Antlers on a plane

[JBar]

Has anyone had experience with transporting deer antlers as checked baggage? Is it safer to ship them Fed Ex or UPS?

[Stein]

Alaska Air does it all the time:

Antlers and horns are only accepted as checked baggage if they are properly packaged and meet normal size and weight restrictions.

    Antlers must be wrapped in shrink wrap or plastic covering.
    Antler tips must be padded to prevent punctures.
    Antlers must be free of raw meat, blood, or noticeable odors.
    Linear dimensions must not exceed 120 inches (305cms). Any animal rack/antler that exceeds 120 linear inches cannot be accepted.
    Maximum allowable dimensions are 38 inches deep by 34 inches wide and 70 inches length/height.

[WoolyRunner]

I checked my elk horns on Southwest when I was coming from Albuqurque
 I made sure the skull plate was nice & clean. Then took a game bag, cut to size,& taped up the skull plate all nice looking. Then got a cheap garden hose and cut to length and covered all the points & used duck tape. Worked great & made it to Seattle just fine.

[JBar]

I'm flying Alaska but just worried if I get something nice it'll show up broke to shat or not at all.

Wooly- Did you place anything between the antlers to keep them from being pushed together and breaking the skull plate? If I shoot an average size deer can I break the skull plate and put the antlers in my bag?

[WoolyRunner]

I'm flying Alaska but just worried if I get something nice it'll show up broke to shat or not at all.

Wooly- Did you place anything between the antlers to keep them from being pushed together and breaking the skull plate? If I shoot an average size deer can I break the skull plate and put the antlers in my bag?

My experience with Alaska has been awesome when it comes to guns, meat, etc. Theyre the best in the biz IMO. Anyways...
They should put like 5 'FRAGILE' stickers on your antlers. Thats what Southwest did on mine. I also observed that my antlers were one if the last pieces of cargo to go on the plane..and the first to get unloaded. Youll probly hafta go to the oversize luggage collection area too.

Where are you going to hunt?

[JBar]

Thats good news wooly! I'm hunting eastern colorado for mule deer my dad (he's a resident ) and I both were drawn for the area he lives.

[WoolyRunner]

Thats good news wooly! I'm hunting eastern colorado for mule deer my dad (he's a resident ) and I both were drawn for the area he lives.

Right On! 

All in all..You should have no issues getting your antlers home

[actionshooter]

One thing I have done a couple of times.....Stop by the UPS store to get the cardboard for the points, then wrap the  antlers in bubble wrap and tape the crap out of it.

[3boys]

I have flown out of Durango CO several times with a caped deer with horns boxed up in checked luggage with no problem.

[huntnphool]

Alaska Air does it all the time:

Antlers and horns are only accepted as checked baggage if they meet normal size and weight restrictions.

 Unless Jim finds a deal on a nice rack at a garage sale while he is there, I'm betting anything he tags will fit inside his carry on.

[elk247]

 

[JBar]

Alaska Air does it all the time:

Antlers and horns are only accepted as checked baggage if they meet normal size and weight restrictions.

 Unless Jim finds a deal on a nice rack at a garage sale while he is there, I'm betting anything he tags will fit inside his carry on.

Hey now! You know there won't be any garage sales in December! So carry on it is!