Packaging caribou meat & Antlers for transport to the lower 48

[Krazyhunter]

We will be there this August for A DIY Caribou off the Dalton. If we are fortunate enough to be successful, I plan to ship the meat/antlers back to Michigan via Alaska Airlines Cargo. I am in the process of becoming a "known Shipper" now. My question is what would be the best way to package these, where would I obtain this packaging and how does the process work shipping it Cargo Alaska Airlines?

 

[LongWayAround]

Air Cargo seems like a hassle. It's pretty easy to just check them as baggage.

We froze our meat at the hotel and checked it in large soft cooler bags. Antlers were wrapped in cardboard, pipe foam, and duct tape. Fred Meyer grocery store has plenty of packaging materials.

 

[finner]

Air Cargo can be cheaper for meat, not for antlers. Assuming you already have significant checked baggage. Wrap the hell out of the antlers with bubble wrap, cardboard, and packing tape. Try to get all the blood and matter out of the skull so it doesn't leak. Get to the airport as early as possible because they only accept one set of antlers per flight. Additional sets fly standby.

 

[Geewhiz]

Just check it. I checked 6 big items and also had a carry on and it cost me $650 to get home with it all. They told me that if any bone was showing or it was leaking at all they would not accept it.

 

[BowMan86]

I am also a known shipper with Alaska Air Cargo. I live here in Anchorage but had a couple buddies come up last year from the lower 48. This is a caribou plus some extra meat and fish that I packaged and sent back to him in Nashville TN. Cost was $192.00. Process is pretty simple.
Once packaged you just drive to Alaska Air Cargo, place it on a pallet, they weigh it and place in cold storage, you pay and you’re good to go.

Not sure what your plan is for meat while you’re up there. It can get warm in Aug. There are some outfits up there that will allow you to store meat in their freezers. I believe a couple of the airboat services that operate off of the Sag will allow it for a price and possibly somewhere up in Deadhorse. I know, at least in Anchorage, Alaska Air Cargo places everything in a freezer while it’s waiting to ship.

They were also fortunate that I live here and was able to take their meat to the processor and have the time to drop it off at air cargo for them at a later date. That could complicate things depending on your timeline.

 

[MuleyFever]

You and get everything you need to wrap them up at Home Depot.

 

[Geewhiz]

Keep in mind that if you are using alaska air cargo, they are only open during normal business hours (in Fairbanks at least) which hosed us over labor day weekend.

 

[j3butch]

Has anyone flown their head and antlers out of Kotz? Anchorage on is not my concern, it’s the smaller planes I’m concerned with not accepting.

 

[Karlburns]

I’ve never done it out of Kotzebue but I have out of Kodiak (live up here as well). The issue is always how many folks on the plane are trying to do exactly what you are doing. If it's just a bunch of locals on the plane, you will have no issues. If however there are other hunters and they also were successful it's whoever is willing to pay the most. AK airlines cargo uses a three tier system for prioritizing air cargo. From Kodiak to Anchorage, each tier is roughly 2.5x cost. General ( as space allows), priority, and express. I paid $350 to priority my gear down to Kodiak last fall, when I returned unsuccessful and used general it was $140. Only difference in weight was the 40ish pounds of meals and wood logs we took for the camp stove.

Don't expect them to tell you honestly whether you can pay general and get it on the plane. Those folks read off a script, if it's time sensitive and must get on this plane use goldstreak express. The guys in front of me at Kodiak had gotten two Elks and were paying goldstreak, I’d bet their bill was $2K based off their pile.