Meat and Air Travel

Wojo14

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Jul 30, 2016
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Western, PA
I am thinking about getting a heavy duty soft cooler for air travel to bring meat home. Before I drop some coin on a Yeti, Walmart has one of those Ozark Trail 30 Soft coolers that is similar to the Yeti. I know it wont compare to a Yeti, But I thought I would giv one a try for a couple hunts. It is rated for a 30 can cooler or 22 pounds of ice. Looks pretty decent for $50!
My question for you guys that travel via airplane, you think this is big enough for a decent size mule deer boned out?

What do you guys use?

Any pointers?

Lastly, how you trasport the horns?

~Wojo
 

Trial153

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Oct 28, 2014
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NY
you bone out a decent buck your looking at 65 to 80 pounds of boneless meat.
so youd probbly need two of those coolers.
i recently flew home from NM and i had 50 pounds of frozeen meat in a duffle and about another 25 frozzen in another bag.

Packed the rack, and most of my cloths in a box and sent it ups home
 
Joined
Feb 20, 2016
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I would research the kill bags I mentioned in another post. They come in all different sizes. I bet this 18x36 would carry a boned out deer.
f8b750353fea99a7466e1e5aa9aa7cc3.jpg



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pods8 (Rugged Stitching)

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If it was me I'd be inclined to just buy a couple 48qt coolers ($15ea) if successful, load in the meat in a garbage bag inside it to ~48lb and knot that off and load dry ice on top to prefreeze it before the airport, duct tape it shut (remove excess dry ice before taping shut to check it) and check it. Its a reasonable size, standard shape, and durable (if taped shut) to handle being a checked item.
 

colonel00

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Jun 19, 2013
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Lost
Been using Poler Bear soft sided coolers for several years now after a recommendation here. They work well and you can catch them on half off sales. The 48 can sized one will even fit as a carry-on with a little squeezing. Just don't pack it full which would probably be too heavy to carry anyway.
 
Joined
Oct 10, 2017
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Texas
Never shipped "meat" before but I have shipped salmon home from Alaska on several occasions. I just by the cheap fish boxes, cardboard box, with a styrofoam inside. Pack the fish in there and fly home. works great. Key is to freeze them first with dry ice.
 

LostArra

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May 9, 2013
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Oklahoma
Been using Poler Bear soft sided coolers for several years now after a recommendation here. They work well and you can catch them on half off sales. The 48 can sized one will even fit as a carry-on with a little squeezing. Just don't pack it full which would probably be too heavy to carry anyway.

+1 !
Game meat or fish
A huge step up from insulated fish boxes that I’ve also used.

These can be packed flat in a duffle on the way to your hunt destination.


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skinman51

FNG
Joined
May 14, 2018
Messages
1
Location
california
travel with Meat

I am thinking about getting a heavy duty soft cooler for air travel to bring meat home. Before I drop some coin on a Yeti, Walmart has one of those Ozark Trail 30 Soft coolers that is similar to the Yeti. I know it wont compare to a Yeti, But I thought I would giv one a try for a couple hunts. It is rated for a 30 can cooler or 22 pounds of ice. Looks pretty decent for $50!
My question for you guys that travel via airplane, you think this is big enough for a decent size mule deer boned out?

What do you guys use?

Any pointers?

Lastly, how you trasport the horns?

~Wojo
Wojo,

In the past hunting Canada and big deer, I have always put my deer antlers in my bag and pack the dirty or clean close around the antlers. It always works and I don't have to deal with the airport personnel. Secondly do a bit of research before you leave. For the meat. take 40lbs or 50lbs of any meat and get it into the smallest cardboard box you can fit it and weigh to make sure you have the correct weight. measure the box and Now you know the measurements to buy coolers at the city where you will hunt. In Manitoba and Saschatewan I buy my coolers before the hunt, then bring them into camp. Now I know my cost on 80 or 100 lbs of boned out meat...per airline cost. No need to spend big money.. then discard or save the coolers .
 

