Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Canada Planning a hunt in Canada

Fellow Campfire Members:
I'm going to bump this one to the top yet again as there have been a couple of threads lately specifically asking for information regarding hunts in Canada - bear and moose.

While the long gun registry is indeed now dead, I'm not entirely clear as of today what effect this will have on visiting hunters.

I am doing my best to find links to factual information on the subject and will post them here as I find them.

Again, hopefully this can be useful information for some of our friends at the 'Fire who are in the beginning stages of planning a hunt on this side of the medicine line.

Regards,
Dwayne

Dwayne,

Just a thought but it might be worth mentioning to anyone interested in coming to Canada that when they have decided which Province they prefer to hunt they probably couldn't go wrong in PM'ing one of the high number posters from that Province if they feel they need help.

From following the campfire for quite a few years it seems most of the frequent posters are they types who would be happy to give advice and assistance to those who ask for it. The only problem here is that some of the poster do not identify exactly where they are from.

Is Rick likely to make a sticky of this information?

Jim

Jim;
I hope this finds you doing well thus far in this somewhat late and cool spring - well it is such here anyway.

Thanks for your suggestion Jim, I do think it's a good one and I for one would certainly do my best to help out any hunters heading up into BC for a hunt.

As a by the way, we are in the south central part of BC not all that far from Washington State. Truly our area isn't really known for the hunting, we're more known as a summer beach and wine tour area or winter ski destination. That said, I'll do my best to help out as best as I can.

Thanks again for the suggestion Jim and all the best to you folks this spring.

Regards,
Dwayne

Dwayne, thanks for the reply.

One question you didn't answer was, is Rick likely to make this a sticky? Possibly you do not know the answer. To my mind it would be silly to gather a lot of information and then let it all disappear into the forest of "old" threads.

In the past I have tried to help out with information concerning things I know about hunting in certain areas of Ontario. Sometimes this is difficult for the following reasons.

A certain amount of responsibility has to fall onto the shoulders of those making the inquiries. So often an inquiry starts out "I want to hunt ..... (fill in animal) in ..... (fill in state or province), where should I go?" This doesn't tell us whether they want guided or unguided, trophy or meat hunting, amount of time available for a hunt, amount of money the person feels they can spend, size of party (one person or a group), sometimes not even the origin of the hunter making the inquiry.

For example, if I know someone from the east coast of the US wants to hunt moose my first suggestion if they want a high probability of being succesful regardless of moose size would be Newfoundland. Often the posters have nothing in their identification as to which part of the country they hail from. In these cases the info usually isn't even shown in their profile. This leaves the potential helpers in the position of trying to dig out all kinds of detail before they can even begin to help.

Hey guys, if you want help, then help us with details right off the bat. If some one is inquiring about Ontario they must realize that to drive from one side of Ontario to the other it may take 4 or 5 days. Do they wish to fly or to drive and haul meat?

I have a daughter living in Calgary and friends in Kelowna, BC. Not far in mileage but due to the road system the drive takes the best part of a day. Obviously a person who is not familiar with the province would not understand this thus point of origin has a big bearing on what may be suggested.

Much of this seems obvious but based on many inquiries I have read here it is often overlooked.

Just some more random thoughts on things which need to be considered.

Jim

This is a great idea guys. I would be happy help anyone out with info etc about hunting/flyfishing in Southern Alberta and up through the Central Foothills.
It would be excellent if Rick would make this a sticky that we could add to as required.
Jeff

Send the moderator a PM and ask him if he will pin this thread to the top of the list. He may just do it.

Gentlimen, I congratulate all of you on your neighborliness. I once drove to Suzanne Lake and, was "greeted" by a fellow that looked at my plates, and asked if they were no fish in Iowa. I was told of a Canadian that would tell Americans asking directions back to drive to the government dock, and wait for the ferry. The Suzanne Lake "greeting" was one of the few times I have felt dicriminated against. I will say that I did not like it.

Richard,

There was a time years ago when Suzanne got hit HARD by the tourist trade, and several of our southern neighbours were nailed for taking a couple hundred 'walleys' back across the border. Maybe that is what precipitated your tratment. Rude behaviour begets rude behaviour. Not excusing it, just sayin'.

Brother Keith, I should have just posted the complement. That event at Suzanne Lake was years ago. No point rehashing the War of 1812 either.Both are in the distant past. The NW Ontario lake rocks, and blood loving bugs seem to be equal opportuny hazards. Yanks, Canucks, all the same to them.

I take no umbridge with what you said, Richard, and I make no excuse for the rude behaviour on the part of my countrymen. I also do not condone it. I was just stating that that particular lake was hammered by some unscrupulous Americans over the years.

And as far as Americans go, I liberated as fine an example of the crew as exists on the planet. She married me -- goes to show there's no accounting for poor taste on her part.

Hah so! Your fair wife was American. That reminds me of the "American blood" refered to a while back. Does the rest of the Brother Keith clan share the distain for the jacks? Prehaps this summer we can fish Suzanne together, and jaw about the topic more. Meanwhile,I'll try to conjer up some "Yankee Ingenuty", and Tom Sawyer style whitewash to con you out of the pickerel, while you get the jacks! Richard.

Well I told Dwayne I would help out in this post, but then forgot......

