Flying with guns and meat
- Thread starter MattS
- Start date
Guns are no problem just have them in a lockable hard case and check them in.
I bought a small cooler while I was there and put just under 50 pounds of meat in it. I think the airline charged me 50 or 60 bucks at that time.
For a large cooler you should call the airline you would fly with and ask them about size limitations.
I bought a small cooler while I was there and put just under 50 pounds of meat in it. I think the airline charged me 50 or 60 bucks at that time.
For a large cooler you should call the airline you would fly with and ask them about size limitations.
If I were to do it I would go to Walmart in Texas and buy a few of their soft sided cooler yeti knock offs they are cheap. Soft sided weigh less and hold a good amount of meat boned out. Or if you have them bring fish bags. I wouldn’t pay to to fly a hard cooler.
Hard coolers are common luggage in Hawaii lol.. on interisland fishing/hunting trips we'd wait at the TSA station for them to finish their check, then duct tape them shut (bring a roll of tape with us obviously). Used to carry our spearfishing gear in them, in addition to meat.
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Most airlines will also let you bring a limited amount of ammo but it can not be in gun case. If you have access to a gun when you get there use it instead. The last time I traveled with a long gun it was rather expensive, they charges for over size baggage, then the measured it and added fees because it went of the normal size for oversize luggage. It was several yeas ago but it was something like $85 each way. As for bringing back meat, wait until you see how much you have then buy a chest like the one you get when you order perishable food, one of those Styrofoam coolers. I have found if game is well frozen it will still be that way when you get back. Any doubt, use dry ice.
I hunt Texas every year, usually in January after my other hunts in CA and AZ. I fly southwest because you get two free check bags up to 50 pounds. I bring one or two coolers as check baggage and carry on my duffle with clothes or you can stuff it in one of the coolers on the way there. I just check the coolers on my way back and as long as they are under 50 pounds I pay nothing. I’ll second the suggestion to borrow a gun if you can when you get there. That what I do, he calls his old A-bolt stainless hunter in 30-06 the KOD, or kiss of death, and it is haha.
Regarding prepping meat for flying: They prefer that is is frozen and vac sealed. I generally just triple bag it in trash bags but this year and last year they gave me grief for it not being completely frozen and mentioned three prefer vac seal, but eventually let it through. When coolers are overweight southwest has been good about helping me out and only charging me once, even if both coolers are over. My friends there are thinking about getting a vac sealer and if they don’t I may just buy a cheaper one when I get there next year for my own piece of mind. I’ts pretty stressful going up to the counter at the airport and not knowing if they’re going to take it or not. If you have some meat that’s frozen and some that’s not, put the frozen meat on top. They aren’t going to dig through the cooler, they’ll just touch whatever is on top. Oh also regarding dry ice: they always check to make sure I don’t have any dry ice. I don’t know if that’s a southwest policy or what but they always specifically check.
Where are you planning to hunt? I may have more info.
Regarding prepping meat for flying: They prefer that is is frozen and vac sealed. I generally just triple bag it in trash bags but this year and last year they gave me grief for it not being completely frozen and mentioned three prefer vac seal, but eventually let it through. When coolers are overweight southwest has been good about helping me out and only charging me once, even if both coolers are over. My friends there are thinking about getting a vac sealer and if they don’t I may just buy a cheaper one when I get there next year for my own piece of mind. I’ts pretty stressful going up to the counter at the airport and not knowing if they’re going to take it or not. If you have some meat that’s frozen and some that’s not, put the frozen meat on top. They aren’t going to dig through the cooler, they’ll just touch whatever is on top. Oh also regarding dry ice: they always check to make sure I don’t have any dry ice. I don’t know if that’s a southwest policy or what but they always specifically check.
Where are you planning to hunt? I may have more info.
You can also carry on the frozen meat. I did it last year on the way back from TX. I had 50lbs in a cooler that i checked and I put the rest into an Ice Mule backpack. It was all frozen and they did check to be sure.
You can also take all your meat on the plane and FexEx your clothes and gear home if you run out of room. Its a lot cheaper then paying an extra bag fee to the airline.
You can also take all your meat on the plane and FexEx your clothes and gear home if you run out of room. Its a lot cheaper then paying an extra bag fee to the airline.
Depending on the airline you can pack meat with dry ice as long it is no more than 5lbs. of dry ice and you label you chest as having dry ice. That is what I did with a carry on. They limited the amount because, as dry ice sublimates it will displace oxygen. One again all airlines have their own rules. If you were to check your meat The amount of dry ice may increase. This being said, I froze mine before I departed Wisconsin and it was still frozen when I got to LAX.
I have been hunting for years back east and have always brought my deer back. After it is processed and vacuum sealed, frozen then I put it in a hard case suitcase wrapped in moving blanket and it stays cold in the belly of the plane. All the way up to 8 hrs and still frozen solid when i get home
Guns are easy, hard sided locking case. Do not use zip ties... some one tried this and was promptly told NO. My brothers and I always use soft sided cooler bags/totes and placed them in the checked bags. We have brought back birds, deer, and fish with no issues. Just freeze it completely if possible (freeze the fish 100%). If not, get it as cold as possible and wrap it in plastic, freezer paper, and then put each cut into ziplocks. Any leaks from the bag and they may toss it all. Also, put the cooler bags you are going to use in the freezer with the lid open, this helps a great deal to keep everything frozen or cold much longer. We can get a boned out whitetail doe in a 36 can tote. You are allowed to use dry ice too, something to keep in mind if need be.