Hot Weather - Meat Care

[YosemiteSam]

Excellent ideas, folks.  Thank you!

[J-dog]

Have you ever thought about a large fish bag? Like ones we put big pelagics in? You can get them fairly cheap, some frozen water bottles keep interior cool. You'll have to quarter the animal but think it would work. Plus fairly out the way until needed, don't weigh much nothing even with frozen water bottles. Then you can drink the water as it thaws.

[Benoli]

First deer with a bow was in Northern CA. Hung it the shade at night and placed in sleeping bag, in the shade, during the day for two days. On the third day drove the 12+ hours home in Southern CA with the deer in the same sleeping bag. It was cool to the touch when we got home. All this in 100 degree weather with no meat loss. Of course the deer was a typical 80 lb blacktail.

[AndreasLundin]

In Australia we quite often hunt during warm weather. In the alpine regions I have deboned meat and put in meat bags. Bring a large pvc waterproof bag and load meat plus stones and sink it in a deeper place in the river. Keeps dry, cool and away from insects or predators.

 Once the meat cooled it will last a long time.

[ChuckC]

In your situation I would put the meat into a heavy plastic bag and put the bag into the creek.  A watertight kayak or canoe bag would work.  Let the creek cool it off.  

Getting it out ?  Heck, bring an inner tube, blow it up with a small hand pump and tow it behind the kayak with the meat in / on it.  I have an old towable ( for kids) fun tube that would work well for such an ordeal.

[YosemiteSam]

Originally posted by Benoli:
First deer with a bow was in Northern CA. Hung it the shade at night and placed in sleeping bag, in the shade, during the day for two days. On the third day drove the 12+ hours home in Southern CA with the deer in the same sleeping bag. It was cool to the touch when we got home. All this in 100 degree weather with no meat loss. Of course the deer was a typical 80 lb blacktail.

Glad it worked out.  You're giving me some confidence in this option.

"typical 80 lb blacktail" ???  Dressed out?  My little 1x2 a couple years ago had to be well over 160 lb -- probably closer to my own weight at 180.  The .308 held together but never even made it through.  Maybe ours have a little more mulie in them.

[David McLendon]

Adding to Pat's post, if you want to cool the meat in the water but not directly expose it to the water then take some Contractor bags as they are quite a bit more durable than a regular trash bag. Bone out the meat or quarter it up and seal it up in the bags before immersing in the water. After the quick cool down drop it into coolers with some ice for the trip out. Hah! And then I saw ChuckC's post...same deal.

[newhouse114]

2-3 hours is all. Not a problem! Get the hide off asap, break it down into quarters, put in game bags and allow air to circulate around them for an hour or so to start to crust. You are then golden for up to a day. We had to care for literally over a thousand pounds of early caribou meat at times with no ice or refrigeration.