Traveling to Canada

[BRICKBURN]

Take your note book and camera. After all this, I want to read the hunt report.

 

[Tra3]

A few additional notes: bring the Canadian form in triplicate. Take a phone photo of the serial numbers on your rifles. It is $25 Canadian dollars not US (seems obvious but if you haven’t exchanged cash, use a card)

We drove north from Spokane through the border crossing at Midway. We followed the map program in the iPhone, which doesn’t tell you the border closure time. We arrived a mere 15 min muted before that border checkpoint closed at 5:00. They let us through but not without getting flack from the border folks. Soooo... make sure to verify the hours of any border crossing.
Also, Canada used to be very strict if a person has a DUI or other criminal record. If someone in your hunting party has a crim record, make sure to double check whether or not it will be a problem.
(I just ate some excellent Canadian mule deer last night!)

 

[Red Leg]

Sounds like I have my answer. Thank you. Always wise to listen to those who have gone before you. Thanks RL.

BD

And you will have a great hunt and take a fine bear - or two.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Maybe part of your trip preparation should be to watch a few episodes of "Highway Through Hell" on the Weather Channel.

 

[Philip Glass]

This is something to consider for sure. I’ll have to compare flight options.

Are there travel agents that are well versed in Canada travel on here? Travel Express? It would be worth getting help on this one looks like. Bobby have a great hunt!

 

[BRICKBURN]

Maybe part of your trip preparation should be to watch a few episodes of "Highway Through Hell" on the Weather Channel.

That would be a good idea If he was driving in the winter months.

 

[Red Leg]

Are there travel agents that are well versed in Canada travel on here? Travel Express? It would be worth getting help on this one looks like. Bobby have a great hunt!

This is the easiest international hunt in the world to make - by far. Fill out this form in triplicate http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/wam/media/2347/original/d369a605ac3363b569af5ea5dc40c88d.pdf , fly to Vancouver; (Normally, your contract from BCTMO will tell you what day to arrive in Vancouver); pick up your rifle and luggage, place them on a luggage cart and walk to the tax desk with Visa card and permit form in hand; sign the form, pay $25 (yes Canadian) with the Visa card, and put one copy of the stamped form in your pocket (now it is your gun permit); roll the luggage cart past the nice security people (they have their hands full with the on going Chinese and Indian invasion); follow signs to "taxi" and another nice person will hail one; tell the driver to take you to the Sheraton Guildford Hotel in Surrey https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/yvrsi-sheraton-vancouver-guildford-hotel/ (make a reservation before leaving home) - with tip it is about an eighty dollar Canadian fare (might want to hit the ATM before getting in the taxi, but they will take US dollars.) Your driver will be from the Punjab region of India - must be a union thing. Check in and the BCTMO driver will get you in the morning. Simple.

Before leaving home, make another reservation at the airport hotel. They'll drive you there on the day following your last hunting day. I use the Fairmont on the airport itself, but it is expensive. There are many in the immediate area. You then fly out the next morning.

If this was screwed up because of your chat with Andre's girlfriend, and the arrival date and pick up are not on your contract, call or email Andre and sort it out.

Also, for God's sake please PM me if you have any questions.

 

[Red Leg]

That would be a good idea If he was driving in the winter months.

There are stretches along the Fraser that turn to single lane with seemingly a thousand foot drop and no guard rail - meeting a logging truck is a stimulating event. Good mid-Asian or South American stuff. Then, stretches get worse once one enters the Bridge River drainage - and along there one has no cell service at all. We did it in mid-November once, and I am still recovering.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

That would be a good idea If he was driving in the winter months.

Spring bear hunts are usually late May or early June. When I was a kid living in Spokane, the family drove to Seattle in late May and barely got through Snoqualmie Pass on I-90. Serious blizzard conditions.

A few years ago, I did a late May bear hunt in Montana and one day we got rain, sleet and snow.

I did a late May brown bear hunt on the Alaska Peninsula and had 10 days of intense sunshine and got sunburn and no brown bear. Go figure!

 

[BRICKBURN]

Spring bear hunts are usually late May or early June. When I was a kid living in Spokane, the family drove to Seattle in late May and barely got through Snoqualmie Pass on I-90. Serious blizzard conditions.

A few years ago, I did a late May bear hunt in Montana and one day we got rain, sleet and snow.

I did a late May brown bear hunt on the Alaska Peninsula and had 10 days of intense sunshine and got sunburn and no brown bear. Go figure!

Winter is a relative concept. Latitude and elevation.

 

[GA Hunter]

This is the easiest international hunt in the world to make - by far. Fill out this form in triplicate http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/wam/media/2347/original/d369a605ac3363b569af5ea5dc40c88d.pdf , fly to Vancouver; (Normally, your contract from BCTMO will tell you what day to arrive in Vancouver); pick up your rifle and luggage, place them on a luggage cart and walk to the tax desk with Visa card and permit form in hand; sign the form, pay $25 (yes Canadian) with the Visa card, and put one copy of the stamped form in your pocket (now it is your gun permit); roll the luggage cart past the nice security people (they have their hands full with the on going Chinese and Indian invasion); follow signs to "taxi" and another nice person will hail one; tell the driver to take you to the Sheraton Guildford Hotel in Surrey https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/yvrsi-sheraton-vancouver-guildford-hotel/ (make a reservation before leaving home) - with tip it is about an eighty dollar Canadian fare (might want to hit the ATM before getting in the taxi, but they will take US dollars.) Your driver will be from the Punjab region of India - must be a union thing. Check in and the BCTMO driver will get you in the morning. Simple.

Before leaving home, make another reservation at the airport hotel. They'll drive you there on the day following your last hunting day. I use the Fairmont on the airport itself, but it is expensive. There are many in the immediate area. You then fly out the next morning.

If this was screwed up because of your chat with Andre's girlfriend, and the arrival date and pick up are not on your contract, call or email Andre and sort it out.

Also, for God's sake please PM me if you have any questions.

Thanks for the additional detail. Andre prepared the contract and the dates are listed just as you described. Arrive 2 days before the first hunting day, drive to camp the 2nd day, and start hunting the next.

For the record 95% of my interaction was with him. I specifically asked about Seattle fairly early in the conversation and they both agreed that it was an option. She further commented that she thought Seattle may actually be less stressful. Hence why I put it out there.

Looking forward to this one. First Canadian trip and first bear. Should be exciting.

 

[Red Leg]

Check with Andre and see if Todd is available to guide you. He has looked after me on five trips for assorted beasts over the last decade, and is a terrific guide. You will enjoy him immensely, and he will find you a good boar (or two - if you get one early, a second is very reasonable). Should you imbibe, take advantage of the provisions stop in Lillooet. It will be next to the liquor store. The ranch does not stock it, but has no objection - indeed encourages you - to bring in whatever you care to have. And the store is happy to take a credit card.