Elk and Deer Hunting – How to bring home your trophy deer or elk hunting as airline baggage!
Trophy hunters traveling to destinations fighter plane are always faced with the task of how to get their prized back home safely. The trophies are at higher risk of being damaged and antler horns game.
With a little advance preparation work before leaving the hunting camp, you can make your trophy deer or elk rack strong enough to compete with all Samsonite suitcases and other drivers of airline baggage. While this article is primarily for hunters who travel internationally, this also works for domestic air travel as well.
As in international trophy hunter, I have personally hunted and fished in 5 continents. travel plane is a means of transport for most of the destinations I have traveled to hunt. The ability to take your trophy as luggage can save up to 6 months of time and to $ 750 or more in expenses related to importation and shipping. Not all countries allow this, but some do. The savings can almost pay for the taxidermy. I trophies as baggage brought from Canada, Mexico and Iceland. From January 2010, some airlines have increased restrictions on poles packed as luggage. I recommend you check with your airline of choice before purchasing your tickets.
Cape or carpet should be frozen.
An important factor to keep in account is the ability to maintain the frozen layer or blanket from the moment you leave your hunting destination until you get home. In many cases this requires a good 24 hours to a freeze. The layer or carpet should be folded several times to save space and frozen. Hunters taking their trophies on the final day with no time to freeze in the field of what may want to consider staying a day or more, especially if you are traveling in a foreign country or the United States have many scales. A new law in Mexico cape States must be frozen before reaching the border.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at the customs check to make sure your coat or blanket is frozen because they do not want the blood to pass through baggage and freeze also helps eliminate any unwanted error entering the United States. Place your wet coat or a carpet in a black garbage bag twice and then freeze. Make sure to put a label with your name on your coat. The label must have your full contact information on one side and your contact information on the other taxidermists. This way if your cape or carpet is separated from his luggage, the Fish and Wildlife U.S. know how to contact with you. Then put the frozen ground and packaged in a collapsible insulated cooler. On my last trip to Mexico, I brought the butt of a mule deer in the Sonoran Desert a 10 "x10" x9 "folding insulated cooler with plenty of room. Then I put the cooler in my luggage Cabela's. If you are bringing back a moose-sized animal, you need a bigger refrigerator.
When I get home, take your right to your taxidermist frozen layer. Let him and frozen or she may not have time to process the moment you arrive. Remember, if you come from Canada, Mexico or any other foreign country, will to designate a USDA certified taxidermist in Form 3-177-1 and that's where you have to take your ice layer. This does not apply to domestic travel.
Protection of his horn, horn and cap breakage.
His trophy animal horns or antlers are the most susceptible to breakage in transportation back with you on the airline. There are 3 steps to protect them when packaged as luggage. You do not need a box with this method.
First, you need to protect each tooth or point. You can do this with pieces of discarded garden hose cut to a variety of 3 "to 6" long. You can use any of a hose 5 / 8 or ¾ inch. Place the cut piece of hose over the point until it reaches a break when the horn diameter is larger than the diameter of the hose. Make sure that at least 1 "to 1 ½" hose extends beyond the tip and then duct tape the hose to the individual tooth. Repeat this process until all the teeth of the shafts are protected.
Secondly, either wrap the cap with tape. Make sure the owner has boiled the top of the skull and removed any flesh and brain matter. This is a U.S. Fish and Regulation of Wildlife.
Thirdly, you want to prepare the space inside the main beams. In the case of a mule deer or white-tailed deer, a brace should be sufficient. In the case of a large animal like a moose you may want to use two keys. A good dressing is a wooden dowel or stick straight good. You will have to cut this brace for measuring and between one or two areas thicker than the main beam, usually between C-2 and C-3 (see photo). Once the key is cut to measure, tape in place and then duct tape corset too. You do not want the corset to move. Do not worry about the tape, his taxidermist will be easy to remove any residue of tape of the antlers.
Once your teeth are protected and the straps are in place, wrap the teeth and main beams with bubble wrap and tape in place. Be sure not to cover the tags of the antlers and the Fish and Wildlife U.S. will have to see. For some hunters, this may seem a little over-kill in the horns. I know some who have gotten by with only teeth protected. International hunting are becoming more and more expensive and the last thing I want to happen in my lifetime trophy is to get broken in transit. A missing tooth or two during the baggage handling will never recover and can not be classified as such by Boone & Crocket, Safari Club International or Pope & Young. A little preparation can ensure your trophy arrives home in one piece.
At the Time Carrier against.
When is checking in his luggage, ask the attendant at the registration desk to label the poles with special handling. They will at no additional cost. You may incur baggage charges however. If you are a frequent flier with elite status, the excess baggage fees may be waived. Be sure to ask the operator on the counter.
Going through U.S. customs and Fish and Wildlife
Every time I come back from another country, you must collect your baggage and go through customs. Be sure to declare all or trophy could be subject to seizure. Make sure you have all your papers in order. This includes U.S. the Fish and Wildlife Form 3-177-1 and documentation of its owner. The equipment supplier documentation must include your hunting license foreign label game (should be placed in their horns before leaving the country) and any document showing the license owners and the property where the hunt took place were legal to hunt.
Having all these documents in hand when approaching the Fish and Wildlife U.S. U.S. side Customs. The officer will surely appreciate this and will transition to run more smooth. After passing through Customs and Fish and Wildlife U.S., recheck their luggage to their final destination. If you are hunting at the national level (within United States), you will not have to go through customs or the U.S. Fisheries and Wildlife.
Pre-trip packing list
You want to have some things in his baggage that may not be able to find or have time to shop at your destination. Most of these items will fit in a duffel bag type of large Cabela's along with their hunting equipment. You need the following;
1. A roll of bubble wrap. (Available at any office supply store like Staples or Office Max)
2. A roll of tape (available at any office supply store like Staples or Office Max)
3. The pieces of garden hose to cut different lengths. Preparation for the largest deer or elk is usually taken in the area. This will not be short. Look in the garden shed for the leaky old hose that has not thrown yet.
4. Wooden pegs ½ "or 5 / 8" diameter. Once again, prepare for the biggest game generally making in the area. Ask its owner lies on the grill. Get a deer and 2 for Elk. Wooden dowels can buy any improvement store home and Home Depot, Lowes or Menards, etc.
5. Folding Insulated Cooler. You can find these at Wal-Mart for $ 10 – $ 15.
6. Taxidermy Tags. Ask his hunting consultant or make your own. I recommend laminating labels. You must have one of the horns, one for the layer and one for the insulated cooler.
7. Plastic zip ties to attach the tags taxidermy.
8. 2 Mil Heavy garbage bags to wrap your coat or carpet.
If you ask, its owner may be willing to collect these items before their arrival in the field of saving you some space in your luggage. If traveling to a destination home game, you can buy these items and have them shipped to its owner. I would not recommend if you are shipping to Canada, Mexico or any another international destination, as it would be too expensive for shipping, customs, etc. and package the owner can not reach in time. Ask its owner for an address UPS and send it in advance. Make sure there is someone to accept the package. During hunting season, many equipment suppliers in the field.
With a little advance planning and the help of his hunting Agent, you will be able to bring home your trophy deer or elk near as baggage and not have to worry that it is broken by baggage handlers or heavy luggage. You can use the money saved to implement the taxidermy bill.
About the Author
Rick Kennerknecht has been a hunter since the age of 12 and has hunted, fished and collected trophies on 5 Continents. In 1991, Rick started turning his passion into a business and incorporated Global Sporting Safaris in 2001. Global Sporting Safaris is now a major Corporation with a full time staff of five and several part time sales agents.
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