Ice box for transporting a jointed deer

[Pine Marten]

Hello everyone.

I'm about to go on my first stalk in a couple of weeks and hope to bring back some venison. I'm more than familiar with abject failure from fishing and wildfowling, but I always like to imagine that things will work out, it makes it more enjoyable. I have a rigid Coleman icebox that I've used for years for carrying fish, small game, and of course picnics. It's very good, and I'm pretty sure it's about large enough to carry two roe haunches, one or two shoulders and a saddle. However it is a cumbersome of a thing to carry around when it's empty. I've seen plenty of cheapo fabric ones over the years, but apart from the fact that they were generally pretty useless at keeping things cold, they were also flimsy, and probably not really water/bloodproof.

Is there such a thing as a robust, waterproof and reasonably well insulated collapsible coolbox?

Grateful for any recommendations or advice.

Thanks!

 

[andibrains]

Dont really see the need, save your cash get a blue bag from Ikea

 

[prometheus]

Do you intend to have any beast taken butchered immediately after shooting and take home on the day pine Martin?

 

[Pine Marten]

Yes, as I don't have facilities for storing a whole carcass at home currently. Essentially I need to bring the deer home as meat. I can do the finer butchery in my kitchen, but the big, dirty job needs to be done elsewhere. Until I befriend a local butcher or something, except that the only one nearby closed...

 

[re'M'ington]

Have a look at this one mate,you will need to have the freezer packs in there as well mind............

Igloo MaxCold 70 QT - 68 litre Large Size Ice Pack Insulated Cool Box Cooler | eBay

 

[limulus]

Do you have a roe sack?
If so place the jointed venison into carrier bags then pop them into the outer part of your roe sack. Now get to the nearest supermarket and buy 4 bags of ice and put them in the inner section of the roe and pop it in the outer. If you have a really long journey just come off the motorway to another supermarket and buy more ice.

 

[Pine Marten]

THAT is the winning suggestion I think! It doesn't involve carrying around anything more than I usually would, and it goves me an excuse to buy that Harkila roe sack! Thanks!

 

[Jason]

or save some 1 litre plastic pop bottles fill them with water then pop them in the freezer 12 hours latter hay presto re usable ice packs. pop them in a collapsable cool bag then put them in your liner for your roe sack as lulus suggests. best bit is when you get home wipe them down and refreeze..

 

[Pine Marten]

Thanks Jason!

Right, I think I have a solution. Now I just need a roe buck to put in it.

 

[sikadog]

If your car has Air conditioning place cut up deer in a waterproof sack place open end under the vents in the front foot well and turn on the AC most car AC blows at between 3-6 deg C cold enough to keep any deer fresh.

 

[Pine Marten]

I've just ordered my Harkila roe sack from Uttings (cheaper than Bushwear)! It should arrive next week, in time to hopefully make a mess of it the weekend after.

Sika dog, my car is a train, hence the need for inconspicuous, hermetically-sealed game transport. To the untrained eye, the Harkila sack just looks like a slightly floppy rucksack, so that works well for me. It's only a two-hour journey. For longer journeys to shoot small game, I've often carried my picnic coolbox full of plucked birds from Durham to London. For wildfowling and roughshooting, it's not a problem as I never have more than a bird or a rabbit or two to carry, so I just pack away my gamebag into my normal rucksack. Fish generally require the icebox.

Obviously because of the size, deer are a step up in my public-transport fieldsports adventures. I do like a challenge.

 

[limulus]

you could just get one of these:

View attachment 14767

 

[MarinePMI]

Maybe it's the redneck American in me (no, say it ain't so ), but is there a reason you can't butcher the animal at home (leaving it whole with a couple sacks of ice shoved in the chest cavity)? Is it due to not wanting people to see a dead carcass in the back of your vehicle (not sure what the UK public reaction would be to that)?

It doesn't take much to butcher an animal properly (bow saw, hatchet, hack saw and a good knife), and can easily be done in the garage. When I do this I use a cardboard box on the floor and works well for catching/soaking up the random blood spatters and bits, and you just throw it in the trash when done.

Just curious...

 

[Pine Marten]

Ah, well although it's true that I don't really wish to butcher deer in front people who don't wish to see it (chiefly my wife), there's the fact that our dwellings here in Lilliput are on average smaller than yours. You know how I mentioned that my car is a train? Well I also don't have a garage. Indeed, I'm forbidden by the council to park a car in the street from 10am to 4pm, and therefore from owning a car, realistically. I've just moved in, so although I have a garden, I do not yet have a shed. I'm working on a design for one that would accomodate a roe deer though.

The trials and tribulations of being drawn to this hobby in my situation will make for interesting reading one day.

 

[Morty]

It's been interesting reading so far Pine Martin keep us posted on your fist trip.