Ron spomer wrote an article on surprises on his recent trip bakc from a Canadian moose hunting trip. He had several problems for which he blamed Air Canada and the Canadian Govt. As I was reading the article at each step I am thinking "Why would he do that, he's asking fr trouble"
1st, they decided to bring meat home, they could only buy one hard cooler and one styrofoam, then he bitched about the extra charge. Then when he got to Vancouver , he hadn't checked to make sre his bags were shecked through the whole way to Seatle as he was changing from AC to Air Alaska(they weren't). Air Alaska wouldn't take the STYROFOAM cooler(imagine) so hea had to repack, he got charged againfor the extra bags. Then he bitched because the Canadian law for declaring his rifle in the case is different from the TSA rule(imagine that a Canadian law might be different from a US law).
then he had to declare the whole $50 charge via Air Canada for bringing his gun.

All the first problems he had I can't imagine him not checking that stuff bfore ding it. Everytime I get on a plane I check to make sure my bags are checked through to my final destination, I can't imagine carrying a STYROFOAM cooler full of meat on an Airplane.
This article has convinced me Ron Spomer is a idiot.

I just went thru some similar experieces. Firstly one cannot check bags thru Van. to Seattle. Bags must be claimed, cleared thru US customs (in Van.) then taken to connecting carrier. The $50 charge is blatent liberal sponsored anti-gun bullshit dreamed up by air canada. It is not the same as the $50 reg. fee for firearms. Stay away from air canada. Fly West-Jet and Alaska Air and do your homework. I agree that Ron S. doesn't appear too bright, not so much for the mishaps, but for blaming others for his lack of foresight. Mark

Air Canada is liberal ?? And I though it was just a poor excuse for a airline.

Air canada was kept alive by several succesive liberal gov'ts.The present gov't will let them sink, I hope. They are anti everything, especially customers. Mark

Sometime Spomer's not the sharpest tack in the pack and I have to agree that only a fool would try to transport meat back to the US in a styrofoam cooler.

HOWEVER, Air Canada is truly a POS airline and I've only had one bite out of that apple. Trust me, I'll find another way to get there before I take another bite.

I'm wondering what kind of goat rope Canada is going to push us through now that we all have to have passports to get entry. (And I'm sorry, Canadian friends, but I had an issue with one of your customs guys a few years back. I came to Saskatchewan deer hunting. I had two boxes of .300 Win Mag shells and a belt punch with 6 rounds packed in checked baggage. I got there, fired one round to see if the gun ws on, and then fired another to kill a deer. I'd used the one out of the box for the range shot. When I went to check the bags, my bag was pulled. The agent told me that I had a box of ammo that wasn't filled. I told him my story. He said I'd have to open my bag and either remove the box with one empty or take a round out of my pouch and put it in the box. So I did just that. I asked him why he wasn't concerned about a pouch that now only contained 4 round instead of the 6 and that this was just bullshit. He says to me, "What's wrong with you, don't you know we had 9/11?" I was pissed. I told him unless I was badly mistaken WE didn't have shit but the US certainly did and that 9/11 didn't have shit to do with American citizens coming back to their home. My buddies pulled me away before I got locked up, but I'm still pissed at that arrogance and the stupidity of making me take a round out of a pouch just so the box could be completely full. I guess if I hadn't have taken a pouch, I'd have had to surrender $27 worth of ammo because one hole wasn't filled.)

