Trouble traveling with a one-piece longbow?

[jvs9932]

Hi all,

I have been in touch with Chad Holm to get one of his magnificent longbows. I am anxious to get him started but have a small concern about traveling with the bow. I heard on a podcast the other day that some guys have been told that their one piece longbows can't fly with them. Does anyone know if this is as a carry on item or checked baggage? I have a full length hard shell Pelican case that I could check it in but please let me know if any of you have had such travel issues. I live in CA so traveling to hunt is an unfortunate requirement and I don't want to run into any unforeseen issues.

Thanks!

[Bisch]

You can’t even take a 3-pc takedown as carry on. All bows have to be checked. If it’s a 1-pc, then put it in a hard tube case. If it is a 3-pc, you can put it in a hard bow case, or what I always do is pack my 3-ps bows in a soft case and then put them in my regular luggage.

Bisch


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[jvs9932]

Thanks Bisch. I have no problem checking it. I guess I misunderstood the guys on the podcast. It sounded like they couldn't even check the bow. If I can check it, I'm good.

[Biathlonman]

Should be able to check it, might have to pay an additional oversize fee.

[jvs9932]

Thank you!

[Caddo]

if you check it, put it in something that won't roll very much. Those club handed baggage handlers don't seem to be to adept at handling things that move!

LD

[Matt Quick]

If you plan to do any amount of flying to hunts then get a 2 pc TD.  It will make things much easier.

[bruinman]

I usually have to pay the over size luggage fee due to the length. I have also shipped the bow in advance. Costs a lot less when you can do it.

[bruinman]

I went with Matts Suggestion on my last trip. Made things much easier,lol.

[David McLendon]

I used to travel with two 1 piece recurves in an aluminum ICC case made just for them, then airlines started gouging baggage fees and weight became an issue. Everything I have now is takedown and on hunts I usually fly two bags with a takedown and arrows in each bag so if one is lost I still have a complete outfit. I guess if both are lost then I go shopping, but neither has ever been a problem so far. Sometimes I will ship arrows ahead in plenty of time to get a delivery confirmation, that cuts down on packing and when coming back with more than I started with I have shipped the bows by UPS or FedEx.

[Tim Finley]

I have a Viking Voyaguer arrow tube that I can put about 15 arrows in . The center of the tube is open, the arrows are in a round foam arrow holder. I put my 3 piece takedown longbow in the center, on top my bow quiver and my glove . I load this in the center of my close in my duffle bag along with my fanny pack with all the junk I carry . My carry on is my daypack with more close. You don't want to check in a round tube they might break it . While on a hunt in Quebec on of the fellas had his longbow in a pvc tube, at the airport the bow came down the conveyer before the tube you should have heard him howl !

[Ken Taylor]

In September 2015 I flew from Quebec to Alaska with two one piece longbows in one fishing rod case.

To get there they charged me $150.00 extra (1 bag over allowance + oversize fee)... and then to my surprise $200.00 to get home!

I should be receiving my new cari-bow takedown from Abe any day now, LOL!

[cacciatore]

Most of the time you have to pay high fee for a second piece of luggage, back and forth it starts to become expensive if this is the way you make your hunting trips.
After 3 adventures you have already paid for a new bow, so TD!

[76Aggie]

I have flown with a one piece bow in a PVC case and have flown with a three piece disassembled and stuffed inside my suitcase.  I can also stuff a small arrow tube in my suitcase and no one even has any idea I am going hunting.  IMO the three piece inside your suitcase is definately the way to go.

[monterey]

I took a three piece for bowfishing on a recent trip to Florida and put it in my checked bag along with two bow reels and three fish arrows.  No problems and even as a dedicated Hill style shooter, I'll be keeping up the practice with the 3 piece in case of any further flying to hunt.

[Overspined]

I fly with my arrows in a PVC tube and my 2 piece longbows are wrapped onto the arrow tube and buried in the middle of my luggage. It is like trying to break an I-beam is my hope. I’ve done this 3 years and never had an issue