Transporting Moose Antlers and Hide from Alask to East Coast

[mdhunter61]

This questions is sent out to some of my previous hunt partners, as well as anyone else who has transported antlers/capes from Alaska to home...

I've done a bunch of remote AK moose and caribou hunts, but have always given the antlers away and left most of the meat with my family up there. My buddy is coming up with me this year, and if he shoots a nice moose he will want to bring the antlers and cape back to Maryland (he's a taxidermist so that will help defray some of the costs).

There's a guy (379Peterbilt I think) that drives a tractor-trailer of meats/antlers/capes out to several of the Midwest states, but he doesn't get as far as the East Coast. I know one of my previous hunt partners used this service and was pretty happy with it.

So - how do you guys get your antlers and capes home? Scott/Nick - how did you guys do it?

Thanks for any info that you can provide -

Michael

 

[rlmmatt]

I'll be watching this thread hoping for some good advice

 

[Gellar]

We wrap the antler tips with some extra padding and tape and checked as baggage. There are always others in the airport doing the same thing. TSA regulations say you can check them or carry on Antlers, but your individual airline may have limitations.

If you are not worried about scoring or entering books you can split the skull and stack the two sides together to save on room.

 

[mdhunter61]

We wrap the antler tips with some extra padding and tape and checked as baggage. There are always others in the airport doing the same thing. TSA regulations say you can check them or carry on Antlers, but your individual airline may have limitations.

If you are not worried about scoring or entering books you can split the skull and stack the two sides together to save on room.

Thanks - same guy that's going with me this year shot a nice caribou a few years back, we split the skull and had a cardboard box made to fit the antlers. Stuffed the box around the antlers with Styrofoam peanuts, and checked the bag on Alaska Airlines as oversize bag for $75.

I don't think I we can ship the moose cape back on AK Airlines tho, I will check their website again. Places like Knight's Taxidermy in Anchorage will prep the hide and build a wood crate that can be shipped out on an 18 wheeler, but that route is pretty costly for both the prepping and the shipping.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

I've never done it... but I have flown my MT bike internationally several times and I'm pretty sure you could fit a full set of antlers in one of those bike boxes, might have to split like others have said. I would make sure you know of a place to get packing supplies before you go so you aren't trying to find them post hunt. As far as the cape I would either salt it yourself, or just fold it hair out and put it in a cooler with some dry ice. If you are able to get it folded and in a freezer for at least a day before you fly you won't need the ice. I have shipped a number of green hides to taxidermists frozen without ice, in trash bags in cardboard boxes and never had an issue with hair slipping.

 

[Deleted member 18333]

If the great suggestions already given don't work, these folks can help you out. http://www.dandcexpediters.com/

 

[Dhosera]

We buy a Crate from "The Shipping Store" in Anchorage and send EVERYTHING back home. All gear, guns, salted hides, antlers ect.... Cost us $750 from AK to Michigan. Then process the meat, freeze solid and bring back as much as you want as checked baggage. Cheapest way possible...>you can Thank me later

 

[Bambistew]

Look into Alaska Air Cargo if it won't go as luggage. I strongly suggest you make it go as luggage as it is by far the cheapest route. A cut rack should stack in a box that can go as luggage, but it will be custom looking. In the Mid Atlantic area all major airports are "hubs" for Alaska Cargo. Shipping is dimensional weight vs actual. For heavy dense things like meat its pretty cheap, like $1/lb, but bulky items like antlers it may be as much as $3-4/lb actual weight depending on how small the box is. You have to box/crate it yourself, and need to become a "known shipper" to ship. Its not hard, but you need a couple weeks to process the paperwork.

Check the airline regulations, most charge a fee for antlers... even if it fits in your checked luggage.

The Packaging store has a minimum fee, and I think it starts at about $650 now, they charge to pack, but all you have to do is drop it off. They're on the way to the Airport.

D&C Expediters sends a bulk shipment to Butte MT, then it goes out from there. Shipping is cheap to Butte, but is on top of the other fees. A friend of mine had a moose rack shipped from here to Denver. I think it cost him $500 all told, plus shipping the cape via Ground. They are reasonable, and will salt/prep the cape, and pack it up, but not much cheaper than the shipping store. I think they charge to crate once it gets to Butte. I haven't talked to them in a while, but they used to use Atcheson Taxidermy for crating and forwarding.

Good luck on your hunt.

 

[mixedbag]

I used that trucking service.He picked my meat up in Fairbanks and I met him at the Pa/Ohio border.He does go that far most years.He will also pick your meat and antlers up in Anchorage.You either meet him with your meat or he picks it up at airports

 

[BOWUNTR]

What Bambi stew said... Ed F