So your Alaska-bound this fall, now what?

[Daniel_M]

Reading several threads of guys who are inbound to Alaska for hunts of all kinds. Moose, Kodiak bears, Sheep over bow. Have you guys touched the taxidermy side of things and made plans on how you will prep everything for the ride home?

 

[actionshooter]

I'm driving up in Sept, always looking for ideas.
I have a freezer wired through an inverter in a trailer. Also playing with TTC, a salt replacement that advertises 1/5 the amount needed to set hair in capes.

 

[Daniel_M]

I'm driving up in Sept, always looking for ideas.
I have a freezer wired through an inverter in a trailer. Also playing with TTC, a salt replacement that advertises 1/5 the amount needed to set hair in capes.

Id do your research on TTC. While its weight savings are appealing, some of the results can be less inviting.

I'd talk to a taxi on that.

Forgot to mention, theres a gentleman with a reefer truck who fills up with neat and antlers from Ak and does a run over the L48 at certain points.

 

[shaun]

I have family in Fairbanks I plan on giving them most the meat etc. I plan on getting cape done there also than sent to my taxi

 

[Daniel_M]

I have family in Fairbanks I plan on giving them most the meat etc. I plan on getting cape done there also than sent to my taxi

Don't you have a sheep hunt??? Man that's prized meat!

 

[Becca]

Have never used TTC so can't comment, but I have used a product called Stop Rot with good success on both my sheep and goat capes last season.

http://www.hidetanning.net/STOP-ROTarticles.html

A half liter plastic water bottle did my whole sheep cape, with 1/3 bottle to spare. It helps lift the meat off the hide, and makes fleshing a lot easier, for a whole lot less weight than salt. Safe for capes that will be tanned, even if you are freezing them first which is a bonus over using salt.

 

[shaun]

Don't you have a sheep hunt??? Man that's prized meat!

Figured I would take some cuts home and leave them with a decent amount. Kinda a thanks for letting me stay there between flights

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'm still figuring that part out and open to suggestions, I don't want to let those horns out of my sight on the way home I know that.

 

[actionshooter]

Id do your research on TTC. While its weight savings are appealing, some of the results can be less inviting.

I'd talk to a taxi on that.

Forgot to mention, theres a gentleman with a reefer truck who fills up with neat and antlers from Ak and does a run over the L48 at certain points.

Been trying to do the research on the TTC and can't find anything, my taxi has never even heard of it. I bought a quart and my taxi is going to try it out on a spare cape and see how it goes. Have you used the stuff Dan?

I contacted the guy with the reefer rig and the farthest west he gets is Missoula, that's a sweet deal but just isn't going to work out for me.

 

[actionshooter]

I'm still figuring that part out and open to suggestions, I don't want to let those horns out of my sight on the way home I know that.

You better hurry

 

[TEmbry]

I'm leaving my antlers in Alaska if I tip over a bou with my bow this August. Will leave them at a friends house, hopefully I move up there one day to reclaim them. If not, I'm going for the memories. It will have to surprise me how cheap shipping them turns out to be before I'd mess with having them sent back down here.

 

[Daniel_M]

Figured I would take some cuts home and leave them with a decent amount. Kinda a thanks for letting me stay there between flights

I'll leave you a key if that helps. Lol

 

[Becca]

I'm leaving my antlers in Alaska if I tip over a bou with my bow this August. Will leave them at a friends house, hopefully I move up there one day to reclaim them. If not, I'm going for the memories. It will have to surprise me how cheap shipping them turns out to be before I'd mess with having them sent back down here.

We know someone who padded the points on his bou rack, then boxed it up and checked the box as an extra bag when he flew home. Sure, might cost you the oversize baggage fee, but at least you could take it home for a minimal cost....

 

[actionshooter]

We know someone who padded the points on his bou rack, then boxed it up and checked the box as an extra bag when he flew home. Sure, might cost you the oversize baggage fee, but at least you could take it home for a minimal cost....

I did that a few years ago, I killed a bou in the velvet and went to a Uhaul store in Anchorage, didn't split the horns and wrapped it up in bubble wrap and plastic, kinda looked like a huge basketball . Went to the airport and checked it as oversize baggage with Alaska Airlines, they did ask if it was in the velvet and I might have fibbed a little, there was a little blood leaking through when I picked it up at Sea-Tac along with a lecture from a AA employee, whoops

 

[Daniel_M]

Keep in mind a caribou in velvet will only afford you 3-4, upwards of 7 days if the conditions are optimal before it requires preservation. Outside of that you risk losing velvet or clumping.

Another option for you L48 guys is artificial velvet. I seem it quite a bit on mounts at Sportsman's. None do it local because the expense.

I'll hit up a taxi buddy for a more in depth view of why TTC may not be the best of methods.

 

[TEmbry]

I guess I should elaborate that leaving it there is my desired option for now, as there is a 90% chance I move up in two years anyways. No need to ship them down here, then right back up north 2 years later.

I'll have the antlers scored there then split if I do decide to have em sent south for whatever reason.

 

[WV Hunter]

Sounds like a first world problem that I would like to have. Someday.......

 

[TXCO]

I have used an oversized waterproof duffle to bring hides and horns back on a plane with me. However, now sure how I will handle a big brown bear. Maybe take it to knights to either prep or made into a rug there and then shipped.

 

[Daniel_M]

Maybe take it to knights to either prep or made into a rug there and then shipped.

Any particular reason for choosing Knights?

 

[poppapump]

Have never used TTC so can't comment, but I have used a product called Stop Rot with good success on both my sheep and goat capes last season.

http://www.hidetanning.net/STOP-ROTarticles.html

A half liter plastic water bottle did my whole sheep cape, with 1/3 bottle to spare. It helps lift the meat off the hide, and makes fleshing a lot easier, for a whole lot less weight than salt. Safe for capes that will be tanned, even if you are freezing them first which is a bonus over using salt.

I have used stop-rot also with good luck in Alaska. Taxidermist recommended it. I'm from lower 48