Returning Home With Elk Meat

[Latebloomer]

Hey all. I've researched the forum and found some very useful information relating to getting meat/horns back home. I'm just curious if any new economical choices have been found. I'm coming from Tennessee. I'd prefer to avoid losing 4 days of road travel is possible. As well as worrying about what is going to be stolen from my truck in the process.

I'm debating flying into Denver, then to the nearest airport where I'm hunting from Denver. From there I can arrange pickup to my hunting site. I have a ton of flyer miles so my flights are essentially already paid for.

The other option is flying to Denver, then renting a vehicle to drive to the hunt area and drive home with the animal. Not even sure if they have a vehicle capable to rent for this. By that I mean a couple large ice chest, my gear, and hopefully a decent set of horns. I'd obviously have to buy ice chest and figure out where to get dry ice on my way to the hunting a

Anyways, I can drive if it makes sense. Just figure if I'm looking at roughly the same cost to fly (even a little more) I'd like to avoid the 4-5 days on the road. Appreciate everyone's help!

 

[cgasner1]

Or put your gear in the coolers and fly them also then you have them for use and can’t eat something that’s isn’t dehydrated


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[Sportsman247]

From SC and always drive. Never have to worry about meat or rack getting back home and since I suck at proper planning for what gear to take, I just pack it all.

 

[Latebloomer]

Or put your gear in the coolers and fly them also then you have them for use and can’t eat something that’s isn’t dehydrated


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Curious if you’ve done this? How many coolers and weight with meat?

 

[Latebloomer]

From SC and always drive. Never have to worry about meat or rack getting back home and since I suck at proper planning for what gear to take, I just pack it all.

What’s your drive? How many days you take off from work?

 

[Sccritterkiller]

Just drive thats what I do. In the last 5yrs my drives have been 25-35 hrs one way...I have done the math a bunch of times..it usually works out cheaper and a lot less stress/hassle to drive, my airline points go towards family vacations. Plus I dont like my hunt, gear, relying on airlines...had buddy rent a truck when got to WY this year, we were hunting adjacent units, his rental bill was 1500 for a Tundra for a week, now add another 800ish for a rental plus coolers and gas to get home. 2400 bucks buys a lot of gas and you have all your stuff with you. I don't like burning 4 vacation days to drive but it's also really nice to have a wall tent base camp.

Never had any issues with meat spoilage and when I stop at hotel I put the rack in the cab of the truck.

 

[Sportsman247]

Colorado hunts are normally around 26 hours. Hunted Idaho and South Dakota this year. Those trips were 32 and 24. I drive these alone and usually sleep in truck on way out but did get a hotel on the SD drive out this year. As far as how much time from work, just add 4 days driving to how ever long the actual hunt is. Last year I used 3 days driving out to Idaho. Believe me, it’s not fun and takes a little bit of recovery time from sitting in that seat so long but to me it’s just past of the experience. Good luck!

 

[cgasner1]

Flown with the cooler no I live in elk country but I can fit a mature bull inside of 2 120qt coolers with ice. My last big bull took both of them and the straps and loins went into the yeti 65. If you know someone that is a known shopper would be a great route for you then you just run to Walmart and buy a couple totes to throw your gear in if you kill a elk. I never weighed my coolers but I’d be willing to bet they are over the 100# for the plane


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[tntrker]

I've driven to Montana twice from SC and prefer that option as I take a chest freezer and generator for meat coming back. Last year I both drove for an early hunt which I left early then flew out for another hunt. It was nice not spending a weeks vacation just for travel time, but the airlines would have raped me had I gotten anything to fly back. If you fly, your best option is to get a 1st class ticket to have a better chance for getting your luggage and weapon arriving with you. That also allows you #70lbs per bag vs the normal #50lbs. It's all about what you are willing to spend to get your meat back vs your vacation time in the long run. More $ to fly and less of your time taken or less $ to drive with more of your time taken....

 

[Latebloomer]

From SC and always drive. Never have to worry about meat or rack getting back home and since I suck at proper planning for what gear to take, I just pack it all.

