How do you handle Taxidermy for air travel/long distance out of state game?

[lamrith]

I have an AZ Coues hunt in Nov and am hoping to get a good handle on logistics before I need them.

I am curious how some of you experienced out of state big game hunters handle Taxidermy for your out of state game, namely when it is a hunt you fly to get to.

I know I would much prefer to have my "trophy" with me, local to me when it is being worked on.  Not only will I have a better relationship with my taxidermist from using them for local game, but also if there is a problem I am close and can deal with it in person, not over the phone from 1000mi away.

What needs to be done, do you freeze and overnight it via common carrier, do the same and check baggage? 

I recall there was a big uproar after the whole trophy lion in Africa debacle a few years ago and I think some airlines and shipping Co no longer will handle game?

[Wetwoodshunter]

Book your flight with AK airlines, if you can. Typically they will have a freezer you can put your stuff in the night before you fly and it will get frozen solid and you get it from them the day of your flight, just arrive an extra 30 mins early. Your head and horns need to go in a plastic bag x2 taped shut, Alaska lets you check a whole head non-split. The antlers need to be taped up with cardboard covering the tips.

Put the meat and cape in wax or paper fish boxes. The meat will need to be frozen solid with no ice in it, make sure they put stickers on everything that say keep frozen.

I just checked a whole caribou a few weeks ago and it cost me, $75 head, $75 meat box 1 and $75 meat box #2

[lamrith]

Book your flight with AK airlines, if you can. Typically they will have a freezer you can put your stuff in the night before you fly and it will get frozen solid and you get it from them the day of your flight, just arrive an extra 30 mins early. Your head and horns need to go in a plastic bag x2 taped shut, Alaska lets you check a whole head non-split. The antlers need to be taped up with cardboard covering the tips.

Put the meat and cape in wax or paper fish boxes. The meat will need to be frozen solid with no ice in it, make sure they put stickers on everything that say keep frozen.

I just checked a whole caribou a few weeks ago and it cost me, $75 head, $75 meat box 1 and $75 meat box #2

Unfortunately I am already booked on SW.  I flew back with them with meat only last time and it was easy enough, but the whole lion thing happened since then, so I am not sure what changed with them.  They accept perishables with certain rules, but I am worried about the cape/antlers.

[CAMPMEAT]

I would say that's up to the taxidermist to prepare your mount and ship it, so if it's messed up, his fault ?




What part of the state are you going to be in ? I live down near Nogales.

[lamrith]

I would say that's up to the taxidermist to prepare your mount and ship it, so if it's messed up, his fault ?




What part of the state are you going to be in ? I live down near Nogales.

Well I am wanting to bring it to a Taxi up here to have the work done, so I need to get the cape/skull it up here for them to work on.  Sounds like the guys I am hunting with know of a processor in Tucson they use for the processing.  I should be able to take cape/skull to them to get frozen good.  I did that last year with my bear and it made a 9hr drive home easy enough.

34A November hunt, so not far away from you.

[CAMPMEAT]

I would say that's up to the taxidermist to prepare your mount and ship it, so if it's messed up, his fault ?




What part of the state are you going to be in ? I live down near Nogales.

Well I am wanting to bring it to a Taxi up here to have the work done, so I need to get the cape/skull it up here for them to work on.  Sounds like the guys I am hunting with know of a processor in Tucson they use for the processing.  I should be able to take cape/skull to them to get frozen good.  I did that last year with my bear and it made a 9hr drive home easy enough.

34A November hunt, so not far away from you.

Yessir. I live in it. Get a cougar tag. We've had a bunch of sightings near Tubac. I've seen 2 in the past year. Good luck.