Canada Bear Hunt - shipping hide & meat back to US?

[Tbitty]

I'm hoping I can get some information from anyone who has "been there, done that" with regards to getting meat and/or trophies home from Canada to the US. I will be on a bear hunt in about a month and am trying to determine the best way to approach this.

I believe there is no issue with bringing the meat back to the US, but there are some rules for how. The Outfitter I'm going with provides basic butchering services (de-boned and cleaned meat, not processed into specific cuts), and will package it for travel. ... similarly, they will have the hide and skull prepared so that I can have taxidermy work done either in Canada or take it with me.

I will have roughly 5 hour drive from lodge to Edmonton, then about 11 hours total flight and layover time to get back home. Let's assume 18-20 total hours of transit time from leaving the hunt lodge to get back to my home and freezer.

What is the recommended options for: 1) transporting meat and 2) bringing hide and skull for taxidermy work to be done near home? I'm leaning towards doing a head-on rug, so let's again assume this as the final taxi decision.

Has anyone had experience flying a cooler with dry ice and meat/hide back as a checked bag? Or using some sort or air cargo shipment service? Better to do taxi in Canada then ship final product home? Put the skull in my checked bag (or carry on)?

Any advise is much appreciated!

 

[R.M.C.]

I flew back to the US from Edmonton with two frozen bear hides in a plastic tote. Had no problems, there was a us customs counter right in the airport so I got them cleared before I flew home. My bear hides were frozen but we're definitely starting to thaw on the trip back but no problems.
Guy at the customs counter just scribbled down " bear hides x2" on a form of some sort and away I went. This was about four years ago, hopefully things are the same lol. Good luck!!

 

[Rem280]

GM! I flew back from Saskatchewan with frozen bear meat and a skull in a large plastic bin. Just checked in and no issues. My guide made it clear it would be much more costly to get taxidermy done north of the border. Guess taxes and then the permits to ship. Just fly back with it as a checked bag. Frozen meat will pretty much stay frozen until you get home.

Btw we had 2 hour drive, screwed around Saskatoon for a few hours and then a total of 16 hours flying. Everything was fine.

 

[Rem280]

Avoid Toronto Pearson Airport. It is a mess and US Customs there broke my buddies gun.

 

[tay50]

I don't believe you can fly with dry ice in your cooler, so you should check that first.

 

[R.M.C.]

I doubt you'll need ice or anything, mine was in route for almost 24 hours by the time I got it to my chest freezer and all was well. Make sure your tote is less than 62 linear inches or whatever your airline requires.

 

[Tbitty]

Alaska Air does allow up to 5.5# of dry ice according to their website.

@R.M.C. did you pack your own tote (something like the one pictured below) or did Outfitters have any packaging assistance?

 

[BRICKBURN]

Sadly, there does not seem to be anything about Ursidae meat specifically from the US government.

I think the container suitable to YOUR airline is going to be your biggest issue.

Driving across either way with your hunting license in your pocket is all I have needed.

From the horses mouth on "wild game"

"Wild game meat/carcasses (non-avian) from Canada
Hunter harvested wild cervid meat/carcasses (e.g., deer, moose, elk, caribou, etc.) from Canada may be allowed entry when accompanied by proof of species documentation such as labeling or a receipt from the processing facility.

Hunter harvested wild non-cervid animal meat/carcasses (e.g., wild sheep, goats, or bison/buffalo, etc.), which are eviscerated with the head removed or not eviscerated, are allowed when the hunter shows a hunting license, tag, or equivalent to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers.

For questions on wild game meat/carcasses from other regions or other animal species, or if you require further information related to imports of animal products or byproducts, please contact USDA APHIS Animal Products Import and Export at APIE@usda.gov.

The little extras for game birds. This level of care would also likely help you with your import.

• Carcasses must be rinsed in fresh, clean, potable water prior to packaging and must not have visible evidence of contamination with dirt, blood, or feces; and
• Carcasses must be imported in leak-proof plastic packaging and stored in a leak proof cooler or container during transport and import; and
• Carcasses must be chilled or frozen during transport and import."

 

[JimP]

If the meat is frozen and you have a old sleeping bag to place in that tote to insulate the frozen meat you should be just fine. The sleeping bag will cut down on weight and insulate just as good as a number of cheaper coolers that are out there. I wouldn't worry about dry ice, it is usually just a waste of money if the meat is already frozen.

