ....seems to work ok for me  however it wont hold a whole hell of a lot of weight stacked on top of it...don't ask how I found this out....poor dented freezer 

[fillthefreezer]

ive never bothered with the alarm, what i did is plug the freezer into a splitter thats also plugged in with my beer fridge. that way every evening i know that freezer is powered up

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

We been usein a small chest freezer for burger and about the biggest up right freezer for everything else. Whatever you do dont jinx your hunt by buying freezer on anticipation!   

[lokidog]

ive never bothered with the alarm, what i did is plug the freezer into a splitter thats also plugged in with my beer fridge. that way every evening i know that freezer is powered up

    

You could call a game butcher and ask what kind of cubic footage is needed for deer and elk.  You obviously don't want too small of a freezer but a big, empty one is not as efficient either.  Personally, I would go with "bigger is better" though.

[jackmaster]

ive got a great big commercial stand up freezer (frostless) and it vacuums itself shut if i dont close it all the way, which has happened on occasion, but i got it from the scratch and dent up in enumclaw for 150 bucks, i have had for 10 years now and she is still going strong, i fit my elk, my deer and my sons bear in there, after it has been processed of course, which i also do myself....

[wraithen]

Wife already knows the drill. If she gets a call from me she goes and gets the exact freezer I wrote down for her. Trying to figure out what to write down. 5 cubic feet seems like it may be enough.

[Goldeneye]

Go a little bigger than you think you need.  5 cubic feet is very small.  I have a 25 cubic foot stand up.  It's taken 2 Bull elk and 2 bucks before and still had room for fish and fowl.  The big game was all boned-out meat which allows you to fit more in there. 

[DOUBLELUNG]

I have a smaller 10 cu ft chest freezer I bought at Sears in 1990.  It has held an entire processed bull moose, mule deer buck, antelope buck and mountain goat billy, all mature 3-7 year old (2000 was a very good year).  Close to 600lbs of packaged boned out meat, and it took a lot of effort to get it all in there and the lid closed tight.  If your meat is wrapped in "bricks", to minimize air space, you can get close to 60lbs/cubic foot.  Otherwise, figure on 50lbs/cu ft.

A good tip for maximizing meat storage is to use a 1qt (2lbs), 1.5 qt (3lbs) or 2qt (4lbs) rectangular plastic storage container to make your bricks.  Fill it full of burger, steaks, whatever, upend it on the freezer wrap, and wrap and tape.  You won't get perfect rectangles, but they will be much more uniform and pack tighter than just using the grab and wrap method.

[rasbo]

I have two uprights and love them,one for meat and one for trapping..I like the uprights easy to store and find things

[Goldeneye]

I like the uprights easy to store and find things

Agreed.  That's why I moved away from chest freezers.  I would forget what was in the bottom of the freezer.  With a upright it's easier to see what's there.

[wraithen]

You guys just made it easier on me. The uprights are cheaper per cu ft. I figure I'll get between 5 and 7. Whatever doesn't fit I will give to the neighbors. If they don't want it I'll hit up the guys I work with. If I still have some I'm sure there's a donation center that won't mind around here.

[jackmaster]

like others have said a 5 to 7 cuft freezer is probably gonna be to small ya might want to go a bit bigger, not to tell a man his business. i also got a 25cuft and its just right, i also have a regular fridge/freezer that is next to it in the garage, that way i can keep stuff in it that the wife doesnt want to see in the house fridge, like eggs that a fella  puts up or any other type of stuff a fella might drag home 

[Huntbear]

I have a 7 cu. ft. chest type freezer.   I can get 1/2 an elk and 1/2 a deer in it.  Plus some frozen freezer jam...  I usually have enough eaten by salmon season that I can fit the salmon in there too....   

That said, do I want a bigger one?  Yeppers... but this one was like 99.00 brand new at Home Depot as a demo...   

[jackmaster]

I have a 7 cu. ft. chest type freezer.   I can get 1/2 an elk and 1/2 a deer in it.  Plus some frozen freezer jam...  I usually have enough eaten by salmon season that I can fit the salmon in there too....   

That said, do I want a bigger one?  Yeppers... but this one was like 99.00 brand new at Home Depot as a demo...   

nuntbear is that a lynx or a bobcat in your avatar

[Huntbear]

Bobcat..   see the big pics in the photography section..

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php?topic=100508.0

[PlateauNDN]

In this case, bigger is better for me.

[Bean Counter]

I got a 13' upright on CL for $100. It was ten years old when I got it. Still works after a few years. if you have a family you'll like how you can buy other freezable items in bulk and save.

+1 for bigger is better. Fill up some empty water gallon jugs 80% (expands when frozen) and fill up the space. Not only does this make it energy efficient, it will keep your food cold in a power outage.

[Cylvertip]

Note on frost free - they cycle from freezing temps to just above freezing to get that frost free effect.   I think that's fine for the one in the fridge in the house, but not for one used for long term storage - items wont be good for as long in a frost free model.  Also,  the frost build up will give you a bit more added protection should it loose power, as it will buy you more time.  They are easy enough to defrost if you have them in the garage.  Just wait until it is cold out, empty the freezer contents into coolers or containers, and then hose down the inside of the freezer until it is clear.  You may want to move it to the front of the garage to do that.  My water heater is in the garage, so I hook a hose to the drain spigot on it and use that  - takes about 10-15 minutes if you only do it every 7-8 years.   

[Bob33]

+1 no frost free.  Frost free is bad idea for long term stoeage.

Here is a tip: get a wireless thermometer.  Put sensor in freezer.  Put readout portion where you see it frequently.  If freezer is not working, or too warm or cold you will know.