Flying No Longer Enjoyable For Hunters

Could 11, 2011

The fee, and trouble, of flying goes up as hunters are singled out by some airways.

By Dr. Dave Samuel

There was a time when flying to a bowhunt was a easy, straightforward solution to journey. Not anymore. Safety, cancelled flights, no facilities, and delays have made air journey a problem.

One of many largest issues bowhunters take care of is getting their baggage on board. As a result of I can now not fly, on account of well being causes, I have never stored up on baggage laws, however out of doors author Bob Humphrey posted the next info on the Skilled Outside Media Affiliation’s web site and gave us permission to make use of it. Plainly baggage guidelines change every day, relying on what airline you select.

The U.S. Airways slogan is “Fly With Us,” however it’s possible you’ll need to rethink. As with many airways, your first checked bag prices you $25. The second prices you $35. A 3rd is one other $100. Most bowhunters perceive these baggage guidelines and solely take two baggage, packing some garments and different objects of their bow case. However, it’s a must to watch out since you additionally pay $50 in case your bag weighs greater than 50 kilos. It is $100 further if the bag is greater than 71 kilos. These limits make flying to a cold-weather vacation spot much more difficult since you’ll want extra and heavier garments for these hunts.

Baggage weight is an issue, however Bob discovered another U.S. Airways hurdle, and it is a huge one. Not too long ago he had a U.S. Airways flight by means of Portland Worldwide Jetport in Oregon. Bob had the traditional duffel bag and bow case, and people value him $60. Then the ticket agent advised him that the bow case was thought of a “sporting merchandise,” and that was a further $100. When he requested the agent if golf baggage or skis had been “sporting objects,” he was knowledgeable that this solely utilized to weapons and bows. Bob notes that Delta, United, American, and Continental don’t have any such payment. It makes one marvel how U.S. Airways got here up with a regulation particularly aimed toward hunters.

Worldwide flights will be even trickier. The December concern of The Looking Report discusses different issues dropped at their consideration by Neil Summers of Bowhunting Safari Consultants. If you’re doing any worldwide bowhunting, don’t go through the Netherlands. Broadheads there are labeled as contraband. Folding knives are as nicely, even when saved in your baggage. Curiously, even should you’re not clearing customs within the Netherlands and are simply flying by means of their airport to a different nation, these laws apply and make you topic to arrest. Apparently gun hunters can get hold of transit permits to undergo the Netherlands, however there are not any such permits for bowhunters.

Attempt Amtrak? This previous fall I began utilizing Amtrak to get to western bowhunting locations. Here’s what I’ve realized. I board the practice from a small city in Pennsylvania, and I take advantage of a Roomette, which is a sleeper room. When the practice pulls into the station, an worker steps off the practice, you give him your identify, and he grabs your baggage (which is saved in your automobile the place you have got continuous entry to it). He then directs you to your room, and that is it. No safety checks. No ready.

Nonetheless, there’s one catch. As of this writing you can’t take a bow on a practice. This rule might have modified by the point you learn this, however to resolve this drawback I’ve used UPS to ship my bow to my vacation spot.

From most jap departures you’ll undergo Chicago, with a layover there. When headed west, I board the practice at 9:40 p.m. and sleep all the best way to Chicago. I then bathe early (every automobile with sleeper rooms has one bathe), eat breakfast (when utilizing a sleeper you get three meals per day), and layover in Chicago. From there you possibly can go the northerly route through St. Paul, by means of Montana to Seattle and Portland; west by means of Omaha, Denver, Salt Lake to San Francisco; southwest by means of Kansas Metropolis, Trinidad, CO, Phoenix to Los Angeles; south to Texas.

The practice stops at many smaller cities, and my journey from PA to Trinidad took at some point and two nights. Sleeper automobile prices are about double airfare, so that could be a detrimental. One plus is that you just arrive refreshed, however might should lease a automobile to succeed in your last vacation spot. I’ve no alternative, and have discovered Amtrak to be an excellent possibility. For extra info, go to Amtrak.com or Google “Amtrak routes.”