Dry Ice Help

never_satisfied · Aug 31, 2011

I'm going to be using dry ice for the first time this year on a 7 day antelope hunt in Wyoming
I have a 150 quart cooler that I need to put 4 antelope in
I'm going to put a piece of cardboard in the bottom of the cooler.And then put the dry ice wrapped in newspaper on it with another piece of cardboard on top of it.
I will then place the antelope on top of all of this
For those of you with experience with dry ice will this work,is there a better way to do it and how much dry ice do I need
Thanks for any help

B_BOP_A_LU_LU · Aug 31, 2011

You're putting 4 Antelope in one 150 quart Cooler?

I tried that Dry Ice once!

That Crap Distapears!

For GAWDS Sakes Guys,We Got Kids on this Site,Some of them are 65 years Old!

I don't care if they're big or small!
If they throw lead I like em all!

gunguy · Aug 31, 2011

I have a old colman cooler, with the metal outside (1970's) and I cut out a piece of 1/2" plywood to fit in the bottom.
Place the dry ice on top of plywood, this keeps the plastic bottom from freezing and cracking.
Put game meat in and cover with a heavy blanket, keep lid closed and you should be good for 7 or 8 days.
Figure 2 pounds of dry ice a day, all in one large block.

Gator · Aug 31, 2011

Dry ice on the bottom wrapped good in Freezer paper, put in meat(Meat frozen already by a meat locker) fill the cooler with meat, now put freezer paper on top then another slab of dry ice(wrapped). Close lid DUCT TAPE lid shut by wrapping the tape around the lid opening. Put icechest in Truck, wrap sleeping bag around ice chest, should be good for a long Drive.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".

never_satisfied · Aug 31, 2011

Yes b bop 4 Antelope.Quartered of course
Last year we fit 3 deer with some room left so I figure we should be able to get the 4 antelope in this year
If we are unable to get it all in then we will eat real good the last day were up there I guess

NebrCatMan · Aug 31, 2011

I have never used dry ice but I mite try it this year. For a cooler me and my buddies use old meat deep freezers that the pumps went out on. WE strip out the pumps and We usually fill them up before we leave home with ice and it seems to last . Went to Wyoming just outside yellowstone a couple years ago and kept our perishables in it for 10 days and came back with some deboned elk meat in meat bags in it too. Still had ice when we hit southeast Nebraska after 10 days. Just my 2 cents worth.

BenHuntn · Aug 31, 2011

Dry ice should be put on top of what you want to cool. The cold air will settle. Never be in a closed in area with dry ice it displaces oxygen. The dry ice package explains it all.

vitalzone · Aug 31, 2011

Yea, I put a quartered up bull elk in 5 big coolers,wrapped up dry ice in newspaper,put it on top of the meat,the newspaper prevented freezer burn,closed the lids and sealed up the seams of the cooler with duct tape. was a archery hunt in NM early sept. it was real hot out. Drove 7 hours to my house in AZ, during the middle of the day, the meat was excellent. I agree though, put the ice on top,just wrap it up real good. Cold settles down, heat rises up.

RELH · Aug 31, 2011

I agree on the dry ice being put on top as the cold filters down. Put your meat in ice chest, put some form of insulation, such as folded blanket or cardboard on meat and then dry ice on top. fasten lid good and duct tape seam and ice will last longer.
Also if you must resupply the dry ice on route home, it is far easier to open ice chest and put in more dry ice without having to disturb the meat.

You should get 2-3 days on the dry ice depending on the amount of ice and how well the ice chest is sealed. I get up to 4 days in my home made pickup bed cooler box.

kilowatt · Aug 31, 2011

Last year we had our two large coolers filled with Lope and Deer meat and the Locker did all the packing for us and even loaded them on a cart to take out to the pu.
They put dry ice on top and then filled in all the gaps with shedded newspaper and closed lid. Then duck taped the lid closed and the drain plug too.

Two days later back in Kali it was all still frozen.

Brian
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GotBowAz · Sep 1, 2011

I agree with the dry ice on top but the only time I have ever done this was after all the butchering was done. I butcher all my own elk and usually right there at camp, then I will throw it in my 150 quart cooler all packaged really nice and put the dry ice on top and seal the cooler with duct tape. But I don't think I would do this if I didn't have it already butchered. The meat in the freezer warp was frozen solid once I got it home, I just simply transferred it to the freezer and that worked great but if it isn't butchered then you will have let it thaw out enough to work with it. That makes for some cold hands and hard work unless you have a band saw. If you don't package it just ice it down, leave the cap of the cooler open, rotate your meat a few times a day and add more ice. It will last for well over a week this way. The down side is ice takes up a lot of room. Maybe that's what your trying to get away from??

GBA

BeanMan · Sep 1, 2011

Just remember that dry ice can kill you. Never have it in your sleeping area or inside a truck cab etc. You probably know this already but it never hurts to be reminded.

YukonDall · Sep 1, 2011

BEANMAN.....SPEAKS THE TRUTH. DRY ICE DISPLACES OXYGEN WITH C02 GAS.....WHICH WILL APHYXIATE (SP) YOU IN CONFINED SPACES.......LIKE A CAMPER.............YD.

Brandon82 · Sep 1, 2011

The one thing i have done with dry ice to keep it longer is after you cover your dry ice with paper and lay it in the bottom of your cooler, take a 20lb bag of ice and spread a nice layer over the DI and you will have it for quite some time. and then when you put your quarters in there you wont have to worry about them freezing. done this a number of times and it works great.

KNOTFERSAIL · Sep 1, 2011

forget the antelope in the cooler,when you kill'm hang them in the shade and bag'm.

on your way up here stop in evanston and fill that 150 quart cooler with barly pop(i'll remind you BUD)

then on your way home you can stop and bootleg that girly beer you like home.its a win win situation

"shoot lower sheriff he's riding a shetland"

Zeke · Sep 2, 2011

A few years ago I bought a whole pig to roast. I put wrapped dry ice in the body cavity and wrapped the pig in an clean old blanket and headed for the mountains to do a little camping, cooking and eating. The pig was frozen within 3 hours. Maybe too much dry ice!

Good luck.

Zeke

elkantlers · Sep 3, 2011

I would only use dry ice if the antelope is cut up and ready to freeze.

I usually use regular ice, block and crushed, to cool the boned out meat. I don't want it to freeze just stay real cold. That way it ages in the cooler and is ready to cut up once I get home.

I had three buck antelope, boned out, in a 150qt cooler with ice and could have fit another antelope easily.

Whit any cooler the less air space you have the better. A blanket or newspaper in a garbage sack placed in the top to take up space will keep you meat cooler an make the ice last longer.

jodog · Sep 6, 2011

If air can get to the dry ice while in transit, when you open your cooler the only thing you'll have is warm goat meat in the cooler and empty plastic bags. Keep your cooler air tight.