I had this shipping meat "problem" this Sept. I flew United which you get 2 checked bags, then a fee of I think $60/bag after that, up to 50lbs, over 50lbs and its anotehr $25/bag.

My elk (4x5) came out at 220 lbs of boned/butchered and wrapped meat. I left about 15-20 lbs with the outfitter. I had 3 supposedly 50lb boxes and a smaller box. I spread the smaller box between my bow case (1 checked bag), luggage (2nd checked bag) and carry on. So I had 3 supposedly 50lb boxes to check, which would have been $180. Well all 3 were over 50lbs, but by only 5-7 lbs each, they let me reorg everything to move some around. Ended up paying the extra for 1 of the 3.

My meat was almost frozen solid. Had been in the freezer for about 24 hours when I pulled it out. It was in wax boxes which were not very good insulation. I stopped at UPS to ship home the antlers and they helped me do a box shuffle and wrap each wax box in peanuts and a trash bag. This might have been "some" of the 5-7 I was over 50. However I left one wax box as it was and it was over as well.

Anyway, I had the longest flight you could get from Spokane WA to Manchester NH (frequent flier tickets don't get good routes). I checked in earlier than I should have in WA, had a 2 hour layover in Chicago where I saw my meat sitting on the tarmac on a 70 degree day for over an hour. It was red-eye flight, left WA at 10:30 at night, got home around 10:00 the next morning. Meat was very cold, some had leaked juice and we re-wrapped in and put it all in our freezer. I juggled this around several times over the next 48 hours to get the frozen stuff alternated with the not yet frozen stuff. All in all I lost NOTHING, no meat went bad.

Couple things I learned:
- the meat lasted fine, even over the long "warm" time it had to.
- It would have actually been cheaper to have 2 "heavy" bags, given you can go up to 100lbs, it would be the way to go.
- make sure you have a plan for this BEFORE you have to come up with one.

One guy in camp UPS overnighted his meat home. roughly same size bull, he shipped the meat, around 200 lbs, cape and rack overnight coast to coast. Cost him $700. But the meat showed up on his door step the next morning still frozen.

--Bob