TauPhi111

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Sep 10, 2017
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598
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Ohio
If you don't want to drop the coin on a Yeti (who does?), look to the Rtic Softpak coolers. IMO their rotomolded coolers are just as good as Yeti, and I'd assume their soft ones are pretty good too. I just ordered the Softpak 20 and 30 on amazon for less than the price of one Yeti Hopper2 18 at Cabelas. Of the 2 Rtics, one is going to be sent back once I determine if the 30 would be small enought to fit under the seat or in the overhead compartment on a plane
 

rlmmarine

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Aug 13, 2016
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Ormond beach
Amazon sells large columbia soft sided coolers for around 50 dollars. I pack 2 of these and ship the meat home in 50 lb increments. I ask to use the hotels freezer the night before so everything is good and cold before boarding. Last year my caribou was still frozen when I arrived in daytona with no mess
 

Oregon

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May 15, 2018
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Oregon coast
All good ideas. I’m not sure where you’re flying from but here’s some ideas that I’ve done.
Flying back from Mexico with 90#s of tuna I had vac sealed and frozen. Went to Costco and bought 2 cheap Coleman 30 quart coolers.
After airport checked luggage, I duct taped shut. Had a screwy flight home and missed a connector. Close to 20 hours from boarding plane to getting home. Fish was fine.
Flew out of Kodiak one year with nothing but wax boxes and unfrozen meat. No issues at all after 12 hours travel. Had room in duffel for 2 sets antlers.
Another Kodiak trip I checked a 90 quart cooler, had bear spray and other assorted important stuff like whisky and Copenhagen. Btw, if you are nice, courteous and readily admit your stupidity, you can get your TSA fine down to $500 for trying to check bear spray.
Paid an over weight fee to check cooler home with 2 bucks and antlers.
 

Jimss

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Mar 6, 2015
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On my Alaska trips I use salmon boxes you can pick up at Walmart for super cheap. They are cardboard boxes lined with Styrofoam. All my salmon, halibut, and big game has always remained frozen for my 8 to 12 hour flight home. You could make your own by going to a local Home Depot and buying some thin wall insulation that you cut the size of a box. I often send frozen capes to taxidermists this same way.
 

Stagg412

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Joined
Apr 9, 2018
Messages
7
Location
PA
Not trying to hijack the thread, but what about processors who will cut, freeze and ship it for you? Flying with that much meat makes me nervous as often as stuff gets lost or ends up in the wrong place.

Due to work restrictions and scheduling, my buddies and I are flying from PA to MT for our hunt this fall and are leaning towards all chipping in to have everything shipped home separately. Dumb idea? Too expensive compared to just buying some quality coolers and checking?
 

Fitzwho

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Apr 18, 2017
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Midland, TX
I’ve used the yeti hopper 30 to bring 45lbs of moose meat back from Alberta (checked) with no issues as well as a carry on bringing frozen fish back from fishing trips. As stupidly expensive as they are they are a very well engineered piece of gear. I would be curious about the Rtic soft coolers, I like the looks of them. The big backpack style Yeti flip has my attention if I needed something of that sort right now.
 

Jsunkler

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Apr 10, 2018
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Eastern Shore
Not trying to hijack the thread, but what about processors who will cut, freeze and ship it for you? Flying with that much meat makes me nervous as often as stuff gets lost or ends up in the wrong place.

Due to work restrictions and scheduling, my buddies and I are flying from PA to MT for our hunt this fall and are leaning towards all chipping in to have everything shipped home separately. Dumb idea? Too expensive compared to just buying some quality coolers and checking?

Having the meat shipped back is usually extremely expensive due to the weight and having it shipped quickly, I would talk to the processor that you plan to use and ask for a shipping quote. If I were flying out, I would plan on flying home with coolers versus shipping back.
 

Capra74

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Dec 15, 2017
Messages
31
Location
Victoria
No need for an expensive cooler. I brought home an entire dall sheep in my carry on. Ideally, just double bag the meat in ziplocks (and tape them shut), fill your carry on to capacity and then throw the whole thing in the freezer overnight. Another time my brother and I carried 26 raw, unfrozen hog backstraps on a few years back. TSA in Texas didn't even blink an eye. Unless you're going to be traveling for 24 hours, just having the meat cool all the way through and then packing it tightly together will keep it plenty cool for most travel within the US.
 
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