Putting elk horns on a plane or ship ?

matt1glenn

Active Member
Sep 30, 2013
157
0
looks like flying to nm , can't get any of my buddies to go with me. What is the best in regards to price and ease .

Looks like southwest has a max of 80 inch 's and united has a max of 120 inch for antlers but then of course it will prop cost me 75-150 . Would it be best just to ship them ups ? cost ?

thanks
 

ivorytip

Veteran member
Mar 24, 2012
3,768
50
44
SE Idaho
would be cheaper to ship them. cut a hose down middle and wrap each tine and secure with duct tape. haven't done it in a while but it wasn't that expensive to ups.
 

robsev

Member
Feb 23, 2011
136
37
Gillette, WY
You can also save money and a lot of space by cutting the skull plate right through the middle. A taxidermist can easily put it back together.
 

siwulat

Active Member
Sep 6, 2014
160
0
Minneapolis
You can also save money and a lot of space by cutting the skull plate right through the middle. A taxidermist can easily put it back together.
Just be aware that cutting the skull plate would disqualify the animal from both B&C and P&Y records. Not that everyone is hunting to be included in those pages, just something to think about.
 

bsoliday

New Member
Dec 1, 2011
11
0
Frederick, CO
Matt1, I brought my Red Stag back with me from New Zealand as checked baggage. Used a variation of the hose method, but heated up the hose in boiling water and then pushed over each tip, then cut it off. As it cools it tightens up. I sawed the skull plate only 1/2 way, then broke it in 1/2. This made it easy for my taxidermist to "fit" it back together and the spread was accurate. I also took a number of point to point measurements for my taxidermist as well. I'm a million mile flyer on United, so I probably had some leeway at check-in, but think it only cost me $100 for the extra box with my antlers.
 

CrimsonArrow

Very Active Member
Feb 21, 2011
854
362
Minnesota
Just screw it to the nose of the plane, you know, like a hood ornament. Just kidding, but keep in mind a taxidermist will charge about 100$ to put a split skull back together, so that offsets most of the shipping or checked item cost.
 

480/277

Very Active Member
Feb 23, 2013
629
1
Take them back with you on the plane.
As above, garden hose / duct tape the tines
 

WY ME

Very Active Member
Feb 4, 2014
549
47
Wyoming
Shoot a small one and think about all the money you'll save.:cool: If you're fortunate enough to kill a bull that qualifies for one of the books, leave it in NM at a taxidermist for the drying period. He can get it scored and ship it to you. After it's scored you can split the skull if you need to.
 

libidilatimmy

Veteran member
Oct 22, 2013
1,140
3
Wyoming
Shoot a small one and think about all the money you'll save.:cool: If you're fortunate enough to kill a bull that qualifies for one of the books, leave it in NM at a taxidermist for the drying period. He can get it scored and ship it to you. After it's scored you can split the skull if you need to.
You can also have the taxidermist make the mount with detachable antlers. They cut them off right at the base and insert a square metal peg that in turn is "keyed" into the mount. This is done right at the end of the mounting process so there would be ample time to have it officially scored if you want to do that. The taxidermist can then remove the horns and crate it up for shipping once the mount is done.