Alaska hunt logistics

[2amd4life]

I’ve never had any issues just using totes

 

[adr3naline]

This is all amazing info. I appreciate your help!!

 

[Kevin Dill]

I used to ship (USPS) a plastic tote with 30-50 pounds of gear to Fairbanks every fall. Postal rates made me reevaluate that, and so did the potential to lose gear in shipment. I'm not saying to avoid it, but I don't currently recommend shipping critical hunting gear. My practice is to simply go with the airline baggage, and pay the price....but be CAREFUL which company you fly with and check their baggage fees. Alaska Airlines is typically more flier-friendly when it comes to baggage prices.

I personally don't care to fly frugal or pinch every penny.

One trick I've used for many years: I load my carry-on roller with as much heavy stuff as possible, and add a change of clothes in there too. I've been known to get over 20 pounds in it. On departure, I roll up to the gate and talk to an agent...typically just ask them if I can gate-check my carry-on as baggage all the way to my destination. They ALWAYS say yes and do the baggage ticket print right there. Then I drop the bag at the bottom of the jetway for loading. The only thing i take into the cabin is a small shoulder bag with absolute necessary stuff and nothing else. I don't need an overhead bin and I don't worry about boarding early. It doesn't matter to me if I'm the last guy on the plane. My shoulder bag goes under the seat. I'm not encumbered while transitioning through airports. I've done this so many times that I have no extra worries about it. My carry-on always shows up at the carousel.

One final thing: Food.....I really dislike packing all that bulk (and weight) into my airline baggage. I 100% always purchase it from an online seller and have it shipped straight to Alaska. For convenience I favor REI. I make one big order for freeze-dried meals, camp snacks, etc and then get free shipping to Alaska. I might have a few food items in my airline baggage but not much. After I arrive in town I buy the remainder of my groceries and that's it. Easy.

 

[VernAK]

Good advice Kevin!
USPS to Alaska is not only expensive but very unreliable. Our small rural post offices are flooded with Amazon boxes and many are understaffed with no relief in sight.

 

[gbflyer]

Good advice Kevin!
USPS to Alaska is not only expensive but very unreliable. Our small rural post offices are flooded with Amazon boxes and many are understaffed with no relief in sight.

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[WMR]

I shipped a camp, pack and clothes in four large totes last year. They went slow mail with tracking for about $100 each. Each was numbered and inventoried down to the last item . Once delivery was confirmed, I knew for certain what gear would be waiting there for me. No risk of these being lost on travel day. I checked these as baggage on the return trip as a temporary loss then would be no big deal. I did rent a few bulky items up there to save on shipping.

On travel day, my gun case also held my knives, tripod, ammo and fishing rod, and was my only checked bag. Optics went in my carry on with a few clothing essentials. I wore my boots and hunting jacket on the plane. Now I’m hooked and am counting the days until this year’s trip. I’m still indebted to you Alaska veterans for all the helpful advice.

 

[TAGPUNCHER]

Just thinking the SAME! No way on the TSA LOCKS,they get a look see ,seal it and YOU LOCK it.

 

[Yukon Cornelius]

If you go the tote route get the 18gallon Rubbermaid. Drill a few holes in the lid lip area. I do a pair of holes next to each other. Use zip ties to secure it down. Haven’t had one break yet. Well over 300 totes mailed and flew with for the last 10 years. The Rubbermaid ones are a bit more durable than any of the others. The action packers are a close second, but I’ve had an action packed break on me.

 

[Panhandler80]

What exactly are you wanting to bring up? I would recommend taking as much gear as you can on the flight, and shipping, via “slow boat to China” the rest. Allow yourself plenty of time for shipping and you’ll save yourself a lot of $$ doing it that way. If you are hiring a transporter, ship it to them, otherwise you’re more than welcome to ship it to me, assuming you’re flying into Anchorage, and I’ll hold it and get it to you when you get here.

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Well that’s a very nice offer. Somebody buy this guy a beer!

 

[Panhandler80]

I agree with everything else but why would you grant the idiots in TSA access to your firearm without you...? Non-TSA locks!!

Oddly enough, I have only flown one time with rifle. Do a lot of driving! My flight was delta and I showed folks gun at baggage check and then put real locks on a pelican case. Nobody ever had access to gun again.

 

[hflier]

Never use TSA locks. There is a reason it’s not required. They know stuff gets stolen.


