Storage bins for frozen meat on plane

[live2huntelk]

I tried the black and yellow totes as well, the plastic is to brittle and can be cracked. I think the rubbery rubbermaid totes work better. I wanted to try because my packframe fits in one diagonally for the trip over and only had my gun case and two totes stacked together and filled with my carryon. I think I will go back to the rubbermaid totes.

Follow up....based on recent trip to Alaska.

Several of us shipped up the 27 gal yellow lid/black commander totes to ship meat back via Alaska Air Cargo (frozen meat - Priority). The majority of the totes cracked (busted sides/bottoms). Sounds like the same experience as Catchfish. I believe the issue was 2 fold.... 1. The black/yellow Commander totes are made of Polypropylene....not conducive for cold temperatures (ie freezer) in conjunction with 2. The totes had approx 90-120# of meat in them and recommended 75# capacity.

As mentioned, Polyethylene plastic totes are better suited for cold temperatures....such as some of the Rubbermaid totes.

 

[Trial153]

Ice Mule pro XL and XXL…. Best I used so far.

 

[Kevin Dill]

We used the Rubbermaid 18 gal totes to bring home 550 pounds of moose meat. No more than 100 pounds per tote. By the time we got them home no fewer than 4 of them were badly cracked and leaking at the bottom. I'm pretty sure others have had good experiences with them but that's my one-and-done for the Rubbermaid totes. No way will I risk losing meat and fish (had 15 pounds of halibut in one) because of a cracked cheap tote.

I haven't yet determined what I'll do next time I need to fly with or ship meat, but I can honestly say the heavy duty (100 pound capacity) meat and fish boxes have never let me down.

 

[Thunder]

I haven't yet determined what I'll do next time I need to fly with or ship meat, but I can honestly say the heavy duty (100 pound capacity) meat and fish boxes have never let me down.

This.

 

[AspenTimber]

I ended up using a mix of fish boxes and totes. The totes were craftsman 20 gallon totes. They held up phenomenally even in freezer. Added zip tie holes on the sides and also wrapped in tape over handles. A cape will not fit in standard fish box we found so You will likely need some totes. We wrapped antlers in shrink wrap as well as spliced garden hose for antler tips the skull plate was wrapped in old towel before shrink wrapping. If you can get a cloudy or colored shrink wrap even better…. that way it’s difficult to view any dried blood. Also we did the known shipper route and it worked great. Anyone with known shipper questions can feel free to pm me about the experience but highly recommend for simplicity.

 

[Catchfish]

Anybody used the Plano totes for air travel yet. I was just looking at them they seem to be a little thicker and bend more than the Home Depot ones. I think I’m going to try 2 of those 27 gallon ones with wheels this year. Looks like I might be headed to kodiak nov 30

 

[LongWayAround]

Ice Mule pro XL and XXL…. Best I used so far.

Can you get an entire caribou boned out in the xxl?

 

[Trial153]

You can get 50 pounds in an XL and about 75 and in an XXL

 

[LongWayAround]

You can get 50 pounds in an XL and about 75 and in an XXL

So would you recommend one of each or two xxl?

I've never killed a caribou but intend to next September.

A few weeks ago my mule deer bone-in was 104lb. So I imagine, boned out, he would have been a tight fit in the xxl?

 

[Trial153]

So would you recommend one of each or two xxl?

I've never killed a caribou but intend to next September.

A few weeks ago my mule deer bone-in was 104lb. So I imagine, boned out, he would have been a tight fit in the xxl?

I had 130 pounds from my caribou last August, it was three bags checked, two xxl and XL.
You can get 75 in an xxl. Used two for my mountain got last week also

Another thing thing I bring is a heavy duty zip tie for each bag. I fasten it in addition to the buckles in case one ever breaks.

 

[LongWayAround]

Thanks for the advice, Trial. I like the idea of using something fairly compact that comes with me and not having to rely on my transporter to have styrofoam fish boxes available.

 

[Trial153]

Thanks for the advice, Trial. I like the idea of using something fairly compact that comes with me and not having to rely on my transporter to have styrofoam fish boxes available.

I put them on the bottom of my bow case for padding, I also pack them flat in duffles with my extra gear. They are fairly light weight as well so if you trying to stay under 50 pounds to not pay overage your mostly meat not cooler weight.


Another trick is, I did this last week btw ….bone everything out and put it in game bags, then put the bags in the cooler and put the whole cooler bag in the freezer. Makes it easier then trying to shove the frozen meat into the bag.

When you get home just hose the coolers out and dry them.
I had my frozen goat in the bags for 36 hours and between the hotel and airport/travel home and I still had to let it sit out over night to thaw it out.