George. First off Canada does not require a passport for Americans visiting. It was your much beloved geo bush and his group of fearmongers that began the passport bullshit. U.S. law requires the passport, even for U.S. citizens returning on a cruise ship. Talk to your congressman. I doubt the ammo issue was with a canada customs agent as they have nothing to do with anyone exiting Canada. Could have been US customs as they are present in Toronto, Calgary and Van. Maybe others as well. One actually clears US customs before leaving Can. It's not often I take the side of gov't but you are way off here. Get the facts straight before finger wagging, Mark

35404, No mistake, CANADIAN customs, Edmonton, Alberta. And I really don't think it was the " much beloved geo bush and his group of fearmongers that began the passport bullshit" that required me to have a copy of my birth certificate before I came into Canada BEFORE the passport was agreed upon. Actually the passport makes it easier once we get it through our bureaucracy. Mexico didn't require a birth certiciate. I'm not trying to make this an us versus you issue, but your side carries a bunch of baggage by not extraditing murderers and protected draft dodgers, so lets not get into those issues. Additionally, you obviously don't understand how OUR government works. The President often takes blame for issues he has little or no control over. Our politicians think they're above the law and should be treated like British royalty. We have the best professional politicians money can buy, so that makes them out of the price range of most of us who visit your beautiful country.

George

As of Thursday, February 1st. only a picture ID proving residence is required to enter Canada. A passport is not required. You do have to have one if you are planning to come back to the US.

The US is the Country that requires a passport from all entrants into the US. From anywhere. This has made it a real pain in the Ass for Canadians and Americans who don't ususlly have passports.

More Government control.

George,
Edmonton also has US customs. Canada Customs only checks people coming into Canada, not people leaving Canada. As to 9/11, sorry but there were Canadians in the twin towers also, and no, none of the terrorists came from Canada. They were all in the US on US Visas of one type or other.

As for air canada I completly agree that they are a terrible airline and I am glad they we have Westjet who is now also flying into the US. Not to metion that that most US airlines also fly into Canada.

Just be glad that you don't have to go through the nightmare to come up here that we have to, for going to or through the US with our guns.

Canuck, Edmonton had both customs when I was there in 2002. I had to clear a baggage check as soon as I passed the Duty Free gate. Once I cleared there, I had to take my bags through the door and through the US Customs guys. I don't know what they have there today, but I do know what I went through then.

Also, I wasn't trying to downplay the importance of tried and true Canadians. My comments were directed at the jerk politicians on BOTH sides of our shared border. US Customs guys are notorious assholes. I was driving back from a BC elk hunt over 20 years ago and some snot nosed guy made me dump all my frozen elk meat out of a box of sawdust just in case I "might" be hiding drugs inside the box. Then he demanded to see my Canadian HUNTING LICENSE. I told him I'd left it at the outfitter in Cranbrook and that he had the export/import tag that he required. He threatened to confiscate my meat but made the mistake of calling the RCMP guy over. The Mountie reamed his ass that the Canadian hunting license belonged to Canada and that if they didn't need that export/import permit, then he'd notify Ottawa to stop wasting Canadian's time. Needless to say, he let the meat get through.

I had a similar experience on leaving Gander airport in Newfoundland. I brought 40 rounds of .300 mag with me, shot two caribou and a moose (4 rounds) but did not find all the brass. As I am going thru screening to get on the plane in Gander, the candian TSA types get a panic attack about the missing cartridges. I carefully explained that I had shot three animals and did not get the brass. They had to call a supervisor over to allow the box of ammo on the plane. To make matters worse, they then left my gun in Gander, and had to ship it back to texas several days later (so much for personally clearing the gun thru US customs and showing the 4457). I did not experience so much bad attitude as total ignorance. If I bring a gun and ammo to hunt, surely they expect some of the ammo to be used?! I definitely would not take air canada again and am not sure of hunting canada again.