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[Jimss]

I haven't looked through the posts. I always have used Alaska Air. They provide 2 bags for free. I always carry on around 60+ lbs of gear on my back. My giant Kifaru pack so it will fit in diminsions for overheads plus a giant camera case loaded with optics, spotting scope, camcorder, etc. I gut the foam of my giant wheeled rifle case and load it with weapon, fishing rods, treking poles, and pad everything with clothes to weigh 55 lbs (or the limit wt). Each extra bag is around $60 each. Last trip I brought home 6 x insulated fish boxes that weighed 55 lbs each (over 300 lbs of meat and fish). It's usually way cheaper and safer to bring everything back with you on the airlines.

I have used action packers in the post above for gear and also brought home life sized bear, mtn goat, and sheep capes, skulls, and horns that were still frozen when I arrived home.

I really like the idea of having all my gear with me on the plane....knock on wood....never had a problem!

 

[bensonfarms]

I haven't looked through the posts. I always have used Alaska Air. They provide 2 bags for free. I always carry on around 60+ lbs of gear on my back. My giant Kifaru pack so it will fit in diminsions for overheads plus a giant camera case loaded with optics, spotting scope, camcorder, etc. I gut the foam of my giant wheeled rifle case and load it with weapon, fishing rods, treking poles, and pad everything with clothes to weigh 55 lbs (or the limit wt). Each extra bag is around $60 each. Last trip I brought home 6 x insulated fish boxes that weighed 55 lbs each (over 300 lbs of meat and fish). It's usually way cheaper and safer to bring everything back with you on the airlines.

I have used action packers in the post above for gear and also brought home life sized bear, mtn goat, and sheep capes, skulls, and horns that were still frozen when I arrived home.

I really like the idea of having all my gear with me on the plane....knock on wood....never had a problem!

Great tips! Have you had any experience flying home large antlers (moose/caribou)? Especially velvet caribou. I'm worried about cost and damage to get those home to the lower 48 without damaging velvet. Thanks in advance

 

[Mykolaivka887]

Great tips! Have you had any experience flying home large antlers (moose/caribou)? Especially velvet caribou. I'm worried about cost and damage to get those home to the lower 48 without damaging velvet. Thanks in advance

Use an expeditor.

 

[Jimss]

Wrap the antlers well and put them on your plane. You can go to Walmart or Home Depot in Anchorage and buy what ever you like to wrap them. I see a bunch of antlers in the fall in the Anchorage airport. An expeditor works but boy it costs a bunch more and will likely take a lot longer to get home.

 

[Robinhood21]

Wrap the antlers well and put them on your plane. You can go to Walmart or Home Depot in Anchorage and buy what ever you like to wrap them. I see a bunch of antlers in the fall in the Anchorage airport. An expeditor works but boy it costs a bunch more and will likely take a lot longer to get home.

Last year Alaska Airlines put a stop to antler check in... only 1 per flight IIRC.

Did the rules change or is it still the same?

 

[Jimss]

I didn't fly last year so not sure?

 

[bensonfarms]

Last year Alaska Airlines put a stop to antler check in... only 1 per flight IIRC.

Did the rules change or is it still the same?

I believe that is still their policy. Ideally I would like to fly one hunt, but I will be hunting with a few others and with even one extra bull we may not be able to. I've talked with Alaskan Airlines and any additional antlers are not guaranteed a spot on the plane after the first one. More times than not the allow several when space allows. That all sounds great until they tell you know at luggage check in and you plane is set to depart in a few hours with no back up plan lol. Ideally I would like do have a bulletproof plan with no "what-ifs", everything set up and accounted for before our hunt begins. If all goes well, we may have 4 bulls coming home with us. Getting meat home is not a concern because we will fly that, it's just antlers. Trying to figure our options, and find a sensible/feasible way.

 

[bensonfarms]

Use an expeditor.

Do you have any recommendations for an expeditor to use

 

[Robinhood21]

I believe that is still their policy. Ideally I would like to fly one hunt, but I will be hunting with a few others and with even one extra bull we may not be able to. I've talked with Alaskan Airlines and any additional antlers are not guaranteed a spot on the plane after the first one. More times than not the allow several when space allows. That all sounds great until they tell you know at luggage check in and you plane is set to depart in a few hours with no back up plan lol. Ideally I would like do have a bulletproof plan with no "what-ifs", everything set up and accounted for before our hunt begins. If all goes well, we may have 4 bulls coming home with us. Getting meat home is not a concern because we will fly that, it's just antlers. Trying to figure our options, and find a sensible/feasible way.

I’d just fly it all (meat & antlers) air freight... that’s what I’m going to do this year. My friends did it last year and I believe it was $500 from the small village all the way home to Kansas.


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