Getting Meat Home.

[the blur]

I hunt Elk on the west coast, live on the east coast. Fly back & forth. I used a local butcher, who works with a local UPS store. The UPS store packs the butchered meat into coolers with dry ice. and then ships it overnight back east.
It's just getting tedious & expensive dealing with too many hands in the pot.

Can you bring frozen meat on the plane??

I just can't imagine doing so, with 200lbs of meat, dry ice, coolers, etc.
I already have a suitcase, rifle, gear. etc.

I can't drive 30 hours by myself, and refilling the cooler with ice along the way.

There must be a better solution.

 

[N2TRKYS]

Put it in 48 qt coolers with regular ice, unless your cooler has a vent for the dry ice. Tape the cooler lids shut and just pay the extra fee for flying them back with you.

I put frozen turkey breast in with my regular checked luggage and never had an issue or extra charge.

 

[bigngreen]

I used to put meat on a plane all the time, it just needed packaged in the foam coolers and sealed up good AFTER being frozen and there was no need for dry ice.

 

[Dr. Vette]

I know of some who pack frozen meat in styrofoam coolers, tape them as much as possible, and ship them (not as luggage) on the same plane they take home.

As noted below, overnight-shipped frozen meat shouldn't need dry ice; you're only adding that as insurance in case it doesn't make it overnight.

I drove around Wyoming last week for 4 days with two 40# bags of ice in a cooler with minimal melting. I've also driven home several times from MT, WY or NM and never had to add ice to my frozen meat on the way home. Even cheap coolers will keep cold items cold for a 2-3 day drive. So, if you ever drive you won't have to refill the coolers at all.

 

[Rick Richard]

The key to keeping the meat cool if driving a long way is to ensure the drain is left open and unobstructed for draining.

 

[RevJim]

I've checked frozen game in coolers...my last one was awhile back. We had two coolers of processed/packaged Eurasian hogs from the UP( stuff is better than pork, its "almost" steak!) anyhow, had to go back through "Deetroit" airport. when I got to SLC, one of the coolers had been opened/retaped and some of the meat was gone. It could have been worse...they could have "lost" both coolers and made the Airline pay for it.

 

[xarcher]

The 48 qt coolers are as big as you can get without being charged for oversized luggage. If I recall, L+W+H can be no more than 62 inches, but check airling regs. On the way to the hunt, pack clothes, boots, gear, etc in the coolers and check them as luggage. Will have to pay extra bag fees obviously. Then pack the meat in coolers and check them as baggage on the way home and ship your clothes, boots, gear, etc. This might create an overweight baggage situation which will cost you but again, check the airline regs. If you can get the meat frozen before the return trip, it will still be for the most part frozen when you get home. But unless the cooler will see temps consistently above 50 degrees (remember that luggage holds in airplanes are not heated and temps at 30,000 feet are pretty friggin cold) the meat will not spoil even if not frozen.

Lots of hoops to jump through, but the last time I shipped game meat from Rockies to east coast, I believe it was over $800. And that was 4 years ago and really had no choice since I shot the elk on the last day and did not have time to deal with it myself .

 

[Manualman]

I drive by myself. 32hrs Casper Wyoming to NJ. 5 antelope in a 150qt cooler with dri ice and all was still frozen 48hrs later. And still had dri ice left.

 

[Jerry M]

Just drove to and from Trout Creek Montana. Unfortunately, the coolers were empty both ways...

Good Luck

Jerry

 

[jgal72]

Long haul to Trout Creek. I drove there 2 years ago from SW PA to hunt. Did you hunt with NW Montana outfitters?

 

[Marble]

We don't process or meat until we drive back from CO. we put it in the bottom of our horse trailer and insulate it with bags, blankets and gear. Never had it spoil.

I've seen several guys with flat bed trailers put their freezer right in the trailer and freeze their meat after the cut the majority of it up. They run the generator until it runs out of fuel and refill it when they fill up their truck. Works pretty well for them.

I've packed frozen meat in ice chests and had it stay frozen for days. I've also put 100 pounds off meat in an ice chest and checked it on a plane and paid $100 per ice chest.

Lots of options.