Transporting geese for a couple hours

[Northwestsamurai]

Hey guys. We’re goose hunting about 3-4 hours away from home. What is the best way to transport goose meat for a few hours for our trip back? Breast out and ice in a cooler? Can we just bring the whole goose and clean/breast when we get home? When does it go bad?

Sorry these might be newbie questions 😄

[Bucks2Ducks]

If they are going in a truck bed they will be frozen by the time you get home, your not going to hurt them. Really as long as its below 50deg people let waterfowl age a few days, some people over a week in the fridge.  but they are easier to breast fresh

[Blacktail135]

 When I dont clean my waterfowl same day I like to store them breast up. My thinking is that the internal juices will collect along the back and not the breast. My 2 cents.

[bigtex]

If you breast them out make sure to leave a head or wing attached. If not you're breaking state and federal law.

[lokidog]

Also, if in the back of the truck, make sure they are not sitting on any warm muffler spots.

[WSU]

They are fine for days.

[HaydenHunter]

They are fine for days.

^^^^^This^^^^^

[avidnwoutdoorsman]

I just read about this in the MeatEater book, sentiments were that birds are aged with and without the organs left in. So you'll be fine. His personal sentiment, which is mine as well is to simply pull the guts within a couple hours, (saving heart, gizzard....maybe liver) and your good to go. I share the same sentiment and its as easy or easier than breasting, depending on how you breast. I take the breast, thigh, and leg in one cut; plucked with skin on. Gives you a lot more options as to what to do with your bird when prepping for eating.

Your original question was directed towards meat spoilage; to make certain you give it the best chance (though I see little risk with a four hour trip) is to make a small slit and pull the internal organs. This lets air into the chest cavity and cools the bird down way fast.

[pianoman9701]

Some people in Europe let fowl hang for days before preparing. 5 hours is fine, in the truck, in the bed, in a cooler if it makes you feel better.

[mburrows]

Opening weekend we've let whole birds go a full 48 hours in a cooler with little or no ice after the letting them cool in the shade and never had a problem.

[vandeman17]

Some people in Europe let fowl hang for days before preparing. 5 hours is fine, in the truck, in the bed, in a cooler if it makes you feel better.

I always hang my ducks a few days

[KNOPHISH]

My preferred way is the just pull guts & into cooler. YMMV

[birddogdad]

take a look at seasoning birds.... historically, if you have 40F-50F you can hang week to 18 days before processing... you have no issues at all , just keep out of sun...

i leave my birds a week normally, that's all birds b4 processing/pulling apart

[BD1]

Be careful...if you decide to stop by a watering hole on the way back, cover your birds. I once came out to the truck to find a murder of crows attacking my bag limit 
good luck 
BD1

[h20hunter]

I once cleaned a batch in a hotel bathroom.  Thankfully,  I ran out of beer just about the time I finished. Looked like a murder scene.  It was bad.

My thoughts....split the breast to begin cooling, throw in a cooler with a bag or two of ice, get on the road, get home and breast em out fully and be done.

[hunterednate]

take a look at seasoning birds.... historically, if you have 40F-50F you can hang week to 18 days before processing... you have no issues at all , just keep out of sun...

i leave my birds a week normally, that's all birds b4 processing/pulling apart

Definitely. I used to clean my ducks and geese the day I shot them, but now I hang my birds on a strap for a week or longer before doing anything to them. They taste delicious. The heads will start to get stinky after a week, but the meat is always in great shape when I breast them.

[HikerHunter]

I once cleaned a batch in a hotel bathroom.  Thankfully,  I ran out of beer just about the time I finished. Looked like a murder scene.  It was bad.

My thoughts....split the breast to begin cooling, throw in a cooler with a bag or two of ice, get on the road, get home and breast em out fully and be done.

Your comment reminded me, I stayed in a hotel that had a sign next to the sink that said not to clean birds in the sink. Where else am I supposed to clean them when its freezing cold outside?!?!?!

[h20hunter]

I saw the same sign.....however the tub was not labeled as such!!!

[BD1]

 

[HikerHunter]

I saw the same sign.....however the tub was not labeled as such!!!

the loophole, I like it!

[dilleytech]

They will be fine for the day but if your taking the thighs which you really should I recommend cutting them up the same day. Pro longed sitting increases the odds of getting goose guts into your leg meat if they had pellets through that area and nothing ruins a meal like tasting waterfowl crap.