Shipping Meat Upstate NY to AZ?

[G2400]

Hey Guys! I'm going to be in upstate NY later in the year and hoping to fill my first tag! Wondering if anyone has any recommendations on best/most cost effective ways to get meat back to Arizona? I am comfortable learning to butcher myself and would like to (have to learn sometime, right), but have read sometimes it's cheaper to have the meat processed and have them handle shipping. Any tips or recommendations?

 

[Trial153]

If your flying home just check it as luggage in cooler bags. It will be cheaper then shipping it for sure.

 

[G2400]

Thanks for the help! This would be my first time flying with packed meat. Any best practices? What types of cooler bags do you recommend? Regular ice vs dry ice?

 

[Trial153]

Thanks for the help! This would be my first time flying with packed meat. Any best practices? What types of cooler bags do you recommend? Regular ice vs dry ice?

Bone it all out putt in a game bag or Ziploc bags freeze it and put it in a soft cooler like a ice mule or yeti hopper And check it like luggage

 

[G2400]

Bone it all out putt in a game bag or Ziploc bags freeze it and put it in a soft cooler like a ice mule or yeti hopper And check it like luggage

Do you find the need to add extra ice in cooler if the meat is frozen solid?

 

[Desk Jockey]

+1 for deboning and taking on the plane. Check it in a cooler or insulate a box with styrofoam. Dry ice is your friend. No leaks and you don’t want your meat soaking water. I also have gotten 40# or so in a yeti hopper as carry on. A little less than a typical deer will yield. I put it in zip locks and froze it as much as I had time for. It was still plenty cool after 16 hours of door to door travel.

it may be tough to find a good processor to ship. The ones I worked with down state weren’t really into that. They were fine. About $100-150 to turn a gutted deer into leg steaks, and grind. a lot of styrofoam packs covered in Saran Wrap. There stock and trade was local hunters that dropped off and picked up in a few days. I didn’t care for the result so much so I started doing my own. i never shipped the results but I imagine it would not be cheap.

 

[Trial153]

Do you find the need to add extra ice in cooler if the meat is frozen solid?

No

 

[Jstumbaugh]

What area of upstate NY?

 

[G2400]

+1 for deboning and taking on the plane. Check it in a cooler or insulate a box with styrofoam. Dry ice is your friend. No leaks and you don’t want your meat soaking water. I also have gotten 40# or so in a yeti hopper as carry on. A little less than a typical deer will yield. I put it in zip locks and froze it as much as I had time for. It was still plenty cool after 16 hours of door to door travel.

it may be tough to find a good processor to ship. The ones I worked with down state weren’t really into that. They were fine. About $100-150 to turn a gutted deer into leg steaks, and grind. a lot of styrofoam packs covered in Saran Wrap. There stock and trade was local hunters that dropped off and picked up in a few days. I didn’t care for the result so much so I started doing my own. i never shipped the results but I imagine it would not be cheap.

Awesome, thanks for the help. So it sounds like you suggest packing in some dry ice. Any suggestions on where to buy dry ice is smaller amounts for this purpose?

No

Thanks!

What area of upstate NY?

The Middleburg area. I have a friend who has a nice chunk of land up there and finally getting into deer hunting. Can't wait!

 

[fmyth]

Awesome, thanks for the help. So it sounds like you suggest packing in some dry ice. Any suggestions on where to buy dry ice is smaller amounts for this purpose?



Thanks!



The Middleburg area. I have a friend who has a nice chunk of land up there and finally getting into deer hunting. Can't wait!

Debone, package in zip locks then freeze the meat and put it inside a heavy trash bag (clear or they may cut it open) then inside of a box, suitcase, cooler etc. I prefer fish boxes as they are lighter than a cooler which allows you to take more meat without paying for over weight luggage fees. You wont need dry ice. If you choose to pack it in a box take a roll of tape with you in case they cut it open to have a look. I've flown from Wrangell AK to PHX 4 times with over 100lbs of fish frozen and placed in trash bag lined boxes. It takes me over 24 hours to get home (100+plus deg upon landing) and its always still frozen solid even after my hour drive home. I've flown from PHX to MO many times with a suitcase full of frozen fish and elk meat. I have never once used dry ice. If you insist on using dry ice read this: https://www.faa.gov/hazmat/packsafe/more_info/?hazmat=11

 

[Jstumbaugh]

Awesome, thanks for the help. So it sounds like you suggest packing in some dry ice. Any suggestions on where to buy dry ice is smaller amounts for this purpose?



Thanks!



The Middleburg area. I have a friend who has a nice chunk of land up there and finally getting into deer hunting. Can't wait!