This past summer, I stopped at the U.S. side of the border entering the lower 48 on a trip from Alaska......after looking at the passports(lifelong U.S. citizens), the U.S. agent asked me why I was entering the U.S.......then also asked how long we were going to stay in "our country"(Alaska is the 49th state so probably for the rest of our lives)......he then asked what kind of sandwich(pastrami) I had on the dash of the truck....I thought he was kidding....I told him and he asked me to pull to the side......I complied and they proceeded to shake us down.......I asked what they were looking for......I was told to stand aside.....I complied......finally one asked me if I had anything I wanted to tell them......I stated no......they asked if I packed the truck myself......I told them yes......they asked where the meat came from in the sandwiches and the meat(cold cuts & dehydrated pot roast) in the cooler......I told them it came from a Safeway in Alaska and my kitchen......they asked if I had a receipt from Safeway......I didn't......that's when they told me that they were searching for CANADIAN BEEF! Oh geez.....in a world of WMDs(didn't find those either) and our gov. was worried about cold cuts and the dehydrated pot roast in my freezer bag meals......I had to ask them to sign my gun paper work.....they did't see the rifles in the spare bedroll next to the cooler in the back.....guess they thought they had found the mother lode w/that dehydrated pot roast.

Pesky Canucks with your funky beef and no telling what else ......oh, forgot hockey.....I won't go there ......causing all that international hate and discontent.....if you people weren't so nice, the hunting and fishing so good, not to mention all of the water, I'd probably never go to Canada again.

Anyway, the passport requirements are for re-entering the U.S., required by the U.S.

Joe

LMAO Joe. Doesn't it make you feel better to sleep at night when you have this caliber of public servants taking your tax money. LMAO

George, I sleep well knowing that the only reason I'll ever leave Alaska again is to hunt, fish, and eat Alberta beefsteaks in Canada.....visiting the east coast was good for reminding me why I live in Alaska.....I'd also like to thank Canada for being a buffer zone for Alaska; sort of keeping the lower 48 at bay.


Oh, I forgot good Canadian beer, too.(sorry guys)

Joe

I sure don't want to start a pissing match. However a lot of people including many Canucks don't stop to think that just because they are in a Canadian airport doesn't mean that they aren't dealing with agents from the states. When you go to the states it's an American border agent when you come to Canada its a Canadian agent. I continually hear of these horror stories and people really should wake up and look at the country where the worrisome law originates. By the way I've had to dump my cooler out going to the States-they are completely justified in making sure my precious BC. fruit isn't brought in and contaminate anything. There are some pretty bad agricultural pests etc. As to cartridge boxes with one missing we can all read the regulations-all we gotta do is follow the rules, or bend them to suit our needs where possible.

the chef

I was in Toronto on 9-11; flew there the night before, and I was really touched by the reaction in Canada - there were US flags everywhere, on every bridge it seemed.

25 Canadians died on 9-11, or nearly 1 in every 100 people.

quote:

Originally posted by AnotherAZWriter:
I was in Toronto on 9-11; flew there the night before, and I was really touched by the reaction in Canada - there were US flags everywhere, on every bridge it seemed.

25 Canadians died on 9-11, or nearly 1 in every 100 people.

Ya, I remember that day. In my small town we got more US flags then our own, where we got them from, hell knows, but they were right beside Canadian flags. I even got one
American may not like all we do here in Canada, but we are the closest you guys have.

My little problem with US is when I place an order for my reloading components or other hunting items.
On Sunday, I tried to order few Sweedish military knives from Sportsmanguides and was told that sorry we don't ship them to Canada, they are prohibited. WTH, I ever got pissed.

So there always will be something we will not agree but as long as we respect each other.

Business take me to ontario several times a year. I generally drive instead of fly because the distance is not too far. But my point is, Canadian Customs are generally very friendly and easy to get along with. It is the US Customs Agents that are difficult. Even to the point where I got one of the "random" serches they do (wich is ok with me) -- but when they take the rear seat out of the car, the spare out of the truck and leave 6 boxes of literature sitting on the pad when they are done. Then tell me-- I can put it all together and am free to go as I have zero contraband-- it tries one's patience! By the way, they give you a little sheet that quotes the regulation thay have that allows them NOT to put everything back. No problems here with Canadian Customs or restrictions!

