Big Game Hunting: How to Transport Meat Via Airplane

You've planned the big game hunting trip of a lifetime and are excited to shoot your first antelope or elk. If you're driving to your destination, hauling your prize meat home isn't an issue. All you need to do is throw the meat in several coolers and put it in the back of your truck. Unfortunately, traveling via air poses a problem for big game hunters. Whether you're hunting elk, bear, moose, or any other large game, if you shoot something, exactly how do you bring the meat back? Here are a few tips to help you transport big game meat from your hunting trip home on an airplane.

Transporting Big Game via Airplane Tip #1: Pack in coolers:
Yes, you can bring coolers on an airplane, but it's not as easy as you might think. First, you'll need to check it as baggage. Big game means a lot of meat, translating into several heavy coolers-adding a hefty additional cost for you on most airlines. Coolers are not very secure and often times hunters report theft or their coolers simply never arrive with the rest of their baggage. Also keep in mind that dry ice is not allowed on airplanes; your meat could thaw and spoil by the time you arrive home.

If you must transport your meat via cooler, use a soft-sided cooler. Make sure your meat is wrapped tightly in many layers of plastic wrap and bags. Do not freeze your meat prior to packing (frozen meat creates sharp edges prone to poking holes and causing leaks). Instead, cool your meat just above freezing temperature, and wrap in plastic.

If you have a larger piece of luggage, such as duffel bags, place the soft sided cooler inside the bigger piece and insulate with clothing or sleeping bags. Make sure your bags do not exceed 70 pounds-70 pounds is the typical weight limit on most airlines before the excess baggage fee kicks in.

Should you need to free up your luggage to transport meat, ship your gear and clothing home via UPS, USPS, or FedEx before leaving.

Transporting Big Game Meat via Airplane Tip #2: Process meat as jerky, salami, or sausage:
By having the meat processed this way before you leave, transportation via airplane is easier. There's no worry of spoiled meat, no need to keep it cold, and it weighs much less. Check with your butcher or outfitter to see if this service is offered.

Transporting Big Game Meat via Airplane Tip #3: Ship via freight:
This method is best used when you have a colossal amount of meat to ship home (and with big game, this is a common predicament!). Chances are, your butcher offers this service, so check to see what the fee is. Often times, it's much cheaper to ship big game meat via air freight than it is paying your airline's excess baggage charge.

As you can see, transporting meat after a big game hunting trip can be quite a chore. However, with a little planning and preparation, you can make your meat transportation from your big game hunting trip easy and stress free. Soon, you'll be enjoying the fruits of your labor and eating like a king: Elk sausage, antelope burgers, and bear tacos!