When Jim Walsh shipped his elk hunting gear to Colorado from Florida prior to his hunt, the box never made it. It was confiscated as he had forgotten about two bottles of propane used for his cooking stove. He bought new gear, went on his hunt, and then received a letter weeks later. By shipping the propane bottles, Walsh violated a laundry list of FAA regulations, resulting in a pile of fines that could have paid for more than a few elk hunting trips.

According to the FAA, violators can be charged up to $32,500 per violation. Since 1998, the agency has collected an average of $6.5 million annually for violations. Walsh’s advice to fellow hunters: “Know before you go.” Below is a short list of dos and don’ts for hunters shipping their gear and traveling by plane to their favorite hunting spot. For complete regulations, visit www.faa.gov.

1. You must declare any hazardous materials being shipped to the airline, air package carrier or Postal Service.
2. You must declare all firearms to the airline during check-in, and they must be unloaded in a locked, hard-sided container.
3. Ammunition may only be in the locked, hard-sided container and not loaded in the firearm (see FAA website for specifics).
4. You may not check or carry-on black powder or percussion caps.
5. Safety matches are permitted as carry-on, but strike-anywhere matches are prohibited.
6. Pressurized containers, including bear spray, are strictly prohibited.