How should I get meat back to FL from CO? Find a processor to ship it? Buy a cooler and ice packs and fly it back with me? Not sure how it's done.
When we brought fish back from Alaska, we put our frozen fish in insulated "Fish Boxes" with dry ice and they were still frozen solid when we got home. We got them at Menards. You could probably use coolers and dry ice too.
Dry ice was no issue with the airlines? I'll be hunting Elk so it's wishful thinking but I'm hoping it's a 100+lb of meat
Just had to declare how many pounds we had. But this was back in 2005, things may have changed by now. It would be best to check the rules first. You could probably ship it overnight UPS with dry ice.
You can check it as luggage still. It must be frozen solid in either a cooler or "wetlock box" as John described. Dry ice is allowed by some airlines but on a flight that short, won't be necessary. If you connect, take it to a processor and have it frozen solid/boxed up. To ship it overnight would cost $2+ per lb vs $20-50 bucks for a 50 lb checked luggage. I have yet to ship stuff home, only flown it as luggage. We once flew a cooler full of 6 deer skulls home, and a duffel bag with the 6 capes to boot. Don't ask don't tell so you don't freak out the little lady working behind the counter what is in the luggage.
I have heard people shipping overnight Fed Ex and having no issues. Frozen fish from Alaska is still frozen when recieved in WI
When I come back from Alaska I put the meat in coolers and check them as luggage. I send my clothes/gear back by USPS Parcel post insured. Meat comes off the plane with me and my gear shows up up a few weeks later. I usually send up some stuff a month or so ahead of time. I then use the same boxes to send stuff back. I have a bunch of microwave boxes that are very durable. You can send your gear back in a few days (Fedex/USPS/UPS) but costs twice as much. Go online and check shipping prices to compare.
You will have more than 100 lbs. of meat unless you shoot a calf. Any decent sized bull will yield way more than that. A couple of buddies of mine that come out hunting with me have it processed and packed in cooler's with dry ice, then they ups or fed-ex them home. They have done this for about 10 yrs. and have yet to have a problem. Hopefully the wildfire's haven't hit where you are going hunting. Good luck
