Canada deer hunting question

[Don Hinton]

Have an upcoming trip to Saskatchdean in November. Are there any airlines I should avoid carry my hunting rifle? How is gun check in Canada? What hotel do you recommend in Saskatoon?
thank you
don

 

[Fatback]

I have always flown on Delta. Never had any issues getting my rifle up there and back. Canadian customs has a firearms declaration form that you need to get and fill out, just don’t sign it until you are with the customs officer. This will serve as your permit while in Canada. There is a fee you have to pay as well. Can’t remember if it is $25 or $50, Canadian.

I’ve never hunted out of Saskatoon so I can not help with hotel recommendations. Some great deer up in that part of the world.

 

[Rem280]

Have an upcoming trip to Saskatchdean in November. Are there any airlines I should avoid carry my hunting rifle? How is gun check in Canada? What hotel do you recommend in Saskatoon?
thank you
don

I flew Air Canada and no issues. Toronto Pearson Airport is absolutely horrible. Avoid it at all costs. Traveling in Russia was easier.

 

[Fatback]

Agreed with @Rem280, stay away from the Toronto airport at all costs. I flew there one time and that was all it took, never again.

 

[Graham Hunter]

You will probably have to go through Toronto. It will be your 1st Port in Canada so you will have to clear Customs with your luggage anyway. Have your 4457 form and your Canadaian firearms permit filled out but not signed. Take 3 copies. Good news is there are good flights from TO to Saskatoon. Decent Hotels close to the Airport. Welcome to God's Country!

 

[Rusty Iron]

You will probably have to go through Toronto. It will be your 1st Port in Canada so you will have to clear Customs with your luggage anyway. Have your 4457 form and your Canadaian firearms permit filled out but not signed. Take 3 copies. Good news is there are good flights from TO to Saskatoon. Decent Hotels close to the Airport. Welcome to God's Country!

Why would he have to go through Toronto? There are many other options with him flying to western Canada.

 

[Graham Hunter]

I believe he is flying from South Carolina. Easiest way is Toronto to Saskatoon. Or he could go Toronto to Calgary to Saskatoon? I am not a travel agent but if you would like to help him, help yourself.

 

[Rusty Iron]

I believe he is flying from South Carolina. Easiest way is Toronto to Saskatoon. Or he could go Toronto to Calgary to Saskatoon? I am not a travel agent but if you would like to help him, help yourself.

I’d avoid Toronto at all costs. Every time I’ve connected through there it’s been a mess.

MANY options from the USA to Calgary and on to Saskatoon. I fly Delta from Calgary to and from Minneapolis and other locations at least twice a month and rarely encounter issues.

 

[Green Chile]

I will jump on the wagon and say don't do Toronto. When I was in SK this spring for bear, a guy came through Toronto and they lost his gun for 2 days but everyone that flew direct to SK got their guns no problem. We took Delta to Twin Cities then over to Saskatoon. There are several hotels right by the airport. We stayed at Courtyard by Marriott coming and going 1 night each. It was fine. They also will let you use their freezer for keeping bear hides overnight. There is a Bass Pro in Saskatoon right by the Walmart. You can get Thermacell fuel there (can't fly with it).

 

[Brod]

Avoid Toronto unless you've built in an insurance day each way for making your connecting flight. If not, you risk starting your hunt a day late and/or returning home a couple days before your slipped bear hides arrive.

 

[mooze]

Delta Bessborough or Sheraton were always good.
All outfitted deer hunts are in the northern/boreal zone. No moskito spray needed after October. Dress for -10 to -30 Celsius. Bring handwarmers and heated seat pads.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I fly through Toronto to Africa. The airport is a mess alright. Get AirTags for your gun cases. Don't leave home without them. I have no problems traveling with guns on Air Canada.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

As others have stated, make sure you have your Form 4457, with both your rifle and scope listed, so that you can bring them back into the US. I was coming home from a Yukon hunt and clearing US customs in Vancouver and some American hunters didn't have a 4457 and their rifles were confiscated. I'm sure a long and expensive ordeal followed to get them back.

 

[Green Chile]

4457s are very important. I will say that optics are less critical for 4457. I have never had an agent ask me for the optics 4457 (including scopes, binos, thermals). I just got another set of 4457's yesterday and took in some optics. They gave me a 4457 but said it wasn't needed for optics. I have also confirmed that with a friend who is a CBP boss. I've not heard of anyone having issues if they do not have 4457 for optics. The comment yesterday from CBP was optics are not taxable upon reentry so they have less concern for them. Also, I carry binos in my carry-on not my checked bag and that has gone well for me on many trips. Based upon recent issues AH members have had with carrying on scopes, I would not recommend having them in your carry on. Keep them in your gun case. Ammo separate in locked box checked bag.

