Coolers

[ctwiggs1]

Hey guys,

We're considering doing a boat-in bear hunt this year, and one of the things we're trying to figure out is cooler space.  Obviously on a boat space is limited, so we don't want to overpack but we certainly don't want meat to go to waste.

Any experiences out there on "my 200lb bear fit in this cooler just fine" or something of that nature?

Thanks!

Curtis

[fillthefreezer]

hide too?

[ctwiggs1]

hide too?

Absolutely!

[BULLBLASTER]

You can count on the hide taking much more space than the meat. Bears dont have lots of meat for their size. Boned out they wont take a ton of space.

[luvmystang67]

You're going to need a couple of coolers.  I'd plan on 1 large cooler for the head and hide and one large cooler for the meat, depending on if you take it off the bone or not.  If your quarter it and leave most of the rib cage, then the meat should fit in one cooler with some ice and the hide should fit in another with some ice.

I would take two about this size...

http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/foodservice/beverage-centers/ice-wine-buckets/maxcold-series-ice-chests-13021?infoParam.campaignId=T9F&gclid=CLyS4pfjq8YCFcdcfgodF1QHYw

Smaller than that an you're going to have a hard time fitting a full bear with ice into it.  They're bigger than you think.

Now... you could probably do a little better than that if you skin the head and everything and debone the meat, but without doing that you'll never get it in 2 smaller coolers, with ice, than the one I posted.

You MIGHT get away with having a little bit smaller one for the head and the hide, but i don't think its worth risking running out of space for the few inches of space you'll gain.

(I've done this a few times...)

[Netminder01]

I borrowed a large Grizzly cooler (Yeti competitor) last year for deer and LOVED it. Ice kept in in the Grizzly in the back of my truck, exposed to the elements, heat, etc for nearly a week. Based on my limited use, it seemed like a fantastic cooler.

I've been looking for a deal on one but sure seems like everyone who owns one has been holding on to them.

[lokidog]

Keep your gear in the bigger cooler, won't matter where your duffel goes on the boatride home. 

[n_mathews13]

Iv always kept my hide and meat in different coolers.  Have you ever looked at "K2" coolers. Suppose to be almost as good and a little cheaper then Yeti

[hiway_99]

What about a kill bag for fish?

[Ripper]

I fit my bear in a 102 quart cooler. I skinned it but I didn't skin out the head. I then broke down the carcass, put 4 quarters into bags and boned out the rib cage, remover the back straps, neck meat and all of that. I had room for 4 bags of ice. The bear was about 225 live. The leg quarters and boned meat weighed 91lbs.

[CAMPMEAT]

I have a Coleman Extreme (?) cooler for camping and it has a DRAIN plug, unlike the YETI types. That is very, very important to me. It keeps ice floating around for about a week. I use 1 gallon milk jugs frozen solid and that works really well. Hardly any water to monkey with.

[Ripper]

Great idea campmeat with the frozen gallon jugs.

[Netminder01]

Great idea campmeat with the frozen gallon jugs.

 

The Grizzly I borrowed from SPUD last year had a drain plug and loved it 6 days in to high 90's heat.

[baker5150]

I have a Coleman Extreme (?) cooler for camping and it has a DRAIN plug, unlike the YETI types. That is very, very important to me. It keeps ice floating around for about a week. I use 1 gallon milk jugs frozen solid and that works really well. Hardly any water to monkey with.

I have one of those as well.  They really keep the ice, and are a fraction of the cost.

[Goldeneye]

I have a Coleman Extreme (?) cooler for camping and it has a DRAIN plug, unlike the YETI types. That is very, very important to me. It keeps ice floating around for about a week. I use 1 gallon milk jugs frozen solid and that works really well. Hardly any water to monkey with.

I have an Esky cooler which is Colemans answer tot he Yeti ( http://www.eskyseriescoolers.com/Home ).  It has a drain plug.

Also, to respond to the above comment on Yeti's.  All of my Yeti coolers have a drain plugs as well so I'm not sure where your seeing that they don't have drain plugs.

[CAMPMEAT]

I have a Coleman Extreme (?) cooler for camping and it has a DRAIN plug, unlike the YETI types. That is very, very important to me. It keeps ice floating around for about a week. I use 1 gallon milk jugs frozen solid and that works really well. Hardly any water to monkey with.

I have an Esky cooler which is Colemans answer tot he Yeti ( http://www.eskyseriescoolers.com/Home ).  It has a drain plug.

Also, to respond to the above comment on Yeti's.  All of my Yeti coolers have a drain plugs as well so I'm not sure where your seeing that they don't have drain plugs.

I might of missed the plugs, but I never saw one, but they were only the small $400 ones. 

[CAMPMEAT]

The water jugs work really, really well. They work good if you have a 12v/110 plug in cooler for motel stays too.

[n_mathews13]

 
We used them last year. Lot less messy , cheaper and lasted longer

[lokidog]

I like how the 2 liter bottles pack better than frozen milk jugs.   

[syoungs]

ive got a 120qt coleman extreme to, I has lived outside for about 18 months on the back of my boat, its a little faded, but I can buy 4 of them and still be ahead of a yeti. theres some video reviews showing the cheaper coolers performing better then yeti as well.

[syoungs]

Wait, I was wrong, the one living on my boat is my igloo 120q stx model, its tough as nails, I love it, the coleman extreme is awesome to, but its not always on the boat.

[MtnMuley]

My 160 Yeti has a drain plug. I used  cubed ice like you'd buy at any store.  It will last  a long time in the Yeti or any other of my 140-160 qt $60-$80 dollar coolers. Most important thing is to leave that drain plug open. All the problems I've seen with keeping ice over warmer months stems from keeping the drain plug closed. Expensive coolers or not.

[ctwiggs1]

So you guys leave the drain plug open all the time? 

[syoungs]

I usually leave my 165qt drain open, but its cause were into it much more grabbing drinks and such, my 120 I leave closed, shaded and covered from a solar load. drain it daily though.

[MtnMuley]

So you guys leave the drain plug open all the time?

I do all the time,  unless I don't want to deal with water draining out like  traveling sometimes. Keep in the shade as often as possible and keep covered with a towel or blanket helps as well. Obviously,  leaving the lid closed as much as possible is key as well.

[Bean Counter]

I open and close the drain when I open and close the lid so that the vacuum/pressure doesn't exert needless force on the hinges of the lid when I open and close.

I'm really confused of the physics as to how allowing ambient air access to the ice via the drain plug is theorized to make the ice last longer   

[MtnMuley]

I'm not a physicist, but would lay money down in a side by side equal comparison with the drain plug closed who will have ice longer. If my ice would last longer with the plug closed, that's what I'd do.

[syoungs]

water has a higher heat capacity and thermal conductivity, get the water out, even if it means letting small amounts of air in, ice lasts longer.

[Bean Counter]

I always drain water, and add new ice as available.primarily to maintain a layer of ice between layers of meat, and because the more water = more moisture which hastens bacterial growth.

Still though, I've practically drained all the water out I can, I personally don't see the sense in leaving the drain plug open. 

[syoungs]

I leave mine open on the big cooler that has our drinks and such, because its it opened so many times a day, and the ice melts somewhat quick because of that, plus it makes opening easier for the kids.

[tgomez]

I wish i could afford a Yetti, the price tags on those things are MASSIVE. Recommend 120 qt cooler, after harvest load up the boat and head to the nearest station for more ice!