Ship your bow, or check it as luggage?

[marktripp]

Preparing for a Montana hunt this year, first time traveling with a bow. Is the preferred method to ship ups/fed-ex or bring it on the plane? I have a friend that lives out there I’m going with so I have a receiver is shipping is best. I was going to ship my side arm as well.


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[Kootenay Hunter]

I guess it could depend on how you package it up. Make it bomb proof for shipping, should be okay, people buy bows online all the time.

Airline I dunno, I see them throw sh!t around like they want it to break.

I think some airlines let you carry on specialize sporting equipment, you can put it in the overhead carry on shelf or sometimes they have a little closet at the front. I bring fly rod tubes on all the time, they don't fit in the 'carry on sized check box'. Put arrows in your checked bag.

 

[Wapiti1]

Don't ship a handgun. That is not legal to do without shipping it to an FFL in the state you are traveling to. USPS will not ship it, you would have to use Fed Ex or UPS and they will require the FFL of the reciever.

Long guns you can ship to anyone as long as the label says it is being shipped to you in care of your friend. I ship rifles a lot and I just label them to Jeremy Cotton, in care of John Doe with his address. Handguns are a different ball of wax.

I would pack both the side arm and the bow. Handguns are easy to fly with. Unload the weapon, put it in a locked pistol size hardcase, put that in you luggage, lock the luggage, declare it at the counter, wait a few extra minutes at the security checkpoint, and that is about it. Take an extra set of locks in case TSA decides to cut yours off. Do not use TSA locks when traveling with firearms, use locks only you have a key to.

There was a thread on here earlier about flying with a bow. Many were using a rolling duffel with a frame. Others, like me, were using a hard bow case. There was some concern about extra bag fees related to the bow cases being larger than airline regulation. Might search for that.

Or go to an archery store and get the packaging for a bow from them. Pack yours in that and ship it. If you ship in a hard case, it will be salty.

Jeremy

 

[hunt1up]

My buddy always ships his bow and gear to me since I drive and he flies. That way he's travelling light on the plane and I have all his gear well in advance of the trip. I've flown with my bow and guns many times though and it's pretty easy. You'll just spend more time at the airport to have them inspected and to also pick them up. If you have a guy to ship to then I'd go that route personally. Send it a bit early so he can look things over to ensure nothing was damaged. If the airline damages or loses your equipment the day before the hunt then you're screwed.