Not sure what category this should be in...

[marknb]

Hey all,

Can anyone tell me what size of deep freeze I would need for say, a butcher dressed moose, half a beef, or a good sizede pig? I guess what I'm looking for is approx. volumes of the various critters we all smoke so well...wife and I are looking to buy, but I'm not sure how big we should go. All this in support of this terrible smoking habit I've developed...sheesh...

Thanks,

Mark

 

[fourthwind]

I prefer upright deep freezers. You will have less "I forgot I had that" moments since you bury things less. I can get a Bull Elk with room to spare in a small 15 Cubic foot model. All told it's about 3 to 400 pounds of meat. Moose depending on it's size will be about the same. Unless it's a Yukon moose, then your looking at about 600 pounds. Keep in mind that is purely de boned meat. Steaks, roasts, and the grind in 1.5 pound chubs. I of course have a 20 Cubic foot model as well. I keep hogs and beef in one, and wild game in the other.

 

[marknb]

Thanks Fourthwind, that's the kind of answer I was looking for! It'd be one o' dem southeastern Canada moose, if and when I ever get a tag for one. There's an annual draw, with luck running I might be getting one about once a decade. I only wish there were elk out here!

 

[fourthwind]

Here is a hint on moose.. If you want good meat, then dont shoot a moose thats eating swamp grass. Find one grazing on dry grass. The difference in the meat quality is astounding.

You can always come to Colorado and hunt some Elk. I can point you in some good directions for a DIY hunt, and you can always get tags. Might not be in a trophy zone, but you will have fun!

 

[pineywoods]

My advice would be much like getting a smoker get the largest one you can afford and afford to run cause at some point none seem big enough

 

[mulepackin]

I like uprights too for the ease of locating items. I use a sort of milk crate style of bins in mine like drawers. It maximizes space better, allows organization better (burger in one, steaks in another and so on), and prevents a big avalanche of frozen packages from spilling out of the freezer and landing on my inevitibly unshod foot. Make sure the bins are not solid but open to allow good cold air circulation. I've found that you can store a lot more meat in an upright with this method.

 

[marknb]

Thanks again Fourthwind, if I were to go on tour for meat, I'd likely take a trip to Newfoundland for moose - how could I possibly afford to ship 300lbs of elk meat from Colorado to the east coast? lol I've had very little elk in my life, but I recall its on par or better with moose as some of the best you can get.

FYI all the local moose live in da swamp, they even call them 'swamp donkeys'. Wetland is so prevelent around here you're more likely to find fish grazing on grass.

 

[marknb]

Thanks Mulepackin, that's a few votes for uprights. I was thinking that too, takes up less floor space, easier to get at stuff, etc. I see they're more $$/sq ft though....

 

[mballi3011]

Thanks God I have a upright freezer wel 3 of them and it's a freezer farm in my garage.

 

[fourthwind]

LOL @ the freezer farm.. I know the feeling.

Not sure what the shipping is, but most meat packers around here will flash freeze the meat for you, and dry ice is cheap. Considering the price of the overall trip, a 100 to 200 bucks to ship the meat will be the cheap part.