Flying Home with Elk Meat and Antlers

[Ironman8]

Trying to come up with a more economical way to fly home with meat. Rather than pay for an extra ice chest of meat, think I can get away with the pack (EXO 3500) AND a small carry-on suitcase to carry some meat?

My plan was to split my gear/clothes/food between my pack and a small carry-on suitcase for the trip there. Then, use that same small suitcase to transport meat back also as a carry-on bag. Flying Southwest btw...

Basically it would look like this...

Flight there:
Pack - Carry on (free)
Small Suitcase - Carry on (free)
Rifle Case - Check in (free)
Small Ice Chest - Check in (free)

Flight back (best case being that I have an elk):
Pack (w/ space for extra meat) - Carry on (free)
Small Suitcase w/ some meat (total <50lbs) - Carry on (free)
Rifle Case - Check in (free)
Small Ice Chest (<50lbs) - Check in (free)
Larger Ice Chest (<100lbs) - Check in ($75)

I don't even know where to begin with flying with elk anters, so any advice is much appreciated!

Also, I was planning on 75 quart chest for the large ice chest for ~100lbs of meat. If my numbers are off, let me know. All meat is boned and hopefully already frozen.

I leave on Wednesday, so don't have alot of time to nail this down 1...2...3..Go!

 

[colonel00]

A couple things to think about. First, carry-ons do have a weight restriction though nobody ever checks. However, a 50lb suitcase will be a bit heavy for an overhead compartment. Second, your "personal item" which would be your Exo 3500 is supposed to fit under the seat in front of you at your feet. I usually carry a small backpack with camera gear and that barely fits so I doubt an Exo will. Now, you can maybe get away with putting both in the overhead. Most of these aren't major issues but could become a pain if you get the wrong flight crew. Also, I am pretty sure there are restrictions on the transportation of food items (meat) that you would want to look into.

Also, I am responding to your PM shortly. I have to check on another listing.

 

[Ironman8]

Shoot, I didn't think about 50+lbs in the overhead compartment...although I would HOPE the plane is put together well enough to handle that!
As for restrictions on carrying on meat, I've been reading that as long as it's frozen and no liquids (gel cooler packs or otherwise) are present and it's sealed up in plastic, then it's permitted. This was also on TSA's website iirc.
Thanks for the input, definitely some things to consider with the weight and size of the carry on bags.

And thanks, I was hoping you saw that. I'm getting off for a while, so you can go through email if possible.

 

[JFKinYK]

I've never flown with antlers, so keep that in mind, but if I did, then I'd break the skull in half and wrap the antlers together in one long, thin bundle. This was my plan for a big caribou on a small charter flight. On commercial, then I'd likely check it and get charged for oversize baggage.

 

[danarnold]

cost me $450 to ups ship 150lb? of elk meat from alberta to st louis, when i walked into the airport with the antlers they laughed while telling me NO WAY, I was lucky to get them back, the guy in alberta took them to montana and a friend brought them back from there

good thinkin to plan ahead, its stressful trying to pull that off last minute

 

[Akdaniels]

What we do for friends that come up fishing/hunting to Alaska is simply mail all your not needed gear home and only take meat/fish in the wet loc boxes. Coolers are sturdy but heavy. Seems to work. Or depending on the airline overload your coolers with 80 pounds of meat and pay the $50 overweight fee. (60 extra pounds of halibut in your cooler x $12.00 a pound = $720 dollars worth of halibut for $100. ). Good deal.

 

[Duk Dog]

When travelling on flights I've used a rubbermaid action packer tote. Heading to the hunt all my gear stuffs into the tote and I toss a lock on it. Coming home the frozen meat goes in the tote. I've never flown for an elk hunt but have heard of people putting empty shotgun shell hulls on the antler tips and taping them on to protect them while travelling.

 

[colonel00]

You can cover the tips of antlers by cutting up garden hose too

 

[Bambistew]

Do you have a way to freeze the meat? Lots of butcher (wild game) shops will let you freeze game meat.

I usually cut/wrap/freeze then put it in a cardboard box and take it on the plane home with me. It won't thaw out in the time it takes to get from point A to point B. Many of my trips were 12-15hours from the time I left till I got home. A large mass of frozen meat will stay frozen for over 24hrs without insulation, even if it thaws a bit it won't go bad for days. I also put it in a trash bag to keep any blood from leaking out. I've flown home with meat probably a 15-18 times like this. Elk, deer antelope, ducks, etc. I never ship fish without a cooler box of some sort. Fish has higher water content and thaws a lot faster than lean meat.

Coolers are nice, but you lose weight, a light cooler will weigh almost 10 pounds. A box is about 3...

In stead of coolers I'd look for insulated fish boxes. Here in AK they're everywhere, but not so much down south. Meat will stay frozen in them for 3 days or more...

Shipping clothing and gear isn't really any cheaper than bringing it back with you, at least for me in AK. Its actually about 2x as much to ship than pay the fee for the airfare. You have to go to the PO or UPS and get a box, and waste your time, etc...

Cut down on the stuff you bring. I can get by for any hunt with a gun case, one duffel, and a carry on. Get a gun case you can put some of your gear in.

Can't help on elk antlers... I usually leave mine.

 

[RyanC]

+1 on the rubbermaid totes. Put all your gear in them on the way to the hunt and place frozen meat in contractor bag and then in the totes for the airplane ride home. Ship all of your clothing home if needed, it is a heck of a lot cheaper to ship gear and clothing home than meat! As far as the antlers go, cover all the tip with rubber hose, make sure the skull plate is clean of all meat, hair, and blood, and split the skull. Duct tape a platic bag over the skull plate and tape the antlers together. My .02

Ryan