Charlie, I’m a Canadian, so I’ve never gone through the entire process myself, but I have seen it and what Canadians have to do is substantially similar when we return with firearms (except we don’t have to fill out a form). Here’s what you should do (with all the usual caveats that government agents can be difficult and sometimes a bit arbitrary - but you’re going to Edmonton, and they will have experience with this so your odds of ‘unintentional’ trouble are really reduced):
1. Make sure your rifle is legal to possess in Canada. In Canadian legal lingo, it has to be a non-restricted firearm. Most rifles are non-restricted, but any of the following would be a significant problem:
- any AR-15 type rifle or any variant thereof. If it looks like it might be military, don’t bring it. It’s prohibited in Canada (although there’s a fight about that at the moment - but you don’t want to get in the middle of that). Calling it a “modern sporting rifle” won’t help!
- any semi-auto has to have a clip which can hold no more than five rounds. If it can hold more than that, it’s prohibited. Again, we’re fighting about that, but again, not a fight you want to get in the middle of.
In other words, you should bring something that looks like a regular, bolt action rifle to minimize any potential issues. We don’t have a problem with any particular calibre, but recent legislation has tried to make certain elephant and larger calibers prohibited (like .50 BMG), so bringing those would cause some issues. I’m assuming you’re not hunting dinosaurs.
2. Don’t bring any handguns with you. These are ‘restricted” in our parlance, and some are prohibited (and the distinction is pretty arbitrary). They will be likely be confiscated. You cannot hunt with a handgun in Canada. There is a way to bring them in temporarily but not worth the trouble.
3. When you arrive in Canada, declare the firearms at the machine where you will fill out your declaration (Canadians have to do that as well). When you get to the officer, he will likely ask you what you have and why, and you say for hunting, and he will refer you to secondary inspection (or write a code on your form which will tell the guy who collects forms as you leave the customs baggage area to send you to secondary.
You will then go and pick up your luggage which will include the rifle.
4. At secondary inspection, a Canadian shows his firearms permit and they may or may not check the rifle, but generally that’s it (if they’re coming from anywhere other than the US the customs officer will also look for an export permit, and the Canadian will generally want the officer to sign his permit saying he has returned the firearm to Canada). In your case they will ask what you’re hunting and where (keep that info with you). They (or you and they) will fill out a form which will allow you to bring the rifle into Canada on a temporary basis. (Form RCMP 5589, I think:
https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/wam/media/2347/original/d369a605ac3363b569af5ea5dc40c88d.pdf). You might ven be able to fill this out in advance and save some time.
5. You’re good to go.
You’re flying into Edmonton, so they will have experience with this sort of thing, and by and large I think you will find the officers to be pretty polite and helpful (if you are too!). It happens a lot during hunting season, so don’t sweat it. If you’re bringing in a ’non-restricted’ rifle you won’t have any trouble.
Good luck and let us know how it goes!
