I am flying to Colorado this year for a Deer/Elk hunt. This will be my first time flying and taking my rifle on the flight. Looking for any advise in this area. What to expect, are there more restrictions, ammo restrictions and so on. Anyone with experience with flying to get to their hunting location could be a great help in me preparing for my upcoming trip.

R1

Outdoor Life, Field and Stream and almost every other hunting magazine has published a boat load of articles on this subject. I'm sure if you visit their sites and read a little, you will find everything you need to know. Also looking at Customs regulations will probably tell you how to travel with firearms.

Raptor, I just flew american airlines across country with my firearms and they require them to be in a locked rifle case but they will examine them upon cheque in so you will need to have the key on yourself. I have two of those walmart cases thats made out of some kind of durable plastic that cost around $20.00. Ammo cannot be stored with your rifle either. Allow yourself at least 2 hours for cheque in also . Each airline may have different regulations in the transporting of firearms so maybe cheque with your airlines to see if there is any diff. Bobby

I'll being flying on AK airlines this fall, they also require locked case, ammo in seperate bag, and also require that the bolt be removed from the rifle! I'd suggest contacting the airline that you will be flying on and tell them your plans and have them tell you what you need to do.

From the Transportation Security Administration website: http://www.tsa.gov/public/interapp/e...orial_1666.xml

Firearms - There are specific regulatory requirements to transport a firearm:

* The firearm must be checked with the air carrier as luggage. Firearms are prohibited from carry-on baggage.
* The firearm must be declared orally or in writing in accordance with the air carriers procedures (contact your air carrier for their specific procedures).
* The firearm must be unloaded.
* The firearm must be carried in a hard-sided container.
* The container must be locked and only the passenger may retain the key or combination.

All checked baggage is subject to inspection. If during the inspection process it is necessary to open the container, air carriers are required to locate the passenger and the passenger must unlock the container for further inspection. The firearm may not be transported if the passenger can not be located to unlock the container. If you are traveling with a firearm, pay close attention to airport pages and announcements. If requested, provide the cooperation necessary to inspect your firearm.

Ammunition - Ammunition is likewise prohibited from carry-on luggage. Ammunition may not be carried loose. It must travel in the manufacturer's packaging or other packaging suitable for transport. Consult your air carrier to determine quantity limitations or whether the ammunition must be packed separately from the firearm.


I've read horror stories of encounters with airline and security personnel not aquainted with the rules. The (good) suggestion is to go to the TSA website and pring this info. Then go to the airline's website and do likewise. Then have that with you at the airport so you are able to educate the uninformed, should the situation arise.

You need to call the airline and check the requirements, as they differ among airlines. Some require you to pull your bolt, others do not. You are going to be checked by hand, no matter what, if you come on board with rifles. It can take a while especailly if there are a lot of other hunters ahead of you (they all get checked). Give yourself an extra hour at the airport to deal with this mess.

Last season was my first "fly to hunt". I flew with United Airlines. I had to have my rifle in its own locked case. Ammo was in with my clothes.

When you approach the ticket counter you have to inform the counter person that you are traveling with a gun. He/she will probably call for someone to come and inspect your gun. Have your keys ready so you can open the case. I had to sign a form declaring the "weapon unloaded". You lock the case back up in his/her sight and he/she takes the gun away and makes sure it gets on the plan (that was the anxious point for me"). Also don't be suprised if the person "inspecting" the gun doesn't know anything about them. When you pick your gun up you don't have to do any more inspections, but I opened the case and made sure it was all there and o.k.

some advice
1. Call your airline and see what their procedures are
2. use a good airline approved case. ( I use the Cabelas bullet proof series 2 gun case w/ wheels) Yeah I know its not cheap, but neither is your rifle/scope and the cost of your hunt.
3. Keep the keys with you and be prepared to open the case when asked. (they took me in a separte room to open mine)
4. If you use luggage locks on your suitcase and put your ammo and or knifes in there they will cut the locks off and zip tie it back. ( they leave you this funny paper from Tom
Ridge Dept Homeland Securtiy....no joke).

This is off-subject, but I would keep my camera and binoculars, spotting scope in my carry on.

Don't forget to that on most airlines you only get 2 checked bags and 2 carry ons. Your gun case is one and clothes is the other. How do you plan on getting the meat back? I brought my antelope back as checked bagagge! The girl was supposed to charge me $75.00 for the extra luggage, but she could not find the form and did not charge me!!!

good luck

I flew to Idaho in APril and didn't have any trouble at all. Make sure the ammo is in a seperate check in bag, The action on the rifle is open, and have a lock that they can put on the gun case with out a key, They told me that they understand that there is ammo in one of the bags to go along with the gun. Don't lock your check in baggage cause they will open it when they see the ammo in there, but they will put a tag on it locking the zippers together once they have inspected it. I put my digital and video cameras in my carry on luggage and they just looked at them to make sure that is what they were. I actually had a pretty decent experience with them. If you don't get impatient it will go just fine.

I will be flying this fall to Montana to elk hunt, also. I've just about made up my mind to ship my rifle/ammo up there by UPS before the hunt just to avoid all the hassle. Plus, I'd hate to get up there and find out the airline lost my luggage/rifle or it ended up in Los Angeles or somewhere else. It'll cost me but I'll have the peace of mind knowing my rifles waiting on me. On the subject of shipping meat home, anybody ever ship their meat home by carrier and how much did it cost?
Thanks

to ship your meat home, you need to overnight it and they probably won''t allow dry ice. I would take the meat as luggage and ship home the bow/gun case and/or clothes, or just pay the extra fee adn take it on the plane.