Flying w/Bows & Arrows

[stagetek]

  I've never flown with archery equipment. So, I'm looking for some advice. I will be taking 1 take down, in a hard case and 2 plastic arrow boxes with about a dozen arrow's in each. Can I pack these in a large suitcase that I am checking ? Or, do they need to fly separate ? Not sure if it makes a difference, but this is a domestic flight, with one 3 hr. lay over.
  Any suggestions/advise will be appreciated. Merry Christmas to all.

[McDave]

In my last few trips, I’ve been flying with only one large duffle bag big enough for my takedown bow, arrows, quiver, and all my clothes. I also carry on a bag small enough to fit under the seat, with personal and expensive items like binoculars, iPad, etc. I have nice hard cases for my bows, but with the current charges for checked bags, it’s not worth it. Plus, I have had no damaged bows since I started using my giant duffle bag for everything, but I have had several scratched bows from some TSA agent tossing everything back into my hard case willy nilly and slamming the lid on a bow square or something on top of my bow.

Just be careful not to put anything sharp or otherwise against TSA regulations in your carryon bag.

[Terry Green]

I have a large duffel with a pull out handle and wheels on one side with a hard bottom.  I pack a 2 layers of close and lay my arrow box wide side up and a 2 pied take down on each side then cloths on each side of the bows, on top of the bows, and on the 'end caps'.  This duffel is checked with no issue, been doing it for about 5 years as I got tired of the airlines wanting all that money for a pvc pipe as a 2nd piece.  I zip tie my zippers together and have never had them cut by TSA.

I posted pics on another thread, I'll see if I can find them...

[Terry Green]

Here are the pics I mentioned above.....

https://www.tradgang.com/tgsmf/index.php?topic=178202.msg2991790;topicseen#msg2991790

[McDave]

I think the zip ties are a good idea Terry. They offer slightly more security that nothing, but I’d much rather have TSA cut through a zip tie than have to cut off a lock, or worse, to pull my bag out to check later and have it miss the plane.  I think I’ll do that next time.

[fisherick]

On several trips I have used either a BPS soft duffel bag or a LL Bean rolling duffel bag. I would use a takedown recurve bow by tapeing the limbs together and placing in a bow sock with the riser in the other half and taped together. My 9 arrows would go in an Easton arrow tube and broadheads in a small plastic box. I would place a layer of clothes or a backpack on the bottom of the duffel, the bow, arrow tube and a trekking pole in next surrounded by clothes, sleeping bag, tent etc. I also used ty-raps to lock/close the zippers. I would also include a nail clipper and extra ty-raps in the small outer pocket of the duffel bag. I never had any issues with this system, just be sure to be under 50#.

I would use my Badlands 2800 pack as my carry on with extra clothes, travel stuff, binos, camera, electronics etc.

BPS duffel = 32"x15x15.  LL Bean rolling duffel = 30" x13x15.    Arrow tube adj, = 30".

[stagetek]

Terry, Thanks for the pic's. Roughly what are the dimensions of your bag ? Most of the ones I'm finding are 36" long. That would be a tight fit for my arrow cases. I did find one that's 44"
but, I'm wondering if I'll have issues with an "over sized" bag.

[Tim Finley]

On a couple of trips, one to Quebec I used a Viking Voyager travel case for my bows and I had the same case which is shorter and wider for my arrows  they strapped together, one of the other guys just had a tube and the tube came down the conveyor and the bow separately the tube was smashed same thing happens when you mail a tube. Going to Africa I used a take down longbow in a soft case and the arrow tube all in my duffle bag .

[Terry Green]

Tim, yes if you use the thinner pvc tubes, I always used the heavy/thicker tubes...

stageteck, let me measure it.... be right back....

[Terry Green]

36"x15.5"

No issue with arrow my arrow case at all. I have to take the bheads off my arrows to get them in  the case as my arrow case is 33"x5"

I can get 2 dozen arrows in this case no problem by 'blocking off' the top as I fill it up(cardboard), then sliding the cardboard out after closing the top over the filled bottom.....

https://www.3riversarchery.com/mtm-ultra-compact-arrow-case.html

[stagetek]

Perfect. Thank You.

[elkken]

Be sure you have NONE of your archery gear in carry on luggage. I had a buddy try to bring on a dozen extra arrows, no points or broadheads and they made him turn around and go check them.

[Roadkill]

I use my old military seabag.  Boots on the bottom with the bow boxes and arrow tubes in the center. Clothes packed around them to protect them with pack in top, locked then.  I noticed many airlines do not even weigh it, just tossed on the belt. Two years ago i put a doe I shot in KY, frozen, wrapped in my clothes in the bag and flew from Nashville to reno with no problem . 
Airlines are robbing us of leg room and now every checked bag costs $$$.  Geeez makes it hard to hunt out of state

[Skates 2]

A lot of good info here.  Take heed and notations of what is posted above as it will make your life much more easier flying with your bows and arrows and gear.

[Bbulkley18]

I wonder why in the world they wouldn’t allow a contained case of arrows with no points or heads to be in a carry on??? Crazy