Fly or drive?

[160andup]

Driving is much easier to bring any gear and equipment you want, a vehicle that can handle the mountains, good tires with 2 spares, flexibility if you tag out or don't, etc, etc. I have done both several times, and driving from NY (35+hours to western Montana/Idaho) and I do it solo. Leave on a Friday afternoon, and get in on Sunday mid day. gives you 10-11 full hunt days if you take 2 weeks off. I'll take driving every time if I can.

 

[Mosby]

I prefer to drive. I like having my truck and more flexibility with equipment, horns and meat. Especially if I am going to be going off road. I used to fly to hunt quite a bit when I lived back east and I always seemed to run into guys who lost their luggage and were sitting in the airport waiting for it to show up. My rifle case had tire tracks from being run over and one year someone drilled a hole into it to try to pull the rifle out. Another year someone stole my sleeping bag out of the overhead luggage. Stuff happens.

I read recently that due to COVID, the airlines are cancelling a large % of flights on a daily basis and rerouting people onto different planes so they can fill the planes up. If true, that could be a nightmare for bags and equipment to get on the right plane. For that reason alone, I would probably drive until things get back to normal, if I could.

 

[Mosby]

Only concern I have at this point is making sure the 4x4 truck rental is in fact a 4x4 truck when I arrive.

Tires are the key and not all are created equal. Some of the rental trucks I have gotten have street tires on them and they are a nightmare when you are trying to go up and down jeep trails. If you have a choice between vehicles, ask about the tires.

If you are staying on paved and maintained Forest roads, might not be an issue although you might consider taking tire chains with you that would fit, in case the weather turns on you.

 

[7Bartman]

I made this video a while back discussing how to overcome some of the challenges.

 

[137buck]

My truck was side swiped right before archery elk opened three years ago, my insurance company got my rental truck and when I went to pick it up, every one had P rated tires on them. I asked about a truck with heavier duty tires and was told they don't put them on, and sure enough, on opening weekend I hit a rock just right and popped a tire. Then later that week while heading home from one of my normal hunting spots, there is a spot with some loose rocks and some sand and I don't know what I hit, but I shredded a tire and again had to change out to the spare, luckily Les Schwab patches tires for free and I know the manager and he sold me an exact tire for dirt cheap.

 

[Indian Summer]

I’ll chime in again. I don’t know why someone would comment when they start with “I’ve never done it but...” Pfft

I’ve driven and flown. I’ve also had a a couple hundred clients who did both. I’ll keep it short and sweet.

Yes... time is an important factor. But.... all the time in the world isn’t worth a shit if you don’t have every single thing you need during your precious time. And secondly if you drive you have control of EVERYTHING. Being at the mercy of someone else is asking for trouble and the list of issues that pop up for air travelers EVERY DAY is a mile long. Factor Covid into the picture and who knows. Delays. Cancellations. Lost luggage. And if you think that all sounds bad think about shooting an elk on the tail end of your hunt and either having trouble finding it or getting a reality check on the time and effort it takes to get it out of the hills and realizing that you have an impending deadline. One time I had to pack a client out of the mountains and drop him at the airport and go find his elk and pack it out on mules the next day. If I didn’t have mules finding it wouldn’t even have mattered because it would have spoiled before it was backpacked out. Shipping cost an arm and a leg or two but if you are on a diy hunt there’s nobody to take care of any of that business after you leave. In all my experience I would never fly on a do it yourself elk hunt. If I was going on a hunt, any hunt, and for some reason I had to fly I’d pay the extra $100 or whatever it is to be able to change my flight without getting robbed or worse yet being told I couldn’t change it. Man up and drive I’m telling you!!!

 

[dany4585]

Last year I drove - about 28 hours each way. This year I’m 100% flying. The cost may be higher for shipping back meat and antlers, but there’s also a wear and tear cost to your truck. Also, the gas + motel fees more or less washes out with airlines tickets. But the most important thing for me is physical conditioning - driving 2-3 days is tiring sitting with legs hinged up in the same position. I don’t think it’s good for strength for when you get to your hunting ground. This year I’m going to fly, and use the extra time and energy on the hunt.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Aubs8]

Hi. I would drive if you have the time: keep your gear, meat and antlers together and with you.

That said, with work, I don't have the time to drive from NY and have now flown to several hunts.

Coming home the last 2 trips elk hunting in MT/WY, I have shipped clothes and antlers back UPS.

Delta charges checked bags (50lbs) of $30 for first bag, $40, $150 and $200 for each after that...I have checked 150 lbs of meat...I then have put about 40lbs of frozen meat in a dry bag in back pack as carry-on and another 20-30 in a smaller drybag I carry onto the plane.

I have simply put wrapped, frozen meat in 40 liter dry bags from Walmart...They are perfect size for 50 lbs...No issues and no leaking...Meat has stayed frozen from both Missoula and Denver to NY.

It is a pain and even moreso if you are by yourself...it is a separate adventure in itself.

This fall, my return trip will be first class...comes out only slightly more expensive but allows first two checked bags at 70 lbs "free"...plus, you don't have to be one of those guys walking to the back of the plane with 70 lbs in your "carry on."

Check your baggage limits. My flights only allow up to 4 checked bags.

Take care. Mike

 

[Aubs8]

And, as previously mentioned, if you tag out late in your hunt, there is the challenge of getting it to the butcher in time to have it cut, wrapped and frozen for your return flight.

 

[Aubs8]

And, I should also add regarding my experiences with 2 return trips...UPS misplaced my gear but I received all of it about 3 weeks later....and last October, 150 lbs of meat and my rifle did not make the connecting flight and I had to wait 3 hours at my final destination before it showed up...

 

[FLAK]

Tires are the key and not all are created equal. Some of the rental trucks I have gotten have street tires on them and they are a nightmare when you are trying to go up and down jeep trails. If you have a choice between vehicles, ask about the tires.

If you are staying on paved and maintained Forest roads, might not be an issue although you might consider taking tire chains with you that would fit, in case the weather turns on you.

And sometimes they dont have the vehicle you rented. Flew out to NM once and had reserved a 4wd truck online prior to the flight, ended up with a Nissan Morano.
Took that sucker through the mtns/desert like it was the truck I wanted. Rolled a tire
off the rim and ripped off the plastic skid plate.
Got the tire fixed and finished pulling out the skid plate by cutting it off with a serrated
knife, threw it in the dumpster at the hotel. Returned the car and never said a word.
Just stress I didnt need.

 

[Short Track]

I typically fly, and it's a 1 day adventure to fly with the connection. Never had a rifle get lost or damaged. However, it's expensive, and shipping meat home is expensive, very expensive. I have driven 16 hours to hunt.

There is a risk with both. I have heard of trucks broken into, all hunting gear stolen.
I once had meat sitting at a UPS depot, because it was 80 lbs, and no one wanted to lift it up. Frantic calls to the UPS depot, and then the butcher to pick it up.

 

[cnelk]

I want to hear Indian Summer say how the only way to go is drive. Lol