For hunting trips, the GATR 70 with Wheels ($450, 70 quarts, 80 cans plus ice) covers a weekend at the lease or a long morning in the duck blind with a group, and the GATR 110 with Wheels ($500, 110 quarts, two cutting-board dividers) is the one for a week-long camp or for bringing deer meat home. Both are built by GATR, the cooler and drinkware brand from Thibodaux, Louisiana, with a one-piece rotomolded shell, 2 to 3 inches of foam, a freezer-style gasket and a drain sized for a garden hose. Add a GATR Egg 25 backpack for the walk in and a 1L Thermeaux for coffee in the blind.
What does a hunting cooler need to do?
A hunting cooler has two jobs that most coolers only have one of. It feeds and waters the people in camp, and it keeps game cold and clean until you get home or to the processor. That changes what you look for.
- Room for meat, not just drinks. Quartered deer takes space. The GATR 110 has an interior of 31.6 × 14.2 × 14.8 inches, and the GATR 70 has 27.4 × 12.2 × 12.8 inches.
- Dividers to keep things apart. The cutting-board divider separates meat from food and drinks. The GATR 110 comes with two, so you can split it three ways.
- A drain you can use without unloading. Meltwater from game should come out, not sit on the meat. The drain takes a standard garden hose for cleanup back home.
- A way to lock it. Dual stainless bottle openers double as padlock-ready locking plates, which helps at a shared camp or in a truck bed overnight.
- Wheels that cannot go flat. Solid rubber off-road wheels on the 70 and 110 handle gravel camp roads and grass. The cooler stays put in a truck bed or on a buggy until you lift it from the far end.
How do you store deer meat during hunting season?
We are a cooler shop, not a meat processor, so follow the guidance from your state wildlife agency and your processor on handling and timing. What a cooler can do is keep the meat cold, clean and dry until it gets there. The general rules are simple.
- Start cold. Pre-chill the cooler the night before. The foam holds the temperature it was left at, so sacrifice a bag of ice overnight and load fresh ice in the morning.
- Keep meat cold the whole way. Use plenty of ice. Solid block ice or brick pellets outlast hollow tube ice.
- Keep meat out of meltwater. Bag the meat or keep it on top of the ice, and drain meltwater as it builds up.
- Keep the cooler in the shade. In our own 3-hour test, a cooler in the sun and one in the shade differed by over 55 degrees in surface temperature. Under the camp shed or a tarp beats an open truck bed.
- Keep it closed. Use a separate cooler for drinks so the meat cooler opens as little as possible.
- Clean it after. Rinse with a hose through the drain, wash with mild soap and let it dry with the lid open.
How long ice lasts depends on all of the above. Most owners report several days from a full cooler, and up to a week in cooler months, which is when deer season runs. The details are in our article on GATR cooler ice retention.
What is the best cooler for duck hunting?
Duck hunting is mostly about carrying less. You walk or boat in before light, sit through the morning and want hot coffee and a few drinks, not a big box.
- For the walk or the mud boat: the GATR Egg 25 ($225) has backpack straps and side handles and holds 30 cans or 15 bottles plus ice. It is built for a day, not for multi-day ice.
- For the boat or the blind with a group: the GATR 45 ($300) holds 42 cans plus ice and is a two-person carry when full.
- For coffee: the 1L Thermeaux ($50) holds about 34 fl oz with an 8 oz sipping cup that doubles as the cap. It comes in five finishes, including artist Scott Storm's "Amber Water Mallards" print. Double-walled, vacuum-insulated stainless steel keeps hot drinks hot.
GATR also makes co-branded Ducks Unlimited items. They are sold at local Ducks Unlimited banquets, not on gatrcoolers.com.
What size cooler for a week-long hunting camp?
A week at camp usually means two coolers: one that gets opened all day for drinks and lunch, and one that stays shut for food or meat. A half-empty big cooler loses ice faster than a full smaller one, so plan for what you will actually fill.
| Trip | People | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morning in the duck blind | 1–3 | GATR Egg 25 + 1L Thermeaux | Backpack carry, hot coffee, drinks for the day |
| Day at the deer stand or lease | 1–2 | GATR 45 | Lunch, drinks and room for a cleaned harvest |
| Weekend at camp | 3–6 | GATR 70 with Wheels | 80 cans plus ice, wheels for the camp road |
| Week-long camp, or bringing deer home | 4–8 | GATR 110 with Wheels | 110 qt, two dividers, 0–30 in lid ruler |
| Week-long camp, two-cooler system | 4–8 | GATR 110 for food and meat, GATR 45 or Egg 25 for drinks | The meat cooler stays closed |
The GATR 110 with Wheels comes in Tan, White and Gulf Blue.
Which GATR to pick for hunting
- Duck hunters: GATR Egg 25 ($225) and a 1L Thermeaux ($50).
- Deer hunters on day trips: GATR 45 ($300).
- Weekend camp with a group: GATR 70 with Wheels ($450).
- Week-long camp and meat transport: GATR 110 with Wheels ($500).
Want your camp name or lease logo on the lid? Our custom Marine Mat lid pads run $100 for the GATR 70 and $110 for the GATR 110, installed free with a new cooler. Allow three to four weeks after proof approval, so order well before opening day. In-stock coolers typically ship the same or next business day, and orders over $75 ship free in the USA. Not sure about size? The cooler size guide lays them side by side.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best cooler for hunting trips?
The GATR 70 with Wheels ($450, 80 cans plus ice) suits a weekend at camp, and the GATR 110 with Wheels ($500, 110 quarts, two dividers) suits a week-long camp or bringing deer meat home. Both have a seamless rotomolded shell and a hose-sized drain.
What is the best cooler for duck hunting?
For walking or boating into the blind, the GATR Egg 25 ($225) has backpack straps and holds 30 cans plus ice for the day. Pair it with the 1L Thermeaux ($50) for hot coffee, available in Scott Storm's "Amber Water Mallards" print.
How do I store deer meat in a cooler during hunting season?
Pre-chill the cooler, use plenty of solid ice, keep the meat out of meltwater, keep the cooler shaded and closed, and get it to your processor as your state guidance advises. The GATR 110 with Wheels has two dividers to keep meat apart from food and drinks.
What size cooler do I need for a week-long hunting camp?
Most groups of four to eight do best with a GATR 110 with Wheels for food and meat and a smaller cooler like the GATR 45 or Egg 25 for drinks. The meat cooler then stays closed and keeps its ice longer.
Can I lock a GATR cooler at hunting camp?
Yes. Every GATR hard cooler has dual stainless bottle openers that double as padlock-ready locking plates.
How long will a GATR cooler keep game cold?
It depends on pre-chilling, shade, the ice you use, how full it is and how often it is opened. Most owners report several days from a full cooler, and up to a week in cooler months.
Does GATR make Ducks Unlimited products?
Yes. GATR makes co-branded Ducks Unlimited items, sold at local Ducks Unlimited banquets rather than on gatrcoolers.com.
