freezers and generators
Contributors to this thread:Elk
From: INbowdude
01-Sep-19
Anybody take a freezer on a hunt and run a generator to keep it frozen while driving home? If you did, did you actually run the generator while driving or just when you stopped? OR if you plug in the freezer, how long will meat stay cold/frozen once you get the freezer down to temperature? Thanks
From: elmer@laptop
01-Sep-19
My hunting partners take a freezer. They get the meat frozen in camp, then while travelling only have the freezer turned on when stopped or overnight.
From: Footshooter
01-Sep-19
I take my chest freezer on all my bigger hunts. Typically I run the generator abouT half the time. I will run it for a while then at the next gas stop, turn it off. Then back on again when I get gas again. A lot depends on how hot it is outside, and how cold it has stayed.
I run a smaller Yamaha generator with it, does just fine.
From: RK
01-Sep-19
Mike
When we were outfitting out of state we always took freezers. Never used generators. Plugged them in when we stopped for the night unless it was cold. Lot of those days were dead of winter, or at least it felt like it
From: Two Feathers
01-Sep-19
Yes, I took a freezer and generator on a Canadian moose hunt. I ran the generator from the time we put the moose in the freezer until we got back home in SE Wisconsin. No issues.
From: INbowdude
01-Sep-19
Thanks all. Hoping to fill a freezer with some elk meat from Wyoming next week. Hey Rob, good to hear from you. Are you still guiding?
From: Kurt
01-Sep-19
I have two freezers I will take hunting, a small or medium chest freezer depending on what I’m hunting. And again, depending on where I am hunting I will take a Honda EU 2000 generator to run the freezer....N BC and the NWT you are on your own. If around power I take a 100’ Ext cord and plug into 110.
When bringing a vacuum packed elk home from California a month ago I had the meat frozen solid before leaving the ranch I hunted. No problem coming back home with it...a 1.5 day drive. When I brought a Dall Sheep home from the NWT I ran the generator about 4 hours per day on the 2.5 day drive, and had his cape in the freezer too.
I run the generator on a small plywood platform I made bolted to a piece of square tubing that fits the 2-1/2” receiver on the F350. For the 2” receiver on the F150, a short piece of 2” square tube adapts it fine. I ratchet strap the generator to the platform. If pulling a trailer I just ratchet strap the generator down to the trailer.
Good luck!
From: Ben
01-Sep-19
When deer, sheep and antelope hunting we always take a small chest freezer and a small generator. Our freezer fits cross ways against the cab. When we shoot an animal we quarter it, place it in game bags (w/ back straps and tender loins). Place it in the freezer and run two tanks of fuel thru it ( do this with each new animal added). Usually around 4 hours. Then everyday we run a full tank of fuel thru the generator. We have had as many as 4 antelope in it at one time. The rule is the freezer door does not open unless another animal is going in. We have driven straight thru from Wyoming about a 12-14 hour trip and the meat is still partially frozen and just right to slice up and wrap.
From: Junior
01-Sep-19
We take a freezer on antelope hunt but plug it in at the motel. We then use a 110 qt cooler to and from the field. We use wax paper between quarters. No need to run a generator once frozen. Will stay frozen for a couple days in a good freezer.
From: joehunter
01-Sep-19
Take a freezer on all western hunts. Run it off both an inverter on the truck and a generator. Inverter works great while running the truck. Generator while at base camp.
From: DanaC
02-Sep-19
A buddy of mine brings a freezer, but uses a dc/ac inverter to run it off his truck battery. They get the meat processed and frozen, pick it up when they leave for home.
From: DL
02-Sep-19
Mines in the back of my pickup with a generator headed north. After a hot tired day you can fill it with water and jump in to cool down. Or put it 200 pounds of ice add a little water. Then dump in all the Drinks you want cooled down. So versatile.
From: RK
02-Sep-19
Mike
Going to do a little freelance guiding until I find another good place to operate out of
From: INbowdude
14-Sep-19
Well I went with a 7 cu ft freezer and plugged it in the morning we retrieved my elk. Cooled off about 4 hours before I left. Meat was put in right off the bone. Elk was killed the night before. Stopped and added 20 pounds of dry ice. 16 hours later, I plugged it in for another 3 hours before the last drive. 12 hours later, I plugged it in one last time. Most of the meat was frozen solid while some parts were very cold but not frozen.
From: jdee
15-Sep-19
Had a guy elk hunting here in NM last week he killed a bull and put it in a local game cooler, cut it up then bought a freezer from Home Depot and put it in the bed of his truck , he brought a Honda eu2000 with him, plugged it in and froze the meat then headed back to NY. He said he would just let the Honda run until he got home.
From: INbowdude
15-Sep-19
Thanks Jack!
From: Colorado Russ @ work
17-Sep-19
Congrats on filling your elk tag INbowdude! Guess since you're done you won't mind me hi-jacking your thread with another question. I, too, have a large chest freezer and 3500 watt generator taking on my upcoming elk hunt. If I am lucky enough to get an elk, I plan on cooling it down in the river and into game bags before putting into the freezer. I've got about a 10 hour drive from CO to OK if that matters. Questions: If the freezer is already running around 0 to -10 degrees, do I need to debone the quarters or will it cool it off and be okay at those temps? Should I toss in 20 lbs of dry ice with the quarters to help keep it cool? Appreciate any input.
From: Ben
17-Sep-19
The fight you are going to be waging is to cool off the meat before it bone sours. In a perfect world you will probably be okay. If it was me I would debone the hindquarters just to be sure. A lot of heat can be held in those large pieces.
