Hey Gang,
   elk season is nearly upon us!! I'm finishing up the final preparations for this years hunt and was hoping for some advice regarding meat and antler transportation.   This will be the first year I'll be flying out west for elk season, as opposed to driving my personal vehicle. I'm looking for some advice as to how you guys recommend getting that meat back, should I be successful. Are coolers(or dry bags) loaded to 50# frozen for checked baggage the way to go? overnight UPS? I will have access to a meat locker for freezing. Any advice here would be much appreciated.  Cheers, Matt Grode

I have not flown game meat but have some experience with fish.  We froze it and packed it in coolers.  No dry ice, but wrapped heavily in paper.  It was home in about six hours. I would have felt much more comfortable with dry ice but we had no access to any. Better check with the airline about using it though.

Not all coolers equal so that should be considered.  On a Texas hog hunt we realised that we needed one more cooler and wasted a half day wandering around the panhandle looking for one. So, best have the coolers lined up before the hunt.

Have never flown a head, by apparently in AK they clean the skull up and cut it down the middle then tie them together.  Another thing to discuss with your airline.    

In any case, good luck to you.

You don't have to cut the skull to fly with it.  But talk to your airline.  You can fit a cut and wrapped elk in one Xlarge or two Large coolers.  The waxed fish boxes work well for this also.  We ship our frozen moose home in them from AK.

Check the closest town to where your hunting and talk with game processors and see what they recommend.

Mike

Thanks fellas, that helps.  I'll be flying Delta.  They allow the antlers to be checked so long as the points are wrapped.  I hope to have that problem to deal with!  As a last resort I can drive the rental car back to WI if I take multiple animals.  Overweight charges can really bite a guy in the butt!

Wingnut- Do you ship the fish boxes with UPS, Fedex, etc.? or check them on the plane for your flight back?  (good luck this season!)

I have flown frozen fish from AK to Montana in the wax fish boxes and it will still be froze hard when I get there. (12 hour transit time) If you tell the airlines they will mark it to keep frozen. I have just checked it as luggage. You might cut down on the excess baggage by mailing some of your camp gear home giving you more room for the meat. One time a friend and I each carried 50 pounds of deer meat back from Kodiak to Anchorage in our carry ons.

I have seen guys cut up a garden hose and tape those onto the antler tips as better protection than just a heavy wrapping.

Matt,

Both John and I are "known shippers" with Alaska air so we ship it air cargo and it's there when we get home.  Remember with a moose we are dealing with more then 500# for each animal.


Mike

We have flown meat back many times. Have it processed and frozen and packed in waxed cardboard boxes (lightest) or Rubbermaid containers, or 50 Qt coolers. Just be sure to be at or under 50#. Most airlines allow dry ice in small quantities (4#) allowed in check baggage if needed.. Also we have used soft side coolers or insulated food bags (Sams Club) or our backpacks as carry on for meat. Usually two of us can bring 200-240# of frozen meat back free on board.(SWA) We ship our gear home UPS 5 day ground for low costs.

Dang it!!!
I thought this was going to be a thread about bird hunting