 

[Don Hinton]

Thanks guys. Last time I hunted in Canada was over 30 years ago in BC. Hunting for white tail first week of November. Any advice on warm apparel? Stands do not have heaters, I asked
Don

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I have had zero issues traveling with scopes in carryon. Certainly not in Canada. They are "listed" as allowable in carryon. I did have a problem with a rifle bipod in my carryon at Pearson in Toronto. It was finally resolved just in time for me to catch my flight to Frankfurt.

As to the Form 4457: I am a US citizen and also Canadian Permanent Resident holding a valid Firearms Possession and Aquisition License. I travel across the border with my guns on a regular basis. I have never done any paperwork for either side and always declare them. It usually goes like this: "Where do you live? [Canadian address] What is the purpose of your visit? [Returning to Montana to hunt with my brother] You have guns? [Yes] What are they? [Shotgun and hunting rifle] Unloaded? [Of course] Have a nice trip." Sometimes, usually reentering Canada, they will want to look at the guns and may go through the car (presumably checking for handguns). I'm fine with that. The dogs usually need to get out for a pee and poop anyway. I do carry proof of ownership for my guns to prove I didn't just buy them (old Long Gun Registry cards or bill of sale). I seem to recall producing the documents once.

About five years ago I was crossing into the US at three in the morning on my way to hunt Montana. The routine was as above. I asked the US border agent if it was even necessary for me to have the ATF form. "I'm not sure. Let me ask my supervisor." Eventually, the nice supervisor (another lady) comes to the window and says she is also not sure, given my unique situation. "You're good to go but if you want to hang around I'll call the head office in Seattle to get an answer." They had just put on a pot of coffee and I was needing a charge of caffeine so I parked and went inside. Seattle said carrying guns into US was my Constitutional right. Here's the difference: I'm not a resident of US returning with guns. The ATF form is to prove the guns were also resident of US and therefore not being imported. As a visiting US citizen I don't have to prove the guns came from US because obviously the didn't and they won't be staying there ... because I don't reside there. On return Canada is only interested in my Permanent Resident Card and my Possession License card ... and ensuring the guns are not handguns or ARs (for which I do not have Restricted License). As I said, I always have proof of ownership but just for potential duty tax questions should they arrise.

 

[C.W. Richter]

I flew Air Canada and no issues. Toronto Pearson Airport is absolutely horrible. Avoid it at all costs. Traveling in Russia was easier.

YYZ! lol 'Have been through there many times (flying and driving as it's not too far away.) 'Once got detained w/ a co-worker (they split us up and proceeded to interrogate us for 2.5 hrs!) We were performing an environmental cleanup of an old metal plating facility along Lk. Ontario and brought hand-held electronic gadgets to detect different contaminants. At first, they thought the equipment were explosives or something! LMAO They then "fined" us $150, CASH, and let us go do our good work. The fact that RUSH rented a hangar there for practice makes it all better. Luckily Toronto is FAR from Sask. Be like Jim Shockey! Put the alfalfa bales behind the felled tree, sit there in the moon suit and shoot a BIG one. That said, I have great friends in Sask, and they get BIG muleys and whitetail the old fashioned way....stalking and stands (in way sub-zero temps) along coulees that cut through huge ag areas surrounding their farm. Great people and nice country (outside the dead of winter.)

 

[C.W. Richter]

I have had zero issues traveling with scopes in carryon. Certainly not in Canada. They are "listed" as allowable in carryon. I did have a problem with a rifle bipod in my carryon at Pearson in Toronto. It was finally resolved just in time for me to catch my flight to Frankfurt.

As to the Form 4457: I am a US citizen and also Canadian Permanent Resident holding a valid Firearms Possession and Aquisition License. I travel across the border with my guns on a regular basis. I have never done any paperwork for either side and always declare them. It usually goes like this: "Where do you live? [Canadian address] What is the purpose of your visit? [Returning to Montana to hunt with my brother] You have guns? [Yes] What are they? [Shotgun and hunting rifle] Unloaded? [Of course] Have a nice trip." Sometimes, usually reentering Canada, they will want to look at the guns and may go through the car (presumably checking for handguns). I'm fine with that. The dogs usually need to get out for a pee and poop anyway. I do carry proof of ownership for my guns to prove I didn't just buy them (old Long Gun Registry cards or bill of sale). I seem to recall producing the documents once.

