Don G: I have shot black bear and moose in Alberta, on separate hunts, and I never had any problems getting meat or trophies home. And I was driving (the best way to go). As stated above, for black bears you will need a CITES permit to export/import bears...I needed one just to leave the province of Alberta (not just Canada). I had two bears and a CITES permit for each. At the border crossing you check in with Canadian Customs folks and they look at your CITES permit (and may stamp it..I forget) and then you go over to the U.S. Customs people and then they will get a USFWS person to look at your CITES permit and they will look at your bear(s). It doesn't take long and it is kind of interesting to see what a CITES permit is and what it is for. My outfitter had my CITES permits ready for me. As for the moose, anything you bring back with you will not require any extra paperwork. I brought back meat and had no problems. But if you leave your trophy for taxidermy work (which I did), there will be a bunch of paperwork for export/import purposes. It was as hard and expensive to get a shoulder mounted moose from Edmonton, Alberta to Tulsa, Ok as it was to get 7 trophies from Johannesburg to Anchorage.



Both of these hunts were absolutley wonderful.

Don--I think I mis-understood your question. I am pretty certain that there are regulations at the provincial level (BC or Alberta for example) and then there are national regulations (Canadian government level). I am certain if you want to import a black bear in to the United States from Canada (from BC or elsewhere), you will need a CITES permit. Ask your outfitter about this.

Thanks for the link, RWJ. I was convinced that I needed a CITES permit to leave BC until I read your post.



The link didn't work, though. I found it at

http://wlapwww.gov.bc.ca/car/faq/transwild.html



I think I still need to "register" the bear in BC (via a "Compulsory Inspection Data Sheet") if I'm going through the other provinces on the way back, but may not even need that if I return via Montana.



Thanks and Good Hunting,

Don

Sounds to me like the United States may not require a CITES permit to import a black bear. I know in 1997 I was not allowed to leave Alberta or Canada with my bears without a CITES permit. They do update the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species every so often so it is possible I am giving you dated information. Or it could be that Canada requires the CITIES permit, and not the U.S. I did not know I needed a CITIES permit until I shot my first bear and the outfitter filled out this paperwork and gave it to me and told me not to loose it. But things could have changed since 1997. If it is an issue, it sounds like it may be an export issue and not an import issue. If that is the case, your guide will have all the paperwork you need.

Hi Don,
Looking forward to meeting you in Sept. Don't worry about any of the Moose meat. I'm getting kind of skinny and both my buddies Chris K and Chris S have one hell of an appetite. You should look into taking bones across the border. Do you like Whiskey
Take the best of care,
Dave

I had heard there would be some scavengers in camp, now I know what he meant!



Too bad the deer aren't over-running the place like here, I'd shoot a doe for camp meat. (Here in the Cincinnati Urban Area the limit is 5 doe/ one buck a year - even the greenies are getting tired of prying them off their bumper!)



Looking forward to meeting you - but you can leave the cannons at home as far as I'm concerned. My 416 Rem is all I can handle - guess I'm just a wuss!



I just got word last night that my Tacoma is in at the dealer. Now I can carry the freezer in the truck. Too bad the alternator won't handle the load of a 600 Watt inverter for the freezer!



I've heard from every Province on my route except Saskatchewan - looks like no problems on the trophies or meat (as long as it is boned - no skulls). The only suggestion is that I stop in Ft St John and get the game Inspected as proof that all game was taken in BC. This is not mandatory, but it seems like a reasonable precaution.



I like Scotch whiskey, not that watery crap you guys make from grass seed. (Just kidding - Chris introduced to the good stuff - another bad habit to add to my list...)

See you in three weeks!