Canada hunt question

[Hififile324]

I have hunted Canada twice. I brought my own rifle and stayed in hotels in Winnepeg with no problem. The hotel front desk there was used to hunters and rifles. When you enter Canada you will need RCMP firearm paperwork. Keep that with you and you will be fine.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

You may choose to do the cbp4457 for added peace of mind, but cpb told me it’s not really necessary for this per se as your Canadian non resident firearms declaration clearly indicates that you had the guns before leaving the States.

@RedTag This is not good advice, in my opinion.

A couple years ago, I was coming back to the US after a BC hunt. We cleared US customs in Vancouver, BC. I gave my boarding pass to the CBP officer and he scanned it. Two photos popped up on his screen and he turned it to where I could see it. The photos were of my two checked bags, a duffle bag and a rifle case. The CBP officer pointed to the photo of the rifle case and asked, "What is this?" I told him it was a rifle case with one rifle in it. He then asked to see my Form 4457. I produced it and also mentioned a copy was inside the rifle case. I quickly received the standard "Thank you, have a nice day" response.

My hunting buddy was in another line and it wasn't moving very fast. I waited quite awhile for him to clear. The problem was the two guys ahead of him in line, dressed in camo, didn't have a Form 4457. They were getting invited to the little room and getting their rifles confiscated.

Bottom line: If you are taking a rifle out of the US and plan to bring it back when you return, get a form 4457.

 

[MauserDuff]

I've taken firearms into Canada from the U.S. on three occasions. Twice I had the Form 4457. Neither time was it asked for or shown. The first time, I asked to get a 4457 from the customs inspector from a local international airport, and he'd never seen one. The second time, I asked U.S. Customs (while re-entering U.S. from Canada on a different trip without a firearm), Customs said I needed one. Upon entry into Canada later with the firearm (driving) I got one with inspection but no hassles. Re-entry into the U.S. it was not requested. However, the U.S. Customs site says you need one, so there's that...... Sorta like TSA, you don't know what they'll let pass.

 

[RedTag]

@RedTag This is not good advice, in my opinion.

A couple years ago, I was coming back to the US after a BC hunt. We cleared US customs in Vancouver, BC. I gave my boarding pass to the CBP officer and he scanned it. Two photos popped up on his screen and he turned it to where I could see it. The photos were of my two checked bags, a duffle bag and a rifle case. The CBP officer pointed to the photo of the rifle case and asked, "What is this?" I told him it was a rifle case with one rifle in it. He then asked to see my Form 4457. I produced it and also mentioned a copy was inside the rifle case. I quickly received the standard "Thank you, have a nice day" response.

My hunting buddy was in another line and it wasn't moving very fast. I waited quite awhile for him to clear. The problem was the two guys ahead of him in line, dressed in camo, didn't have a Form 4457. They were getting invited to the little room and getting their rifles confiscated.

Bottom line: If you are taking a rifle out of the US and plan to bring it back when you return, get a form 4457.

That’s interesting. I did the 4457 my first trip through Canada with firearms when moving to Alaska 18 years ago. I was filling in the paperwork and having them check everything before crossing the border as I wanted no question or hassle getting back into the US. Spent hours at US customs to get it done as it was a low volume crossing and they were super busy at the time searching some hippies in a van returning from Canada. The customs agent who checked me out said in the future I could just show my Canada non resident firearms declaration for reentering the US, and that they didn’t care about our household electronics and so forth. This was obviously the opinion of one customs officer, possibly not correct, and he maybe just wanted to get on to his lunch. But I have since traveled back and forth several times and did just that, skipped the 4457 and showed my Canadian paperwork reentering the States. And so far so good, including one trip with handguns and a Canadian authorization to transport restricted weapons. These have all been land crossings, never by air, if that matters but it shouldn’t. I appreciate your advice, and the cautionary tale is duly noted. I will make a point to do the 4457 going forward.

 

[TheDoubleD]

Before leaving the states be sure to get your CBP4457 form filled out and signed by the US Border Patrol.

If you ask a US Border Patrol Officer to sign your CBP4457, he may not even know what is and probably will decline signing. BP Officers work between the Ports of entry. If you have BP office in your area, you can contact them and ask. They may do it-maybe.

Have a CBP Officer-Customs and Border Protection Officer sign it. They are at all Ports of entry. Look them up on the internet well before hand to take care of this. If you are flying out of an International Airport, there should be CBPO there. If don't have a CBP Officer in your area and you are making connections, they last airport you fly out of to a foreign country, should have CBP Officers. Call ahead a make arrangements. On a connecting flight you would have to make arrangements to collect you rifle. Before the Customs

Yes you can show your Canada temporary import papers, and common sense says that should work. But as a retired Customs officer I can tell you common sense does not always prevail. Not all Customs Officers are as sweet, kind and nice as I was. And I was an SME for Customs Arms Import and Export control. We were few and far between.

The 4457 form is needed if there is any doubt.

 

[Green Chile]

I would add to that....I would never be comfortable trying to get a signature on a 4457 while at an airport to fly to a hunt. Yes, they are the biggest waste of time but find their location and schedule and go sometime with multiple guns that you might travel to hunt with abroad. Take 4 or 5 guns and go spend 30 min or an hour with them. You have no idea of what's in line in front of you. Could be a commercial trucker with a lot of paperwork. By the way, leave the guns in the vehicle until they ask you to get them.

Also, be polite but if they are nasty or hard to work with, don't fight them...note their name and what day/time it is and send me a note. The senior CBP official at the DFW location (near airport) is a friend of mine. He wants good customer service.

 

[whisk(e)y hunter]

Do the 4457 and do it before your trip. Period.