Dealing with TSA after Alaska

[Gellar]

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I just saw a video of a guy actually wearing that shirt through TSA.

 

[jryoung]

Flown many times and there are two scenarios I've come across.

1. TSA takes my key and inspects the case while I observe. In this instance, I make sure everything gets out back.

2. I mostly fly out of San Jose, my case goes on the belt and I have to wait to see if TSA wants to open it. This happens behind close doors, so the first thing I do when getting to the other end of the flight is open it up in front of the agent that just checked my ID. Never had anything missing, but if there was it could be addressed on the spot. It's also a gun safety thing for my, I'm knowingly receiving a firearm that was out of my possession, my OCD forces me to inspect the weapon.

 

[Southern Elk]

I just saw a video of a guy actually wearing that shirt through TSA.

I saw a dude wearing it at an airport once.

I got pulled to the side one time for them to check my crotch. My wife and son thought it was hilarious. Me, not so much.

 

[Gellar]

Fairbanks airport I forgot to take out my wallet. Got the full pat-down, hand swab treatment.

I had a crown royal bag full of coins at the ANC airport and they dumped the bag out. They said the scanner can’t see through coins and they often see people with gold nuggets do that. They didn’t help put the coins back in the bag.

 

[Redman]

Don't use TSA approved locks that they have a key for. Make them call you to open it.

 

[WildWill]

I saw a dude wearing it at an airport once.

I got pulled to the side one time for them to check my crotch. My wife and son thought it was hilarious. Me, not so much.

I always keep eye contact and a funny grin on my face during pat downs. Might as well make both of us uncomfortable.

 

[jryoung]

I always keep eye contact and a funny grin on my face during pat downs. Might as well make both of us uncomfortable.

Apparently running your fingers through their hair is frowned upon too.

 

[jpcoll01]

Don't use TSA approved locks that they have a key for. Make them call you to open it.

This is the way. Master locks and you have the only keys. Wait 10 minutes until you get the thumbs up or make them open on front of you.

 

[Scott85]

Use your own locks that TSA cannot open.

 

[HONEYBADGER]

Throwing this out to the HT community for any advice as I imagine I'm not the only one who has had issues with TSA when traveling for a hunt. I'm curious if anyone else has had similar issues and how they handled it.

Earlier this month I went on a trip to Kodiak with several friends to hunt Blacktail and do a little fishing. Been to SE Alaska several times but first time up to the "Rock" for me.
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DAY 1
After arriving at our destination we were asked to present our license and tags for verification prior to hunting. I unlocked my guncase to retrieve my license and locking deer tag only to find that it was no longer there. Panic followed by second guessing myself as to if I had somehow forgotten it and left it at home. More searching with the same result. Not gonna lie. I was a bit pissed.

I was able to reprint my license and permits at the place we were staying, but was without the metal locking tag required to hunt deer. No license vender anywhere close to us and an hour's flight from the city of Kodiak from where we were staying.

None the less, we headed out for approx the last four hours of light for a quick hunt. We had split up in pairs since there were six of us as it made the most sense.

The leaves were off the brush and trees but it was still pretty thick with limited visibility. Kind of jungle like and similar to North Idaho brush but without the trees.

Not long into out hunt I spotted a nice looking buck. He was safe from me as I was not properly licensed and he melted into the brush before I could direct my buddy to where he was located. Very frustrating as I would have been more than happy to have put my tag on him if I had only had one.

Using a cedar deer call I had purchased from a resident of POW the previous fall seemed pretty effective. Every couple hundred yards or likely looking spot I would stop and blow on it. About 50% of the time within a few seconds a deer would materialize out of the grass and brush. Unfortunately all that responded to the call were does. However, I figured it was only a matter of time before a rutting buck would at least follow one of them into our setup.
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One member of out party shot a forky buck the first evening but no other deer were harmed. We were checked by Alaska State troopers on our way back who happened to have boated into the area making their rounds. They were sympathetic to my situation but confirmed what I already knew that without the metal locking tag, I could pack a firearm around for "safety " or "defense" purposes on the island but not shoot a deer.

DAY 2
Different terrain on the second day and not as thick as what we experienced the day previous. Lot's of opportunities for glassing and a few deer spotted. Several does and only one spike buck spotted for the day between the six of us. I was still bummed about not having a tag but not as much, so if the country had been crawling with bucks and shooting was involved.
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An uptick in the day was after returning to our cabin on the second evening and learning that the host we were staying with was able to pull some strings with the F&G office in Kodiak. They were able to print off a duplicate locking tag and then have it delivered to the airport and flown down to where we were staying.
Pretty awesome to say the least.

