Comments for Transporting Moose Meat on a Long Journey

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Nov 07, 2017
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starstarstarstarstar 		Enough Freezer Room!
by: Mark ~ The Mooseman

I should have clarified that my 7 1/2 cu foot freezer was for half a boned out moose. Not a whole moose!
Nov 07, 2017
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starstarstarstarstar 		Moose bug fever
by: JeffreyCooper

While traveling to NW Alberta, I saw several pick-up trucks with deep freezers and generators on board. It is a good method as long as it s big enough.
My moose filled my new 17.5 cubic foot freezer, filled. My 100 gallon cooler was not big enough for all the 682 pounds of boned meat.
As for my Grizzly 400 quart cooler, it is back in the box waiting for my next Moose hunt.
I can not think of another animal whose meat can be brought home, that is any more exciting than a Bull Moose in Rut to hunt.
Thank you for your love of the Moose and this forum.
Oct 31, 2017
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starstarstarstarstar 		Congratulations Jeffery!
by: Mark ~ The Mooseman

Well done Jeffery! I'm sure you had an exciting time!

Is your wife going to crawl in the cooler? lol

I didn't plan on enough room this year either. I was fortunate enough to get a very nice bull on my second day as well.

What I did to deal with the moose meat was: We cut, wrapped and froze the meat. I then went to the local hardware store and bought a 7 1/2 cubic foot freezer into which I placed all my moose meat. I plugged the freezer in and waited another 24 hours to be sure everything was good and cold then I drove my 2200 kilometers (1360 miles) back to my home.

Are you planning another moose hunt?
Oct 31, 2017
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starstarstarstarstar 		After this hunt, Size Matters!
by: Jeffrey Cooper

I have posted earlier about preparing for my first Moose hunt NW of Fairview, Alberta. Purchased a new 100 gallon Grizzly cooler, placed on my trailer and made the 2300 mile trip there.

Success came as a blessing on the 2nd day when I took a 42 inch giant Bull Moose. The Moose was at the professional butcher shop in Heine Creek in 6 hours, where Dale and his folks butchered, ground, and jerked a total of 682 pounds. Then hard froze the meat. That is 682 pounds! My 100 gallon cooler was not enough, I left 50 pounds at the cooler.

That Grizzly Cooler worked Perfectly, All the meat was frozen solid after a three day drive back to NE Ohio.
The cooler could of nearly held the other two moose taken in camp that week combined.

So with cooler size, you could be surprised at how much wonderful meat these Canadian Moose giants can give.
Oct 31, 2017
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starstarstarstarstar 		Cold Temperature Moose Meat Storage
by: Mark ~ The Mooseman

If your moose meat freezes while you are at moose camp it is nothing to worry about. This is a much better problem than if it gets too warm.

It is quite safe and actually happens a lot, especially to those who live in the northern climates. (It happened to us last season)

Once you get back home, hang your moose meat in proper cooler and the meat will thaw out so that it can be butchered.
Keep in mind that while your meat is frozen, no aging takes place. You have to start the aging timing once the meat has thawed.

One a side note:
This year when we hunted the temperatures became very warm. Our problem became fly eggs and mold. All the mold and eggs were trimmed and removed when cutting so no issue there either.
Oct 31, 2017
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starstarstarstarstar 		Caring for moose meat in very cold temps (-5 to -20)
by: Alberta Hunter

Heading into northern Alberta for a moose hunt in mid November. I am just wondering about caring for the meat properly in these temperatures.

Everything will be quartered, skinned, and put into breathable game bags. Usually when we get something we will hang it in a tree for the duration of the hunt and have never had any issues.

But I've never done this for a period of time and in this cold of weather. This hunt is a 9 day hunt, so if by chance we get one on the first couple days, is it OK for the meat to be hung and frozen for up to a week?
Then hung and aged in a controlled environment when we return home from the hunt?

Any advice or experience from people is greatly appreciated, really haven't been able to find much information on this topic. Thanks
Aug 28, 2017
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starstarstarstarstar 		Moose hauling
by: Jeffrey Cooper

First time, heading to Peace River area, taking 100 gallon Grizzly cooler, using dry ice, will travel four days each way, starting NE Ohio.
After this may sell cooler if the wife won't crawl in it to use as a Jacuzzi.
Oct 12, 2015
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starstarstarstarstar 		Thawing Frozen Moose
by: Mark

Betty, I don't think your thawing will hurt your moose meat. Many times during hunting camps moose, deer, elk etc. will get frozen at camp and will thaw out when going through the aging process.
Oct 02, 2015
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starstarstarstarstar 		Frozen moose
by: Betty

We take a freezer with us and after a day or so we freeze it.
When we come home our friend has a cooler for us to hang our moose.

Does it matter if we hang it after it has been frozen?
Or do we just cut our meat up and not bother with the hanging?
Jan 30, 2014
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starstarstarstarstar 		Using Dry Ice In Coolers
by: Mark MTMM

I've heard that because dry ice is so cold -109.3F or -78.5C that its use in plastic lined coolers is limited. One person told me they used dry ice placed on top of frozen goods and arrived at their destination only to find the entire cooler liner had shattered!
As I mentioned previously its important to wrap the dry ice to insulate it, in this case I don't know if it was done or not!

As for how much space you need? Partially it will depend on how big those two moose are. You are going to get 2; right?
The next consideration is, have the animals been deboned?
Big differences in space requirements right there.

You could insulate the box of your pickup truck. I'd use the blue insulation that is 1 1/2" thick. Put a layer on the floor and up the sides. Add your moose and dry ice then add another layer of insulation on top. Then I'd top the entire load off with a couple of sleeping bags or quilts. Your moosemeat will stay frozen for a very long time that way.
In my mind I picture you have a canopy on your pick up, if not you'll have to do something to keep your load dry too.

Our moose this year weighed in at just under 500 pounds; that is after field dressing, hide, head and leg removal.

Deboned and flash frozen we took the moosemeat home and we filled a 10 cubic foot freezer and had some room to spare.

Keeping your moosemeat frozen on a long trip is important. I know of a few guys that do just as you suggest. Throw a deep freeze in the back of a truck and keep it going with a small generator.
You can use it for food storage and keeping the beer cold too. Just run the generator for a few hours a day and you have the same effect as having a refridgerator. Once you need something frozen just feed the generator gas and keep it running.
Jan 30, 2014
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		moose meat
by: Anonymous

How much room do you need to pack two moose that have been butchered home. Can it be done in coolers with dry ice? We were thinking of bringing up a freezer in the back of the pick up, or insulating the pick up bed itself and packing it with dry ice.

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