Transport of meat from AZ

[lamrith]

Drew cow elk hunt in AZ this year. 

I am curious what methods folks have used to bring/get meat home from a hunt?  I brought a coues deer back easy on the airline since it was light.  Elk is lot of weight and airlines seem to be tight on weight restrictions?  Ideas?



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[CP]

Drive, and bring a small freezer with you. 

[7mmfan]

See if there is an Alaska Air cargo at a nearby airport with a refrigerator or freezer, both the drop off and destination. They will keep it in whichever you ask them too until it flies and until you pick it up at the destination. Other airlines have similar air cargo deals as well.

[lamrith]

See if there is an Alaska Air cargo at a nearby airport with a refrigerator or freezer, both the drop off and destination. They will keep it in whichever you ask them too until it flies and until you pick it up at the destination. Other airlines have similar air cargo deals as well.

Def a option, but have to be a "known shipper" with tsa thru them for that.  However, it is very economical option and appears my work is one so def an possible!

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[b0bbyg]

I have a place way down south and family in the Phoenix area   I can get you access to "store" your meat there where I can eat it, I mean store it.

but seriously the cargo option with Alaska is what I would do if I needed to fly the meat.
Unless there was 2 or more of you flying down and you were just worried about the meat.  Southwest will let you check 2 bags free at 50lbs and under.  That is enough for a cow Elk boned out

Guessing you are hunting with friends or family because flying down leaves you renting to hunt, in which case I would just drive down there with coolers or a freezer.

[WapitiTalk1]

Load two large coolers in that big rig of yours, get the meat processed/frozen down there, pack it in said coolers and head back home.  Its a hike down there I know, you may want to hang a chunk or two of dry ice in the coolers above the meat. 

Oh, congrats on the tag. 

[lamrith]

I have a place way down south and family in the Phoenix area   I can get you access to "store" your meat there where I can eat it, I mean store it.

but seriously the cargo option with Alaska is what I would do if I needed to fly the meat.
Unless there was 2 or more of you flying down and you were just worried about the meat.  Southwest will let you check 2 bags free at 50lbs and under.  That is enough for a cow Elk boned out

Guessing you are hunting with friends or family because flying down leaves you renting to hunt, in which case I would just drive down there with coolers or a freezer.

Rest of family lives out near unit we are hunting.  Only I am flying.  One bag taken up by rifle case. This is a Dec cow hunt, meaning I need cold weather gear which is more than fit in carry on(kuiu 3500) which means second bag.  Southwest will not take reservations past 1st week of Sept.  Slackers.

Cow elk should be more than 100# boned out?  My small wa bull was 240+ after full processing. 

I am pretty decided in Alaska cargo, seriously great deal all the way around.  Thanks for the tip folks!!

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[b0bbyg]

I have a place way down south and family in the Phoenix area   I can get you access to "store" your meat there where I can eat it, I mean store it.

but seriously the cargo option with Alaska is what I would do if I needed to fly the meat.
Unless there was 2 or more of you flying down and you were just worried about the meat.  Southwest will let you check 2 bags free at 50lbs and under.  That is enough for a cow Elk boned out

Guessing you are hunting with friends or family because flying down leaves you renting to hunt, in which case I would just drive down there with coolers or a freezer.

Rest of family lives out near unit we are hunting.  Only I am flying.  One bag taken up by rifle case. This is a Dec cow hunt, meaning I need cold weather gear which is more than fit in carry on(kuiu 3500) which means second bag.  Southwest will not take reservations past 1st week of Sept.  Slackers.

Cow elk should be more than 100# boned out?  My small wa bull was 240+ after full processing. 

I am pretty decided in Alaska cargo, seriously great deal all the way around.  Thanks for the tip folks!!

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If you are the only one flying then Cargo is your best bet  , I was thinking if 2 were flying you might be able to pull it off but would be tight, and you would need things frozen before you leave.
 
Driving is not a terrible option just made the run last weekend in 2 days. With one person it is cheaper to fly with 2 it starts to even out driving versus flying depending on deals you get.

Hope you get one down.

[Skillet]

See if there is an Alaska Air cargo at a nearby airport with a refrigerator or freezer, both the drop off and destination. They will keep it in whichever you ask them too until it flies and until you pick it up at the destination. Other airlines have similar air cargo deals as well.

Def a option, but have to be a "known shipper" with tsa thru them for that.  However, it is very economical option and appears my work is one so def an possible!

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Don't need to be a known shipper if you book it on a freighter, FYI.  Only if it flies on a passenger flight.   

I don't know if there is cooler or freezer storage at your nearest AK Air serviced airport in AZ, or if they run a cargo flight out of there.  Would be worth a call though, I think.

[lamrith]

I did some rough estimating with the alaska cargo sight and am getting $150-180 total for priority shipment and that is grossly overestimating the meat I will bring back, probably almost double.  With that sort of cost I will Def be going aircargo route.  And my work is a known shipper, so I can use their account.

Driving is just a non option, fuel will be over $430 each way alone, plus hotel.  Plus 2 looong days down, 2 long days back ontop of over a week off from work.  Versus $90 round trip via southwest, (<$200 for others as well) plus $150 aircargo for the meat.  Plus I get to sit back in seat with a drink and let someone else drive..

[bearpaw]

I advise all my hunters to save money by taking their meat home on the plane with them rather than trying to ship it. You can usually take extra baggage for about $75 per cooler, check with your airline for the specifics.

[dvolmer]

Donate the meat and buy a 100 pounds of T-Bones and Ribeye’s when you get home. Cost will be about the same.  Or drive down and bring it back in coolers or freezer. But that might cost more also if gas is $5-$7 a gallon by then. 😳

[spin05]

same way we do Caribou from Alaska.  Debone it. Into fish boxes. Dry ice in it for the trip home. Take it as checked baggage and pay the extra fees.

[haftard]

Brought an axis deer back from Texas. Big yeti cooler and a little bit of ice. Every time we stoped for gas we would drain the water out of the cooler. Only needed like 2 bags of ice for the whole 29 hour drive. If your going to fly tho get it flash frozen at a butcher shop.

[lamrith]

I advise all my hunters to save money by taking their meat home on the plane with them rather than trying to ship it. You can usually take extra baggage for about $75 per cooler, check with your airline for the specifics.

I would much rather have it fly with me, but it seems very cost prohibitive. 

Airlines were showing me $150+ per cooler due to size and weight restrictions  Base bags are $30+ plus dimension and weight penalties..  Alaska air cargo priority is $180 total for TWO 40*20*20 coolers each weighing 150#.

I will check airline again just in case.

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