The wife will carry locally purchased spray, and I plan to carry a rifle. The trip will be a summer RV and hiking journey up the Dempster to the Arctic Ocean. I went on a NF moose hunt in 2019, so I get the gun import issues. However, in the 1970's I found out about prima facie gun issues in Ontario, and the officer just said to leave the gun in the motel.

So the question: In Yukon and NWT can a non resident carry a rifle for bear protection, without getting in trouble? Both by the letter of the law, and custom.

I’m not a Yukon or NWT resident but my understanding is that the answer is what we would call a “hard no”. As in you’d have more luck asking if you could get a pistachio gelato in Hell....

Our government Here in Canada seems to believe that drugs should be legal because banning them doesn’t work but that guns should be banned because the poor logic and inconsistency won’t be noticed if everyone is stoned out of their mind on highly taxed drugs sold by government monopoly stores....

My advice is to just get some bear spray, and enjoy the North country beauty.

Ariet,

I'd ask the Canadian Customs. 1-800-731-4000. This is the number for Canadian gun permits etc.

Mark

a small game hunting license will save a lot of hassle.

a custom officer may decide or not to give you the right to go inside canada with a firearm.

the rcmp has a form to fill in and do sign it before in front of the custom officer.

defense agaisnt wildlife animal is a legit reason to get that license but getting one approved may be different ...

https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/wam...69af5ea5dc40c88d.pdf

Thank you Medved. I had to read the hunting regs again for it to finally sink into my skull. Buy the small game licence for $20. Then on page 27 snowshoe hare is open all year and I can use any rimfire or centerfire rifle. But only birdshot in a shotgun.

I went hunting in 2019 for a moose in Newfoundland, so I get the permit issues. Probably will take the same rifle, assuming Canada keeps records, that might help. Thanks again.

quote:

Originally posted by Arniet:
Thank you Medved. I had to read the hunting regs again for it to finally sink into my skull. Buy the small game licence for $20. Then on page 27 snowshoe hare is open all year and I can use any rimfire or centerfire rifle. But only birdshot in a shotgun.

I went hunting in 2019 for a moose in Newfoundland, so I get the permit issues. Probably will take the same rifle, assuming Canada keeps records, that might help. Thanks again.

no that will be a new one. never assume about our gun laws. your permit will allow you to buy 12 ga ammunition even slugs ...

Isn't Canadian borders still sealed up tight for now?

Luckyducker...yes, the Canadian/US border is closed in both directions except for essential travel. Meaning something serious and does not mean tourism.

At this point the last bit of news I read on this is that they expect to keep it closed until the have a handle on Covid 19 in both the US and Canada. In all likelihood that will be when they have gained some sort of control over it from the vaccine rollouts, so that could be a while at the rate that is taking place.

I doubt it will open to tourism until next summer at the earliest, but time will tell. I do know that the outfitters I talk to regularly do not expect to be able to hunt this coming spring, but are hopeful they may be able to operate in the fall.

As a Canadian citizen I've gone the other way, and imported guns into the US.
In 2012 we traveled from Ontario down into Mich, then went down below the lakes, eventually to the border at Portal ND(?).
What pissed me off was that at US Customs they waved me through, when entering the states, then when we got to Canada Customs, same thing!
I had all my permits was 100% legal, and didn't have to show a thing!
I could have been smuggling pygmy rhinos and got off with it (seemingly).

Then in 2018 we traveled to Ak, and I screwed up my permit. My shotgun was legit, but I did not report what ammo I was taking.
The US customs officer was a decent guy and even though he knew I had screwed up, he eventually just asked, "Ok, what ammo are you declaring?"
Which was simply a couple of 5-shot boxes of slugs.... and he waved us through.

Then the stupid part: when we eventually returned to Canada, and I showed the Canada Customs dude my firearms permits, he got all excited and the only thing he cared about was, "WOW!! You can take guns into the USA!?" Then it was, "Can you take handguns!?"
Funny shit... and once again, I could have been smuggling pygmy rhinos.

I am thinking that post vaccination we will be allowed in, but we are not going until July. By the way, I will get my Yellow Card filled out. Perhaps, we will treat covid just like yellow fever. If you have the shot you can travel.

My experience crossing the border in 2019, was very boring. The customs officers on the Canada side did not bother checking the firearms serial numbers, didn't even leave the office. Coming back with a moose, nobody checked the paperwork, or the guns or the moose. I told US customs about the moose and the guns, they didn't care. Now fruits and veggies were a major item, on both sides of the border. Hey, whatever they want, I just obey and get back on the road.

quote:

Originally posted by Demonical:
As a Canadian citizen I've gone the other way, and imported guns into the US.
In 2012 we traveled from Ontario down into Mich, then went down below the lakes, eventually to the border at Portal ND(?).
What pissed me off was that at US Customs they waved me through, when entering the states, then when we got to Canada Customs, same thing!
I had all my permits was 100% legal, and didn't have to show a thing!
I could have been smuggling pygmy rhinos and got off with it (seemingly).

Did you declare the firearms to them? If not had you been pulled over later by the police it likely wouldn't have gone well in this post 911 world.

Regard ammo, neither the USA or Canada has cared much about it other than once on the Canadian side the border officer said as long as your not carrying a large quantity however much that was he didn't say.

quote:

Did you declare the firearms to them? If not had you been pulled over later by the police it likely wouldn't have gone well in this post 911 world.

Only in the anti-firearm states.

The average police wouldn't care or known about import papers.