Top 5 Tips When Planning a Canadian Hunting Trip

Make sure you are prepared for your hunting trip

When planing a hunting trip to Canada, you should really plan in advance as some of the following tasks will require some time. Whether you are planning, a bear, moose or whitetail deer hunt, not adhering to these rules can put a trip on hold and cost losses of fees. When planning a hunting trip to Canada, here is a list of the top 5 basic things to know:

1) Remember your Passport 
A passport is required to enter Canada by car, sea or air. If you don’t have one, get one as soon as possible. You can apply for your U.S. Passport online at: http://travel.state.gov/passport/forms/ds11/ds11_842.html

Tip: Make two colour copies of your passport before you travel. Carry one each in different luggage or firearms case in case you lose your original. Always carry your original passport with you at all times when you travel internationally.

2) U.S. Customs Form 4457
You will need to have a U.S. Customs form 4457 filled out with a list of items of value as proof you owned them before you entered Canada. It is best to list your firearms, spotting scopes, riflescopes, video cameras, etc. This is usually any item of value that contains a serial number. Failure to obtain a completed U.S. Customs Form 4457 before you leave may end up costing you Duty (tax) at the Canadian Border as you enter back into the United States. The customs agent may think you bought your hunting equipment in Canada and therefore charge you duty. The online form can be accessed at: CBP website. Fill in the form and bring it with you to the border crossing where it will be stamped with the official customs seal. DO NOT SIGN IT until you meet the border crossing officer.

Tip: Make 2 extra copies of your Form 4457 and keep them with your extra passport copies.

Sample Form 4457

3) Canada Non-Resident Firearm Declaration Form 909
Hunters must fill out the Non-Resident Firearm Declaration Form 909 before leaving for Canada. Don’t try to fill it out at the border, as it will delay your trip. Do not sign this form until you are at the border and the officials there ask you to sign it. You will need to present the form with your passport. There is a fee for the permit and it is approximately $25 CDN. You can pay for your permit in Canadian dollars or by MasterCard, Visa or American Express. Canadian Customs does not except U.S. Currency. Remember to always carry your firearms permit and identification while you are hunting. Do not bring any handguns on your trip as handguns are prohibited in Canada. Obtain your firearms application at: http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/form-formulaire/num-nom/909-eng.htm

Tip: Fill out the form online and then print 3 copies. Double check your firearms details, especially the serial number, before you hit the print button.

4) Denied Admission to Canada
Visitors may be denied admission to Canada if you have any of the following convictions on your record:

• Minor offences (including shoplifting, theft, assault, dangerous driving, unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of illegal substances, etc.)
• Indictable Criminal offences (including assault with a deadly weapon, manslaughter, etc.).
• Driving While Intoxicated (DWI)

Successful Moose Hunt at Thunder Hook Fly-ins

5) Bringing back your Canadian Hunting Trophies
There are 3 different ways to get your coveted hunting trophies back from Canada into the United States:

(1) Bring them back with you by car or airplane

To bring back the raw cape, rug and/or antlers/horns home with you, you will need to fill out U.S. Fish & Wildlife Form 3-177-1. This form appoints you as the owner/broker of the animal parts you will be importing from Canada into the United States. If you use a hunting consultant, they should fill this out for you. If you booked your trip direct with the Outfitter, you will need to fill it out yourself. This form can be a little tricky and will require some research as you will be required to list the common name of the animal you are importing as well as the scientific name. Remember to present your Canadian Hunting License and tags with this form to prove that the trophy was taken legally. You can find the application and instructions at http://www.fws.gov/forms/serachdata.cfm and typing "3-177" into the search field.
Tip: Fill out the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Form 3-177-1 before your hunt.

(2) Have the cape, rug and/or antlers/horns shipped

Bring back your raw trophies by having them shipped to you. Your Canadian outfitter will bring your hunting trophy to a taxidermist. An export permit must be filed in Canada to export the hunting trophies to the United States. The hunting trophy must be shipped to a USDA Port of Entry and received by a US Brokerage Company and inspected by the U.S. Wildlife Department to make sure the contents and the export paperwork match so that the hunting trophy may legally imported into the United States. Once the hunting trophy clears the U.S. Port of entry, it must be shipped to a USDA Certified Taxidermist. This process can take up to 6 months and cost upwards of $750 or more depending on how many trophies you are importing.

(3) Have the trophy taxidermy mounted and shipped back to you
Have your hunting trophy taxidermy mounted in Canada. This entails you to trust the outfitter to choose a taxidermist for you. You will not have to run the taxidermy trophy through process #2, but you will have to pay shipping and customs fees.

Being prepared for your Canadian hunting trip can make all the difference! For more information about hunting in Sunset Country or to connect with other hunters, visit HuntSunsetCountry.com. For more information regarding non-residents having firearms in Canada, visit the Canadian Firearms Program.

4 of the Best Hunting Opportunities in Sunset Country

Sunset Country consists mostly the boreal forest and thousands of freshwater lakes. The cities and urban areas are sporadically placed within the forests. Northwest Ontario is ideal for hunting; the area is large and the animals are abundant. Four of the best hunting opportunities include Black Bear, Moose, Deer, and Birds (Waterfowl, ducks, grouse etc).

