Flying home from AK

[KNOPHISH]

What are some of the ways you guys get meat, hide & horns back on a plane from Alaska? Hoping for a dall sheep. I'd like some blood dripping from the overhead but the airlines probably wouldn't. heh heh

 

[TEmbry]

Vacuum pack or double bag in freezer ziplocks the meat and freeze it solid. Package in a simple waxboard box (extremely common for flying meat/fish out of AK)... Or even put in a rubber drybag. The cape can be salted and placed in a trash bag along with the horns in luggage (smallish cooler as checked luggage).

 

[RamDreamer]

Has anyone attempted to bring the horns and entire skull back with them on the plane in a carry on(of course with as much meat/fat as can be removed along with the brain taken out)? Curious is this is allowed and since it would be a nice way to make sure something crazy does not happen to them during the loading and unloading process.

 

[Ray]

Your biggest issue will be TSA other than in AK. If you have wrapped and sealed the skull with tape and plastic bag TSA may unwrap it all but not wrap it back up. As long as there are no liquids they should let them on. If the curl is real deep it may not fit overhead or under a seat.
Most sheep horns should fit in a large rubber maid container. Once sealed with zip ties through holes drilled in the lip nothing should happen to them damage wise.

 

[Az Hunter]

I brought my Dall horns and hide as a carry on. It was a nice 40inch ram and the horns stuck out of my daypack. It would not fit under the seat but the airline staff on Alaska airlines did not hassle me.

 

[actionshooter]

I just brought 500# of moose meat and the antlers home (wa) from Fairbanks on my return flight. Split the skull and put the meat in 100qt coolers. Best way I could find and it wasn't the first time Alaska Airlines had seen it.
2 oversize gear bags, 1 rifle case, 1 set of moose antlers and 5- 100qt coolers came to a grand total of $575.
I thought that was pretty damn good.

 

[RamDreamer]

Actionshooter that is unbelievable. I would have thought that the price to fly something home like that would be upwards of $1000 or more! That's a great rate you got.

 

[actionshooter]

Actionshooter that is unbelievable. I would have thought that the price to fly something home like that would be upwards of $1000 or more! That's a great rate you got.

That's Alaska Airs regular rates, best way I have found

 

[Poser]

That's Alaska Airs regular rates, best way I have found

Just out of curiosity, was that $50 for each item over 50 lbs? Did they charge you an oversize fee as well?
That's a really good deal, probably as cheap as you could have moved the meat. I can only assume that if you were switching airlines in WA to fly elsewhere in the country, you would have been charged again (and probably much more than $575)

 

[JustOneMoreShot]

My cape and horns went into separate trash bags and into my checked duffle bag flying out of AK.

 

[actionshooter]

Just out of curiosity, was that $50 for each item over 50 lbs? Did they charge you an oversize fee as well?
That's a really good deal, probably as cheap as you could have moved the meat. I can only assume that if you were switching airlines in WA to fly elsewhere in the country, you would have been charged again (and probably much more than $575)

No, Its their standard rates.
Here is the rate page
http://www.alaskaair.com/content/travel-info/baggage/baggage-checked.aspx

and the key is this note under the oversize and overweight category. "Note: If a checked bag falls into more than one fee category (piece number, oversize, overweight), only the higher, single fee is charged."

I print it and carry it with me. You would be amazed how many people get over charged because the ticket agents don't know the fee structure.

 

[Hunthigh1]

+1 action shooter.

You need to print and fully understand that checked bag policy. You also need to make sure you know what your stuff weighs

When flying from kenai with caribou Antlers and meat i had to fly it as cargo from kenai to anchorage,(on ravn air) then pick it up and re-check it with alaska airlines. ( a bit stressfull)

You need to have all tines and points wrapped up. I used foam, bubble wrap and about 1000 feet of tape. I even taped a car air freshener to the damn thing so it would not smell offensive. (that is also in their policy

One AK air agent did not like hunters, or was just having a bad day and singled me out telling me i could not fly with my caribou head like that.

I handed her the copy of their policy i had stached in my pocket and highlighted the sentence. She promptly apologized.

That is uncommon though. The vast majority of AK airlines staff is amazing at their job and do absoultely everything within reason to get you and your gear home ASAP.

I flew like this.

1-Rifle case
1-Oversize overweight cooler @ 99lbs (i paid the overweight/oversize fee)
2 dry bags with gear@ 49lbs each