Deer Cooler ?

[Eric Krewson]

Anybody build a small cooler to hang a couple of deer in?

I once cut up my own(got lazy in my old age)and because our local processors have been turning out questionable service lately(take in a doe and get back an obviously rutting buck), I have thought about processing my own again.

Where I live in the south and because I hunt mostly in the evening, I really need a cooler to hang a deer until I have the time to skin it and cut it up. Following a tough drag after dark I really don't feel like skinning a quartering a deer when I come in.  The processors cooler is always open.

Just wondering what would be involved in such a project.

[KentuckyTJ]

We build small wood framed insulated rooms and put an old window ac unit in them. Works really well keeping them cool for a few days.

[b.glass]

I've been trying to talk my nephew and hunting buddy into making one just like KentuckyTJ. I think we may have one for next year. I just hope I can contribute to it's contents!

[Mr.Magoo]

I field quarter and pack them out (usually), but I have my eye open for one of the old refrigerators with wire rack shelves to put in the garage.

I figure take out all but the top rack and hang the quarters until I feel like cutting it up.

[lpcjon2]

We do the same as KentuckyTJ it works,and if you wanted you can put a vent in the top and use dry ice.

[coaltroll]

I have also done it like Kentucky TJ. We used a little 8x8 shed, insulated it and put in a portable AC unit. Kept the meat right at 41 degrees. Can leave it hang for a week at that temp. Makes a difference also living in CO at almost 7000 ft. Easier to keep cool.

[John3]

My cousin lucked into a restaurant which was closing.  He took the entire walk in freezer with the reefer unit. Everything minus the floor section. No time for the floor.  The entire unit was his for the taking but had to go that afternoon...

Reassembled on top of the pored floor in the barn; new coolant and we are in business.  36 consistent degrees. Most important is to get the deer skinned asap.  I hang all deer at least 5-7 days.  Great tasting deer this way.

Build your own cooler room or shed works well.. We used this for years before winning the walk- in lottery...  Buy the biggest AC "window" unit you can find. For us the medium sized units would frost over in time and quit working.

[Earl E. Nov...mber]

A good friend is in the process of making a combination cooler and smoke house out of a small (8') van truck box.
Cooler on one end with a window air, a double insulated wall between the two parts, and a smoke house on the other end.
It should be great when up and going.

[woodchucker]

Eric, Do you have a full basement in your house???

When my Mom&Dad bought the house in Maine,the previous owner had built a "walk-in" cooler in the basement. He framed 2 walls in the corner of the basement forming a small 10' X 10' room. He filled the studs with fiberglass insulation then nailed foil covered foam R-Max over the studs. I know it's alot colder in Maine but when I was up there for Thanksgiving there was "frost"(ice)on the foundation walls.

It should work pretty good down south keeping things about 40-50 degrees I would think.

[The Night Stalker]

I have a very large cooler that they use on deep sea boats, I can put two does in it at a time. Pack it with blocks of ice and it works until I can get them to a large cooler.

[Matt_Potter]

For you guys who built coolers with the AC units.  Do you have a problem with the meat drying out?

[Rod in SC]

I use an older rack style refrigerator in the garage. Just skin and quarter the deer and lay on the racks.  Take out the drawers in the bottom and put some cardboard pieces in the bottom to catch the drippings.  Easy to keep the correct temp around 36-38 degrees. Meat will dry out after 7-10 days and create a 1/16" "skin" around the meat. Can cut it off or just leave on and run thru the grinder.

[KSdan]

In the process of cooler research I would get a second opinion on whether one should be skinning them before letting them age.  My understanding is the better venison aging process leaves the skin on in a cooler as it keeps them from drying out.  

I am not sure. . . just what I have read.

[Allegan Archer]

We use the old fridge like some of those above.  

Hunting HQ's is my parents house and if we are heading out and the weather is too warm we give them a call and they plug in the fridge in the barn.  

If we get one its skinned and quartered and then into the fridge.  Works well enough to us.  Not sure it helps you but just an option.

[Roy Steele]

Old striped out pop machines work really great.

[twitchstick]

I have used an old refigerator for years but sometimes I have had problems with humidity and it sucks if I kill a deer and a elk in the same week. I have been thinking of making one like kentucky TJ out of my shed,but how is the humidity? Would a dehumidifier be needed?

[Jeff Strubberg]

After a lot of looking around, we managed to bid on and win a reefer unit from the local ice cream company.  We had to remove it from the truck it was installed on, roll it onto a large fifth wheel trailer, truck it to our farm and set it securely. A fresh refrigerant charge and we now have a HUGE walk in cooler.  We've added a track around the ceiling with hooks hanging from rollers.  No meat leaves the farm now until it is in butcher paper.

[Dave Pagel]

Like Jeff said, a buddy of mine in Mississippi has an old Schwann's truck box that they converted and they can hang a few.

Dave

[Biggie Hoffman]

We usually eat a single deer before it can go bad.....

[Tim]

I've been doing my own processing for the past 12 years, here's our process:

We went to the local scratch and dent Sears store and bought a frig / freezer that had metal racks.  Definitely need the racks not the glass shelves.  I think we spent around $250.  

We also bought a Cabelas 1 hp grinder,a vacuum sealer, a couple nice knives and a few grey meat tubs.  All in all another $300 bucks.  

*A little over $500 to get started. I paid between $500 and $700 the year prior for processing fees.  Butchers in our area get around $70 bucks per deer.

Once I get a deer back to the house no matter what the weather I skin it, remove the inners, remove the back straps, remove the front shoulders and debone the hind quarters.  It will take about 30 minutes.  

I than lay out all the cuts on the frig grates and cover with saran wrap, this cuts down on drying out of the meat.  5 days later I cut up the meat and grind the scraps and front shoulders.  

The only inconvenience is having two deer down at once, the frig can get full but this is the only thing the frig is used for.

An average doe turns out around 16 meals.  4 from the back straps, 4 roasts, 6 packs of ground, 2 packs of chunk meat and breakfast for the inners.

No worry's if we got my deer or someone who left theirs in the truck for a week. We know exactly what's in the ground meat.  We know how long the deer aged and we vacuum seal and label everything the way we want.

All in all well worth the time and money.