Bringing back game meat from US

[vance]

Heading to Texas for my first hunt out of Canada. According to the Gov Can website/food inspection agency, I can bring back 20kg of meat. Can I bring back more and pay duty on it, or is over 20kg not allowed at all?
Thanks
Vance

[flyguyd]

I have brought several deer back from Idaho to Alberta and never had a problem. Your hunting licence is your export permit

Maybe Texas is different

[NCC]

What part of TX are you going to and what are you hunting?

I would call or email the Canadian Borser Services, as they were very helpful when I brought a taxidermied pig head across. I now need to find a ride for a turkey in a flying pose.

[vance]

Thanks guys. I am going to central TX after turkey, hogs and axis deer.
Vance

[RiverHawk]

I brought back a few coolers full of alligator gar from Texas. They were frozen with dry ice, and I never paid a thing except extra baggage.

[Redneck 7]

I don’t know anything about your question you have made the thread for Vance but are you taking down a firearm for this hunt? What will you be using? Sounds like a great time.

[BigJon]

I didn't have any trouble bringing antelope home from the USA however speaking with CBSA and CFIA before I departed for my trip it became evident to me that those agencies have very much embraced the "equal opportunity employer" manifesto. The conversations were painful and revealed very little information. A phone call to USFWS was quite helpful as was a conversation with an Alberta F&W Enforcement Officer.

[vance]

I am bringing a firearm. Its an old Voere mauser in 6.5x55 swede. A while back, I asked on the forum for advice on how to bring a forearm into the US and guys were very helpful.
Surprisingly easy to get ATF approval. Filled out a 3 page form and got permit via email in less than 2wks.
I am getting the rifle and ammo inspected at the airport the morning of departure and they will stamp a permit for re-importation so I don't have a problem bringing it back.
Have been on the phone a lot today with canada border services, food inspection agency and others!

[Redneck 7]

Originally Posted by vance

I am bringing a firearm. Its an old Voere mauser in 6.5x55 swede. A while back, I asked on the forum for advice on how to bring a forearm into the US and guys were very helpful.
Surprisingly easy to get ATF approval. Filled out a 3 page form and got permit via email in less than 2wks.
I am getting the rifle and ammo inspected at the airport the morning of departure and they will stamp a permit for re-importation so I don't have a problem bringing it back.
Have been on the phone a lot today with canada border services, food inspection agency and others!

Oh that’s awesome! Good luck and don’t forget to share the experience and hunts.

[vance]

Spoke with manager at Can Food Inspec Agency. If coming into Canada by road, one can bring the whole animal, unless it is banned. Hog meat is banned, so I can't bring any pig.
Coming back by air, limit is 20kg per person. I asked if I can bring more and pay the duty/tax. No, because over 20kg is commercial importation, which means permits, etc.

[Beeman3]

Originally Posted by vance

I am bringing a firearm. Its an old Voere mauser in 6.5x55 swede. A while back, I asked on the forum for advice on how to bring a forearm into the US and guys were very helpful.
Surprisingly easy to get ATF approval. Filled out a 3 page form and got permit via email in less than 2wks.
I am getting the rifle and ammo inspected at the airport the morning of departure and they will stamp a permit for re-importation so I don't have a problem bringing it back.
Have been on the phone a lot today with canada border services, food inspection agency and others!

Are they requiring you to do this inspection? I went to Texas this past January and flew out of Winnipeg. No one looked at my guns upon check in or after I cleared U.S. customs. Drove home with a friend, CBSA didn’t look at my guns or ATF permit either upon entering Canada. I couldn’t believe it. Not that it mattered as I had all my paperwork in order.

[vance]

I spoke with the officer at the Roosville crossing coming back from Montana last week. He suggested the inspection as a fail-safe: evidence that I am not importing the firearm into Canada. It is not required, but seems prudent to do.

I probably will have no trouble as you have described, but this is my first time so I am probably over-preparing.

[Fletch10]

Originally Posted by vance

Spoke with manager at Can Food Inspec Agency. If coming into Canada by road, one can bring the whole animal, unless it is banned. Hog meat is banned, so I can't bring any pig.
Coming back by air, limit is 20kg per person. I asked if I can bring more and pay the duty/tax. No, because over 20kg is commercial importation, which means permits, etc.

I was hunting in Mississippi for hogs last February (2017) and unless thing have changed since then the wild boar meat I brought back didn't have an issue at customs. As long as it under the weight limit there is personal exemption for person use of it with hunting licence as permit.

[vance]

I was told my CFIA that the banned/non-banned status of hog meat changes from time to time. I suspect that CBPS(customs) doesn't know/doesn't care and since that is who we deal with at the airport, it most likely would not be an issue. However, if they chose to check with CFIA, I want to be in the clear.
I will (hopefully) have venison, turkey and hog meat harvested, so more than I can bring back anyway. I will just bring my limit of 2 species, rather than 3.
I would rather rather be more cautious than I need to be, but thats just me.

[Beeman3]

I know what you mean by over preparing! I did the same thing. I even had to send pictures of my guns to the ATF with my 6N1A form because they are custom builds. I actually wanted to show somebody my paperwork because of the work that went into obtaining it. Maybe next time it will be different. Good luck in Texas. January was my first time in Texas. I would go back every year if I could.

[abhunter8]

Good information that I will hopefully need next year.

[Rackmastr]

Originally Posted by vance

I was told my CFIA that the banned/non-banned status of hog meat changes from time to time. I suspect that CBPS(customs) doesn't know/doesn't care and since that is who we deal with at the airport, it most likely would not be an issue.

Just as an FYI, CBSA deals with CFIA regulation on a daily basis and enforces several of their regulations as well as other government departments. They also have access (as does the public) to CFIA programs which allow the verification of CFIA import requirements at that time. If you want to check items, you can always go to CFIA "AIRS" and select items from drop down boxes to verify admissibility requirements at that time.

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/plants/i.../1300127627409

[vance]

I came back into YEG airport on Saturday from my week hunting in central TX. I declared the axis venison, wild turkey and a rattlesnake skin that I was bringing back. All bagged and frozen.
The officer opened the containers and looked and asked to see the snake skin. Didn't remove any meat packages. He looked up on internet to confirm Western Diamondbacks are not endangered species (Texans would think that was funny) and I was on my way.
They Xray'd my gun case, but didn't open it, checked my green inspection card that customs stamped for me on the morning of departure and that was it.

[NCC]

How was the hunt?

I wish I would have know that we could bring rattlesnakes back. My daughter nearly stepped on a 6 footer with a good rattle that was later killed. She wanted to bring it back but I didn't think we had a hope of getting through customs with it. Shame on me for not checking it out.

[nube]

Originally Posted by vance

I came back into YEG airport on Saturday from my week hunting in central TX. I declared the axis venison, wild turkey and a rattlesnake skin that I was bringing back. All bagged and frozen.
The officer opened the containers and looked and asked to see the snake skin. Didn't remove any meat packages. He looked up on internet to confirm Western Diamondbacks are not endangered species (Texans would think that was funny) and I was on my way.
They Xray'd my gun case, but didn't open it, checked my green inspection card that customs stamped for me on the morning of departure and that was it.

Most customs officers are decent if the meat is presented nice and well cared for. They are mostly worried about spinal and brain fluids. If you bring skulls back they need the brain stuff cleaned out

[vance]

The hunt was amazing!
2 axis bucks
2 gobblers
5 hogs
1 audad
1 rattler