 

[live2huntelk]

I haven't yet determined what I'll do next time I need to fly with or ship meat, but I can honestly say the heavy duty (100 pound capacity) meat and fish boxes have never let me down.

When I returned from Alaska a couple weeks ago, several other hunters were on the same flight back to Pittsburgh. They had fish boxes as checked baggage. When the fish boxes came down the conveyor and onto the luggage carousel I thought they were going to have to pick meat off the moving carousel as the boxes were badly damaged and almost in 2 pieces. I am glad we decided to go the known shipper with Alaska Air Cargo route to ship the meat for several reasons......it took me 24+hours getting home due to lay overs.....that was the quickest direct flights home after several flight changes. Also it would have been a pain in the butt dealing with 3 - 90#+ totes in addition to dealing with my firearm and oversized gear bag by myself. At this point, I am not sure what the best option is......I have a couple of the Ice Mule Pro's mentioned above and may consider them for future trips.

 

[live2huntelk]

I ended up using a mix of fish boxes and totes. The totes were craftsman 20 gallon totes. They held up phenomenally even in freezer. Added zip tie holes on the sides and also wrapped in tape over handles. A cape will not fit in standard fish box we found so You will likely need some totes. We wrapped antlers in shrink wrap as well as spliced garden hose for antler tips the skull plate was wrapped in old towel before shrink wrapping. If you can get a cloudy or colored shrink wrap even better…. that way it’s difficult to view any dried blood. Also we did the known shipper route and it worked great. Anyone with known shipper questions can feel free to pm me about the experience but highly recommend for simplicity.

Approximately how much (?#) meat did you have in each Craftsman 20 gallon tote?

Looks like the Craftsman 20 gallon totes are made of Polyethylene plastic...much better suited for colder temperatures.

 

[AspenTimber]

Comes out to right around 100 lbs at 18 gal but the craftsman have an detent in lid that keeps from over filling. As long as you don’t overload you will come out very close to the 100 limit for most airlines

 

[HoneyDew]

Checked Baggage Cooler Recommendation for Flying Meat Home

So I have a Yeti Tundra 65 that I have taken before, but I would like to have more internal space to bring back more frozen meat, so looking at cheaper coolers that don't have such thick walls. Right now I am in between the Coleman Coastal Extreme 70 qt and Coastal Extreme 120 qt. The 120 will...

www.rokslide.com

 

[Kevin Dill]

When I returned from Alaska a couple weeks ago, several other hunters were on the same flight back to Pittsburgh. They had fish boxes as checked baggage. When the fish boxes came down the conveyor and onto the luggage carousel I thought they were going to have to pick meat off the moving carousel as the boxes were badly damaged and almost in 2 pieces. I am glad we decided to go the known shipper with Alaska Air Cargo route to ship the meat for several reasons......it took me 24+hours getting home due to lay overs.....that was the quickest direct flights home after several flight changes. Also it would have been a pain in the butt dealing with 3 - 90#+ totes in addition to dealing with my firearm and oversized gear bag by myself.

Roger that. What I know from experience is there are the typical average 50 pound fish boxes available in stores, and then there are REAL heavy-duty 100# meat shipping boxes which are strong and use separate slip-over lids. Those are what we typically like to use as they travel fine and hold up well. We line them with extremely heavy mil clear poly bags and the meat goes in while soft. That way it (meat) distributes better and the box comes through in better shape. We fill the boxes and then freeze everything hard.

If I was close to a terminal I would use Air Cargo possibly. For me it's a 4 hr round trip and $75 worth of fuel. Better to bring the meat with me if possible to avoid an unnecessary return trip. And just as an aside: If anyone has excess baggage to handle at the carousel, there is typically an airline rep stationed nearby. You can ask them for assistance and someone will show up with a bigger cart to get your stuff to your vehicle.

 

[live2huntelk]

Roger that. What I know from experience is there are the typical average 50 pound fish boxes available in stores, and then there are REAL heavy-duty 100# meat shipping boxes which are strong and use separate slip-over lids. Those are what we typically like to use as they travel fine and hold up well. We line them with extremely heavy mil clear poly bags and the meat goes in while soft. That way it (meat) distributes better and the box comes through in better shape. We fill the boxes and then freeze everything hard.

If I was close to a terminal I would use Air Cargo possibly. For me it's a 4 hr round trip and $75 worth of fuel. Better to bring the meat with me if possible to avoid an unnecessary return trip. And just as an aside: If anyone has excess baggage to handle at the carousel, there is typically an airline rep stationed nearby. You can ask them for assistance and someone will show up with a bigger cart to get your stuff to your vehicle.

Good to hear. Where did you get the heavy duty 100# meat shipping boxes? I'd like to check into those for my next trip. That would save me from shipping up totes.