Shipping sheep and axis meat from Hawaii

[NVDesertHunter]

Hello,

I just booked a unguided Axis and Mouflon sheep hunt on Lanai. I was curious if anyone here has first hand experience shipping game meat back into the lower 48 states from Hawaii?

I frequently ship deer meat from NY to CA on Southwest Airlines but was wondering if there's an easy way to freeze the meat in Hawaii before flying it back.

thanks,

 

[brownbear932008]

If you can get the meat frozen just place it in a cooler and check it as luggage is the best route. I always pack my gear in cooler going out and replace it with meat on trip back. You can pack super light over there gear wise. The hurdle may be finding a place to freeze it before leaving the island.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

If you putt the meat in a cooler with a pile of dry ice you might be able to get it close to frozen before your flight. You can check a bag with a limited amount of dry ice so you might have to pull a bit out before you actually check the cooler.

 

[redwoood]

On your own or guided?

Either way you should be able to find a freezer to get it frozen then stuff in coolers.

Definitely pack your clothes and gear in coolers on the trip there. No place to buy hard sided coolers on Lanai last time I was there. We had too much meat for the amount of cooler space we had .

 

[Hunting Wife]

@glass eye is a pro. If he doesn’t chime in, shoot him a pm.

 

[glass eye]

Hunter housing usually have chest freezers. I take a large dry bag with me and a sleeping bag. They are lighter than an ice chest. Place the sleeping bag in the dry bag and then place the frozen meat in the sleeping bag. You will get more yield this way, an empty ice chest weighs a lot. I have done this many times and even coming home from as far away as NZ with frozen game.

 

[live free or die]

Last year I bought a cooler at the hardware store in Lahaina

 

[glass eye]

Way back when I would use an ice chest I had planned on buying one on Lana'i. On my departure day I went into the tiny town to buy one but all the stores were closed and wouldn't be open in time. So I found 2 large cardboard boxes that were the same size and I doubled them together to make a single thick box. Then I lined it with a thermarest pad, sleeping bag, and clothes. Then I secured it with a generous application of duct tape. By the time I got home and after sleeping a few hours I opened the box expecting everything to be thawed. To my surprise the frost on the outside of the packages hadn't even melted.
This is what gave me the idea of using the dry bag and sleeping bag combo instead of an ice chest.

 

[ScottP]

Hunter housing usually have chest freezers. I take a large dry bag with me and a sleeping bag. They are lighter than an ice chest. Place the sleeping bag in the dry bag and then place the frozen meat in the sleeping bag. You will get more yield this way, an empty ice chest weighs a lot. I have done this many times and even coming home from as far away as NZ with frozen game.

Slick. I'll probably do this next trip to AK too.

I flew meat back from HI, but it was only about 1/2 a goat and it's skull/horns. I froze the meat in our condo freezer (all cut and wrapped). Then got a heavy produce box from the grocery store and packed the meat in the center of a crap ton of newspaper. It was still frozen when I got back to Denver. The APHIS guy on the scanner laughed when he saw what was inside the box.

 

[NVDesertHunter]

On your own or guided?

Either way you should be able to find a freezer to get it frozen then stuff in coolers.

Definitely pack your clothes and gear in coolers on the trip there. No place to buy hard sided coolers on Lanai last time I was there. We had too much meat for the amount of cooler space we had .

DIY with the help from local knowledge. Have 2 hunt days planned for Lanai then another 4-5 days on Maui (family vacation). Hoping to rent a house in Maui that has a decent freezer.

 

[redwoood]

Sounds awesome...report back!

 

[mxracer317]

Hunter housing usually have chest freezers. I take a large dry bag with me and a sleeping bag. They are lighter than an ice chest. Place the sleeping bag in the dry bag and then place the frozen meat in the sleeping bag. You will get more yield this way, an empty ice chest weighs a lot. I have done this many times and even coming home from as far away as NZ with frozen game.

What size dry bags for 2 axis does?

 

[glass eye]

What size dry bags for 2 axis does?

I use XL because any extra space can be filled with clothes for more insulation. Also you can fold them down smaller but you can't make a small bag bigger.

 

[mxracer317]

I use XL because any extra space can be filled with clothes for more insulation. Also you can fold them down smaller but you can't make a small bag bigger.

So we can get to does in one XL bag?

 

[glass eye]

Boned out, yes.

 

[sluggerd6]

Slick. I'll probably do this next trip to AK too.

I flew meat back from HI, but it was only about 1/2 a goat and it's skull/horns. I froze the meat in our condo freezer (all cut and wrapped). Then got a heavy produce box from the grocery store and packed the meat in the center of a crap ton of newspaper. It was still frozen when I got back to Denver. The APHIS guy on the scanner laughed when he saw what was inside the box.

How did you package the skull and horns? I depart back home from Maui tomorrow. Meats all frozen and ready to go, just not sure how to get the horn and skull back safely without any problems.
Thank you

 

[ScottP]

How did you package the skull and horns? I depart back home from Maui tomorrow. Meats all frozen and ready to go, just not sure how to get the horn and skull back safely without any problems.
Thank you

It was caped and pretty clean and frozen. I think I just put it in a plastic trash bag in the center of that vegetable box with the meat and packed it full of newspaper or something to take up the space and provide some minimal insulation. it was a cheap route and worked

 

[sluggerd6]

It was caped and pretty clean and frozen. I think I just put it in a plastic trash bag in the center of that vegetable box with the meat and packed it full of newspaper or something to take up the space and provide some minimal insulation. it was a cheap route and worked

Ahh gotcha. Unfortunately my antlers won’t fit in the cooler I have ready to go. They are too broad.

 

[sluggerd6]

I use XL because any extra space can be filled with clothes for more insulation. Also you can fold them down smaller but you can't make a small bag bigger.

Any recommendations on how to get a set of antlers home via flight? I got a duffle bag and some garden hose to put over he tips. I fly southwest so I get 2 free bags.

 

[live free or die]

I usually take detailed measurements tip to tip etc then split skull, hose on tips then toss in bags