RE: After the shot...Shipping your elk?
I flew home with 220 lbs of boned, semi-frozen elk meat a couple years ago. I checked it as luggage on the plane. have to pay excess baggage fees, I think it came to around $300, but I probably could have got it a bit lower if I'd been smarter about the fees and how to manage it.
another hunter in camp overnight shipped his from ID to MA. He paid close to $1000 for his meat, cape and rack.