"Trophy Bag Kooler"

[Kernow_to_LDN]

Hi All,

Just wondering if anyone has had any experience with the "Trophy Bag Kooler". I think it's originally from the states but is also sold here. Essentially it's a large cooler back for a whole deer carcass but i've read mixed reviews. I'm looking for something that can fit in the back of a VW polo to transport a carcass or butchered joints back home to London after a stalk and thought it might be worth a try. Previously I've butchered in the field and brought back in heavy bin liners but looking for something a bit neater-especially if unloading an unprocessed animal from car to front door.

P.S apologies if this is posted in the wrong section!

 

[Legolas]

I can't comment on the kooler bag but earlier this year a friend brought a 160 litre cool box stalking with us. Obviously it wouldn't take a complete beast but it will easily take a field dressed red. With a couple of bags of ice it kept it chilled for several days.

 

[Paul 600]

I wouldn't put a carcass or primal cuts in a cool box until its cold. You will effectively be putting the meat in a slow cooker. cool boxes are designed to keep things cool or hot, they are not designed to cool a hot carcass down. Ventilation and maybe frozen bottles of water inside and surrounding the carcass will help bring the temperature down before putting in a cool box.

 

[Orion]

Unless you're looking to transport a big red in one piece, one of these should carry a carcass of most medium and small deer and keep your car clean. They are water/blood tight and you can't knock the price.

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/waterproof-game-bag-100l-id_8282738.html

View attachment 65993

 

[Monkey Spanker]

Doesn't sound like a good idea to me. Part of the cooling process relies on evaporation of moisture (latent heat of vaporisation) which is why we sweat to keep cool.
A deer in a bag will remain moist and sweaty which is not a good condition. I'd have thought an open carcass tray with air circulation would be best. It takes a carcass a good while to cool to ambient temperature anyway. Would you then have to butcher it on arrival in London, or do you have a chiller. I ask, as skinning and butchering a deer which has just set firm with rigor mortis is not easy!
MS

 

[AN DU RU FOX]

in the cold weather ive been taking a couple of two litre milk bottles full of water frozen solid and putting them in the carcase,still partly frozen the day after when i arrive home,

 

[Pine Marten]

I have a collapsible cool box with a foldable trolley like the ones people use for suitcases or large boxes inside. It quite happily holds a roe deer and on one occasion a muntjac and a CWD. I've used this contraption several times to carry deer home on the train. It just looks like I have a really large picnic. Which isn't far from the truth. And the journey isn't too long either.

One thing though: I wouldn't put venison directly in a bin liner as these are generally treated with pesticides and fungicides.

 

[mereside]

When stalking in Scotland I cool them under the trees then transport home in these, keeps all the critters inside cheap and very strong holds a large red easy the smaller size is good for roe
Search results for: 'body bag' | GP Supplies UK

 

[Kernow_to_LDN]

Thanks for all the replies guys, much appreciated! I'll do a blanket reply rather than individual ones.

Just to add to the OP, the process mentioned was also my first so i dont have a huge wealth of experience to drawn on in terms of previous trips and what would work best for me- what i can say is that we Grolloched in field, did a separate suspended skin and then jointed the beast. By the time it was in the boot of the car it had cooled considerably but I just lacked something suitable for the journey in the boot. Once home i then broke it down and labelled it up.

My reasoning for a bag or something similar, is initially something practical for the car, but also discreet on returning home ie no blood soaked bags or obvious body parts (if i can help it). I don't have a game chiller at home so would butcher and vac-pack the meat straight off the bat. I do have the facilities to suspend the carcass so could skin once home instead of in the field- but again I'll take any advice you have on that too!

All the links you guys have sent separately have been great, has any one had any experience with these muslin bags? Allen Muslin Deer Bag Sack Roe Muntjac x 4

I may just be overthinking things and perhaps the above muslin bags in a plasters bath would be the way forward? Again any suggestions or thoughts would be hugely appreciated.

 

[Monkey Spanker]

Thanks for all the replies guys, much appreciated! I'll do a blanket reply rather than individual ones.

Just to add to the OP, the process mentioned was also my first so i dont have a huge wealth of experience to drawn on in terms of previous trips and what would work best for me- what i can say is that we Grolloched in field, did a separate suspended skin and then jointed the beast. By the time it was in the boot of the car it had cooled considerably but I just lacked something suitable for the journey in the boot. Once home i then broke it down and labelled it up.

My reasoning for a bag or something similar, is initially something practical for the car, but also discreet on returning home ie no blood soaked bags or obvious body parts (if i can help it). I don't have a game chiller at home so would butcher and vac-pack the meat straight off the bat. I do have the facilities to suspend the carcass so could skin once home instead of in the field- but again I'll take any advice you have on that too!

