Flying Home w Mule Deer

[Hwcopley]

I’ve used 1 and 2 but can usually get it into 1 48qt cooler. Might need 2 if you’re trying for the hide too

 

[j_volt]

Am I the crazy one for wanting to fly for 2hours instead of driving for 20+? lol
I've done it many times (use to live in Colorado and drive back to Illinois a couple times a year) and I definitely prefer flying but I might change my mind after this experience trying to get a deer home!

You aren't crazy at all. You likely can save some days, and I am not a scientist, but you also avoid some risk by not having to drive 40 hours.

Are you sure it's only 2 total hours? Maybe flight time, but you should compare it from the time you leave your door until the time you reach your destination.

However, flying still sucks for a handful of reasons:

• Less flexibility on timing for when you leave/return.
  • You might be bored for a while if you tag out early.
  • An ideal flight time may be 7:00am, but the only flight leaves at noon, etc.. You can start the truck whenever you want.
• Flying still takes a while. Getting to the airport early, checking your gun, potential delays, time from airport to trailhead.
  • There are guys that trade 12 hour drives for a 10 hour home to trailhead airplane adventure. That makes no sense to me.
• Less room for gear.
• Less room for meat, cape, antlers, etc.

 

[deltadukman]

I just want to know the business rationale of someone renting a 4x4 truck for a week for $400. Not only that, but with a 1200 mile cap.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

Yeah, trading 10 for 12, I would never consider. In my situation getting to my property in MO, I'm trading 7-8 hours for around 3 days (including sleep stops). I no longer can drive more than about 12 hours a day.

 

[DMurphy]

Jordan- my group will be flying to Alaska next deer season from STL and are contemplating these same logistics issues. First, good luck! I hope you have the trip of a lifetime. Second, please share what you decide, what worked well and what you wish you had done differently.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

Dmurphy, I would consider Alaska airlines and their freight services if you're going to have a crap ton of meat. You can fly through Seattle.

 

[jordanblnknshp]

You aren't crazy at all. You likely can save some days, and I am not a scientist, but you also avoid some risk by not having to drive 40 hours.

Are you sure it's only 2 total hours? Maybe flight time, but you should compare it from the time you leave your door until the time you reach your destination.

However, flying still sucks for a handful of reasons:

• Less flexibility on timing for when you leave/return.
  • You might be bored for a while if you tag out early.
  • An ideal flight time may be 7:00am, but the only flight leaves at noon, etc.. You can start the truck whenever you want.
• Flying still takes a while. Getting to the airport early, checking your gun, potential delays, time from airport to trailhead.
  • There are guys that trade 12 hour drives for a 10 hour home to trailhead airplane adventure. That makes no sense to me.
• Less room for gear.
• Less room for meat, cape, antlers, etc.

There's definitely added time from the flight time. But the 20 hour drive is also estimated to the nearest town when in actuality its closer to 22.5hr to the trail head not counting stops for food/ rest.

I live 30min from the St. Louis Airport which is not a busy airport so its easy to navigate/don't have to arrive egregiously early. From door to trail head

Leave my house at 0500 for 0700 flight
Land 0930
Give it an hour to deplane and get rental from airport garage 1030
3 hour drive to trail head puts us there around 1330 same day (thats assuming 1 hour of tom fuckery along the way - time change)

Driving would be
Leave house at 0500
Arrive at 0400 the next day (with one hour Tom fuckery buffer)

Have to account for the stress too. Grabbing a beer at the airport waiting for a flight is much different than being stuck in a truck

For the flights I can change them if I kill out early. Just pay the difference with Southwest with no fees. One big factor was I had the points to get them with no cash out of pocket. So those fees still are less than the $900 in gas.

The big negative for me is the room for gear and meat. Which is why I'm here contemplating my decisions.

 

[jordanblnknshp]

I just want to know the business rationale of someone renting a 4x4 truck for a week for $400. Not only that, but with a 1200 mile cap

That's Turo.

2022 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4

TRIP PRICE
$396.00
6 days @ $66.00/day

3-DAY DISCOUNT
- $43.56
EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT
- $39.60
TRIP FEE
$48.36
6 days @ $8.06/day

DELIVERY FEE
$0.00
1200 TOTAL MILES
$0.00
AIRPORT FEE
$36.11
SALES TAX
$38.30
TRIP TOTAL
$435.61

 

[jordanblnknshp]

Can you just hold the skull cap and antlers on your lap for the flight?

I was wondering this as well. My wife flies with a "personal item* which is a purse the size of my carry on suitcase and nobody has ever said a word to her about it. The deer horns may be less sneaky

 

[fmyth]

Buy 3 of these 27 gallon totes from Costco. These totes weigh less than a cooler so you can put more meat in them. My local store has them for $8 each. Buy a pack of zip ties, gallon and quart zip lock bags and contractor bags. You and your partner check the black totes with your clothes/food etc inside and your rifle as your checked bags (4 total between you both). Carry on your pack and optics. For the flight home bone out the deer and put meat in quart and gallon zip locks then into a contractor bag inside tote. Each tote weighs 5-7lbs so you can put 43lbs of meat in it. Even if you shoot a BOAL you'll get the meat, and antlers into 2 totes and the cape in the 3rd. Buy some dry ice and keep it on the meat/cape until you get to the airport them remove the dry ice and zip tie the lids on. You can have up to 5.5lbs of dry ice in each tote but its not necessary. Leave 4 zip ties inside each tote in case the TSA cuts them open to inspect so they can zip tie them closed after.

