Hi Guys,

A friend and I are going to Newfoundland this year on a moose hunt. We are driving up from here in the Northeast. I'm checked cabelas for some meat coolers (Grizzly model) and they are really expensive. I think I can make one from plywood and foam, but the plans in my head are easier than reality!
Has anyone here built one? Any ideas?
Thanks alot for your help

On a recent hunt to Alberta (from California and Nevada) we just took along a chest-style freezer in the bed of the pick-up. On overnight stops coming home we plugged the freezer in at the various motels and arrived home with the meat still frozen rock-hard. Make SURE you take a good long extension cord!

Many freezers these days are really too big for this, but I suspect that some looking around might find a smallish one to buy or borrow. By the time one buys plywood and foam, etc., plus paying for a LOT of ice or dry ice for the trip home, I'd wager that a small freezer won't cost much more (if at all) and will be infinitely more efficient...and NO MESS in the vehicle. And then, of course, one has a neat new freezer for home use AND the next hunting trip.

What size do you whant? I have made one that dis-assembles to save room in the truck but mostly to save room in my shop. It is six pcs. and uses a hitch hauler that slips into a 2" reaciever as a foundation. You put it all together with drywall screws so you need to take a screwdriver of your choice with you. Made of 11/32 plywood 2x4 and 1 1/2 pink ridged foam and 2" drywall screws.

the idea that bren Ak1 has is the way to go, we did it going caribou hunting, it works great, you can lock it and as he stated if you stop for any length of time plug it in!

A hell of a lot easier then building a freezer!

Freezers and boxes take a lot of space. But I have used a piece of 2" blue board on the bottom of my truck bed, and then thrown meat in bags over that, followed by a plastic tarp and lots of ice, another tarp, and then sleeping bags. Gear on top of that.

It will work for 1800 miles and two days if you need it to.

Brent

Brent,

Be careful using the plastic, it can make something spoil faster then normal.


Good luck on your journey!

The meat is kept in regular game bags. The tarp is loose enough over the meat that it causes no problem. No different than the plastic lining of a freezer or cooler. Anyway, for sure it works, having done it numerous times now.

Brent

On a elk hunt we took some blue board and after we had are elk we cut it to size duct tape it togather it worked well for 1100 miles

Freezers are often not designed for use below room temperature [ 70 F]. My Frigidaire is , so check first.

I prefabbed a cooler box before I went mose hunting.Ends made of 2X3s,and sides were just some scraps of 3/4 plywood about 3" wide and 4' long,to hold it all togther.Used left over pink rigid insulation about 2" thick.Layed flat in bed of pickup (used insulation under our sleping bags) then quickly screwed it together using drywall screws.Had a 4'X4' box,2' deep in no time.