I went to Albeta this past fall on a goose/duck hunt, Stettler area; our experience with Customs, both US and Canadian, was generally very good. Naturally a great deal of patience is required, but I've found in my (3) total trips to Canada, all to hunt, is that ALL of the i's must be dotted and the t's must be crossed in order to reduce the possibility of you being f$%^&d with.... I also read Spomer's article and wondered the same thing about his thought processes in flying with a styro cooler full of meat.... intelligence and common sense are two very different things. Canada is a great country, just too damn many liberals in positions of power, just like another country I can think of

Regards,
Craig Nolan

I'll be hunting moose in Newfoundland this fall. I've hunted all over the world, but have never brought meat and antlers/horns back with me on a commercial flight.

Moose meat is too good not to bring some home, however.

After reading the above, I plan to pack my gear into one suitcase and take an empty (hard) ice chest to Newfoundland from Tucson. Here are my questions:

1. Do airlines allow ice chests to be packed with dry ice? Total travel time from Deer Lake, Newfoundland, to Tucson is 14 to 16 hours.

2. What problems can I expect going through U.S. customs with antlers and meat? Anything other than a hunting license and passport needed?

3. I found a list on the internet of U.S. ports of entry through which game meat can be imported. Except for Detroit, they all were for small towns I'd never heard of. I assume they are on the border, and the meat is coming into the country in private vehicles. Does the DHS allow moose meat to enter through larger airports?

These may seem like stupid questions to anyone who hunts a lot in Canada, but my Canada experience is limited to just two hunts in the 1990s, and I shipped only capes and antlers to my taxidermist.

Thanks for your help.

Bill Quimby

Bill I think dry ice is consisered a dangerous good. It expands and creates havoc. If anyone knows differently please correct me.

the chef

Bill,

On a recent trip to Alaska I shipped my gear in a very large 6 day cooler with the same thought as you--returning the gear in a duffle and bringing back the cooler full of meat. The cooler was too damn big. Hard to handle and caused me overweight/oversize surcharges. The airline did lose my moose meat though and when it finally showed up after three days it was still frozen.

I'd suggest that, IF POSSIBLE, you get the meat hard frozen and packed in what they call "wet locks". These are waxed cardboard boxes that have a plastic bag liner. They are much easier to handle and will hold your frozen meat for 24 hours. You might need two of them instead of just one large cooler so your baggage costs could end up the same. They are much, much easier to transport than a 150 quart cooler. If you take a cooler buy some extra large plastic zip lock ties to secure the lid with. You can wait until TSA is through with their inspection and then secure the latches. I was able to locate some that, when paired, encircled the entire cooler.

Also, the next time I haul gear in a duffle I will get one with wheels on it--as my hardsided rifle case has.

Thanks, Calgarychef1 and plainview.

I don't know if they have a butcher shop in Deer Lake Newfoundland, so I guess I need to take a small ice chest and keep the weight with meat under 50 pounds. If "wet locks" are available, I can donate the cooler to someone in Canada.

Anyone try bringing moose antlers back on commercial flights? When I shot a moose in the Yukon years ago I had antlers and cape shipped to a taxidermist. I don't need another mount, but I'd like to bring the antlers home with me.

Any problem today with splitting the skull plate and duct-taping the antlers together to make a smaller package and cushioning the tines with the foam tubes used to insulate pipes?

We did this with 12 elk antlers (it made one heck of a big, ungainly and ugly package) when a group of us returned frrom Mongolia years ago. Back then, we paid excess baggage charges based on number of pieces and there was no weight limit.

Bill Quimby

I have flown with frozen meat and fish numerous times to Colorado from Alaska....coolers work great, wetlock boxes(we call them fish boxes) are good too. It doesn't take too large of a cooler(60qt maybe...could be smaller) to weigh over 50lbs when packed with meat.

If you can freeze it ahead of time there are no worries with a large chuck of meat(or many smaller pieces of meat) remaining frozen in a fish box for 24 hrs. They are easier to handle then a huge cooler, but I prefer several smaller coolers instead of one huge cooler or fish boxes. If you are flying in small planes, the pilot normally prefers several small pieces of luggage rather than one huge one. YMMV.

phil