Alaska Float trip

A friend and I are planning an unguided moose/caribou float hunt for 2011 or 2012. We have our own rafts and gear. The problem we are having is finding a reasonable way to get the gear up there from the lower 48 and the gear and antlers home. We have thought of driving, but 3 to 4 days of driving each way from central California and dealing with 2 boarder crossings each way does not sound good. The airlines we checked with want an arm and a leg (or will not do it at all) to fly your antlers home. What has everyone else done?? I am presently waiting on a quote to have a freight company haul our gear and antlers from here to Anchorage. Any help will be greatly appreciated

Thanks
Bill

We flew our antlers back with Alaska Cargo? Its the shipping division of Alaska Airlines. They left the day before us and we picked them up at the shipping office in Denver after arriving.
It was rather nice and easy.

I feel it would be better renting gear though because I can't see how it can be that much cheaper flying a raft, paddles, frame, pumps, spare parts, plus all of your regular camping gear up there? plus the hassle of doing all that and stress if something doesn't make it?

my recomendation is to either drive it or rent it.

Mntman

"Hunting is where you prove yourself"

Two years ago buddy and I shipped our gear up via UPS. Packed everything less than 70 lbs per box (about 5 boxes), but took only EXACTLY what we'd need, no extras. Shipped it to the air taxi service about four weeks before we left. Wasn't super cheap, but wasn't crazy either. Reviewed the list 20 times and bought heavy foods in Dillingham. Used our coolers as boxes, and put them in cardboard boxes, taped tight. Put stuff in any hollow spot on just about anything - you can fit a t-shirt in a water bottle when you're short on space! Clothing and guns checked as baggage.
Wholloped two bull moose on the third day and had a "shipping/packing guy" take care of shipping everything back home. That got a little pricey because we did ship about 1200 lbs of meat home with the racks. All our gear went into one plywood box built atop a skid and was actually cheaper to ship home (gear only) but it took about 3 weeks to get there. One thing that seemed a little dumb when we did it, but paid off when we were dropped off in field was a really detailed list of everything and its location in the packages. That helped out both in the field in finding what we needed, bhut especially helped out when were repacking to send stuff home.

Good luck- shoot some big-uns!

EDPRE

Could take the Alaska Marine Highway ferry from Bellingham Washington to Whitter Alaska so you won't have to cross the border, if you wanted to drive. I am sure that the ferry is still running with limited service possibly at that time of year. Crossing the border isn't that much of a challenge, just have your paperwork in order (passports/passport cards, firearm declaration paperwork, etc.). Then all you would have to worry about is getting your kill home. Logistics of hunting up here is a nightmare, everything costs so much. Best of luck to ya.
WVBOWAK