How many travel with one piece longbows?

[sam barrett]

Hey everyone, I'm fortunate enough to do some travel hunts and have done so with mostly 3pc td recurves and longbows to this point.  However, I have a newfound love for ASL/Hill style bows.  I prefer them one piece, but would like to take them on some hunts.  Do any of you travel, especially by plane using a one piece bow?  Do you find it especially bothersome?  I suppose, I'd get charged for an extra piece of luggage on a plane, but any other real hassles?  Also, if you've hunted Alaska, could you take your one piece on a bush plane flight?  Thanks!!!

[Orion]

When flying, I put my longbow(s) in an appropriately size PVC pipe.  I put arrows in a shorter pipe and duct tape them together so they can be checked as one bag. When flying with a partner, we each tape our packages together, i.e., two long pvc pipes and two short ones.  Makes a long triangular package, and still can be checked as one bag. Was a time, one could carry on the bow encased in a pvc pipe, but not anymore.

No trouble packing a one-piece longbow into the bush plane when I hunted moose in Alaska.  Pilot didn't want the extra weight of the pvc pipe, though.  Just the bow.

[Squirrel Hunter]

Flying with a one piece longbow will cost you about $200 extra. The answer is a two piece bow, made with a handle sleeve, hinge, or bolt. They feel, look, and shoot exactly the same as a one piece and will fit in a pvc pipe inside a long duffel bag — no extra fee and easy to carry. Since buying a truck with a 5 ft bed, I now make only sleeve handle 2 piece bows.

[bamboo]

i mailed mine to our destination----then mailed it home after the hunt--cost about $70 total

[Steelhead]

I would look at a 2 piece personally.They don't cost that much more.If you gotta longbow brand you love get one made in a 2 PC for hunting,biking,flying,pack hunts etc.I always have a favorite style 2 piece on the rack.Most my other bows are one piece though

[Bill Turner]

Another vote for a 2 piece. If I'm flying my 2 piece Cari-bow will be with me. I've had people shoot this bow at 3-d shoots that did not believe it was a 2 piece bow until I took it apart for transport.

[Pat B]

I went to Colorado twice and mailed my bows, arrows, etc. ahead of time to my destination and back home after. Don't remember what it cost but probably similar to bamboo.

I used a 4" Sch. 40 PVC pipe with one glued on cam and a screw cap on the other end. Mailed USPS Priority

[killinstuff]

If you go 2 piece, this works for me.  Everything goes in the cooler on the way out and I take city clothes in a carry on.  Way home, critter goes in the cooler and I have a big duffle I repack my gear in.  I check one bag going, two checked bags coming home if things work out. A good strap is needed to keep the cooler closed and so TSA can inspect. 

[Terry Green]

I have flown with and shipped one piece bows many times.

It is easier to travel with a 2 piece TD.

[2wfstlhunting]

I have gone to Africa 3 out of my 4 trips with one piece longbows. I used the green canvas covered 3 Rivers cases for both bows and arrows.  If strapped together they make one package and THEY WILL NOT ROLL which is a major issue on the conveyor belts.  One can additionally mark "ARCHERY EQUIPMENT" on the cases which makes it a smoother go.  On South African Air sporting equipment goes free (includes archery). I have had zero problems.

Steve

[Stunchy]

My Omega Imperial was shipped to me in a piece of sturdy pvc pipe. I kept it and use it whenever I travel further than to local shoots. Works great.

[wayne rollinson]

I have just made an aluminium tube to transport my bow safely without breakage,looking at my airline rules i can carry a bow with my stowed luggage in the overall cary weight without charge,regards wane

[David McLendon]

FEDEX is cheaper than checking it as baggage.

[Gdpolk]

I've done it a few times and really didn't care for it.  I ordered a 2-piece with identical specs to my one piece bow and fit a Pelican Storm IM3100 case to it so it can hold my bow, quiver with arrows in it, binoculars, arm guard/glove, game calls, knives, a couple dozen extra arrows, a small tackle box of extra points/pieces/string wax/spare strings, my bow square, concealed carry weapons, and a big ole .44 mag revolver.  The firearms and knives need checked with TSA anyway for hunting so I just put it all in one big, crush proof, idiot proof, waterproof case with cutouts so I can't loose/forget anything.  It'll even float for when I go on canoe hunts.

I made the arrow holder strips on the ends out of the cutouts for the bow quiver and the center one is two pieces from the binos and arm guard/glove/tackle box/game calls cutout.  The edges aren't super straight and pretty but it kept me from buying a whole extra insert foam kit and it works like a champ.  I put 13 cuts on one set and 12 on the rest at a slight angle.  Then I positioned the 3 foam pieces for my arrow holder so that they at least partially cover and squish down the knife/binos/arm guard sections which of course also holds down the bow and quiver in three places too.  It's pretty secure and solid. 

Exterior dimensions of the IM3100 case are 40"x16.5"x6.75".  That's a lot of stuff to fit in such a small package and still have extreme levels of protection, a floating case for canoe trips, TSA approved transportation for knives and guns, a way to travel by car where I can toss luggage on top/around my expensive gear without care, and a way to quickly at a glance make sure that everything that is an essential for hunting is present and accounted for BEFORE leaving home for the trip or returning.  No accidental whoopsies that result in an unprepared hunt or gear left behind.  The downsides to building such a travel case are it is a little bit of cost to buy a specialized case, and it will result in an extra checked item if flying over stuffing it in a duffel bag or cooler with other equipment.

[Terry Green]

Polk....when i travel or ship 2 piecers I do the same thing, but use a $49 Polar Cooler.  I have two green Colemans here that have more frequent flier miles than most humans.

[The Savage Rabbit]

I traveled to Canada from So Cal this passed Spring.  I put my 60" one-piece Cari-bow in a 70" case and strapped the arrow case to the bow case.  Checked both of them together.  No issues at all.  West Jet.

[KentuckyWolf]

Zip tied bow tube, arrow case and fly rod tube together. Works great.
Trucks, planes, atv’s, horses...no problems.

Note: lots of zip ties

[Gdpolk]

Polk....when i travel or ship 2 piecers I do the same thing, but use a $49 Polar Cooler.  I have two green Colemans here that have more frequent flier miles than most humans.

Yep.  That works like a champ.  One of my best friends lived for a year and a half in an interior fishing village in Alaska that was only accessible by plane for some times of the year.  Almost everything valuable got shipped in stuffed in cheap, hollow walled, plastic coolers.  They provide excellent crush protection with moderate temperature and adequate water protection while being inexpensive and are multi-functional once at the destination rather than just being a travel case.