Traveling out of country to hunt? Headache with customs/tsa and gun?

[joshua99ta]

I'm going to be heading up to Ontario Canada on the 20th of this month for a bear hunt.

I've never done any traveling out of country to hunt and its been over 10 years since I have been out of country at all.

I'm really nervous about going into the airport with my rifle, even though it will be locked in a pelican case I'm still nervous.

IF I had somebody to ride with me I would just drive to save on the hassle of going thru an airport but I couldn't find a soul that was interested in going with me as the hunt was a rather short notice.

I've got the 5089 declaration form filled out for the trip into Canada and the US customs form 4457 for personal effects taken abroad. So I'm pretty sure I'm ok with the forms.

Anybody got any tips?

 

[Dosh]

99, if you have a guide service they should provide all info for firearms. Last I heard Canada costs about $200, but that was several years ago when my cuz went. He said no troubles if you do everything according to their rules.

 

[joshua99ta]

Yeah they pretty much lined me up with paperwork and suggestions.

Unfortnately the outfitter is rather new to this business, they are personal and long time friends of mine, and so far their customers have all driven to avoid flying with a gun. They are great people and I've heard some really good things. But they don't have a lot of experience in the traveling by air yet. It'll will be a learning curve for the owners which is who I have done my dealing with. The guides have come highly spoken of from past clients, the previous owner not so much.

Due to my work schedule and not having an extra person to go with me it flying is my bed option. I tried finding somebody to go with me but it was a rather short notice deal but even at a large discounted price nobody else could arrange it.

Im confident in the hunt itself. Just traveling has me nervous.

 

[scottyboy]

traveling international is no problem, if you have the paperwork (*i can only speak for canada and argentina)

make sure you cross your I's and T's. the plus side is at the airport they should shuffle you right to the front of the line with your firearm case. just make sure its unlocked when you get there as they will make sure it is unloaded before they take it and then you lock it up in front of them. the obvious is put your ammo in your checked baggage, cannot be in the case or carry on.

maybe things have changed since i last went to south america 3 years ago, but i have another trip planned for next year and am expecting things will go as smoothly as they always have/do

good luck!

 

[Jerry M]

Make sure you have a trigger lock on the firearm, even in the case. Keep it on until you are at your destination with your guide. Registration fees were $40 in 2011 to register the firearm in Canada. Once you are through TSA,you should not have ant problems. Canadians in the boonies are use to seeing hunters and firearm cases.

Good luck

Jerry

 

[joshua99ta]

thanks guys!

I work in the gulf of mexico on an oil rig and right now we have a big blob of bad weather hovering over the heliport where we fly into and it isn't supposed to move until Thursday. IF that happens I will probably have to push my flight back a few days or may just try to push into the next week.