Hunting & Fishing DIY Walk in Deer Cooler

[neeltburn]

Beginning to do some research on building a DIY deer cooler. Found a device called Coolbot (Coolbot webpage) that turns a window AC unit into refrigeration unit for the walk in. Looking at 2 options, build a 6'x'6'x7' box(and insulate it) and put it in the corner of my shop or find a small 6x8 shed and insulate it and place in on a concrete pad behind my shop. It would likely only run a few weeks a year and have one or two deer in it at a time. Deer processors are going by the way side and only open certain hours and days now days. I have processed deer many times as I have a friend of the family who has a walk in cooler but our schedules don't line up always and I hate to be only guy invading his shop to process a deer. All this got me searching for deer cooler options that didn't cost 5 grand. Figured fellow 'Hide members were crafty and maybe some of you have built a DIY cooler, if so share your experience. Not sure which direction I will go but I like doing my own processing and think maybe I would get back out hunting more earlier in the year if I didn't have to rely on others or processors for my game.


Thoughts I have had.

• Inside may be more forgiving on the AC unit during early season.
• Outside saves my shop space and would look just like a shed.
• Looking for a used walk in door as this will be the hardest to get a good seal. (open to input)
• Insulation is key: only foam or sprayed in, no fiberglass.
• This all hinges on the Coolbot being a viable option - Concerns AC unit could freeze up.
• My wife already pointed out I have shot a deer yet this year.
• Would need to pick up a grinder.

Advice or experience?

 

[Hecouldgoalltheway]

Following, nothing to offer

 

[nockhunter]

A local micro brewery did what you describe with 2 window units to make a cold room for beer. Worked very well.

Mike

 

[wvfarrier]

I never gave it much thought....I always separate my deer into large (legs, backstraps, etc) and age them in a cooler but yeah....a cold room would be handy.

 

[powdahound76]

I know a couple people who have done it.
They have big shops, so just framed them up inside.
And set them up to hang full deer.

I have thought about it more than a couple times.
Be nice to let it hang a few days.
where to put one is my biggest hassle now.

 

[neeltburn]

I know a couple people who have done it.
They have big shops, so just framed them up inside.
And set them up to hang full deer.

I have thought about it more than a couple times.
Be nice to let it hang a few days.
where to put one is my biggest hassle now.

Where to put it is why I’m considering the outside shed idea. I like the idea of capping it out and hanging it for a few days.

 

[zeroz]

Depending on how many deer you think you need in there, if you don't need them to be hide on, a fridge can work too. I have a shop fridge that mostly gets emptied and becomes the deer/elk/lope fridge from sept until I stop killing critters in feb. I can get a full elk worth of quarters/loins/neck/ribs in there. Its tight but you can do it. I put a whole antelope buck, hide on, in there this year for a couple days while I went and got a doe. Depending on where you are and the deer size, quartered up you could get 2 for sure and probably 3 deer in a regular size fridge. The rest of the year it is just an extra shop fridge.

 

[BAMAboy18]

Beginning to do some research on building a DIY deer cooler. Found a device called Coolbot (Coolbot webpage) that turns a window AC unit into refrigeration unit for the walk in. Looking at 2 options, build a 6'x'6'x7' box(and insulate it) and put it in the corner of my shop or find a small 6x8 shed and insulate it and place in on a concrete pad behind my shop. It would likely only run a few weeks a year and have one or two deer in it at a time. Deer processors are going by the way side and only open certain hours and days now days. I have processed deer many times as I have a friend of the family who has a walk in cooler but our schedules don't line up always and I hate to be only guy invading his shop to process a deer. All this got me searching for deer cooler options that didn't cost 5 grand. Figured fellow 'Hide members were crafty and maybe some of you have built a DIY cooler, if so share your experience. Not sure which direction I will go but I like doing my own processing and think maybe I would get back out hunting more earlier in the year if I didn't have to rely on others or processors for my game.


Thoughts I have had.

• Inside may be more forgiving on the AC unit during early season.
• Outside saves my shop space and would look just like a shed.
• Looking for a used walk in door as this will be the hardest to get a good seal. (open to input)
• Insulation is key: only foam or sprayed in, no fiberglass.
• This all hinges on the Coolbot being a viable option - Concerns AC unit could freeze up.
• My wife already pointed out I have shot a deer yet this year.
• Would need to pick up a grinder.

Advice or experience?

I've known several people use those. I bought a walk in cooler from a butcher that had the rail and hooks for hanging meat. I installed it in a flower shop my ex ran, after she took a customer in it to pick out roses and there were 2 deer hanging, she stopped all that!

 

[Ranchhand]

I have a coolbot. I can cool a 6x6x8 cinderblock shed to mid 40s in the heat of summer.
My ac has never froze over.
I usually only run the unit for a couple of days though. Just long enough to cool the meat so I can cut it up.

 

[lonestar1845]

My condenser went out on an old 7x7x8 box from the 40's or 50's. Metal sheet box with shit fiberglass insulation and wood framing. Instead of dumping $3k on a new unit for that old box, we decided to try the coolbot and a window unit. Keeps it from the low 30's to the high 30's depending on outside temp (Texas). Pretty impressed with it.

If I were to put one in a new box inside a building, I would use a mini split so I could mount the condenser on the outside of the building.

 

[roostercogburn98]

My condenser went out on an old 7x7x8 box from the 40's or 50's. Metal sheet box with shit fiberglass insulation and wood framing. Instead of dumping $3k on a new unit for that old box, we decided to try the coolbot and a window unit. Keeps it from the low 30's to the high 30's depending on outside temp (Texas). Pretty impressed with it.

If I were to put one in a new box inside a building, I would use a mini split so I could mount the condenser on the outside of the building.

Beat me to it on the mini split. Seems to be a logical, somewhat economical option to keep a small place pretty cool IMO.

 

[YBPS]

I purchased an 8x8 shipping container. Framed it and insulated it to make 5’ deep with a steel insulated door and with a cold bot. Keeps meat at 36F easy in the hot 90F degree wyoming sun. All in $4000. Have had 3 elk and 2 deer hanging all at once. Wired it with an RV plug so I just run an extension cord to it from the house. Mounted powerstrut for hanging