Question about shipping wild game???

[Fowlweather25]

I will be flying to Texas in Feb to hunt hogs once again. Does anyone know how much ot costs to ship the meat home on average? Or possibly fly it home with us? Thanks.

[Bmcox86]

I flew home with my hog in a cooler last February, here's what I did

I have a nice igloo cooler that holds the cold good.  Put the hog atleast quartered into the cooler then pack it with frozen Cornish games hens around the meat. You can't fly with ice and dry ice costs about $100 extra and you need a special cooler and it can't go if there's a pet in cargo.

The Cornish game hens are cheap and act as ice. I was able to have my hog hang quartered in a walk in for a few days first. The hens and hog were still frozen when I got home, it was two flights and over 13 hours.

It also helps to cool the cooler down first with a bag if ice so it is already cold when you put it in, remember coolers can hold heat or cold so it's takes less energy to stay cold if you cool it down first.

If you got any questions feel free to pm me.

[Bmcox86]

Also I duct taped it shut for extra protection and wrote hog on the outside which is required I believe since it's not packaged.

[littlemac]

I will be flying to Texas in Feb to hunt hogs once again. Does anyone know how much ot costs to ship the meat home on average? Or possibly fly it home with us? Thanks.

If you can check it in on the airline that would probably be best, depending on who you are flying and if they have stupid extra bag fees.

Shipping with UPS in coolers that have dry ice is how I used to get my elk up from New Mexico.  Never had a problem as long as you sent it two day.  You can figure the rates with zipcodes on the UPS site.  Expensive now so switched to refrigerated truck.

Refrigerated truck is what we use now but that is expensive as the minimum weight rate is for 500 lbs. as I recall.  I guess if you got a lot of meat it would work. We usually ship two or three elk and last years mounts from the taxidermist so it works for us.

Hope this helps.

[ICEMAN]

I flew home with my hog in a cooler last February, here's what I did

I have a nice igloo cooler that holds the cold good.  Put the hog atleast quartered into the cooler then pack it with frozen Cornish games hens around the meat. You can't fly with ice and dry ice costs about $100 extra and you need a special cooler and it can't go if there's a pet in cargo.

The Cornish game hens are cheap and act as ice. I was able to have my hog hang quartered in a walk in for a few days first. The hens and hog were still frozen when I got home, it was two flights and over 13 hours.

It also helps to cool the cooler down first with a bag if ice so it is already cold when you put it in, remember coolers can hold heat or cold so it's takes less energy to stay cold if you cool it down first.

If you got any questions feel free to pm me.

Excellent idea.

[Bob33]

You can't fly with ice and dry ice costs about $100 extra and you need a special cooler.

I've flown commercially many times with dry ice without any problems. Some airlines restrict you to five pounds but that's plenty for most situations where you are only travelling for a day. I'e used it in coolers and even duffle bags.

It sells for $2 a pound most places: $10 total plus or minus.

[Fowlweather25]

Thanks a ton guys! Thats a great idea with the hens! So does it just cost the price of a checked bag?

[Whitpirate]

I would assume it is a checked bag but you'd need to see the airlines restriction on weight and break it up to 2 coolers etc... if necessary to avoid stupid overweight charges.

[Bmcox86]

You can't fly with ice and dry ice costs about $100 extra and you need a special cooler.

I've flown commercially many times with dry ice without any problems. Some airlines restrict you to five pounds but that's plenty for most situations where you are only travelling for a day. I'e used it in coolers and even duffle bags.

It sells for $2 a pound most places: $10 total plus or minus.

I had dry ice in the cooler first, American was going to charge a lot for it, over $100. I left and went to the store and got the game hens and came back.

It just costs whatever a checked bag cost to fly with the cooler, just check the weight. Might have to break it up.

[Fowlweather25]

Awesome info! Thanks guys!  Bmcox, who did you hunt with down there?

[stromdiddily]

Tagged

Excellent idea with the hens

[Bmcox86]

I actually hunted in South Carolina with cypress creek outfitters

[Bob33]

You can't fly with ice and dry ice costs about $100 extra and you need a special cooler.

I've flown commercially many times with dry ice without any problems. Some airlines restrict you to five pounds but that's plenty for most situations where you are only travelling for a day. I'e used it in coolers and even duffle bags.

It sells for $2 a pound most places: $10 total plus or minus.

I had dry ice in the cooler first, American was going to charge a lot for it, over $100. I left and went to the store and got the game hens and came back.

It just costs whatever a checked bag cost to fly with the cooler, just check the weight. Might have to break it up.

Airlines can and obviously do make up their own rules, fees, etc. It's not against FAA regulations to check dry ice up to 5.5 pounds, however, and most airlines do allow it. Check ahead to be certain.

http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ash/ash_programs/hazmat/media/materialscarriedbypassengersandcrew.pdf

"Allowed:
Up to 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs.) of dry ice per person in carry-on or checked baggage in a package
that allows venting of carbon dioxide gas."

[Fowlweather25]

Thats good info Bob thanks for sharing? Off topic but did you ever find a duck guide? Id be happy to take ya.

[Fowlweather25]

Thats an awesome hog! I love multi colored hogs!

Last Texas trip: