Flying Home w Mule Deer

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Jan 12, 2024
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Gulf Coast
On my OIL White Sands Oryx Tag I just dropped it off with a processor and
taxidermist at the gate and they shipped it when done.
100lbs of meat UPS'd in an igloo cooler w/wheels.
Was still frozen hard when it arrived.
 
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jordanblnknshp
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Jun 27, 2024
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The average weight of an adult male is 203 lb (maximum, 405 lb). The average weight of a female is about 155 lb (maximum, 218 lb). i dont think i need to smoke crack to know this...
Yes but you are not shipping the whole deer, just the deboned meat. The gut pile alone is probably close to 40lb, then you have to subtract the bones, hide, meat you don't harvest. I'm thinking 50-70lbs of deboned meat is probably what I'm looking at. Be mindful this is a backpack hunt so the deer will be processed in the field, I try to get as much as I can but I'm not a professional butcher either. I'm not as efficient as a butcher when you drop off a deer whole.
 
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jordanblnknshp
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Jun 27, 2024
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Wanted to share an update:

Measured the Costco/HD/Lowes totes. The 27ga variety were all slightly over the allowable size for Southwest. It was very close and it's likely they might be allowed on but don't really want to risk it.

Worked a waterfowl expo this weekend and Divebomb had their duffle bags at a good discount (40% off). I went ahead and grabbed their XL and their backpack. They are advertised as a waterproof and after checking them out I believe it. (waterfowl gear seems way more reliable with weatherproofing than big game gear IMO). I was able to fit a skull cap of a 150in whitetail in it and believe it should hold at least 50lbs of meat.

Only real concern is the weight of the bag itself. May lose a couple of pounds of meat due to this but that's why I purchased the backpack for over flow.

Definitely more expensive than plastic totes but for me I know I will get my use out of these. So worth it (assuming they hold up on flights and weather)

I'll be posting a review and my thoughts after on YouTube once I see how it goes:
YouTube: Recruit Creative.

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MattB

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The average weight of an adult male is 203 lb (maximum, 405 lb). The average weight of a female is about 155 lb (maximum, 218 lb). i dont think i need to smoke crack to know this...
But you do need to be smoking crack to think someone would try to take an entire, ungutted deer on the plane. In reality, you can multiply those averages by .4 to get a rough yield of boned out meat. 203 x .4 = 81#. AZ deer will likely come in below that average. Might all fit into 1 48-50 quart cooler but will likely need 2.
 

Rich M

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2023 did an antelope hunt and flew the meat home in a semi-rigid cooler (Academy 45-can "soft" backpack cooler at $130). Used the cooler as my carry-on. Totally full with about 25-30# of processed & frozen meat tho - about 1/2 of what you'll get off a nice muley. Anyway - stuck that inside a newly purchased suitcase it would fit into and flew it home.

2019 had over 75# of self-processed meat in 2019 from a nice muley - 160-inch, 25 inches inside spread - we covered it inside the vehicle and drove home. Truck bed was full of "camp". Just didn't feel like advertising.

The rent a car and drive the deer home idea isn't bad - especially if you are gonna want the cape and horns home in one piece.

Anyway - not sure if anyone else said this but will need to seal the stuff up good - airlines don't like leaking fluids. Double bag it anyway.
 
Joined
Sep 10, 2014
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hawai'i
2023 did an antelope hunt and flew the meat home in a semi-rigid cooler (Academy 45-can "soft" backpack cooler at $130). Used the cooler as my carry-on. Totally full with about 25-30# of processed & frozen meat tho - about 1/2 of what you'll get off a nice muley. Anyway - stuck that inside a newly purchased suitcase it would fit into and flew it home.

2019 had over 75# of self-processed meat in 2019 from a nice muley - 160-inch, 25 inches inside spread - we covered it inside the vehicle and drove home. Truck bed was full of "camp". Just didn't feel like advertising.

The rent a car and drive the deer home idea isn't bad - especially if you are gonna want the cape and horns home in one piece.

Anyway - not sure if anyone else said this but will need to seal the stuff up good - airlines don't like leaking fluids. Double bag it anyway.
this is what i have been doing for flying back with whitetails. bone out meat, vaccum seal and freeze overnight and bring back in a cooler backpack or soft cooler bag from costco. its stays frozrn the whole time as my carryon. tricky part might be access to a freezer if backpacking hunting though but you could stay the night before you fly back with an extended stay motel with a full size fridge if needed
 
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