It looks like you had a great trip to Alaska with Tyler. Fun stuff and congrats on the grouse slam. I was looking back through Pheasant, Quail, Cottontail on your hanging birds vs. plucking and gutting. I am going to do several ~10ish day trip through mid/eastern Montana this season with an antelope tag, a deer tag and a new bird dog for upland and waterfowl. I will largely be moteling it in an older Suburban. How would you suggest handling the storage of the waterfowl and the upland birds (huns, sharpies and pheasant)? Leave whole to age in bags on ice in the cooler or pluck and gut and bag before putting on ice? I guess breaking down the birds and icing would be an option, but I'd miss out on the aging benefits, but I'm not really able to hang them on the road. I will have a least one Yeti like coolers with me (70 quart). Every 10 days or so I will head back to our home on Rock Creek in Clinton, MT near Missoula. I may utilize a game processor in those areas for the deer and antelope if I am successful. I am newly retired and looking to do a lot of hunting this season. Apologies if this is the wrong forum for the questions. I am a To The Bone subscriber and have enjoyed the work.
Hi Hank
It looks like you had a great trip to Alaska with Tyler. Fun stuff and congrats on the grouse slam. I was looking back through Pheasant, Quail, Cottontail on your hanging birds vs. plucking and gutting. I am going to do several ~10ish day trip through mid/eastern Montana this season with an antelope tag, a deer tag and a new bird dog for upland and waterfowl. I will largely be moteling it in an older Suburban. How would you suggest handling the storage of the waterfowl and the upland birds (huns, sharpies and pheasant)? Leave whole to age in bags on ice in the cooler or pluck and gut and bag before putting on ice? I guess breaking down the birds and icing would be an option, but I'd miss out on the aging benefits, but I'm not really able to hang them on the road. I will have a least one Yeti like coolers with me (70 quart). Every 10 days or so I will head back to our home on Rock Creek in Clinton, MT near Missoula. I may utilize a game processor in those areas for the deer and antelope if I am successful. I am newly retired and looking to do a lot of hunting this season. Apologies if this is the wrong forum for the questions. I am a To The Bone subscriber and have enjoyed the work.
Thanks - Joe York