All the links you guys have sent separately have been great, has any one had any experience with these muslin bags? Allen Muslin Deer Bag Sack Roe Muntjac x 4

I may just be overthinking things and perhaps the above muslin bags in a plasters bath would be the way forward? Again any suggestions or thoughts would be hugely appreciated.

If you do have to butcher it that quick, the vacuum packing is a great idea as you can then leave it in a normal fridge for a few days before freezing to 'age' a little or else it will come out of the freezer as stiff and tough as it went in! Leaving it in bags is not a successful as vac packing.
MS

 

[Kernow_to_LDN]

If you do have to butcher it that quick, the vacuum packing is a great idea as you can then leave it in a normal fridge for a few days before freezing to 'age' a little or else it will come out of the freezer as stiff and tough as it went in! Leaving it in bags is not a successful as vac packing.
MS

Absolutely, i always vac-pack anything going in the freezer- great piece of kit!

 

[Pine Marten]

All the links you guys have sent separately have been great, has any one had any experience with these muslin bags? Allen Muslin Deer Bag Sack Roe Muntjac x 4

I use these to hang deer in the shed before I butcher them to keep the flies off. I use one before I've skinned it, and a different clean one afterwards if there's a short period between skinning and butchering. I tend to try and do both on the trot though. In case it helps, here's how I deal with deer in cramped London accomodation:

1. Put "folded", gralloched deer in the icebox. Ideally it will have had a chance to hang a bit or cool down beforehand, I may have had time to remove lower legs and head, it depends on what time I shot the deer.
2. The icebox is on a little trolley, and that way I carry/wheel the deer home on the train/tube/bus. No one notices another guy with bulky luggage, it's not like it's bleeding on the floor. The journey is never more that 2.5 hours.
3. Deer is hung in the small shed in the garden by S-hooks to the length of curtain rail that I adapted under the roof of said shed, encased in a muslin "sock". Usually this is overnight, and I butcher it the next day, ideally when everyone's out.
4. I skin the deer hanging by its' back legs to the front of the shed, over a plastic crate lined with a bin bag for all the skin, head, etc to drop into.
5. I butcher the deer on the kitchen worktop, bag up and label all the cuts and stick them in the freezer.

Obviously this way, I don't have anywhere to hang deer for any length of time, and I'm limited to the smaller species. But I've dealt with ten deer this way so far, I've refined the process.

 

[Kernow_to_LDN]

I use these to hang deer in the shed before I butcher them to keep the flies off. I use one before I've skinned it, and a different clean one afterwards if there's a short period between skinning and butchering. I tend to try and do both on the trot though. In case it helps, here's how I deal with deer in cramped London accomodation:

1. Put "folded", gralloched deer in the icebox. Ideally it will have had a chance to hand a bit or cool down beforehand, I may have had time to remove lower legs and head, it depends on what time I shot the deer.
2. The icebox is on a little trolley, and that way I carry/wheel the deer home on the train/tube/bus. No one notices another guy with bulky luggage, it's not like it's bleeding on the floor. The journey is never more that 2.5 hours.
3. Deer is hung in the small shed in the garden by S-hooks to the length of curtain rail that I adapted under the roof of said shed, encased in a muslin "sock". Usually this is overnight, and I butcher it the next day, ideally when everyone's out.
4. I skin the deer hanging by its' back legs to the front of the shed, over a plastic crate lined with a bin bag for all the skin, head, etc to drop into.
5. I butcher the deer on the kitchen worktop, bag up and label all the cuts and stick them in the freezer.

Obviously this way, I don't have anyway to hang deer for any length of time, and I'm limited to the smaller species. But I've dealt with ten deer this way so far, I've refined the process.

This is really helpful PM, thanks!

 

[karlbird]

I recently bought some of those Allen muslin bags, both small as you show, and large.

i recently shot a fallow that was too big for my fridge. As it was cold in the garage (constant couple of degrees above freezing) I hung it in there from the beams inside a Muslin bag. No problems, it was fine for a couple of days and as good as being in the fridge.

So I would say using those in a plasterers bath or carcass tray would work well, although it doesn't stop it looking like a deer when you get to London.

 

[Kernow_to_LDN]

I recently bought some of those Allen muslin bags, both small as you show, and large.

i recently shot a fallow that was too big for my fridge. As it was cold in the garage (constant couple of degrees above freezing) I hung it in there from the beams inside a Muslin bag. No problems, it was fine for a couple of days and as good as being in the fridge.

So I would say using those in a plasterers bath or carcass tray would work well, although it doesn't stop it looking like a deer when you get to London.

Thanks mate, sounds like i have a transport plan! I'll let you all know if I get any funny looks next time I unload.