Helpful tips on How to ship game meat and antlers from Alaska

[AKHunter22]

For anyone who is planning a hunting/fishing trip to Alaska here is some helpful tips for shipping. Everyone does a lot of research on how to find game or what outfitters to use but always forget that getting your stuff home can get really tricky or expensive if you plan it last minute. I own AK Trophy Expediters LLC in Anchorage, Alaska and we came up with this Article to help out all you out and hopefully save you a bunch of money and time. Because I know a lot of people just donate their meat because they don't know how to get that much weight home.
If you have any questions feel free to ask. I am here to help you guys out in any way I can.
Hope this Article can help you.

I attached a PDF below if it does not work let me know and I will copy the whole blog and paste it in as a thread if easier.

Happy Hunting and Fishing,

 

[alpinej7]

Thanks for the information. I've not made a hunting trip up north yet, but am eager to do so. Thanks for listing out the considerations for shipping and caring for meat and racks.

 

[Cc1]

Great info. I'll use it for upcoming moose hunt in September.

 

[ScottH]

Definitely good information. Thanks for putting this together!

 

[AKHunter22]

Your welcome. Also if anyone has further questions feel free to get a hold of me. I am willing to answer any questions to help you prepare for your hunt.

 

[live2huntelk]

I vaguely remember a person offering delivery services from Alaska to specific locations in the lower 48 in a tractor trailer that was refrigerated after the fall hunting seasons. Do you offer these services or know anyone that does? I would be interested in comparing costs. Thanks.

 

[AKHunter22]

Hello ya I can answer a couple of your questions. I do not offer the driving service. What I have heard is he comes up to Alaska in August and leaves the end of Sept early Oct. You can store your meat and hide with him and then he brings back down to the states. After it gets down to lower 48 I do not know how it will get to you. I did hear it is about 500 dollars for a full caribou hide and meat.
The Services I offer is everything from picking up your meat to dropping off at taxidermist and meat processors. Depending on which state you live in I like to ship meat using Alaska Air Cargo because it will get to you in a day or 2 because it has to fly priority. It comes out to about 1 dollar a pound to ship on plane.
Feel free to give me a call anytime and I would be happy to talk to you about full details on this and can give u good ballpark prices depending where you live.

 

[Racer00]

We used the trucking method to get 2 moose home last September. I believe it's listed as Alaska Express. They were in the process of ownership changes, but it still all went well with our moose. We were lucky to be hunting with friends who live in Wassila and could completely process our whole animals in their shop. Each moose consisted of 4 fish boxes and the horns on a cleaned skull cap. They even happened to be passing by as we were finishing and picked up our moose within 5 miles of the house. It arrived in Michigan a couple weeks later, still frozen solid and all in great shape. There were some delays in shipping due to truck breakdowns, but no issue with the meat. I believe they cross into the US in the western states and travel all across the Midwest stopping and meeting people along the way. They don't deliver to your door, but we only had to travel about 75 miles to meet.
Costs for a moose and antlers was $850 last fall. And they will take it still in game bags if needed. They won't bring back an uncleaned skull for a Europeon tho.
If you have any question, I am glad to try and help.
Jody

 

[Silveroddo]

https://www.alaskatrophyexpress.com

 

[Carrera72]

Great information. I have had issues shipping antlers out of Kotzbue. I was lucky that a worker at the airport provided a large enough box for them. I end up having to split the skull cap.

 

[AKHunter22]

Great information. I have had issues shipping antlers out of Kotzbue. I was lucky that a worker at the airport provided a large enough box for them. I end up having to split the skull cap.

Oh ya shipping from Kotz can be a pain. Nice part is you can ship Alaska Air Cargo from there. I tell most people to cover up all the points and just wrap up antlers with trash bags or cardboard and duck tape it. Then when it gets to Anchorage I make them a custom lite box so they can ship it home or take as check bag. If you ever go back or need some pointers let me know I be glad to help

 

[Carrera72]

I appreciate the offer I may be headed that way Sept 2021. I should have done the Air Cargo option but did not look into it before I got up there.

 

[AKHunter22]

I appreciate the offer I may be headed that way Sept 2021. I should have done the Air Cargo option but did not look into it before I got up there.

When you start planning your 2021 hunt let us know if you have any questions and check out our Facebook page and website. Ak Trophy Expediters. We can help you out with getting all your meat and antlers home for a great rate.

 

[Theringworm]

Following.....

 

[RedRidge]

When I went on my first trip I planned on using Alaska Air Cargo who would take it to Atlanta for pickup. I had it down from them as 1.22/lb so 500lbs would be just north of the 600 mark.

Alaska Cargo website has more info, but here is a link for shipping rates for meat. I believe they call it priority perishable air freight.

Priority Perishable Express Rates | Alaska Airlines

Priority Perishable Express Rates - effective March 1, 2016. Use for Priority service for: tropical fish and/or aquatic plants (SCR 0113); fishing bait (SCR 0316) and foodstuffs, including dairy products, meats, poultry, fruits and vegetables (SCR 2199); cut flowers (SCR 0666)

www.alaskaair.com

 

[Jimss]

I've been on a number of nonguided Alaska trips and usually bring back around 300 total lbs of meat and gear. I've always flown with Alaska Airlines. It's reassuring having everything go with me on the plane and arrive at the airport when I get home. It's usually around $50/50 lb box. If you have an Alaska Airlines credit card it's even cheaper. I often use salmon boxes that can be bought at Walmart, Cabelas, etc in Anchorage for relatively cheap. I've never had a problem and it's likely way cheaper than shipping it any other way.

 

[Jimss]

A couple tips to save $ on flights. Gut your rifle case foam and fill the case with clothes and gear until it is 50 lbs. My rifle case is on rollers. I place my other baggage on top of it when hauling through the airport and elsewhere. I load my Kifaru pack with around 50=60 lbs of gear and carry it on the plane (saves around $50). Make sure it will fit in the overhead guidelines on plane. I load an oversized camera case with my binos, spotting scope, etc. and use it as my 2nd carry-on piece. It's a pain in the rear hauling through the airport but saves $ and I'm assured nothing happens to my expensive optics.

 

[archerybs]

Do Alaska Air Cargo require that the horns/skull be in a crate? The website just says protect the horn tips and wrap the skull so there is no smell or drips.

 

[Nick Muche]

FYI for anyone wanting to use AK Air Cargo, you now have to be a "known shipper" in order to use their services. It's a process to become one, but not too bad. We just found this out last week while trying to use AK Air Cargo to ship sheep meat and horns between towns, in state. Might want to check into this prior to it being your plan.

 

[archerybs]

Thanks for the heads up Nick. I started that process last week. If you sign up as a personal account you have to send them proof of residence and pay to have an agency come to your house to verify. It was going to cost me about $300 to set up an account due to my distance from one of their approved agencies.

I emailed them through my business email address and they called me within a few hours asking if I minded signing up as a business instead. Apparently TSA has a data base that can verify businesses without sending someone out. Alaska air cargo also does not charge a fee to business. They had an account set up and verified for me in a few minutes.

It may not be an option for everyone but if you can use a business it is a really quick and easy process.