Meat/Antler Transport from AK

[fishngamereaper]

So I over think everything..its a blessing and a curse. 

I don't want to re invent the wheel with how to (hopefully) have to transport meat/antlers from AK back home after our planned caribou hunt this Aug.

But I have some ideas bouncing around in the head. Help me clean them up.

A. Fly up with normal gear, back pack as carry on, checked gear bag and rifle case. Deal with getting wax boxes/ antler packaging in AK as the need arises. Fly everything back as checked baggage.

B. Stuff my gear bag into a rubber made tote. Add some cardboard-bubble wrap, antler wrap material etc ..pay over weight fee for flight up. Have everything with me on site and be able to wrap antlers as soon as getting out of the field. Use rubber made tote for meat transport. Fly everything back as checked baggage.

C. Pre mail rubber made tote or wax boxes with all antler wrap material and non essential hunt items to my transporter a month early. ( The size I would mail I had quoted as a flat $110 fee- delivery time frame of 2-3 weeks)  Have everything on site for when I need it. Fly it back as checked baggage.

D. Instead of tote in options above use a large soft sided cooler. 

Thoughts from those that have done it before.

[Wetwoodshunter]

Alaska Air is great. I flew back out of deadhorse and they had boxes and a freezer. As long as your meat is frozen in a 50 lb box you can just check it.

They had a freezer there, we just took our meat there the day before we flew and it froze solid overnight. They didn't charge extra for the service, just like $10 per box and the check bag fee.

[fishngamereaper]

Alaska Air is great. I flew back out of deadhorse and they had boxes and a freezer. As long as your meat is frozen in a 50 lb box you can just check it.

They had a freezer there, we just took our meat there the day before we flew and it froze solid overnight. They didn't charge extra for the service, just like $10 per box and the check bag fee.

We are landing and leaving from Fairbanks. I heard they have a freezer the airport but haven't verified yet.

[callturner]

Are you hunting solo or with an outfitter? Most times an outfitter can help you arrange your game transportation and will have these answers for you.

Mike.

[actionshooter]

Here is AA baggage policy... go with their overweight/oversize for up to 100#.. https://www.alaskaair.com/content/travel-info/baggage/checked-bags. 

Buy a  100qt cooler for the trip home...  There a 2 Fred Meyers in Fairbanks that stock a TON of these.... Cut and wrapped meat will fill one of these and it's right at 100# or you can get a smaller cooler and just bone the meat out...

I sent a whole cut and wrapped moose home and it was $550 in baggage fees (plus coolers) that's the cheapest route I could find.

[fishngamereaper]

Are you hunting solo or with an outfitter? Most times an outfitter can help you arrange your game transportation and will have these answers for you.

Mike.

DIY with a transporter. Transporter has been great with questions. I'm just trying ascertain what's worked best for others. Obviously getting meat from AK is not something new. Just planning ahead with the best possible option.

[Wetwoodshunter]

Alaska Air is great. I flew back out of deadhorse and they had boxes and a freezer. As long as your meat is frozen in a 50 lb box you can just check it.

They had a freezer there, we just took our meat there the day before we flew and it froze solid overnight. They didn't charge extra for the service, just like $10 per box and the check bag fee.

We are landing and leaving from Fairbanks. I heard they have a freezer the airport but haven't verified yet.

You can also use Alaska Air Cargo from fairbanks which may be cheaper but I think there are new hoops to go through to be a certified shipper. Your caribou will be 3 check bags total.

[boneaddict]

I drove there and back just so I didn’t have to mess with this.   Best road trip I’ve ever taken.  Shooting a 1000 pound critter and putting it into 50 pound boxes 

It also felt pretty good on the road trip having all the honks and thumbs up on the drive back, and even the middle fingers once I hit Seattle.  Lol

[boneaddict]

Oops sorry, just saw this was for caribou not moose. 

[fishngamereaper]

Oops sorry, just saw this was for caribou not moose.

 

Same thing...just smaller.

We thought about driving but don't want to count on Canada letting us through.

[actionshooter]

I drove there and back just so I didn’t have to mess with this.   Best road trip I’ve ever taken.  Shooting a 1000 pound critter and putting it into 50 pound boxes 

It also felt pretty good on the road trip having all the honks and thumbs up on the drive back, and even the middle fingers once I hit Seattle.  Lol

I drove it once Fairbanks to Olympia... had a 7x12 trailer with a freezer and all the raft gear in the back... kept a 2000w generator mounted on the tongue and ran it while I drove and kept everything frozen... Brought 4 caribou back on that trip.

Totally cool drive, but between driving up, hunting and driving back.... you need a LOT of time off.. 

[actionshooter]

Oops sorry, just saw this was for caribou not moose.

 

Same thing...just smaller.

We thought about driving but don't want to count on Canada letting us through.

I know the dirty SOBs didn't let my hunting partner through this year.... he had all the gear and was going to pick me up at the airport... Trip over that fast...

[callturner]

I drove there and back just so I didn’t have to mess with this.   Best road trip I’ve ever taken.  Shooting a 1000 pound critter and putting it into 50 pound boxes 

It also felt pretty good on the road trip having all the honks and thumbs up on the drive back, and even the middle fingers once I hit Seattle.  Lol

How did you keep it frozen, just curious?

Mike

[fishngamereaper]

Oops sorry, just saw this was for caribou not moose.

 

Same thing...just smaller.

We thought about driving but don't want to count on Canada letting us through.

I know the dirty SOBs didn't let my hunting partner through this year.... he had all the gear and was going to pick me up at the airport... Trip over that fast...

I'm just want to get back up to nootka this year... cancelling last year sucked.

[boneaddict]

I drove there and back just so I didn’t have to mess with this.   Best road trip I’ve ever taken.  Shooting a 1000 pound critter and putting it into 50 pound boxes 

It also felt pretty good on the road trip having all the honks and thumbs up on the drive back, and even the middle fingers once I hit Seattle.  Lol

How did you keep it frozen, just curious?

Mike

Put it on poles in the back of the truck for air circulation.   It pretty much froze in the woods and for most of the trip home.   We didn’t dink around On the trip home.