What’s your drive? How many days you take of

Just drive thats what I do. In the last 5yrs my drives have been 25-35 hrs one way...I have done the math a bunch of times..it usually works out cheaper and a lot less stress/hassle to drive, my airline points go towards family vacations. Plus I dont like my hunt, gear, relying on airlines...had buddy rent a truck when got to WY this year, we were hunting adjacent units, his rental bill was 1500 for a Tundra for a week, now add another 800ish for a rental plus coolers and gas to get home. 2400 bucks buys a lot of gas and you have all your stuff with you. I don't like burning 4 vacation days to drive but it's also really nice to have a wall tent base camp.

Never had any issues with meat spoilage and when I stop at hotel I put the rack in the cab of the truck.

Got it. So the ice chest in the back/outside and no one gets your stuff at night? I’d be burnt if my meat was stolen!

 

[cnelk]

I think the biggest hurdle you'll have is killing an elk - anything after that is just gravy

 

[S.Clancy]

My buddy used the "known shipper" approach when he hunted MT with me this year. He shot his elk, we processed it, and he shipped it to Alaska, I can't remember final cost, but want to say it was under 200$. @Clarktar ......

 

[snowymtnwolf]

Buddies flew up to Wyoming for elk hunt, then rented car for one way travel back to Pennsy. Cost of butcher (also time at butcher), cost for beetles to eat head flesh (also time and shipping later on), plus over bag allowance and over bag size for flights was adding up to several thousand dollars.

So they rented car one way. Gives them flexibility to butcher meat themselves or have local butcher do work.

Going to butcher where you hunt at and having them flash freeze the meat helps in the travel across the country. Then use dry ice in coolers and you’ll do great.


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[prm]

By the time you factor in days for flying, driving only adds a day on each end. I’ve both flown and drove to CO. I now much prefer to drive. From VA it takes me two days each way. Packing is easier and getting any meat or antlers home is no issue. I have a tonneau on my truck bed and nothing has been bothered (knock on wood). I know what hotels to stay at, park at the end with a room close to door so getting rifles and bags to and from truck is easy.

I have the benefit of family to pick up at the airport in Den. Without that, I think dealing with a rental to get from airport to trailhead, then leaving it there while hunting would be a hassle, and expensive. And then getting a couple hundred pounds of meat and antlers through an airport? I don’t even want to think about that. I have shipped elk antlers home. Meat got donated to family. I now drive.

 

[thedutchtouch]

Not an elk hunt, but I've driven straight from DC to Denver before. Took something like 28 hours (two drivers) but we did it in one shot. It's not fun, but it's an option.

If I were going to do something like this again solo and had to break it up I have a lock on my truck cap and would park somewhere very visible or try to sleep during the day with the truck parked somewhere populated and drive at night.

Heck you may even find someone on here that will let you camp in their driveway overnight half way

 

[Sccritterkiller]

What’s your drive? How many days you take of

Got it. So the ice chest in the back/outside and no one gets your stuff at night? I’d be burnt if my meat was stolen!

I use cable locks, pad locks and the yeti lock bar. I usually burn hotel points so I stay at Holiday Inn express, Hampton Inn never any issues.

 

[rayporter]

coolers are cheap and i have seen them stacked clear to the ceiling in ace hardware.

buy a couple if you kill and add a little dry ice. dry ice is usually easy to find during season. meat will be in good shape by the time you get it home.

if you drive you can build a plywood cooler big enough to hold 2 and add some sleeping pads for insulation then add dry ice. works well.

 

[Latebloomer]

I think the biggest hurdle you'll have is killing an elk - anything after that is just gravy

100% and I know my odds aren’t good, just want to know what I’m getting into if all goes well. Seems a few grand can add up quickly if not accounted for. Gotta still have money for family vacation.

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

Airline baggage has gotten expensive. I’m a higher tiered flyer with one company, get multiple free bags. I just flew home in November with an elk, it was around $900, and that was with my two free bags. I would fly out and then one way rental back, almost all rental companies offer this service. A more economical option would be one way uhaul. You don’t have to buy big/expensive coolers on the way back. Buy plastic totes at Walmart, dry ice from welding supply place. Lots of options.

 

[CAElkhunter]

I have driven for 20 yrs due to the hassles of firearms on planes, making sure your gear gets there and the very high cost of air freight for your coolers on the return flight. Not to mention if your coolers don't make the flight the meat can get ruined. If I am hunting where they can process the meat there great. If no time I quarter and de-spine and bring the meat back to process here. 16 - 18 hr drive. It is a fun road trip and I sleep better knowing I have all my gear and meat.