Meat/antler shipping question

[blacktail7]

I was was wondering if anyone out there had any experience with shipping meat and antlers home after an out of state hunt?  I've got a mule deer hunt in Wyoming and an Elk hunt in new Mexico planned this year, and both I am planning on flying too.  Any ideas or experience to share would be appreciated. I'm sure it's not going to be real cheap.  Thanks to any replies!

[MtnMuley]

Dry ice.  Also in NM, you will have to bring your horns back with no meat on the bone.

[Miles]

Dry ice can be more of a pain in the ass than it is worth.  We always cut, package, and freeze our venison prior to shipping.  Find a cooler and pack it right to the top (try not to leave much air space at all).  Bring it to the airport, pay for an overweight bag (they allow up to 100lbs generally) and pick it up when you land at your destination.  We usually have them do a quick check, then duct tape the cooler shut.  I also recommend writing your name and number on the cooler in permanent marker.   You can ship your antlers through the airlines as well, but we usually just ship them in a box using fed-ex.  Put some pipe insulation around the points and use some packing material around them.

[GoldTip]

If your lucky and can fly Alaska airline to wherever you go, they allow up to 50Lbs in each box without paying overweight baggage, which is more expensive than simply paying for an empty bag.  As Miles stated above, have everything frozen and packed very tightly, airlines are not fans of dry ice.  Use newspaper to fill the voids in your cooler.  I just flew home from AK last month with 200lbs of fish filets and flew it all home as excess baggage, all stayed frozen quite well and arrived home with me on my flight.

[NRA4LIFE]

I have a soft sided cooler I take with me to Missouri every year for white tail.  We cut, wrap and freeze out there and fully packed this cooler comes in right under 50 lbs.  I check it like regular baggage on the plane.  I am flying South West and they still allow 2 free bags.  Meat is still rock solid when I get home here.  Horns I deal with separately.  If they're too big for my checked bag, I have my dad or buddy send them to me.

[coyotehunter]

Blacktail7 - I shot a big bull elk in Colorado a few years back, did some calculations and figured it was cheaper to rent a mini van oneway from Denver to Seattle than it was to ship back the meat and head. Lost a little on the return airplane ticket too. Also both WY and NM deer and elk, you'll need to bone out all the meat and just take back the horns and skull cap. No brain matter(makes a european mount difficult). Since that experience I've either planned out of state hunting trips as road trips or work something out with the airlines so I can get credit on the return ticket not being used. Hope this helps.

[blacktail7]

Thanks for all the replies!  In the past ive used the airlines to get my frozen hog meat home and it sounds like thats the way to do it if im not driving.  I just wanted to make sure there wasnt another option out there i was over looking.  Thank again!

[Miles]

You might want to check with your airline about shipping the skull/antlers.  Depending on the size it can become quite the project to ship through fed-ex or UPS.  Last year we had to search all over for a box that would fit ours in it.  We ended up having to go to a moving company to find a box big enough to ship some mule deer racks...  One rack was 26" wide, and the other was a little narrower but about 25" high.  It doesn't sound like it's going to be that difficult to find a box that will fit something with those measurements, but when you factor in the skull they start taking up a lot of space.

[rtspring]

if you happen to have someone with you that is in the military, they can have unlimited coolers at no extra charge.
we did this last year with a buddy of mine from florida wiht his elk, packed the coolers right before we went to the airport and he said everything was still frozen when he got home......

[Miles]

if you happen to have someone with you that is in the military, they can have unlimited coolers at no extra charge.
we did this last year with a buddy of mine from florida wiht his elk, packed the coolers right before we went to the airport and he said everything was still frozen when he got home......

I've never heard of this unless you are on orders.  What airline was it with?

[6x6in6]

Thanks for all the replies!  In the past ive used the airlines to get my frozen hog meat home and it sounds like thats the way to do it if im not driving.  I just wanted to make sure there wasnt another option out there i was over looking.  Thank again!

Depending on when you are there and where you are, I could transport your WY animal home for you.  Our WY departure is  Oct 28th, a layover at Mom's east of Missoula for some Mom grub and home on the 29th.  Having the room to do so won't be an issue if you want to save a few $.  Glad to help if I can. 

[rtspring]

Miles,

I think it was southwest or united? I will call him in the morning to find out..  He had two rifle cases, two huge bags, and two coolers, 
and there was no extra charge, all he had to do was chow his ID CARD.

[6x6in6]

Dry ice.  Also in NM, you will have to bring your horns back with no meat on the bone.

Same with WY.
100% boneless and 100% clean skull.

[Miles]

RTspring, That would be great.  Especially in this day in age where they are tacking on fees for everything. LOL   Southwest is usually a very good company to deal with-- in my experiences with them anyways.  They got me on to a "full" flight during a family emergency without a having a ticket (last minute standby thing).  I made it just in time to say my good-byes.

[MtnMuley]

Miles -- How is dry ice more of a pain than it's worth?  I've used it many times with no problems.