Transport From Oklahoma to Oregon.

[OregonCritterGitter541]

Going on a whitetail hunt this winter, i will be flying there and back, and i am curious, as to how would i go about bringing my game back? do i have them ship it out to me? is there any way i can bring it back via flight? any input on this would be amazing as i have never hunted out of state and traveled back and forth.


Thank you,
OregonCritterGitter

 

[jt13]

Have meat/cape deboned and frozen.

Put it in a cooler or suitcase wrapped in clothes.

Bring it on the plane as a checked bag or carry on.

Antlers can be boxed up and mailed home if they don't fit in a suitcase or cooler as well as the rest of your gear if you need the space.

 

[OregonCritterGitter541]

Have meat/cape deboned and frozen.

Put it in a cooler or suitcase wrapped in clothes.

Bring it on the plane as a checked bag or carry on.

Antlers can be boxed up and mailed home if they don't fit in a suitcase or cooler as well as the rest of your gear if you need the space.

Its not gonna be a problem if they went through the xray machine and be like "whats with all this meat"?

 

[Dave N]

Just tell them it's your ex-wife.

 

[Sam Colt]

I've never had a problem checking frozen meat.
If there's a lot of meat, pitch foam from your gun case and use clothes as padding to increase suitcase space.

 

[jt13]

Its not gonna be a problem if they went through the xray machine and be like "whats with all this meat"?

Make sure to read the rules on food/frozen meat for whichever airline you're using but shouldn't be an issue. Pay attention to the parts about ice, ice packs, and liquids. Especially in regards to a carry on bag

 

[wytex]

The skull will have to be cleaned of all meat and tissue then you could box it and check it.
Cut some pieces of water hose to put over the antler tips before you box them.

 

[gouch]

The skull will have to be cleaned of all meat and tissue then you could box it and check it.
Cut some pieces of water hose to put over the antler tips before you box them.

The way I read the regulations you can't bring the skull back into Oregon, Just the cleaned antler plate. Be sure and read the regulations on importing meat and parts and maybe call ODFW just to double check.

 

[OregonCritterGitter541]

Thanks you guys for all the info, this is allot of good ideas, and point, and ill be sure to do a lil more homework before i leave. but thank you!

 

[Rzrbck918]

You can also have it processed and shipped to you in a few weeks. Fair warning, however, many processors may be exclusively butchering cows this year. I dropped off two at the processor this morning and booked four more and their earliest available process date is August 2021.

 

[2rocky]

Some perspective from Alaska airlines:

Pack coolers/boxes to 49# to avoid over size charges. Extra bag fees are cheaper...

Perishable items
It is your responsibility to properly package all perishable items and these items are checked at your own risk for spoilage. We recommend that you package raw meat and seafood so it is able to withstand a minimum of 48 hours in transit without refrigeration.

Fish and raw game meat may be accepted as baggage only if packaged in a leak-proof container (Styrofoam not accepted). Gel ice is recommended, but up to 5.5 pounds of dry ice is allowed per customer. Items containing dry ice must be declared at check-in and labeled on the package. Wet ice is not allowed. Freeze or chill meat and seafood thoroughly before packaging for optimal final destination temperature.

Live and fresh seafood is acceptable as checked baggage provided all packaging and labeling requirements are met by the customer.

Big game trophies
Antlers and horns are only accepted as checked baggage if they are properly packaged and meet normal size and weight restrictions.

• The item must be wrapped in shrink wrap or plastic covering, and packaged in an enclosed, hard-sided container. (e.g. box or crate).
• Antler tips must be padded to prevent punctures.
• Antlers must be free of raw meat, blood, or noticeable odors.
• Single allowable dimension may not exceed 38 inches deep, 34 inches wide, or 70 inches length/height. Total maximum allowable dimension must not exceed 120 linear inches (305cms). Any animal rack/antler that exceeds 120 linear inches cannot be accepted.

Items that are oversized or overweight must be shipped via Air Cargo. Please keep in mind this will require additional time as the Air Cargo offices may not be near the departure terminal in some cities.

For additional information, contact our Air Cargo office at 1-800-225-2752.

Because space can be limited, we can't always get the antlers on the same plane with you. If we don't, we'll hold them at your destination for you to pick up when you can or you can have them delivered for a charge.

 

[Gellar]

I’ve traveled fro Ak to Iowa via plane many times with meat and hide or antlers. A whitetail will be easy. Follow the guidelines posted from AK airlines and you will have no problem.

Some perspective from Alaska airlines:

Pack coolers/boxes to 49# to avoid over size charges. Extra bag fees are cheaper...

 

[Wildabeest]

With the expansion of CWD, the transport regs are becoming much more restrictive. Don’t rely on hearsay or “it’s never been a problem before”. Every year the regs are changing. Don’t rely on the airlines to know or understand them. Check with the Wildlife department for every state you will be transporting through.

 

[OregonCritterGitter541]

Well this honestly clears up ALLOT of things for me, and gives me a good place to start and some options! Ill be using this for more and more things so thank you!

Thanks all!!
OregonCritterGitter541

 

[Clam]

What 2rocky said is most important, keeping the cooler under the max check in weight.

ive brought frozen fish from Alaska many times, and never had any problems. Pack the coolers, weigh and tape. Maybe take some top quality tape with you.

 

[ScottP]

On another thread about bringing meat from Hawaii, someone posted how they put a sleeping bag inside a large dry bag then fill with frozen meat. You can bring more of your meat home then and you might already have some of these items on hand.

I traveled with frozen meat from AK, HI, and NM, as others have said make sure your cooler/bag is <50lb. I've gone as cheap as grabbing a heavy duty produce box from the grocery store and stuffing it with newspaper and then putting the meat in center of that. I wouldn't bother too much with checking on a bag of meat unless it was a small cooler (also check regs). Sometimes I used to bring a few sticks of sausage in a carry on bag and TSA tore it apart every time. Frozen meat is going to get your bag dumped, but it's just a hassle.

Antlers/skull plate you can probably just box up well to protect them from bag handling and check on. For returning to OR, you'll need to clean the skull plate really well or have a finished euro mount to be legal.