Ok. Hunt booked and paid for

Trchunting

Twelve Pointer
Last year's hunt was great so our group decided to do it again this year
We are going to fly this time, so does anyone have any advice on getting the guns through the airport or getting the deers shipped Back? Thanks in advance.
 

Eric Revo

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Make sure your gun case and lock is TSA approved, give yourself a few more minutes to check in the guns, you may have to open the cases for the TSA agents.
You CAN'T ship by any courier who carries passengers or any animals of any kind if you use dry ice(Which is really the only real option), so keep that in mind and figure on buying a cooler or taking your clothes out there in a cooler and using it to ship the packaged meat home.
 

JONOV

Old Mossy Horns
The gun is easy. Don't cheap out on a case, give yourself 15 more minutes than normal. I have a bone collector case but would do a pelican in a heartbeat as well. There are mixed opinions about the TSA Locks vs Non TSA locks, but I always use TSA locks. I've found that educating a TSA agent about rules they aren't following does little to expedite my travel experience.

You have a couple options for getting your meat back. I have packed 15 ducks in a carry on. I got delayed about two minutes at security, when the agent decided it was packaged food and let me on my way. A close friend fishes in Alaska every year, and buys or brings a lockable cooler each time. His goal is to pack in a carry on, and check only his salmon home. That would almost be easy in the time of Amazon Prime (ship a cooler to the lodge, check it home.) He has the AA credit card so checks at least one bag free.
 

ncmurph

Button Buck
The statement about dry ice is not correct. There are limitations on amount and the container cannot be air tight.
 

Eric Revo

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
The statement about dry ice is not correct. There are limitations on amount and the container cannot be air tight.
I assure you that if animals are part of the cargo, they don't allow dry ice.
Unless that rule has very recently changed....
 

wl704

Ten Pointer
Make sure ammo is in the appropriate box (check TSA rules).

Include a spare lock or two in the case, even TSA locks are some times cut off.

Check the weapon as baggage and make sure the case is locked before entering terminal.

Find some place/someone that can freeze the meat solid near where you're hunting. Carryon as much as you can, check the rest. Wrap in layers of newspaper or if available waxed cardboard.

You can also ship the meat, but it'll be expensive (figure $5-6/lb)
 

Downeast

Twelve Pointer
Take a cooler and fill it with most of your clothes, approved items, and an old army duffel bag. I have used the little one with wheels and a handle. Take a roll of tape so that you can tape it shut after they rummage through it. If you kill a deer try to freeze the loins and backstraps and bring them home in the cooler. Generally the processors will cut meat into unrecognizable pieces and label them as steaks or roasts. They consider that extremely funny and really enjoy it. The rest you can have processed and have it sent home or donate it to the local pound or the homeless shelter for the crackheads. You may as well just get it all ground up since most likely it's not your deer anyway. When you get done with your hunt stuff all of your dirty clothes and misc. junk in the duffel bag and mail it home third class or whatever is the cheapest. It doesn't matter since it will arrive home the same time as first class.

A good idea to print out the recent edition of the TSA rules on firearms from their website as well as you carrier and carry them with you. Follow the rules to the letter and you should be good to go. But I've had a few run-ins with TSA agents. (I'm not exactly sure what TSA stands for but I think it means that they are neither male or female?). Just be polite and ask for a supervisor (they will be the one that can read) and politely go over THEIR regulations. It usually solves any problems.

Have fun!
 

NCHuntUsername1

Guest
Last year's hunt was great so our group decided to do it again this year
We are going to fly this time, so does anyone have any advice on getting the guns through the airport or getting the deers shipped Back? Thanks in advance.

Get a pelican case and do not use TSA locks. Federal law states you do not use TSA locks. Go up to the ticket counter to check in and tell them you would like to check a firearm (i.e., don't just say I have a gun). You will get a declaration form to sign and will need to open the case to show what is in the case. The agent will also put the declaration form in the case. When you check the gun in tell the ticket counter you will wait until the gun gets cleared before going through the security checkpoint. This is the process I've used every time and have never had an issue.
 

TravisLH

Old Mossy Horns
Get a pelican case and do not use TSA locks. Federal law states you do not use TSA locks. Go up to the ticket counter to check in and tell them you would like to check a firearm (i.e., don't just say I have a gun). You will get a declaration form to sign and will need to open the case to show what is in the case. The agent will also put the declaration form in the case. When you check the gun in tell the ticket counter you will wait until the gun gets cleared before going through the security checkpoint. This is the process I've used every time and have never had an issue.

That's true but if an agent decided to check your case (which they can and will at times) then they'll cut your locks. TSA locks avoid that as they can access the key.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

JONOV

Old Mossy Horns
Ammo is easy, it needs to be in a checked bag but that's it. Just make sure its in a container specifically designed for ammunition. This can be the cardboard box it came in, or a hard box with slots from the store, but not a ziploc bag, etc...
 
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