My husband is going to Maine for a black bear hunt this September. It'll be a 12ish hour drive. We need to get a cooler so he can bring his meat home. Is there a better cooler any of you recommend or a certain size? I know nothing about bears or how much meat! He will be hunting with dogs and has both bow and gun options. Thanks in advance!
just about any cooler will do... as long as you keep ice in it... the more expensive, better insulated ones will hold the ice longer, and stand up to abuse if the cooler is being packed in someplace.. if he's truck camping, and not far from an ice source the cheaper ones will work just fine. as for size... depends if he's boneing it out or packing the bones too...boned out the meat will fit in a medium size cooler with room for ice... with bones, he's gonna need a bigger one... figure with innerds, hide, head and bones removed you lose almost 3/4ths the weight... 300 lb bear (a good size black)... less then 70 lbs of meat... I always bone my game out if haveing to transport it very far.. and bring lots of large zip-lock bags to keep any water from the melted ice from touching the meat...
If you freeze the meat prior to taking off on the road, then there's not need for ice. Just pack the meat to the brim of the cooler with the ability to close the cooler. It'll stay frozen for over 7 hours (how long it would take us to get home from Ohio to NC).
I had two just basic large coolers when bringing mine back. The outfitter completely froze the meat and hide before leaving so that was a plus. Both coolers where packed to the max one with meat and one with the hide (400+lbs bear). I put as much ice as I could in the coolers to help out but by the time I got home (7 hours) the out sides where starting to thaw a little bit. Given it was 70-80 degrees out that day. Really I would say it depends if the coolers are exposed to sun/heat. Another better option if you can find somewhere that sells it is put dry ice in the coolers.
Also please cook it very well and no salt cured jerky. Bear meat is good but treat it like chicken or pork.
I think you will enjoy the North Woods in Maine. I have been making a trip up there for the last 3 years and am going back again this Sept. I think a good well insulated cooler would be fine for your purposes. We have used coolers like the ones in the attached link at our worksites with very good success and they keep ice in them for days. http://www.amazon.com/Igloo-Polar-C...e=UTF8&qid=1433493591&sr=1-8&keywords=coolers. I just can't spend $300 - $500 for a cooler such as a yeti and for what you are describing I don't think it necessary.
I have Yeti,45, 105 and 110...use them for everything, camping hunting, and fishing. I have hauled meat all over the place ...you'd be hard pressed to buy a better cooler. The down side is the cost, but buy once and cry once.
Yeah, I saw the prices of some coolers and cringed - but I imagine it'd be a well spent investment. With the hunt he is doing he is paying by day (with a max price) - so if he gets it the first day, he will leave the next morning. So, it wont be frozen solid. Thank you everyone - I appreciate all of the tips!
I have a cheapo Igloo and my friend has a Yeti. Last year on the first day of the Ohio season it got really warm, like 70's. My ice was almost all water by late afternoon, his was frozen still. So they may be expensive but they seem to work.
I also bit the bullet on a yeti recently after a brand new igloo cooler's hinges started to break after one trip. I told myself if it lasts 20 years I am only paying $20 a year for it, ha!