Dry Ice | Transportation Security Administration

The FAA limits you to 5.5 pounds of dry ice that is properly packaged (the package is vented) and marked. Airline approval is required. For more information, visit the FAA website.

www.tsa.gov

 

[Aaron W]

I typically hunt whitetail on the East Coast. I’ve flown with frozen deer meat on Southwest Pittsburgh to Denver 10-15 times. I have the luxury of freezing and vac sealing the meat. I then place the frozen meat in a garbage contractor type bag and place that within an army duffle. Occasionally I have two army duffle bags full. Those green army duffles fill up almost exactly at 50 lbs. As someone else mentioned if it’s frozen you don’t need ice. Nobody has ever questioned me about it. Direct flight your meat will still be a brick upon arrival. Ground will thaw more but it’s still frozen.

 

[DMurphy]

Dmurphy, I would consider Alaska airlines and their freight services if you're going to have a crap ton of meat. You can fly through Seattle.

Just a deer (hopefully) and some fish. We have six guys. Every guy is checking a duffel w pack inside. That leaves six checks left. 1/2 guys are checking double rifle cases. That leaves three checks. These will be totes for bringing back meat and trophies. Any other meat can be carried on in the soft sided coolers that will ride in the totes on the way there. Any gaping holes in this plan?

 

[NRA4LIFE]

Sounds pretty solid. One thing I have done is to remove some or all of the foam from my rifle case and replace it with clothes and other soft gear. Fortunately, I don't have to travel with a rifle anymore when I fly to STL as I stow one at a buddy's house up near Troy.

 

[jordanblnknshp]

I have these at the house. It looks like the dimensions would pass the checked luggage requirements. Have you ever had any issue flying with them? Anyone at the gate ever gave you any trouble claiming they are over size limits?

Buy 3 of these 27 gallon totes from Costco. These totes weigh less than a cooler so you can put more meat in them. My local store has them for $8 each. Buy a pack of zip ties, gallon and quart zip lock bags and contractor bags. You and your partner check the black totes with your clothes/food etc inside and your rifle as your checked bags (4 total between you both). Carry on your pack and optics. For the flight home bone out the deer and put meat in quart and gallon zip locks then into a contractor bag inside tote. Each tote weighs 5-7lbs so you can put 43lbs of meat in it. Even if you shoot a BOAL you'll get the meat, and antlers into 2 totes and the cape in the 3rd. Buy some dry ice and keep it on the meat/cape until you get to the airport them remove the dry ice and zip tie the lids on. You can have up to 5.5lbs of dry ice in each tote but its not necessary. Leave 4 zip ties inside each tote in case the TSA cuts them open to inspect so they can zip tie them closed after.

Dry Ice | Transportation Security Administration

The FAA limits you to 5.5 pounds of dry ice that is properly packaged (the package is vented) and marked. Airline approval is required. For more information, visit the FAA website.

www.tsa.gov

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[fmyth]

I have these at the house. It looks like the dimensions would pass the checked luggage requirements. Have you ever had any issue flying with them? Anyone at the gate ever gave you any trouble claiming they are over size limits?

No issues on AK Airlines but I'd call SW and give them the dimensions just to be sure.

 

[Keep On]

I've done it several times. I have bought coolers from Amazon or Walmart and had them shipped to my destination, waiting for me when I get there. It's actually cheaper than shipping one I already own. I also bring a soft sided cooler bag as my personal item on the plane.
I load up the hard sided cooler to 50 lbs and can get another 20 or so lbs in the soft sided cooler, the meat for the carry on has to be froze solid to get through security. I usually end up donating some meat to the local game donation program but get the vast majority home with no overweight charges, just have to pay for a 3rd bag. Phoenix might be better on shipping cost, but from MT or WY to the East coast shipping your luggage doesn't save much over extra bag fees. You'll have the luxury of having a checked bag already available at no extra cost. If you and your buddy both bring soft coolers on as personal items you'll have no trouble bringing back all your meat.

 

[kravguy]

I've done this plenty of times. The tote suggestion was one of the best ones. I've taken a soft sided cooler a few times. I've stuffed it in my larger duffle bag on the way out. Filled it with meat and checked it as an extra bag on the way back home. I've also purchased a tote at a local store before flying home, filled it with frozen meat, and it kept just fine until we got home. If using a tote, most times the horns fit in there too. Keep in mind you can also split the rack and it will be just fine for your taxidermist.

We've used big, hard side coolers before, but you run into weight issues, even with trying to get frozen bear hides home before.

 

[Weldor]

Desert Muley's are not as big as their northern cousins. De-boned meat average maybe 50 lbs. unless he's big old toad. You could probably Fed-ex it 2 day home cheaper than the airlines charges.

 

[flathead#2]

Following.

I've got an Idaho muzzy mule deer tag for Oct.,,,flying in from Pensacola.
NO way I'm making that drive.
Have in laws in Boise but they dont have a deep freezer to freeze meat
to fly back with.
Thinkin just to take meat to a processor and have them freeze/ship to me.
Same for a Euro or shoulder mount. Just drop it off and ship it to me.

Still thinking.

 

[stv117]

you smoking crack ? 200lbs of meat from a mule deer? That Deer would have to weigh damn near 600 to net 200lbs of meat

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...