Flying with Elk Meat

[PeteJ]

Hey guys. Looking for some insight on "hopefully" bringing elk meat home from our hunt this fall in MT. Our outfitter's suggestion, his recent experiences, was to ship our gear home and pack our meat in coolers and check them with the airline. Shipping the meat has gotten very expensive and though flying with it is also going to be expensive, its apparently a better option. My question is, has anyone done this or any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated on gear shipping and meat. Thanks Pete

[MacIntosh]

Will your meat be frozen? If so that makes all the difference, it’ll stay frozen for days that way with no insulation.
Either fly out with a CHEAP hard cooler and a roll Of duct tape—NOT a yeti or similar, they are much too heavy and unneccessary—and use it as a checked back on the way out to protect your optics, etc. just tape it shut after they inspect it. Frozen meat goes in on the way back, you will just have to tape it shut after tsa inspects it.
Or, when there get a decent size cardboard box, a big blue foam insulation panel and a roll of tape. Cut foam to fit all sides of box, and its a nearly weightless cooler. Same deal—final tape after tsa inspects.

[Coho975]

Check out AO soft coolers, they are great. We haul salmon and venison home in them all the time. The 36 pack weighs ~3 lbs and will hold 45 lbs of meat, its a bit snug though. The 48 pack will do 50 lbs easily. They are built very well.

https://aocoolers.com/

[PeteJ]

Thanks guys appreciate it.

[catjuggin]

Drive back with a deep freeze and a generator on a trailer