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Shipping Meat Home *Advice Needed*

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Shipping Meat Home *Advice Needed*

Postby GoGriz1234 » 06 30, 2017 •  [Post 1]

I hope this is a good spot for this question. I am specifically interested in hearing from people who ship their meat home, either via checking it as luggage or via UPS/ FedEx (not sure if the price on that would even be remotely affordable), and how they do it. I am asking as I will fly 3,000 miles to hunt this fall and if I am lucky enough to get an elk, there is a very good chance I will not be able to drive it back. I was thinking of processing it and trying to freeze it solid in a cooler, which could be checked as baggage, but the specifics on how to freeze it and what to freeze it in have my mind spinning. Just thought I would throw the question out and see if anyone had some good suggestions, so hopefully I can contribute to this cooking section a lot more with a full freezer of elk.
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Re: Shipping Meat Home *Advice Needed*

Postby Brendan » 07 01, 2017 •  [Post 2]

For luggage - the first thing I would recommend checking is baggage allowances. How much $$$ per bag - and how much extra for any bag over 50lbs? Go over 50lbs - it can be an extra $100-$200 per bag on top of the initial baggage fees... So - for 150-200lbs of Elk, Plus Antlers, plus cooler weight - you could be looking at a very significant baggage cost if you're not careful. As an example for Delta: $150 for bag #3. $200 for bags 4-10. Anything over 50lbs, or the dimensional size restrictions (62" max Length + Width + Height) has extra per bag ($100-$200) on top of the initial bag fees.

You might be able to find better deals on other airlines, sign up for their credit card for better baggage allowances, etc - but sounds to me like you could be well over the cost of the plane ticket or renting a truck and driving home if you're not careful.

Here's my shipping advice if you go that route: Make sure it's in a hard sided / plastic container, and frozen SOLID. I had a friend ship a frozen whitetail home from an out of state hunt - but wrapped in plastic in cardboard. Got delayed, started to melt a little and started to leak. UPS threw away the box, no questions asked. Lost it all.

All of this is why I drive when I can... 2500 miles each way for me.
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Re: Shipping Meat Home *Advice Needed*

Postby GoGriz1234 » 07 01, 2017 •  [Post 3]

Thanks for the reply. That does make sense - I'll research the baggage fees for additional packages. I always struggle with the little bit of time I pickup by flying instead of driving, but I might just have to drive the following year (I already have my ticket for this year). I wonder what the guys are shipping their stuff in (material wise), from say an Alaskan moose or Caribou hunt? I'll have to see what size cheap cooler weighs about 50 lbs loaded with meat.
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Re: Shipping Meat Home *Advice Needed*

Postby Indian Summer » 07 20, 2017 •  [Post 4]

I've sent piles of clients home with meat as luggage. A cheap 48 quart Igloo cooler from Wal Mart is perfect. Nearly full it weighs 50 pounds. The meat processors have scales so take the coolers there and weigh them to 49 pounds to be safe. Two at 49 pounds is cheaper than one at 60. Flying with your meat is way cheaper than Fed Ex or UPS because 2 day shipping isn't cheap. Its the best way to go.
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