If you’re fortunate enough to go hunting this fall or winter, here are some valuable tips on how to transport the meat back home with you.
Every year, I eagerly look forward to traveling for a hunting expedition. The excitement of planning, the anticipation leading up to the trip, the actual journey, and the camaraderie shared during these experiences have given me some of the most unforgettable adventures of my life. In particular, I relish the years when I manage to secure an elk tag in a highly sought-after unit. It’s not solely about adding another trophy to my wall; rather, it presents an opportunity to gather a substantial amount of meat that my family, friends, and I can enjoy for the next year, if not longer.
Perhaps you’ve found yourself in a similar situation: you make a perfect shot on an elk, whitetail, or mule deer, and it goes down swiftly. You celebrate with your hunting partner, take pictures, and revel in the moment. But then, reality sinks in—you now have a substantial amount of meat that needs to be transported back home. Having a well-thought-out plan in place beforehand can save you a lot of headaches later on.
Here’s a guide on how to transport meat home from your hunt, whether you’re driving or flying. If you choose to drive, consider using coolers and dry ice. For those traveling by plane, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) permits you to either check or carry on meat. If you’re engaged in big-game hunting, checking in a few coolers is likely the most viable option, should you opt for that route. Another possibility, especially for air travelers, is shipping the meat through a local processor near the hunting area.
Driving
The road trip back home can be quite tiresome, especially after an eventful hunting expedition. However, with the cost of a few tanks of gas, some food, maybe a hotel room, and provisions such as ice or a portable freezer, this method proves to be the most cost-effective way to transport meat back from the hunt. A quick search for “portable freezers” will yield a range of options, many of which can easily fit in the bed of a pickup truck. These freezers can be plugged into the vehicle’s cigarette lighter with an adapter, ensuring you never have to worry about ice melting. In fact, once you’ve unloaded it, you can even plug it back into a power outlet in your garage to provide extra storage space.
Sturdy double roto-molded coolers, which are widely available, also serve as excellent options. Wrap the meat well, using newspaper as it acts as a great insulator. Place dry ice at the bottom of the cooler and pack the meat on top, adding another layer of dry ice on the surface. If feasible, allow the cooler to sit in a cold environment for a day, or alternatively, pack it with ice and seal it. These steps will prolong the ice’s longevity when packed with meat.
Flying
If you opt to travel by plane, you have two choices for transporting your hunted meat back home. You can either carry it on board with you or ship it. According to the TSA, “Meat, seafood, and other non-liquid food items are permitted in both carry-on and checked bags. If the food is packed with ice or ice packs in a cooler or other container, the ice or ice packs must be completely frozen when brought through screening. If the ice or ice packs are partially melted and have any liquid at the bottom of the container, they will not be permitted. You also can pack frozen perishables in your carry-on or checked bags in dry ice. The FAA limits you to five pounds of dry ice that is properly packaged (the package is vented) and marked.”
The regulations are clear and straightforward. Similar to driving, it’s preferable to use a Yeti cooler or a similar high-performance cooler that can maintain ice for extended periods. If you’ve ever observed airport employees loading bags onto the conveyor belts leading to the aircraft’s hold, you’d realize they aren’t gentle with the luggage. A flimsy cooler or ice chest probably won’t survive beyond the first leg of your flight.
Shipping
Whether you’re flying or driving, shipping the meat back home remains a viable option. You might choose to utilize the services of a local processor or simply avoid the hassle of checking in a large amount of cargo with an airline that could potentially lose it. If you’ve driven to the hunting location, there’s also the possibility that the road trip doesn’t end immediately after the hunt. Whatever the reason for not being able to transport the meat swiftly from Point A to Point B, shipping serves as a reliable albeit somewhat expensive solution.
A professional meat processor will know the safest way to ship the meat to your location. If you decide to pack and ship it yourself, the guidelines provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) are tremendously helpful. They recommend opting for overnight shipping, which can be costly. So, it’s important to factor in this expense when planning. Moreover, if you happen to return from the hunt without filling your tag, you can consider using the extra funds to treat yourself to a couple of steak dinners on the way home.
In essence, understanding how to transport meat home from your hunting trip is an integral part of the overall big-game hunting experience. These ventures often involve months or even years of planning, and it’s unfortunate when the crucial aspect of bringing the meat back is overlooked. I encourage you to consider adding a few extra days to your trip, allowing you to undertake the journey by vehicle. For those of us residing in the East, there’s a special allure to breaking away from the urban confines and venturing into the vastness of the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains beyond.
