I haven't hunted for a long time as I've had no time cause of work etc.. I work in the woods in central BC every year until around the middle of October. I have a camp with gen power etc. and I'm thinking of also mixing in some hunting with work this year. Spike Moose and 6 point Elk are open in the area I'm at for at least a month or bit more while I'm there. I've seen both around where I am so if I do harvest an animal it will be one or the other.
I'd like to make sure I have the right supplies with me at camp in case I do harvest one. I am approximately 10 hrs away from home where I am working and where I stay for most of the season but I do come back home from time to time when I need to. So if I do harvest an animal I will need to keep it at camp until I take it home or take it to a more local processor etc. Best case scenario would probably be to take it as soon as possible to a closer processor to where my camp is then take it home at the end of the season after they hang it for awhile and process it etc.
So my question is; what would be the best kind of storage device to use for the animal after gutting, quartering etc? Is it possible to use a large deep freeze but convert the thermostat/compressor to use it as a very cold cooler instead of a freezer? I've read it isn't a great idea to freeze, then thaw, then re freeze again. Is that true? What do you guys recommend doing in this situation?
I have large sea cans storage containers on sight so I would make sure I gut the animal, quarter it etc out in the field to avoid bringing too much scent back to camp, then keep it in hopefully a large cooler in the sea can until I take it to the processor or home etc.. There are a lot of bears in the area so I don't want to keep it at camp any longer than necessary. I can also load the cooler/freezer onto a trailer at camp with a smaller portable generator to take it to either a processor or home etc..