Deer hunting season is about to begin. As you prepare to head to the outdoors to stalk game, you'll need to know how to pack your gear. Join us below as we guide you on how to travel with your arrows, points, and bow sight.
Traveling with Your Bow in A Car
If you can, always travel with a car. Driving makes it easier to overcome the hassles and expenses that come with flying. Additionally, it helps you eliminate the numerous checks that TSA needs to perform on archery-related accessories.
Over the years, we have seen two or more hunters choose to travel together as a sort of road trip. In such an arrangement, the hunters will share some of the driving. The downside to this is that it only works on certain journeys.
Besides providing a ton of flexibility, it helps keep the expenses low. If you do decide to travel by car, there are two important tips that you'll need to keep in mind:
- Don't leave your crossbow in the car overnight. It will likely become cold, making it challenging to shoot it. Apart from the bow getting cold, your hands will also become cold from holding it. This will make it harder to shoot any game that you may spot.
- Research on how to store your wax properly. You can trust that it will melt on hot days, especially when left inside a closed car. Once it melts, it will make a complete mess of your hunting gear, including the carrying case.
Traveling with a Crossbow on a Train
If traveling by car is out of the question, your next best option is to use a train. The good news is that arrows and points are allowed on trains, but they must be inspected. For those who choose to go through this route, there are a few rules they'll need to observe:
Checked: Allowed by Amtrak. Weight shouldn't exceed 50 lbs.
Carry-On: Not permitted
Amtrak goes on to provide a breakdown of these two rules and points out that:
- All archery equipment and related accessories must be checked. No fee will be charged if you check your gear in place of baggage.
- Your optics and arrows must be stored in a suitable (hard case) container
- No crossbow or other archery equipment is allowed on board as carry-on items
- If you use a second hard case container, the service will view it as an additional checked bagged item
Traveling with Your Hunting Gear on an Airplane
The first thing you'll need to do when boarding a plane is to ensure your gear is properly boxed up. This calls for you to invest in a travel-worthy case. By travel-worthy, we mean something that has been designed for air travel.
Pro hunters typically go for a hard case or a hybrid-style one. Hybrid cases often have a soft side with built-in support beams. Given that most cases can roll along the ground, you may want to choose a large rucksack to use as a carry-on bag. This will prove more handy than trying to roll multiple cases.
Remember to Pack Light
As the popular phrase goes, there exist two types of travelers: the ones who know how to pack light and those who wish they could. Deer hunters find themselves faced with one major challenge – they don't have the luxury of packing light. Furthermore, trains and planes don't allow certain items, such as points, to be packed in carry-on bags.
Considering that you'll find yourself at the mercy of baggage handlers, bag drops, and flight connections, packing light can save you a ton of trouble.
Pack Well
Packing light is basically the first step. You must know how to pack your optics well. Imagine your travel case being dropped from as high as ten feet off the pavement! Yes, it happens. So, the most important thing you can do when boarding a plane is to pack tightly and correctly.
Start by arranging your gear in such a manner that everything is well protected. Make sure to confirm that there isn't enough space for the points to move around during the flight. If possible, use straps to tie everything down. The smaller items can go into zip-up pouches.
Lock Up Everything Carefully
For those who choose to use hard cases that have locks, confirm that these cases have TSA-approved locks. There's a high probability that the airlines will want to go through your crossbow case. Using an approved lock makes it easier to open and close the case during checks.
While at it, ensure you familiarize yourself with these TSA provided tips for the sporting season.
Dos and Don'ts of Traveling with Your Crossbow
In many places, arrows and points are viewed as firearms. This means that the same rules and regulations that govern their handling, storing, and shooting also apply to them. Ensure you check these local laws beforehand to familiarize yourself with them.
Some important dos and don'ts to consider include:
- Store your gear in hard cases and store the longbows and recurves unstrung
- Hold points, quivers, and related accessories in a padded bag
- Do pack lightly
- Remember to pack well
- Use TSA-approved locks if flying to your destination
- Check with the airline to confirm the weight restrictions
- Zip-tie all compound cables and strings
- Don't leave small items untied, as they may end up flying all around the case
- Be nice
Conclusion
Most seasoned travelers have experienced a few airline-related baggage issues. Pro hunters and seasoned archers may also have a few stories of their own to tell. To ensure this doesn't happen to you, use the above tips to learn how to travel with your crossbow and arrows.
Whether traveling by car, train, or plane, make sure to pack lightly and tightly.