 

[double rifle newbie]

i ship fish home every summer from alaska back to hot atlanta and dont have any thawing problems as i ship in a “fish box”, an insulated box specifically for shipping frozen items. they can be purchased on amazon, or ordered thru sportsmans warehouse. also, there is always a risk of a lost bag which could ruin what is shipped, so put an apple airtag in your checked luggage. the fish box wont fit a bear hide but your meat shouldnt have any issues. for shipping the hide, fully freeze your bear hide and buy a cheap walmart cooler, put in a cheap sleeping bag or surround with blankets, and fill all the surrounding leftover space in the cooler with shipping peanuts, newspaper, extra clothes, etc. this cuts down on available air space inside the container and keeps your items frozen longer. ive shipped 2 griz hides (including the one in my pic on this site) from kotzebue to anchorage and didnt have any issues at all. my 2 cents

 

[R.M.C.]

Alaska Air does allow up to 5.5# of dry ice according to their website.

@R.M.C. did you pack your own tote (something like the one pictured below) or did Outfitters have any packaging assistance?

View attachment 546830

I got a tote from Walmart and we put the hides and one skull in it before we put it in the guides chest freezer. The lid didn't want to stay on so we drilled a few holes around the lid and tote , then stitched it shut with zip ties. The lady checking bags glanced at it and asked if they were bear hides. I said yes and she checked the tote, no problem. I think they see that a lot in Edmonton. The tote is your picture looks a lot sturdier than the one I used hahaha. I'd just make sure it's not oversized for whatever airlines you're using. I think mine was right on 62 linear inches.

 

[93marlin]

I've not any problems bringing bear driving back to the US from Canada. 8 trips, 7 bear and counting. As long as you have a valid tag and your guide should be able help with the tags and the the necessary paperwork.
Other than that, the border people are more interested in looking at your bear and ooh and ah over it!

 

[V.Veritas]

I know an outfitter in Northern Ontario (Sioux Lookout area) that caters mostly to US hunters for black bear hunting (and fishing).
He is (or at least was) a US citizen himself.
PM me if you want his phone number. He can answer any questions you might have on this topic.

 

[ActionBob]

I flew back to the US from Edmonton with two frozen bear hides in a plastic tote. Had no problems, there was a us customs counter right in the airport so I got them cleared before I flew home. My bear hides were frozen but we're definitely starting to thaw on the trip back but no problems.
Guy at the customs counter just scribbled down " bear hides x2" on a form of some sort and away I went. This was about four years ago, hopefully things are the same lol. Good luck!!

That was my experience. Bought a cheap tote and a roll of duct tape. Had two black bears, one pretty big so the tote didn't fully close. Just taped it up as best we could. Similar experience at customs

For meat I would buy one of the better quality coolers even if the Walmart one. If meat is frozen solid it will be ok without ice.

On my goat hunt with possible moose add on, I drove. Took my Honda generator and chest freezer in the back of the pickup

 

[ActionBob]

Alaska Air does allow up to 5.5# of dry ice according to their website.

@R.M.C. did you pack your own tote (something like the one pictured below) or did Outfitters have any packaging assistance?

View attachment 546830

WAY nicer tote than I used

 

[BnC 04]

Ive used cheap fish boxes on several occations without issue. Worked fine for us and by the time we landed the meat was still nice and frozen.

 

[MarkB]

Never flown across the border with bear but did just fly across Canada with 100 lbs halibut. I do this regularly and follow the airline rules and no issue. Leakproof container,(I use cheap blue coolers) marked "this side up" and "perishable".

As for B bears are they not CITES and require an export permit? Not sure if a cancelled hunting tag qualifies? https://cites.org/eng/node/2653

Will follow this for education purposes.

MB

 

[Tbitty]

I know an outfitter in Northern Ontario (Sioux Lookout area) that caters mostly to US hunters for black bear hunting (and fishing).
He is (or at least was) a US citizen himself.
PM me if you want his phone number. He can answer any questions you might have on this topic.

@V.Veritas I sent a message to my outfitter earlier today to see what info they could offer. I may reach out to you for that contact info if I need more details.

Thanks to everyone who has chimed in so far. It sounds like a tote for the hides/skulls and either another tote or insulated box for frozen meat should do the trick. Keep the suggestions coming, and I'll for sure report back after my trip to this thread for future use by others.

 

[ActionBob]

Never flown across the border with bear but did just fly across Canada with 100 lbs halibut. I do this regularly and follow the airline rules and no issue. Leakproof container,(I use cheap blue coolers) marked "this side up" and "perishable".

As for B bears are they not CITES and require an export permit? Not sure if a cancelled hunting tag qualifies? https://cites.org/eng/node/2653

Will follow this for education purposes.

MB

Grizzlies yes, black bears no.

 

[MarkB]

Grizzlies yes, black bears no.

That makes sense, B bears are around every corner, grizzlies to sad for BC to hunt.

MB