Ontario Black Bear Hunting:
Ontario has to be one of the most accessible areas in Canada for quality black bear hunting. Our forests and lakes make it a perfect habitat and a plentiful food supply for these industrious animals. As a result, Ontario has one of the largest black bear populations in North America. Since it is hard to accurately count bear populations, estimates as to their numbers vary widely. In the southern part of Sunset Country, around Rainy River, Fort Frances and Atikokan, there are about 40-60 bears/100 sq. kms. Around Kenora, Dryden, Ignace, Red Lake and Sioux Lookout, there are approximately 20-40 bears/100 sq. kms.

The opening of hunting season for black bears in Ontario is in the late summer and fall. Season opens on the 15th of August for most Wilderness Management Units and September 1st or 7th in others. Consult the MNR Hunting Regulations Summary for open season dates for the area you plan to hunt. Opening day may be different for residents and non-residents. Non-residents of Canada must use the services of a licensed tourist outfitter with two exceptions. Non-residents are not required to use the services of a tourist outfitter if they own property in the WMU they are hunting and if that WMU has an open black bear season for non-residents or, if they are hunting with an immediate relative who is licensed to hunt black bears in a WMU with an open season for non-residents.

In Sunset Country, the bear hunting is excellent and our Travel Association has many tourist outfitters who have rights to Bear Management Areas (BMA) and who can offer guided or un-guided hunts. Bow and rifle hunts are the most common and non-residents obtain their licenses and access through the tourist outfitter. There are a wide variety of accommodation choices from fully-guided American Plan hunts to un-guided hunts where you rent a housekeeping cabin. You can also fly in to a remote outpost cabin and hunt in BMAs that have no road access into them. Whatever package you choose, your chances for a successful hunt are very good. For more information on fall bear hunting packages visit our special website dedicated to Ontario Bear Hunting.

Ontario Moose Hunting - You won't be disappointed!

Ontario Moose Hunting:
Northwest Ontario's Sunset Country has more moose than any other region in Ontario. Moose are the ultimate in big game with many bulls sporting 50 plus inch racks. Fully-guided moose hunts are available from our member outfitters. Bow hunts as well as traditional rifle hunts are available or, for something uniquely different, try an old-fashioned black powder hunt. Non-resident moose hunts are available based on tags allocated to our individual outfitters - a system that ensures stable and healthy moose populations while affording hunters the opportunity to bag a trophy bull. Cow and calf tags are also available.

There are few settings as wild or as beautiful as Northwestern Ontario to come moose hunting. Endless tracts of boreal forests, rock ridges and wide open meadows make up the topography of this 60,000 square mile area of Ontario. As you hunt, you'll find the setting to be to your liking and in itself a big part of the experience. Your accommodation choices are many and varied. Full American Plan lodges where meals are part of the package are available or for the more independent hunter, a housekeeping package where you do your own cooking is the best choice. Many hunting lodges are accessed by car or boat or you can try a fly in moose hunting trip in remote parts of Sunset Country. Our member outfitters offer both guided and unguided hunts. For more information on moose hunting in Northwest Ontario, visit our website dedicated to Ontario moose hunting.

There are numerous Whitetail Deer in Sunset Country

Ontario Deer Hunting:
Large populations of whitetail deer can be found in the southern end of Sunset Country. They are mostly found around and below the Trans-Canada Highway which runs across Sunset Country. This is the part of Ontario where the famous "Dryden Buck" was shot at the end of 2003. The illegally shot deer was an Ontario record with a score of 223 gr 199 7/8 net green score. The deer in Ontario are large-bodied and can be found in great numbers. Hunters can access the services of a deer hunting guide if they wish or venture out on their own (some areas must use a guide if you are a non-resident). The biggest bucks are generally deeper in the bush so if you are thinking of going after the real trophy animals you should be prepared for it. There is also an excellent population of does.

Deer hunters enjoy a high success rate with full support services from our hunting outfitters. You can stay at a full-service hunting lodge or rent a housekeeping cabin for your Canadian deer hunt. For more information on deer hunting in Northwest Ontario visit our website dedicated in Ontario Whitetail Deer Hunts.

Duck decoys on Rainy Lake

Ontario Duck, Bird and Waterfowl Hunting:
The sheer numbers of ducks, Canadian geese, other waterfowl and game birds in the Sunset Country region of Ontario, Canada make it a bird hunter's paradise. Located directly north of the State of Minnesota and with its thousands of lakes and water systems, Sunset Country is along a major migration flyway for several species of waterfowl. Extensive beds of wild rice on the many lakes provide important forage for hungry, migrating birds and the ideal setting for a fall waterfowl hunt. Bring your hunting dog, hunt remote areas accessible only by hovercraft and enjoy the natural beauty of the backcountry areas of Northwest Ontario. In addition to several species of ducks, there is also excellent hunting opportunities for Canada Geese and game birds such as Ruffed and Spruce Grouse.

The options for a great hunt are virtually endless! You may want to even combine your hunt with a fall fishing trip. For more information on duck hunting in Ontario visit our website dedicated to Ontario Duck Hunting Trips.

You can download the Ontario Hunting Regulations Summary off the MNR website. It's nicely broken up into species so it's easy to find what you are looking for. They also have a link to a Map of the Wildlife Management Unit Boundaries in Ontario. If you want additional information on hunting, the Sunset Country Travel Association also produces a 84 page Travel Guide that includes a poster-sized map of the area. Click here to order your FREE copy or call us toll free at 1-800-665-7567.

Visit our newest hunting website - huntsunsetcountry.com where you can link to hunting outfitters and suppliers, get information and tips and strategies on hunting in Sunset Country and more. You can even show off and upload photos of your prize.  We love seeing photos.