Shipping game meat

[calling4life]

You only get 1 over limit bag….50lbs max.

Fit it in a carryon, and you get unlimited weight, but a size limit. Generally unchecked though.

It'd be nice to actually resolve all of this and have a good solid answer for people, but I'm a poor and don't fly anywhere, so I don't believe I'd be the best guy for this.

It seems 2 or 3 is common as "for free" bags, but in general, if you're willing to pay, additional bags may be added.
They don't tell us how many "non-free" bags Southwest will allow, and as we see, some airlines are a "depending" type answer, which means a person has no choice but to call regarding their specific flight.

However, check this out for SouthWest.
"Excess Baggage
Each piece of baggage in excess of the free baggage allowance specified above that is not in excess of 62 inches (L+W+H) and 50 lbs. or less will be accepted for a charge of $75.00 per item one-way. Excess baggage which is also overweight or oversized will be charged excess baggage plus the applicable oversize or overweight charge."

Ok, still no number from them on how many "paid" bags a guy can have, not looking like they'll give one, but this is intersting.
"Weight and Size Allowance
Southwest will accept the first two checked bags for free provided that the bags do not exceed 50 lbs and 62 inches (L+W+H). Overweight items from 51 to 100 pounds and oversized items in excess of 62 inches but not more than 80 inches will be accepted for a charge of $75.00 per item one-way. Only one $75.00 charge applies if the piece is both oversized and overweight, regardless of the weight as long as it does not exceed 100 lbs. Excess baggage which is also overweight or oversized will be charged excess baggage plus the applicable oversize or overweight charge."

So, $150 to them and you can actually have 100lbs and be oversized... again, we still don't know how many bags a person can take as "paid" extra bags, but 100lbs means you'll have 1/2 as many needed...

Anyways, I found this:

How Many Bags Can You Check?[/
American Airlines
AA will allow you to check up to 10 bags on domestic flights. While your first checked bag will cost you $30 it becomes increasingly expensive as you add more bags. Bag 2 will cost $40. Bag 3 will cost $150. And bags 4-10 will cost $200 each.

[Delta Air Lines[/
Delta also allow you to check up to 10 checked bags. Their pricing is the same as American Airlines.

[Alaska[/
During peak periods Alaska limit the number of bags that can be checked per passenger. Check with the airline for limits on your flight.

[Allegiant[
You can purchase up to 4 checked bags per passenger.

[JetBlue
JetBlue charge $35 for the first checked bag and $45 for the second checked bag. You may be able to bring more checked suitcases but they charge $150. Contact JetBlue for further details.

[Southwest[
Southwest are the clear winners in the luggage stakes.

Their size limits for carry-on luggage are the most generous.

And they allow 2 checked bags for free.

[Spirit
If there is space available you can purchase up to five checked bags when flying with Spirit.

[United Airlines
The number of checked bags that you can bring on a United flight depends on the route.

 

[nksmfamjp]

1 Mule Deer buck, minus some jerky waiting for his flight! Delta.

TSA check it over and then smiled!

 

[xsn10s]

Assuming that I have 200lbs of butchered elk it would not be to practical to fly it back with me. Hopefully, as a group, we'll have more than one elk to deal with. I'd rather just have it shipped frozen. Hasn't anyone on LRH done this?

We used to fly back from Mexico with large coolers filled with tuna and such. We pack them with frozen fish and duct tape the heck out of them. I'd call the airlines and see what they say. But flying back from Alaska I don't remember what we did. Might have had the butcher ship it to us.

 

[Tidus56]

Let's hope the Alaska shipping rules don't apply.
My buddy shipped back a few fresh caught salmon that were filleted, flash frozen and shipped to his door. It cost over $200 and was only a few pounds. It was an expensive novelty.

I am aware that some meat packing places are set up to butcher and ship game meat. When I was moose hunting in Newfoundland the butcher was set up to ship 50lb boxes of butchered meat in heavy styrofoam containers and ship to NYC where you picked it up. Several fly-in hunters shipped a couple of boxes back but no one shipped an entire moose. It wasn't cheap but it was doable.

I went to Alaska a month or two ago and flying back our fish was easy. We had it frozen at the outfitters and lined the box with that freezer stuff lol, I can't recall what it's called. Then we took it to the airport, we checked it for $30 per #50. When we got back to Utah it was frozen solid no issues at all.

 

[Ak338 RUM user]

What do airlines allow you to fly with though?

For example, can't you bring meat to fish freezing places in Alaska, where they essentially create a Styrofoam cooler for all your meat on the spot, and then fly that home with you? Isn't this a method people use.

So could you have that 200lbs frozen in a cooler and fly it back?

Maybe as two 100 lb coolers? $300... for two "bags" or are there limits here

Would actually seem very reasonable to me given I buy cheap roasts and cut my own steaks from them at the store, and the meat is still $6/lb.

At $300 to fly the 200lbs of meat back with you that would be $1.50/lb. Seems like a great deal.

Are things done like that?

Or do you really have to ship it back?

I like this discussion and would love it completely fleshed out. I've had meat shipped to me from small farms, like Wagyu beef, they generally ship it in a Styrofoam cooler and it has to be overnight or 2nd day air.

Cost for 200lbs would have the potential to be breathtaking...

Hoping to do Alaska trips in the future so I'm hoping this thread bears fruit.

I just shipped on Alaska airlines 100 lbs of meat in a fish box and a regular box made sure all meat was frozen and had newspaper inside next to frozen meat and then double bagged it with contractor garbage bags. They shipped it as extra check in baggage with no problems.

 

[berksbowman]

I hunted New Mexico last year and killed my bull at last light the last day. We recovered him the next am. We drove out with intentions to bring everything back, but this pressed us for time. We were able to cape him and take his antlers. My guide said he would take him to be processed for me. I called to check pricing. $1000 processed and shipped to Pa. I did it. The processor called me when he got my elk and we went over everything in detail how I wanted it cut and packed. Long story short is I wound up with 350# of ground meat. Nothing else. It took them till December to deliver. I killed him September 12. Till it was done my outfitters gave me a check for a $1000, but I made the processor make good and returned the outfitters check. Your definitely taking a gamble leaving your animal and hoping it get to your door as you paid for.

 

[mightyman]

An extra bag is usually $150.

bag #1 - clothes
bag#2 - rifle
bag #3 - meat +$150

I usually do meat in a soft cooler.

So, I do:
carry on personal item: computer case
carry on: meat cooler soft side
bag#1: clothes, gear
bag#2: rifle
bag#3….ahhh hell no not paying $150 for a deer

So, I cut my deer to get steaks in the cooler, maybe some breakfast sausage

Then I give the rest to the butcher for jerky….Jerky sends well by priority mail.

I would much rather do steaks, burgers, ribs, roasts, etc, but I like jerky so it works for now.

I paid for shipping elk back just once!
Next I brought meat back on plane, shipped clothes, boots, non $$$ items home.
I am high medallion with Delta so my son and I have 4 checked bags for free, the medium coolers were my only cost