Day 3
We opted to fish as a group rather than hike the island looking for deer. It was one of the guys' birthday and we wanted to take advantageof the salt. We had a great day on the water.
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Day 4
Weather sucked with high winds a rain. We spent the morning in the cabin moping as we knew going out in the boat would be pretty miserable. By mid morning the rain let up and the wind began to die down.

We grabbed our gear and headed out to a spot close to where we had hunted on day one. Thick cover with few glassing opportunities. I again used my deer call and things worked out as a lovesick buck followed in a couple does. My buddy made a 50 yard shot on this nice buck.
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We boned it out and hunted our way back. I called in another nice buck but was unable to get a shot. Not bad for an abbreviated hunting day.

Day 5

More fishing and another birthday for a member of our party. We planned on fishing in the morning and then hoped to hunt in the afternoon. Fishing was great and we ended up staying out on the salt rather than come in early and hunt.
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Day 6
It was a great trip and we flew out on a calm, clear, bluebird day for home. I enjoyed myself and the experience of a different part of Alaska. I had intended on both hunting and fishing on this trip but feel somewhat shorted due to only really being able to hunt for approx 1/3 of a day due to TSA.

Yes, I blame TSA as I know they removed my license and tags from my guncase. I know this because after returning home I filed a missing item report at the Spokane airport where the case was "checked" and then locked by TSA. I got a confirmation email a couple days ago from them stating that they have my "license and tags" and that I can pick them up or pay to have them shipped to me

So my question to the HT community. What would you do and what possible options might I be able to pursue for some sort of restitution?

I don't feel that TSA was purposly malicious when they removed my license and tag but come on. This trip was two years in the making and obviously entailed a bit more expense than a typical hunting trip for me.

Yes, I'm a whiner, but what would you do in my situation?

Nothing short of a lawsuit would generate any results but suing the government is a lost cause unless you can find an attorney to take the case on a contingency basis. Even then if you dont win you will still be stuck with their "costs" just not their "fees". The government will drag the case on for years and years, it wont be worth your time unless you can win millions....

 

[Waspocrew]

Don't use TSA approved locks that they have a key for. Make them call you to open it.

^^ this.

Did you use “TSA approved locks”? I’ve flown with rifles several times and use master locks and only I have the keys. Never had an issue.

 

[Mica Man]

Don't use TSA approved locks that they have a key for. Make them call you to open it.

Yeah, I have my own locks. Unfortunately in Spokane and in Kodiak they took my case in a back room to inspect and I was not allowed to go with. They locked it up and then brought me back my key.

 

[Mica Man]

^^ this.

Did you use “TSA approved locks”? I’ve flown with rifles several times and use master locks and only I have the keys. Never had an issue.

Nope, used my own locks. They took my case to a back room to inpect and then brought me back my key.

 

[Jnasa]

Yeah, I have my own locks. Unfortunately in Spokane and in Kodiak they took my case in a back room to inspect and I was not allowed to go with. They locked it up and then brought me back my key.

I believe technically they are supposed to inspect with you there. Unfortunately, many do not know their own regulations. It also usually isn’t the best to argue the point with them.

I’ve been fortunate both times flying to have them inspect the case in front of me.

 

[Derek44]

Seamless this year with Alaska Airlines out of Seattle. I was put in a separate line and then directed to a room where I was to unlock the case. TSA agent ran his hands through it then I repositioned everything while he watched and I relocked the case.

Coming back from Fairbanks I dropped my case with a guy at the homeland security doors, he took it inside, x-rayed it, and brought it back to me and showed me which belt to put it on.

Definitely use locks that only you have the keys to. Or combination. Actually says that right in their literature on flying with firearms.

 

[cgasner1]

My case is pretty tight and I stick the tags between the edge of the foam and the plastic also use company issued locks so I have about 6 sets of the key when I fly they won’t be opening my box without me standing there.

 

[BAKPAKR]

My case is pretty tight and I stick the tags between the edge of the foam and the plastic also use company issued locks so I have about 6 sets of the key when I fly they won’t be opening my box without me standing there.

Like @Mica Man said, if you fly out of Spokane and TSA wants to look in your gun case, they come out from a back room and ask for your keys.