I justgot a fall black bear hunt. My best friend is working for the outfitter and called to say that I could hunt for FREEEEEE!!!!!! All I have to do is get there and help out when I'm not hunting. It also is a business trip because I am going to do some taxidermy work for the outfitter. Can you say tax write off??? I don't have any doubts about the outfitter or anything but could use some advise on airtravel and taking a bow or any other info that could be of interest. I know a lot of you guys travel and hunt, this will be my first and am worried. Not really worried, just extremely excited. BTW, I married the best woman ever, she is buying the plane ticket.

Yeah never thought about that. Ive had had american airlines loose my luggage. I would have been really pissed if it was one of my guns or my bow.

Don't skimp on a quality bow case. No sense in getting there and finding all your arrows bent or your bow damaged because you saved $100 on a bow case. Get a double bow case so that you can pack extra gear in it (camo, binos, rangefinder... ) up to the 50 lb. weight limit (My SKB has never let me down and it gets USED!). Go to your airline's web site and check their baggage rules/restrictions so you're not surprised at the airport. I'd be leary of any "free" outfitted trip but if your satisfied with it, all the best![8D]

As far as lost baggage: wear your lucky underwear, pack a 4 leaf clover and a rabbit's foot, help old ladies across the street for weeks before the trip, eat all your vegetables and say a prayer at check-in; it's pretty much out of your hands. (Actually there's a website somewhere with satistics on each air carrier as far as on time arrivals/departures and lost baggage. You could look up the airline with the least lost bags and book with them. But if you've got bad karma, yours will be the one bag that gets lost that year anyway... [:@])

Kodiak - it's not free persay but my buddy has worked for him for about a year and he wants me to do all his taxidermy work. I am going to be working while I'm there. This isn't a fly by night outfitter, very reputable and also very booked but because my buddy wants me to come up and it doesn't cost him anything, except food, which I will work off. I am not worried about that part. Thanks for the info about the bow case and the rules/ restrictions.

Country - That is what I am worried about. Man will I be mad if they lose my Allegiance!!!!!!

I haven't traveled on a hunt before, but I often travel for work and need some very important gear with me while I'm there. My personal policy for this important gear is to ship it to my destination via FedEX or UPS. I arrange for it to arrive at the worksite or a Mailboxes etc at least one day before I arrive.

I have lost baggage several times and had items from my luggage STOLEN by TSA screeners, but my gear has always been there for me. I think if I was to travel for a hunt I would definitely ship my Bow case and gear ahead of me. Especially if I had a buddy already at the camp.