Shipping Antlers

[thnksno]

Hello, booked a drop camp moose hunt in 2025 and leaving from illiamna. If a person would happen to get one does anyone have a rough estimate on what it would cost to ship the skull and antlers back? I’ve done Africa twice now and kind of have an idea, but was curious. Thanks!

 

[Mykolaivka887]

Shipping yourself, or with an expeditor?

 

[realunlucky]

Unless your entering in the "book" just split the skull and fly them home with you.

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[thnksno]

Shipping yourself, or with an expeditor?

Expeditor or taxidermist I’m thinking

 

[thnksno]

I’d like to do a European if I killed one so splitting the skull is out. I split the skull last time for caribou and checked it with delta. Worked good.

 

[thnksno]

I guess I should ask if it’s even doable to ship the skull back or that you have to ship the split skull cap?

 

[Mykolaivka887]

Expeditor or taxidermist I’m thinking

Then I'd call one of them. They'll be able to give you an accurate price.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

I guess I should ask if it’s even doable to ship the skull back or that you have to ship the split skull cap?

An expeditor can ship the entire skull to you or your taxidermist.

 

[roymunson]

I used an expeditor last fall. I think it was right around $1000 for my euro antlers and all my meat. Remember the brain matter has to be removed coming home to cross the borders with canada and even state borders I believe.

 

[WCB]

I guess I should ask if it’s even doable to ship the skull back or that you have to ship the split skull cap?

You can ship whatever you want and i no way HAVE to split the skull. Another thing you could do is cut each horn off at the base. Ship skull and two antlers back then reattach each antler on the skull. A little more effort than probably worth the savings but is an option. I know someone that did it with a caribou and you can't tell the horns were ever cut off.

 

[mooster]

alternatively, explore shipping the meat/head back with AK Trophy Express. I've used them a couple times in past and was an excellent solution, not necessarily the cheapest but very ez. http://www.alaskaexpresstrucking.com/

 

[william schmaltz]

As recent as last year we checked a wrapped 60” rack as baggage on AK Airlines with no issue. Their new policy is only one set per plane, but there were 4 sets of antlers that came to the oversize baggage claim at our destination. So probably depends on whoever is working the loading dock that day. Not sure about Delta anymore, haven't checked antlers with them since 2020.

Next easiest is shipping AK air cargo. That’s only if you live near an AK Airlines hub or know someone who does. Need a known shipper number to ship out of the state. I think it’s pretty easy if you own a business. I tried to get a personal one five years ago and they quoted me nearly $300. Check with your outfitter if they have a number to use or if there is a rokslider willing to lend you theirs.

My hunting buddies that come up have used AK Trophy Express several times over the last 6 years and will again this year. Once you ship it from Illiamna, you don’t have to worry anymore. Coordinate with Dalton’s in ANC and they take care of it. They will charge a couple $hundred to pickup and store for a month and another $100 or so to boil out brain matter if you haven't already. Check their route on the website to see how far you are from a pickup location. Only repeated gripe I hear with AK trophy express is that they are very short notice on pickup. I’ve had buddies that tried to call over and over again for days knowing pickup was coming up with no answer and then receive a call 6 hours before arrival that they needed to drop everything and be at the pickup location which is a 6 hour drive away.

There are a couple good expediter options. One is on Rokslide and only hear good things. If you truly want an easy button, do that. Give him a shout, prices may be competitive and you drop the hassle out of it.

Don’t forget you’ll have to ship from Illiamna on a different carrier. Major airlines do not fly there. Your outfitter should line you out on who to use for that. If splitting the skull, after paying a taxidermist to puzzle it back together, you may not be saving much. I’d personally rather pay a couple $hundred extra to ship it intact.

Edit: if checking as baggage or shipping, bring pipe insulators, a roll of duct tape, and a few rolls of cling wrap. Remove as much meat/brain as possible. Wrap the skull in something absorbent so it doesn’t leak, tape sections of pipe insulators over antler tips, and wrap that thing until it’s almost unrecognizable. All of us need to make sure we don’t ruin it for everyone by having a leaking skull or antler tips going through someone’s bag! We’ve already lost a couple good shipping options because of those reasons!

 

[Mcseal]

We've done three DIY drop hunts to Alaska, including moose. I highly recommend flying Alaska Air both ways. They're hunter friendly and use to all of the gear we take. You can simply bring the whole skull and antlers home as checked baggage. Unless the price has went up it will cost $100. You will need to clean the skull and wrap it for protection. Our transporter had supplies available at their hanger to complete these tasks.

 

[Theringworm]

January of 2020, I had Knights Taxidermy in Anchorage crate and ship my intact moose skull with 76" spread antlers to my Taxi in Texas. It cost $707.11 back then. I would guess it's probably just over a $1,000 now to do the same.

 

[crich]

January of 2020, I had Knights Taxidermy in Anchorage crate and ship my intact moose skull with 76" spread antlers to my Taxi in Texas. It cost $707.11 back then. I would guess it's probably just over a $1,000 now to do the same.

76" is a toad nice work.

 

[buzzy]

I’d like to do a European if I killed one so splitting the skull is out. I split the skull last time for caribou and checked it with delta. Worked good.

No not necessarily. Cut the horns off and bring everything home with you to have the horns pinned back on. I did this with a 63” moose from the NWT. It worked out well for me but is a lot of extra work as you have to package everything well and then check everything into the cargo section of the airlines you are flying home too. When the horns were reattached it can look just as natural as if they were never cut off. Just another option for you.