Shipping a bow for a hunt

[ffparamedic]

I have questions on the best way to ship my bow. I am planning to send it to my friend who is driving out and is going to pick me up at the airport, My plan is to ship the bow and a few other odds and ends out to him for him to just bring out to me instead of flying with them.

Just use UPS? What case is the best? or should I just fly with it?

Thanks for any and all advice.

 

[Trial153]

I shipped a bow in a skb case, I loaded the case up with as much cloths as I could get into also. Then I boxed it all up and shipped it UPS. I had no issue at all.

 

[realunlucky]

Cheaper to just fly with it.

 

[charvey9]

SKB cases are great and good for shipping or airline travel.

No matter who you go with, they will charge you dimensional weight shipping due to the size of the case. My guess is about $75 one way, depending on where you are shipping it to and the service you choose. This is more expensive than flying with it in most cases, but also depends on how many other bags you need to take and return with on the flight. Your cheapest option may be to fly out with the bow, and then ship it back home if you get an animal and have additional baggage to take on the plane.

 

[zman]

I have questions on the best way to ship my bow. I am planning to send it to my friend who is driving out and is going to pick me up at the airport, My plan is to ship the bow and a few other odds and ends out to him for him to just bring out to me instead of flying with them.

Just use UPS? What case is the best? or should I just fly with it?

Thanks for any and all advice.

Flew Southwest with my bow last year no problem and no extra charges. I use an SKB case. I pack alot of my clothing with the bow. My backpack (exo) is my other checked piece of baggage.

I have also shipped my bow via UPS ground 2X. No problem either time. Wasnt too pricey if I remember... about $30. But UPS has increased their dimensional weight charges since the last time I shipped it.

 

[ffparamedic]

Thanks for all the tips, please keep them coming.

I may just fly with it, three reasons I wanted to ship are #1 it not getting lost (or at least not on the day of) #2 It not getting banged around at the airline and #3 I'm only going to be taking my EXO as a carryon so I wouldn't have to wait for checked baggage.

 

[Randle]

I had friend fly up to elk hunt a few years ago , he cho see to mail it so it didn't get lost , or if it did he had time to deal with it. When it arrived , I opened it to shoot it also so there w as, time to deal with anything broken. Also just as c you said no need to check a bag just a carry on with him. It worked well for his trip out here , going home he just flew with it.

 

[Donny Land]

I have a SKB case, but have never shipped my bow, i did ship a big 36"X30"X18" pelican case last year from Idaho back home after a hunt and it cost me $85.00, but the case weighed 51 Lbs with all of my junk in it.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

I take mine thru the airport and demand HAND CARRY ONLY. Same price.

 

[TEmbry]

I've flown with my bow several times and the past half dozen or so trips I haven't even used a hard SKB case. Just a drop bottom duffel with clothes packed around it. Never an issue and far cheaper/less hassle than shipping it.

 

[TXCO]

I wouldnt recommend it. Its expensive and if there is a problem, youre SOL. Plus you have to ship it so far in advance you lose a couple weeks of practice with it.

I used DHL 7 years ago, who isnt too big in the states any more, and they took it and then returned it to the origination drop off on the day it was supposed to arrive for the hunt with no warning because it was a sharp weapon. Last time I ever used DHL.

 

[ffparamedic]

Okay so I'm leaning to flying with my bow now, I've looked over the TSA stuff about flying with weapons (gun and bow) and I plan on taking my pistol. Any idea if it's okay to just put it in the case with my bow?

ETA: I know I need to ask TSA that question and I will but I'm also looking for real world experience.

 

[TXCO]

Should be fine. Make sure your ammo is in a hard lockable and separate case inside another checked bag. No loose ammo is allowed on most airlines.

 

[steelsearchin]

I mailed mine down to Missouri to get "Crackerized" at Carters Archery. I just stuffed some egg crate foam around it and mailed it in the original box. FedEx charged me $27-28 if I remember correctly. They mailed it back via UPS and it arrived just fine. I'd read some horror stories about UPS and the USPS, but most agreed FedEx did a good job. Fast and reasonable if you decide to ship it...

Best of luck!!

-tom