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I am taking my son on an antelope hunt to WY this fall and because I am trying to keep the days out of school to a minimum, we are flying there and back instead of driving.

What would be the least expensive way best way to ship two boned out antelope across the country back to SC?

Thanks,

Dan

Mail your clothes back. Freeze the meat, put it in a starafoam box & take it back as checked luggage. That's what we do when we go to AK. We bring back 2 boxes with 50lbs each of salmon fillets..

This. I’ve done the same many times hunting WY. In the days before airlines charged for baggage, we used to bring home two 70# boxes of meat each, sometimes three if we were elk hunting. Now, depending on the airline and how much luggage you are bringing on the flight, one box each frozen with dry ice (check with airlines for regs) would work. We would mail our clothes and horns/antlers back home to FL. My Dad is a former Delta pilot, so he gets two checked bags free, so we usually carry two meat boxes and my double rifle case back, and sometimes one bag along as well. Much cheaper than shipping the meat from WY to South FL.

After a huge number of flights with frozen meat from many states I will say without hesitation dry ice adds nothing except weight, cost, and concerns for animals in the hold. A serious mass of frozen meat will not even begin to soften over 36 hours... far more time than you need to get home.

Absolutely my experience too. We regularly travel with 18 gallon Rubbermaid Rough Neck totes secured with zip ties and have never had an issue with thawing.

Very true Sitka. I actually hate using dry ice, and it is entirely possible that the airline will decline to ship it out on the flight if there are any live animals on board. Freezing it and boxing it up tight, especially with an insulated box, will get it there with no worries and without the issues of carrying dry ice.

Thanks for all the help. I’ll locate a processor close to where we are hunting and hopefully he can put a good freeze on it before we depart.

Butchered Antelope are small, less than 40 pounds. Freeze solid, pack in a box (butcher will have them), toss some clothes in the box, keep each box under 50 lbs. Check it in.

If you put dry ice in, the TSA agent will PROBABLY have to open it. If you have a direct flight, don't worry, if you have almost direct, don't worry. I flew home with a butchered elk in cardboard boxes, was ALMOST totally frozen, it was fine when I got it home from ID to NH.

Plan accordingly packing, you each get 2 backs to check in. Use a backpack for carry on and clothes, wear your hunting boots. Use one gun case for all guns etc. Goal is to fly out with 1, or maybe 2, checked bags, figure on 2 extra checked bags coming back for meat. Keep ALL bags under 50 lbs or you will pay $$

Just pray luggage doesn't get lost or miss the flight home. Happened to my dad and his buddy. They lost half an elk when he had two suitcase delivered 3 days after the flight (snowstorm + delayed flight+ luggage didn't make it on the plane for some reason). Delivery guy was wondering why his suitcase was dripping red liquid....

polarbearcooler.com size 48

Full of meat, this cooler bag will meet 50 lb baggage limit.
Baggage Handlers haven't damaged one yet.

I've been using them for a decade especially for bringing fish
home from Mexico in the summer.

Late October every year they have a 2 for 1 sale.

Cool or freeze the meat and place in a soft sided cooler (yeti or similar). Then just carry it on the plane and put in the overhead. If TSA asks tell them it’s organic meat. I do this several times a year flying across the country and never had an issue. Pronghorn are small and will easily fit.

Plus one on the Polarbear coolers. Maybe not as tough as a Yeti but plenty good enough for me. If the processor can freeze the meat in a block inside the cooler it will be fine for three days or so as others have written. Had an Elk that sat on the run way for at least a day due to flight delays and it was fine and just starting to thaw when I picked it up.

I shipped a 50 qt. cooler full of sausage from Tx. to Fl. and the dang shipping was almost the price of a second ticket. UPS is good and you can track it easily if there are delays but carry on seems the way to go if possible. Ship the gear if your over the weight limit.

Good info. I always wondered how meat could be shipped economically .

Do not let the flight attendants see you putting meat in the overhead, frozen or not. Was on a flight a while back and the guy a couple rows in front of me had blood leaking from his bag down onto him. They made a couple announcements about what can be stored in the overhead and they said blood leaking from bags was not particularly rare and why they made it clear fish and meat were not to be put up there. They also said the worst offenders were beer growlers letting go at altitude. I had never heard of the meat ban previously.