Our team shot 2 moose two years ago. It was very cold. Minus 23 at night. Minus 14 all day. We hung from the trees and they froze very fast. Pulley system/snatchblock worked incredible to get them up or down the hill to the road.
We made a critical error when we got back home.
We had a great spot to hang the 1/4s for four or five days in cooler. Worked great. Only thing I forgot was to account for defrost time. That really slowed the breakdown of the meat. We hung it bone in. Because it probably took the first three day to defrost, this kept the meat tough. I think we needed at least four or five more days hanging time to allow the meat to tenderize.
There is a cooler at Grocery 99 in 100 mile house if you need one, but only open business hours to 5 or 5:30. We used him a few years ago and he was a great service.
As mentioned if you want wrapping, there is that guy set up along the east of hwy just before Lac La Hache. Frank's I think, but don't recall. He does decent sausage as well.
When I hunted 5-02 late October, for deer, it was usually cold enough to just hang up in camp.
Me, personally I do the gutless method, and 1/4 the animal and get them in game bags right away on the top half, then roll and do the same. Back straps I usually tie onto the front 1/4's and that usually evens the weight with the rear 1/4's to hang up. Usually split the rest of the meat into two other bags that are small enough to still hang, and cool the meat.
If you still want the ribs, and they make great camp rib roast the next day, they are still easy to cut out after you roll the and finish the 2nd half. Start the hide on the belly side and go up to the back, so when you roll him over you can onto the stretched out hide, and still keep the ribs clean. Can easy get to the tenderloins using gutless as well.
There are a few great areas there with atv only access, but its not necessary. Remember there is a guide set up on Spout lk rd at 108 mile crossroads, and I don't believe they use atv's.
Are you guys planning access of Spout lake rd, or???
My parents had a cabin at Rail lake for a bunch of years, so hunted there often. Off Spout lk rd.
For the dates mentioned, the biggest bulls will likely be holed up in the timber after their rutting, but the little guys get their chance to breed and are still on the prowl. Stay away from raking and bull calls and only use cow calls as to not scare away any of the little guys.
You should be alright without a cooler at the dates mentioned, but always good to have a back up plan. We shot two last year Oct 2 and Oct 4 and it was already down to -3 at night and we hung both bulls at camp for a week. If you are familiar with quartering large animals and you're able bodied, a quad isn't absolutely necessary, just handy to have. I would not spend the money to rent one personally.
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