Checked Baggage Question

[ThePecosBilly]

I’m flying Delta from Canada back into the US and I want to check Bear Meat. I have it in freezer and will be purchasing a cooler. Any tips on how to go about it? I heard you can’t pack with dry ice. Is this true? If so what are my options.

Winnipeg > Minneapolis > Houston

[OBU13DAD]

I fly every week but on Southwest, anytime I have a question I would call Delta directly and get their input on how you should go about it.

[ThePecosBilly]

Thanks haha that was option A.

[S-3 Ranch]

I air freighted all my extra gear up and then froze all our meat at the freight office and boxed up and shipped home our horns, capes and meat , pack some gear in a good cooler
If you kill a bear freeze and ship home in the cooler no dry or regular ice

[Burnadell]

1. Go to Delta website

2. Call Delta

[ThePecosBilly]

Here are the details. If you fly Delta you can use dry ice; however, there is a difference in what you are allowed. It’s around 5lbs for Delta Checked baggage and for a sister airline it’s around 4.4 lbs. if you cannot do dry ice then you are allowed to substitute regular ice but it must be bagged in cooler. I froze the meat the night before, then bagged each quarter portion before placing it in the cooler. I was unable to locate dry ice so I went the ice bag route. I purchased a small roll of duct tape and didn’t seal until I got to check in. Told the guy what I had, showed him, and was given a plastic clear bag to go around the cooler. Next I was escorted to the examination line where I confirmed what was inside before running it through the X-ray. There I did a couple of wraps to seal the cooler and tagged with my information before sending it on and proceeding through TSA. Notified them of my checked baggage’ where they sent me to US customs office. There I sat down at a table to fill in import paperwork. They have paperwork examples of Bear, waterfowl, deer etc. Bascially, go off that while filling out your own form and hand that off to US customs agent and I was on my way.

Summary: Took 10 minutes, cost me $70 to check plus expenses for ice and sharpie, which saves me Hundreds of dollars and wait on shipment to the house. A previous experience cost me over $500 shipping elk meat and horns from MT to TX. Anyways I hope this info helps someone down the road with their next out of town hunt.