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How easy would it be...

raven01750

.270 WIN
To turn the trunk of my 98 Camry into a refrig/freezer with dry ice? How much dry ice would it take for at least one deer to stay at a safe temp if I wanted it to last say two days? Thinking of going off the res for a little bit and don't want to have to run home necessarily if I do get one.

Or does anyone have any other ideas? Out here in SoCal, it could be 80 degrees when we start deer season. Getting it out and into a cold locker becomes a lot more of a concern. What say ye:?:

Paul
 
I couldn't begin to guess, but id think you'd need to insulate also if it can get that warm/hot. Not a bad idea though! Genius even if it works! :D

Man, I honestly can't imagine fittin a deer into the trunk of a camry.
 
The deer is the easy part. That trunk is actually pretty big. It's getting guns and ammo in too on the way home! LOL.

I have already found a lot of info. The concept is easy enough. I would need about 10 lbs per day depending on how well the cooler portion is constructed. I don't want to freeze it. Just keep it cool. I live in a condo so sheet styrofoam is available occasionally from recycle etc. Construct a large tray with 2" thick walls for the Dry Ice to keep it from sublimating too quickly (a fancy word for turning to a gas) and maybe then styrofoam peanuts in bags to fill the rest of the voids. Keep the Dry Ice in a cooler until needed and then once it is, just open the lid and let the gas seep out filling up the remaining air pockets. Instant refrigerator.

Paul
 
I think it would be easier to quarter it and put it in a cooler. :D

I am curious to see what you come up with.

I think the problem will be air flow. Not only do you want the temp to be cool but you need that cool air to be able to flow through the cavity. The hide traps a lot of heat.
 
Re: RE: How easy would it be...

Please post pics if you score. I think a truck should be on your "next vehicle to buy" list :)

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My deer hunting area is right off of the interstate. The Cleveland National Forest starts about 50 to 150 yards from the freeway and runs for miles along side of it. We had a lot of problems last year with the CHP out here thinking they own everything from the highway to the fence.

But the only legal place to park is a view point about a quarter mile from my jump off point. Last year they took a dim view of me walking down the side of the freeway about 8 OClock at night carrying a 12 GA Shotgun (after our local freeway shooter I understand) and after about an hour of being on the ground, handcuffed etc., verifying that I was indeed hunting in a legal area and just trying to get back to my car which was only another 100 yards up the road, they took the handcuffs off! But brandishing a weapon at the viewpoint is just as frowned apon. I realize they are just doing their job so I can't get too upset about it.

So, I started parking at an entrance gate that the forest service has in case they need to stage equipment for fire etc. It was a good 50 yards from the interstate. We ranged it. But they kept tickiting and threatening to tow our vehicles. All of the tickets were eventually dismissed "in the interest of justice", but it was a big hassle anyway.

So now, I still need to be able to get my game to the car, usually up about 1800' of mountainside and it takes time. Lots of it. To pack the meat out myself, I will have to cut it into at least three pieces, Head and neck, split the body. That's three trips. All day affair even if I take one in the AM. I just dont know what else to do otherwise except try and come up with some method to keep the game cool while all of this is happening. Plus, I'm thinking about getting a Bobcat Tag and Pig Tag and hang out for a little while after the guts hit the ground to see what else might show. Any other ideas are certainly appreciated.

Paul
 
and after about an hour of being on the ground, handcuffed etc., verifying that I was indeed hunting in a legal area and just trying to get back to my car which was only another 100 yards up the road, they took the handcuffs off! But brandishing a weapon at the viewpoint is just as frowned apon. I realize they are just doing their job so I can't get too upset about it.

Uhhh, I think you should be upset about it. They know why your there and are only harassing you which is truly sad if that's what they think doing their job is. A half hour on the ground and all you were doing was returning to your car after hunting is ridiculous. If any of our LEO's think otherwise I'd love to here why I'm wrong.

As for turning your trunk into a cooler, I like your inventiveness and it could be done but I'm not sure the cost wouldn't outweigh the benefit.

Good luck and post some pics if you decide to build the trunk freezer!
 
I might normally agree. But we had a guy shooting passing cars on state route 163 just a couple of months earlier. One woman was hit. Thank god nobody was killed. LEO's did a fantstic job of securing the freeway, finding some spent shell casings and either through fingerprints or DNA caught the guy. All the LEO's were on hightened alert. I give them credit for not always having an easy job...

Paul
 
From reading your one post it sounded like they were picking on you because you were hunting. Good for you then for being understanding and supportive of them catching that guy.

I give them credit for not always having an easy job...
Me too!
 
I wish i could answer that question Raven. I have friends of mine that head north on an annual moose hunt every year. They have a trailer with a cooler on it that they built. I'm guessing it's run off a generator. Nothing worse than being in the middle of no where and shooting an animal on the first few days of a 1 or 2 week hunt. Lucky for me i'm only a short distance from my home where i hunt. My wife works at the local butcher store that processes wild game and it's nothing for me to break camp and drive a half hour to get it into their cooler. If i had any advice i would say check Youtube. I'm sure someone has come up with something on there about keeping game cool. I see this question on hunting forums all the time about keeping game cool. I'll see what i can try and dig up for you.
 
I have a plan that I am putting into action. I won't be turning the trunk into an ice box though but making a bag that I can use to not only cool and store, but also used to carry my game out if need be.

I was thinking about using frozen water jugs for cooling but I don't want the condensate and I do want the benefits of the dry ice like tick, flea and bacteria control when it sublimates. The carbon dioxide will kill any of those oxygen breathing critters, cool the game down very nicely and should even be affective against bacteria. Win, Win, Win.

Paul

Paul
 
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