Horns home from Alaska?

smitty · Mar 25, 2014

LAST EDITED ON Mar-25-14 AT 08:10PM (MST)[p]What's the best/cheapest way to get moose and caribou horns home from Alaska?

While I'm at it, better get some info on best car rental deal as well.

I know it's gonna cost some money, just wondering if there is a better way to do things?

elkassassin · Mar 25, 2014

Hey SMUT!

Don't go the Cheapest Route unless you have lots of Super Glue!

[font color="red"]From My Smokin Cherry Red Hot Barrel & My Dead Cold Hands I Shall go down Fighting for American Pride & Rights!
I Know I'm Out Numbered by Pusssies & Brainwashed Democrats that'll Throw Their Hands in the air & I know I can't Lick the U.S. Military by Myself when they Turn on us but I'll make
you one Guarantee,They'll be Enduring a Situation where I Hope to Hell All Americans become True Americans once again & Stand up for their Rights!

eshunt · Mar 25, 2014

We weren't lucky enough to have any moose antlers to bring home. But we did have 4 sets of caribou antlers. We split all the skulls and built a box that would fit them. We flew Alaska Air and I went online to find out the largest box we could fly home with.

We went to Fred Meyer and bought 4 moving boxes. Brought them back to the hotel and built a box that was just 1" smaller on all dimensions than the max allowed. We also put cardboard protectors on all the major points of the antlers. Alaska Air was great to work with and we didn't have any problems. The total cost for the extra box was only $50. Totally worth it!! Wish I would have taken photos, but was too exhausted to deal with it at the end of the trip.

Let me know if you have more questions about any part of the trip. Definitely willing to help with any info I can. We had a trip of a lifetime and can't wait to get back up there for another one.

elkassassin · Mar 25, 2014

For GAWDS SAKES Smitty!

Don't Label the Box with 'Trophy Moose Antlers Inside' or 'Trophy Fish'!

Had a Friend that thought if He labeled it like that they'd handle the package with more care!

Sure Enough!

It worked!

He never got His Big Fish/Package!

eshunt is Right!

But the Largest Box Alaska Airlines will let you Have for 50.00 Ain't gonna Pack a Big set of Moose Antlers!

Hoping for a Fresh Moose Steak & Thanks smitty!

Best of Luck!

[font color="red"]From My Smokin Cherry Red Hot Barrel & My Dead Cold Hands I Shall go down Fighting for American Pride & Rights!
I Know I'm Out Numbered by Pusssies & Brainwashed Democrats that'll Throw Their Hands in the air & I know I can't Lick the U.S. Military by Myself when they Turn on us but I'll make
you one Guarantee,They'll be Enduring a Situation where I Hope to Hell All Americans become True Americans once again & Stand up for their Rights!

smitty · Mar 26, 2014

you're always helpful Bess.

How much will you charge me to drive up there in your Grocery getter and haul them back?

oneaway · Mar 26, 2014

No moose antlers for me either. My buddy and I split our caribou skull plates as well. Stacked the horns inside each other, one set at a time. Then took some bubble wrap and wrapped the horns. Split a couple of large cardboard boxes in half and put them around the horns. The final step we took siran wrap and wrapped the whole thing up, cardboard and horns. Worked well, and we did it all at the airport.

eelgrass · Mar 26, 2014

Good advice given. I paid an extra $90 one time to have my caribou antlers shipped whole. When I picked them up they were crushed together.

Take a few measurements before splitting. That way you can "put them back" together later and be close to original.

Eel

Buckhunter1955 · Mar 26, 2014

I killed a Barren Ground Caribou in 1997 that scored 420+ that I didn't want to split the skull plate on. I took with me about 6 ft. of old garden hose and cut 4 to 5 inch pieces to put on over each antler tip and secured them with duct tape. Alaska Airlines did charge me for the 2 extra ice chests full of meat but did not charge me for the antlers. They were put into the hull of the plane and I picked them up at the oversized baggage claim counter along with my rifle case. Granted that was over 16 yrs. ago and I'm sure things have changed.

runamuk · Mar 26, 2014

where are you needing the rental car?

elkassassin · Mar 26, 2014

>you're always helpful Bess.
>
>How much will you charge me
>to drive up there in
>your Grocery getter and haul
>them back?

JUDAS smitty!

We drive up & We'll just stay all summer & Fall!

I am trying to help you!

More Horn thieving/Destroying than you might imagine!

I know one Guy that took a 65" Moose!

A lot of Ground Shrinkage the time it reached the SLC airport!

[font color="red"]From My Smokin Cherry Red Hot Barrel & My Dead Cold Hands I Shall go down Fighting for American Pride & Rights!
I Know I'm Out Numbered by Pusssies & Brainwashed Democrats that'll Throw Their Hands in the air & I know I can't Lick the U.S. Military by Myself when they Turn on us but I'll make
you one Guarantee,They'll be Enduring a Situation where I Hope to Hell All Americans become True Americans once again & Stand up for their Rights!

smitty · Mar 26, 2014

we need the car to get from the airport in Anchorage to Talkeetna.

mntman · Mar 26, 2014

Hopefully the airport you are flying out from (home airport) is on alaska air. When we fly back with moose antlers, we just split them, taped up points and used cardboard from outfitter to make the absolute smallest box possible (saves $$$$$). They dont have to be a perfect shape, just small as possible. we ship them out the day before we fly via alaska air cargo and they are then waiting for us to pick them up when we get back home at the airport. cheap and no second trips to airport.

Mntman

"Hunting is where you prove yourself"

Let me guess, you drive a 1 ton with oak trees for smoke stacks, 12" lift kit and 40" tires to pull a single place lawn mower trailer?

smitty · Mar 27, 2014

Sweet. Thanks for all the info guys. Now if I can just cash in some luck and slam a monster moose!

runamuk · Apr 1, 2014

Sorry smitty I forgot I posted here.
Try midnight sun for the rental car.. http://www.bnm.com/midnight.htm
They're by far the cheapest I've found in Anc.
We always get a quad cab truck or suv. cheaper than the price of a small car anywhere else.
If you're just going to Talkeetna and parking you might think about renting a U-haul box van, $19.95 a day plus 10 cents a mile. I've done that a few times works out pretty good.

foundation · Apr 1, 2014

No advise on the moose antlers but for Caribou we did what Alaska Air called bicycle boxes. We were able to put two split racks in each box. Bought the boxes and meat boxes right from the airport. Fly home with two racks and 150 pounds of frozen meat and it only cost a extra $160. I think the airline lady liked me though and gave me a smoking deal because everybody I had talked with was talking about 4 or 5 times that amount.

One thing about the rental car stuff. We layed over a day in anchorage and I just assumed I could get a rental car at the airport easy, so I could run a few errands. They didn't have a rental available any where so it cost some extra money running to sportsmans for licenses and going around town.