Airlines and Transporting/Shipping Meat Question

[genesis273]

I figured you guys would be my best bet on finding an answer to this question.
A couple friends and I am putting in for the Wyoming antelope draw this year. If we are drawn and are successful on our hunt, I want to bring my meat home. I love wild game, and yes I have eaten antelope and yes I liked it.
My question is;
How do you transport meat on your flight or is there another way to get it home or is it even fesible to get it back to North Carolina from Wyoming? I have never went on a hunting trip via airlines before and I need to factor in this small kink before I go. I don`t want to drive 30 hours just to get the meat home.

 

[Big Fin]

Not sure, but a local processor might be able to freeze and ship via two day air.

 

[schmalts]

Take a cooler as a piece of luggage. Fill your cooler up with gear and also stuff in an empty duffel bag big enough to also haul the same stuff after you get there. When you get out there fill the cooler with as much BLOCK ice as possible (lasts longer) and ice the meat right away after a kill and keep draining it a couple times a day . When you get to the apt, drain again and toss the ice. Another better option is take it to town after you kill and have it frozen, but have it frozen IN THE COOLER or you will not be able to arrange everything to fit once it is hard, so have them take the whole cooler with all ice and water removed and put the whole cooler in the freezer and open the lid.
Be aware that if you cooler will be over 50lbs be prepared to be bent over hard at the airport in fees. It is best to salt the cape if saving it and take it as carry on or ship it UPS after it is properly taken care of (ears and lips turned) and salted to dry.
It takes some planning, but i do it every year and did it on 2 lopes last year plus a Mule deer.
A cooler full of meat is nothing more than luggage to the airlines. If you do find dry ice, you must drill a small hole in the lid and take a magic marker and label the hole as a VENT, or they will not take a cooler with dry ice.
Tape the drain on the cooler shut, if it leaks, they will pull it off to the side and you will lose your meat.
Hope this helps.

 

[1_pointer]

What Schmalts suggests is how I got my Sitka Blacktail home from AK. If you can get it frozen in the cooler before leaving you'll be golden.

 

[genesis273]

Thanks for the info! I was worried about it but I knew there was a way to do it. I knew some of you on here could help!