Strategy for bringing an elk back to the east coast

[apieceofwork]

If your meat is frozen solid, it's not thawing out before you get home flying. Have coolers completely full, the less air space the better. How long is your total flight time home?

Hard to say because I'm not purchasing my ticket home until after I've killed an elk, or the hunt has come to an end if unsuccessful. It's a 9-day hunt but could end up shooting something on day 3. There are no direct flights, so assuming a layover of a couple hours, I'm looking at 8 hours or so depending on where I connect.

 

[dtrkyman]

It would suck but I would consider giving half of the meat away to simplify matters and cut cost.

Find some guys to help pack out your elk, share some meat and bring home a carry on cooler full and a single large cooler in luggage.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

I recommend killing it first.


____________________
“Keep on keepin’ on…”

 

[Jethro]

Doesn’t need to stay completely frozen solid. Needs to stay cold.

 

[UKwildcatfan]

Hard to say because I'm not purchasing my ticket home until after I've killed an elk, or the hunt has come to an end if unsuccessful. It's a 9-day hunt but could end up shooting something on day 3. There are no direct flights, so assuming a layover of a couple hours, I'm looking at 8 hours or so depending on where I connect.

In a cooler, it'll stay froze. Worse case is the top pieces may get slightly soft, but not totally thawed out. I’ve brought meat back to Ky from NM, Az, and Wy, driving. Two day trip plus one night in motel. I put some dry ice in the coolers and everything is solid 3-4 days later.

 

[Big Sexy]

Im curious how everyone that takes meat on the plans, with what sounds like essentially luggage......how do you keep it cool on the plane? I have made a couple trips from VA to Colorado with the intention of packing meat in coolers. But camping in the wilderness, I would not have the ability to freeze. I was never successful, so was never able to put it to the test.

 

[Mdfowlman2]

Im curious how everyone that takes meat on the plans, with what sounds like essentially luggage......how do you keep it cool on the plane? I have made a couple trips from VA to Colorado with the intention of packing meat in coolers. But camping in the wilderness, I would not have the ability to freeze. I was never successful, so was never able to put it to the test.

Dry ice, prime the cooler with ice and water to get the cooler cold. Then use just enough dry ice to keep the meat cold but not freeze it. I got home to three coolers of very cold meat. Also make sure you have the means to protect the antlers, they were very particular about no blood, no liquid, no brain matter and the tips needed to be covered.

 

[Mikido]

Frozen meat stays frozen in the checked luggage area. It isn’t climatized like the main cabin. Travelled like this many times in the summer with fish from the carribean

 

[markXshooter]

When my buddy recommended checking our elk as luggage I thought he was nuts. But he had success w it before. Large insulated soft sided coolers. Frozen meat went in, frozen meat came out. Including 1 day/night in a hotel. He had to bring some as a carry-on too. Local taxidermist prepped our hides, crated the antlers, and shipped to our taxidermist back home. Way cheaper than what the shipping services quoted us. Got over 200lbs back across 3 coolers.

 

[Serrano]

I put 50 lbs. of frozen salmon from Alaska on the plane as luggage after a fishing trip twice. I would only do it on a non-stop flight myself.