Awesome, good luck. I am just south of Albany. Good deer hunting out by Middleburgh

 

[G2400]

Debone, package in zip locks then freeze the meat and put it inside a heavy trash bag (clear or they may cut it open) then inside of a box, suitcase, cooler etc. I prefer fish boxes as they are lighter than a cooler which allows you to take more meat without paying for over weight luggage fees. You wont need dry ice. If you choose to pack it in a box take a roll of tape with you in case they cut it open to have a look. I've flown from Wrangell AK to PHX 4 times with over 100lbs of fish frozen and placed in trash bag lined boxes. It takes me over 24 hours to get home (100+plus deg upon landing) and its always still frozen solid even after my hour drive home. I've flown from PHX to MO many times with a suitcase full of frozen fish and elk meat. I have never once used dry ice. If you insist on using dry ice read this: https://www.faa.gov/hazmat/packsafe/more_info/?hazmat=11

This is great information, I really appreciate it!

Awesome, good luck. I am just south of Albany. Good deer hunting out by Middleburgh

Thanks! I'm finally getting into deer hunting after years and years of talking about it. It's my first deer hunt. There seems to be plenty of deer in that area, so hoping to fill a couple of tags hopefully and fly back with some tasty meat.

 

[Rangerpants]

I've frozen critters, put the meat in those disposable cube shaped Styrofoam coolers, and duct taped them up really well for checked baggage. Worked great in my case, but if TSA had decided to cut the tape and open the cooler, I'm not sure how it would have turned out. A whole deer would probably take two coolers unless it was a pretty small one.

 

[G2400]

I've frozen critters, put the meat in those disposable cube shaped Styrofoam coolers, and duct taped them up really well for checked baggage. Worked great in my case, but if TSA had decided to cut the tape and open the cooler, I'm not sure how it would have turned out. A whole deer would probably take two coolers unless it was a pretty small one.

Thats's a good idea, thanks! Yeah, I wonder if TSA would re-tape it for you if they cut the tape to open it? The styrofoam also seems somewhat fragile, did you have any cracking or chunks missing from the handling of the cooler during travel?

 

[Berger024]

@G2400 Yes, TSA should retape. They retaped our coolers after they inspected our frozen rattlesnakes and hog meat when flying from TX back to NY.
We also just go to Walmart or wherever and grab a cheap Coleman cooler, throw frozen game and a bag of ice in it. Total time in the cooler when flying is like 3.5-14 hours max anyway depending on flight schedule anyway.

 

[Rangerpants]

Thats's a good idea, thanks! Yeah, I wonder if TSA would re-tape it for you if they cut the tape to open it? The styrofoam also seems somewhat fragile, did you have any cracking or chunks missing from the handling of the cooler during travel?

I put a web pattern of duct tape over it and it didn't have any trouble with it cracking or falling apart. I didn't cover every inch, just reinforced each panel with an X shape. I still have it sitting in the garage in case I have a need for it. I made sure to get one shaped like a cube and not the kind that are narrower at the bottom and taper up toward the top. The shape seems more sturdy and they are made of a higher density styrofoam. Walmart carried it, so they shouldn't be hard to come by! Granted, it was at least five years ago, so I'm not sure if they carry the exact same thing now.

Like this-----------> https://www.heb.com/product-detail/lifoam-texas-flag-foam-cooler/1080683

Not this -------> https://www.lifeandhome.com/products/lifoam-3542-styrofoam-cooler-30-qt-17-x-12-x-14-3-8-white

 

[G2400]

@G2400 Yes, TSA should retape. They retaped our coolers after they inspected our frozen rattlesnakes and hog meat when flying from TX back to NY.
We also just go to Walmart or wherever and grab a cheap Coleman cooler, throw frozen game and a bag of ice in it. Total time in the cooler when flying is like 3.5-14 hours max anyway depending on flight schedule anyway.

Great to know, thanks!

I put a web pattern of duct tape over it and it didn't have any trouble with it cracking or falling apart. I didn't cover every inch, just reinforced each panel with an X shape. I still have it sitting in the garage in case I have a need for it. I made sure to get one shaped like a cube and not the kind that are narrower at the bottom and taper up toward the top. The shape seems more sturdy and they are made of a higher density styrofoam. Walmart carried it, so they shouldn't be hard to come by! Granted, it was at least five years ago, so I'm not sure if they carry the exact same thing now.

Like this-----------> https://www.heb.com/product-detail/lifoam-texas-flag-foam-cooler/1080683

Not this -------> https://www.lifeandhome.com/products/lifoam-3542-styrofoam-cooler-30-qt-17-x-12-x-14-3-8-white

Great info and thanks for the links! The styrofoam cooler shape is a great detail.