Getting meat home

[traviswdalton]

I drew unit 15 Archery elk second season. If successful how do I get the meat home. I had originally planned to drive but I’ll be living in SC by September which translates to a 26 hour drive. So I guess that leaves me with trying to fly back with it or pay to have it shipped. Anyone with experience on the logistics of either option or perhaps another option.


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[Howell81]

dry ice can be found at most grocery stores. Find an old junk chest freezer and load it up. will be fine for days.

Shipping it would be expensive but could do the same thing, pack an old junk cooler with meat and dry ice and call up fedx frt.

 

[traviswdalton]

dry ice can be found at most grocery stores. Find an old junk chest freezer and load it up. will be fine for days.

Shipping it would be expensive but could do the same thing, pack an old junk cooler with meat and dry ice and call up fedx frt.

Outfitter has cold storage available to use until departure and a local butcher.


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[elkyinzer]

Check with meat processors around the cities, ABQ and PHX or whatever. Often they have cargo shipping contracts with the airlines. You pick it up at an airport near you. From what I've looked into its significantly cheaper than FedEx.

You can do the checking coolers rigmarole and ship your gear home. I haven't really priced that out to me it's a lot of hassle and lot that can go wrong.

I've been planning my next trip I think I will fly out West, and if I'm successful I'll just drive the rental car home with the meat and eat my plane tickets. If I don't kill I fly home. I think I can do that a bit cheaper than shipping it cargo and I still get to cut the meat up myself which I prefer.

 

[SteveCNJ]

I face the same dilemma, hunting the last week of September in Wyoming and I'll be driving both ways from NJ. Plan on moving to Summerville, SC next year.

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[traviswdalton]

I face the same dilemma, hunting the last week of September in Wyoming and I'll be driving both ways from NJ. Plan on moving to Summerville, SC next year.

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I’ll be around Orangeburg SC


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[MuleyFever]

Why would you think the meat won’t be fine in coolers for the drive home?

 

[jspradley]

Why would you think the meat won’t be fine in coolers for the drive home?

Because he is flying.

 

[traviswdalton]

Why would you think the meat won’t be fine in coolers for the drive home?

I think you’re confused. You could drive the meat home with no problems but I’m not driving that far. 13 hours is my limit on driving.


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[traviswdalton]

From TSA

Fresh Meat and Seafood
Carry On Bags: Yes (Special Instructions)
Checked Bags: Yes
Meat, seafood and other non-liquid food items are permitted in both carry-on and checked bags. If the food is packed with ice or ice packs in a cooler or other container, the ice or ice packs must be completely frozen when brought through screening. If the ice or ice packs are partially melted and have any liquid at the bottom of the container, they will not be permitted. You also can pack frozen perishables in your carry-on or checked bags in dry ice. The FAA limits you to five pounds of dry ice that is properly packaged (the package is vented) and marked.


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[MuleyFever]

Because he is flying.

Got it. When he said he was originally going to drive I thought he was saying the option of flying was to get the meat home faster. I’m caught up now. Carry on.

 

[Bucky]

If you have the money to fly and do the hunt, you should probably spend the money to ship the meat back home.

Obviously if you drive you should as others stated take a freezer or coolers with dry ice as it will last a couple days on dry ice.

 

[traviswdalton]

If you have the money to fly and do the hunt, you should probably spend the money to ship the meat back home.

Obviously if you drive you should as others stated take a freezer or coolers with dry ice as it will last a couple days on dry ice.

I’m leaning towards paying the oversized fee and bringing it back in coolers. My son is going with me so we could take 3 coolers. Would that be enough to get most of the meat home?


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[traviswdalton]

Looks like dry ice is not a good idea for flying. Package can not be airtight.

Pack Safe
Dry ice

Carbon dioxide, solid, 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs) or less, when used to pack perishables
Quantity limit: 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs) per package and per passenger.

Airline approval is required.
Packages must NOT be air tight and must allow the release of carbon dioxide gas.

When in checked baggage, the package must be marked "Dry ice" or "Carbon dioxide, solid" and marked with the net quantity of dry ice, or an indication that it is 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs) or less.
See the regulation: 49 CFR 175.10(a)(10)
Tip: Additional non-hazardous ice packs (blue ice, gel packs, etc.) can be used to supplement the dry ice. However, for carry-on baggage, if the product contains any liquid or gel in excess of 100 ml (3.4 oz) per container, the TSA security rules require that the product be in the frozen state (i.e., solid) when the passenger goes through security screening.


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[Labdad]

I always brought my meat home on my flight and paid the extra per box/cooler . Cut/frozen, in either wax boxes or cooler

 

[traviswdalton]

I always brought my meat home on my flight and paid the extra per box/cooler . Cut/frozen, in either wax boxes or cooler

How many coolers for an elk?


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[Labdad]

IIRC about 5-6

 

[Morrid7]

Looks like dry ice is not a good idea for flying. Package can not be airtight.

Pack Safe
Dry ice

Carbon dioxide, solid, 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs) or less, when used to pack perishables
Quantity limit: 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs) per package and per passenger.

Airline approval is required.
Packages must NOT be air tight and must allow the release of carbon dioxide gas.

When in checked baggage, the package must be marked "Dry ice" or "Carbon dioxide, solid" and marked with the net quantity of dry ice, or an indication that it is 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs) or less.
See the regulation: 49 CFR 175.10(a)(10)
Tip: Additional non-hazardous ice packs (blue ice, gel packs, etc.) can be used to supplement the dry ice. However, for carry-on baggage, if the product contains any liquid or gel in excess of 100 ml (3.4 oz) per container, the TSA security rules require that the product be in the frozen state (i.e., solid) when the passenger goes through security screening.


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If the meat is frozen solid and packed in decent coolers when checked on the plane, you should be fine for the flight(s) home from ABQ as long as you don’t have a big layover somewhere. That’s been my experience at least. Having said that, I much prefer to drive so I can bring my meat home under my watchful eye and TLC.


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[traviswdalton]

If the meat is frozen solid and packed in decent coolers when checked on the plane, you should be fine for the flight(s) home from ABQ as long as you don’t have a big layover somewhere. That’s been my experience at least. Having said that, I much prefer to drive so I can bring my meat home under my watchful eye and TLC.


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I hate long drives.


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[Landiswood]

I’ve flown with meat in coolers and carry on. Freeze it solid at the meat processor or a hotel with a walk-in cooler. Check your airline, but for American Airlines it was cheaper to fly first class, get an extra checked bag for free and increase the max weight to 70 from 50 (otherwise that’s around another $100 per bag). Pay the additional 200 or something similar for the third bag. Then, pack 60 pounds of meat per cooler and carry 50 with you in your carry on. I had a gun so my 3rd bag was the rifle. Shipping a bow is much easier so you may want to do that if you’re bow hunting. That put me at 180 which was enough for my processed elk. FedEx your gear for around $300. The real trick is getting the head gear home. That’s another issue all together... it’s not cheap and it’s not easy but if you’re like me and not going to spend 4 extra days of vacation driving, that’s what it is unless you can find a processor close enough that has a shipping rate that’s not astronomical.