I guide for moose, goats and bears here in BC and have been doing it for 11 years. Over that time I have been privileged to meet a lot of down to earth hunters from all over. Been lucky to see a lot of great country, watch a large number of different animals and been in on the harvest of a lot of "Firsts"

Another thing I have been doing is learning the business and watching outfitters come and go.

For anyone who is thinking about a moose or goat hunt here in BC, I will post up a few tips;

Decide what you are looking for, a Mt Goat or a moose. Depending on what you decide will determine the best time to go. Earlier in Sept, the mountains will (should be...)snow free, the goats will be just getting their winter coats and billies will be by themselves. The downfall for moose, is they are not rutting, so it is spot and stalk. However, you are limited to where you can go and if the moose are in the thick stuff, it can be a hard hunt.

If you go later in Sept/early Oct, you are beginning to play with the weather. Last year we had lots of snow and rain by Sept 25th, goat hunting pretty well stopped then. Just too dangerous. However, it is prime moose rut and they are much more active and come to the call readily.

By mid Oct, the goat hunting is done and the moose rut is winding down....pretty well done. Also, depending on elevation, the lakes will start to freeze up.

This is all for the interior and Northern BC. Mt goat hunting on the Coast or Southern BC can go right into the winter and in some places up to Feb.

If you fly-in, ask about the flight back out with your meat. You are usually limited to a certain # of bags and weight, so make sure that you are not surprised by an extra cost for a meat flight. Some places will even charge for elk, caribou or moose antlers. All these costs can add up quick.

As has been said, ask for references that have been to the same area and hunted the same species, and make sure you ask for hunters who were not successful. Ask the references how the food was, who the guide was and how were they, the accommodations, the hunting method, quality of the overall hunt and would you go back again, if not why??.

In a fly-in hunt, remember that you are limited to the area around the lake (unless you have access to horses or ATV's), you cannot move if there is no animals, so always be prepared to accept that as the guide cannot control the animals....or the weather.

This is just basic info and it will vary from location and outfitter, but it does cover the basics.

I will add more later about booking a hunt and what to look for and the questions to ask.

I can help with anymore info, just send me a PM w/you email addy and I will try to answer any questions you may have.

Cheers

SS

One tiny mistake I made coming back through customs at Calgary was not keeping my ball point pen out of my luggage. Had an anxious time trying to get a pen to fill out the papers.

I prefer going through customs at Edmonton, it seems to me they are set up better, more efficient, just goes more smoothly than customs at Calgary and I have heard better than Saskatoon.

This is a great idea Dwayne!

I will try and poke my head in here and see if there are any border related questions I could help out with....

Lots of the stuff can seem 'complicated' but its pretty easy and basic if stated in plain engrish!

Nice work guys. Thanks for this. Am headed to Smithers, BC to do a goat hunt (may add a moose) in early Sept with Copper River Outfitters. I know I will have questions soon.

Tag.

Fellow Campfire Members;
While I know I've already included the link to find out the road conditions here in BC, which is http://www.drivebc.ca/, I found a new facet of it just last week that can be very, very helpful.

I should insert here that if you are staying in a BC hotel on your way to or from a hunt, most now in the southern parts of our province are wi-fi equipped, so bring along your laptop or other internet compatible device by all means.

So then going back to the drivebc.ca website, on the tool bar on top of the page, the 4th icon from the left should read "webcam list"

If you click on it, it then divides the province into geographic areas.

Once you click on the geographic area you will be traveling through one will be able to click on various webcams set up on the highways which will show current weather conditions.

These highway cams vary a wee bit in how often they change, but are updated with enough frequency that they can be extremely useful tools.

For instance if you want to know what the conditions are on the Anarchist Summit out of Osoyoos - this one's for you my friend Scott - - here is the link showing that section of highway.

http://images.drivebc.ca/bchighwaycam/pub/html/dbc/64.html

OK, I just learned this as I checked out the posted link - old dog still learning new tricks here - . So if you see the little map at the bottom of the webcam photo, it show where the next webcam up the road and down the road are.

If you click your cursor on the next camera on the map then the most recent photo from that camera comes up. Especially for winter - or early spring and late fall driving here in BC - this will be a very helpful trip planning tool for our family.

Again, hopefully that is some use to a visiting traveler and will allow you to get to and from your hunting destination in a safe manner.

Regards,
Dwayne

That's just plain funny.


Dwayne, this thread is a great idea.

Fellow Campfire Members;
In honor of our home Wildlife Management Region - Region 8 Okanagan - finally joining the rest of BC and getting a wolf season, I'll bump this thread to the top.

The new BC Hunting Synopsis is now out online and the information contained therein is good until 2014.

Here is a link again for any interested in hunting our part of the world - or even I suppose seeing what the regulations look like for us.

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/wildlife/hunting/regulations/

A very sincere thank you to all the good folks here at the 'Fire who have contributed to this thread.

Regards,
Dwayne

anyone know if you can get a PAL as a non res , and do you have to take the class?

Option 2
Apply for a five-year Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL).

To apply for a PAL, applicants must provide evidence that they have passed the written and practical tests for the Canadian Firearms Safety Course. A course from another country does not meet Canadian legal requirements. However, it may be possible to take the tests without taking the course.

The CFO of the province or territory to be visited can provide information on any other documents that will be required to complete the background security check.

With a Canadian firearms licence, there is no need to complete the Non-Resident Firearms Declaration. However, an oral declaration must still be made to the customs officer.

http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/fs-fd/visit-visite-eng.htm