About five years ago I was crossing into the US at three in the morning on my way to hunt Montana. The routine was as above. I asked the US border agent if it was even necessary for me to have the ATF form. "I'm not sure. Let me ask my supervisor." Eventually, the nice supervisor (another lady) comes to the window and says she is also not sure, given my unique situation. "You're good to go but if you want to hang around I'll call the head office in Seattle to get an answer." They had just put on a pot of coffee and I was needing a charge of caffeine so I parked and went inside. Seattle said carrying guns into US was my Constitutional right. Here's the difference: I'm not a resident of US returning with guns. The ATF form is to prove the guns were also resident of US and therefore not being imported. As a visiting US citizen I don't have to prove the guns came from US because obviously the didn't and they won't be staying there ... because I don't reside there. On return Canada is only interested in my Permanent Resident Card and my Possession License card ... and ensuring the guns are not handguns or ARs (for which I do not have Restricted License). As I said, I always have proof of ownership but just for potential duty tax questions should they arrise.

'Son and I crossed many CN borders last summer driving back from AK. They inquired about firearms and were extremely non-chalant about 'em. It was obvious that we were upstanding citizens and diehard hunters (and they reside in those areas for the very same reasons.) You can even send them the form(s) in advance. For pistols you must. The less surprised they are, the more hassle-free the experience. No issues on the US side either. IF you have proof of ownership, the 4457 is unnecessary (for CN travel.) Friend in Sask also has dual citizenry so he too is in a unique situation when traveling back and forth...Where you run into "trouble" is closer to the woke cities with the staff that haven't a clue about anything we speak of! LOL

 

[JimP]

I found that going into Canada with a firearm is going to depend on the agent you get by the luck of the draw.

I went into BC on a bear hunt, at the drive up window I declared that I had a rifle with me. The instructed me to pull into a inspection area and wait for a agent. The agent showed up and I handed him my filled out paper work, he too it and me inside and had me wait in a small room, he came back in and asked where the rifle was located in my truck. I told him that it was behind the seat, he left and the wait began. Over a hour later he came back and took me to their front desk where he had a form that he had filled out using my information that I had given him. Evidently he didn't like the form that I had printed off of my computer that looked exactly like the one that he now had in his hand writing. He then went on lecturing me that my rifle should be outside of the passenger compartment of my truck and not easily accessible to me. I mentioned that I had to stop my truck and get out to even think about getting to the rifle. He then took me back into the room to wait a while longer. After a full 2 1/2 hours I was brought into their main desk where I paid the fee and was free to go.

When I got to the hunting lodge I found that they had gone completely through my two bags that I had packed for the 23 mile horseback trip for my hunt. It looked like they had just dumped everything out and then shoved it back in. I had to repack everything.

On my return trip the US Customs agent asked me the usual questions. He asked about my rifle and if it was the same one that was listed on my 4457, I said that it was and that was as far as it went. I then had to fill out a couple of forms to bring my bear back into the US, in total on the US side it took me about 15 minutes and I was on my way.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I found that going into Canada with a firearm is going to depend on the agent you get by the luck of the draw.

I went into BC on a bear hunt, at the drive up window I declared that I had a rifle with me. The instructed me to pull into a inspection area and wait for a agent. The agent showed up and I handed him my filled out paper work, he too it and me inside and had me wait in a small room, he came back in and asked where the rifle was located in my truck. I told him that it was behind the seat, he left and the wait began. Over a hour later he came back and took me to their front desk where he had a form that he had filled out using my information that I had given him. Evidently he didn't like the form that I had printed off of my computer that looked exactly like the one that he now had in his hand writing. He then went on lecturing me that my rifle should be outside of the passenger compartment of my truck and not easily accessible to me. I mentioned that I had to stop my truck and get out to even think about getting to the rifle. He then took me back into the room to wait a while longer. After a full 2 1/2 hours I was brought into their main desk where I paid the fee and was free to go.

When I got to the hunting lodge I found that they had gone completely through my two bags that I had packed for the 23 mile horseback trip for my hunt. It looked like they had just dumped everything out and then shoved it back in. I had to repack everything.

On my return trip the US Customs agent asked me the usual questions. He asked about my rifle and if it was the same one that was listed on my 4457, I said that it was and that was as far as it went. I then had to fill out a couple of forms to bring my bear back into the US, in total on the US side it took me about 15 minutes and I was on my way.

Well, that's bullshit. Some of those agents think they can make up their own regs. I've come back many times with a stack of soft cased guns in the back seat of my SUV. No problem. As far as I know it's even legal to travel with uncased guns in vehicles here except after dark in hunting season. Then they must be in a case. A couple years ago I was at the police station to obtain a report for insurance and I see a guy hauling a stack of guns out and tossing them in the car. I commented about them not being encased. Cop said no law requires it. The guy's brother was charged with domestic violence and his guns had been seized.