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Old 15-01-2015, 07:48   #16
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Re: Locations Where Guns Are Required by Authorities

Hi
First point in Canada hand guns are classified as restricted weapons meaning that
you can only transport to and from shooting ranges, must be locked cannot be accessible and ammunition must be transported separately
or
have a trap line but can only be a 22 calibre to humanly kill trapped animals again must be transported by above regulation
or
work for a security company ie brinks-weapon usually kept at work

Secondly- you as a foreigner on vacation in Canada cannot walk around with a loaded long gun in Canada unless you are accompanied with a certified hunting guide.

Thirdly- if you shot a bear without the proper licence even if in self defence you will be in a lot of hot water. Its on you to prove that you were in danger and did everything possible to scare it away, if you left the bear and didn't report it not only would our conservation officers be after you the local native tribes in that area would be after you to.

I know there is exceptions to the rules like bush pilots who work up in remote areas, but that is commercial and with the proper paperwork our officials will allow foreigners working in isolated area to have long guns.


Checking into customs with long guns is not a big deal, its when you bring them onto land and our conservation officers get involved that things can go bad real quick.

If you are going through Canada to Alaska long guns are not a problem but if you are caught with a hand gun. The weapon will be confiscated and charges of carrying a restricted weapon will apply

I was an avid hunter and gave up hunting because of the hassles involved in owning a gun in Canada.

My advice if you are coming to Canada for a holiday leave the gun at home hire a guide and carry flares, Bear Bangers, Bear spray and save the hassle.

I hope I didn't offed anyone by using the word foreigner to refer to anyone not from Canada.

And please come to Canada it is quite beautiful up here.
Rob
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Old 15-01-2015, 08:55   #17
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Re: Locations Where Guns Are Required by Authorities

rob is correct. The Canadian gun laws are very strict. Its best to just not take the gun. I leave mine in my home in the USA when I go to my home in Canada.
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Old 15-01-2015, 09:09   #18
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Re: Locations Where Guns Are Required by Authorities

I'm not sure I would want to try to stop a Grizzly or Polar bear with a shot gun. You'd have to be damn close. A slug has terrible velocity and looses what it has very quickly.
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Old 15-01-2015, 09:32   #19
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Re: Locations Where Guns Are Required by Authorities

Thanks Rob67-very clear & factual summary of Canadian gun laws.
I would like to add that it is because of the severe restrictions on hand gun ownership/use,& the absolute prohibition of fully automatic weapons,we Canadians have no concerns about being "gunned down" by Joe Average Citizen,just because he is having a bad day or spent the night with Capt. Morgan.
Yes-we have armed CRIMINALS & the occasional nutjob,& yes-a few people get shot by them.
Absolutely NO offence intended towards my American neighbors & friends.
If I lived 7 miles further south,I would probably be carrying.
It's just one of the differences between our cultures.It is what it is-no judgement on my part.

I will pass on a warning to tourists FYI.
Every year,thousands of handguns & other weapons,including knives,Mace,etc. that are legal in US,BUT illegal in Canada,are confiscated at our border & min.$1500 fine & court costs applied.
If you are carrying handguns,or other illegal in Canada weapons,I suggest you find a bus station locker & store them on US side.
If you declare them honestly at Can. border,they WILL be confiscated & held for your return trip,with no penalties-I believe.
It is worth a call to Can.Customs if you have any doubts about an item.

Hope this is taken in the spirit intended! / Len
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Old 15-01-2015, 10:01   #20
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Re: Locations Where Guns Are Required by Authorities

Rules for cruising in salbard:

First of all, you must apply for a cruising permit.
You have to provide proof of weapon training, paperwork for rifles, detailed sailing plan ,search and rescue insurance or bank guarantee of aprox 25000$, inventory list (foul weather/survival/safety gear/food/comms and guns)
A rifle, flare gun, epirb and HF or SATCOM is mandatory.

When you get the thumbs up on the cruising permit, you have permission to carry the guns mentioned in the permit.

It quite a hassle getting the permit, but it is available for foreigners and you have to provide proof of weapon training in your home country.

Im not shure, but I believe the danish rules for greenland are similar


.manitu
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Old 15-01-2015, 10:27   #21
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Re: Locations Where Guns Are Required by Authorities

Rob is correct on every item except the caliber of a trappers gun. My grandfather was permitted to carry any caliber as long as it was not concealed. The gun was primarily for protection against wolves and black bears, not dispatching game. I know he used it on at least 4 occasions.. Northern Canada can be a wild place.

He was required to follow very strict rules. Once off the trap line it had to be locked up. Even traveling back home in a vehicle.

Anyway.. I think the fact is, the places where you can carry a gun (without issues) while cruising can be counted on one hand.

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Old 15-01-2015, 10:31   #22
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Re: Locations Where Guns Are Required by Authorities

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Originally Posted by Steady Hand View Post
Why would authorities require travelers there to have a long gun or a local guide who carries a long gun? These areas may have populations of Polar Bears (or other bears) that may be a hazard to travelers spending time in the wild.... I am aware of the danger bears can pose to people who walk the shores or woods.... I am starting this thread to simply make this topic available (to break it out of the other topic where it was "off topic"). I found the mention of places where guns are required or tolerated to be interesting because it was so unlike the many other "gun threads" that focus on places where guns are NOT tolerated or advised to take while cruising.... and possibly some locations in northern Canada. Please keep this discussion on the topic of places where the local authorities require or suggest or tolerate carrying a long gun for protection from wildlife.
Except for white bears, most bears are shy & will run away if they hear you even before they see you or you see them In Canada, we suggest you carry bells & a pepper spray with you in case ... If you find bear's dung you can differentiate black bear's from grissly bear's as grissly's smells peper & often has small bells in it ! Happy new year
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Old 15-01-2015, 10:56   #23
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Re: Locations Where Guns Are Required by Authorities

If you are going anywhere there will be bears, bring this lady with you
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Old 15-01-2015, 11:03   #24
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Re: Locations Where Guns Are Required by Authorities

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Originally Posted by Cheechako View Post
I'm not sure I would want to try to stop a Grizzly or Polar bear with a shot gun. You'd have to be damn close. A slug has terrible velocity and looses what it has very quickly.
Very un-likely to have to shoot as a self protection thing further than 100 ft. and probably more important most bear attacks happen when a person stumbles onto a bear and the bear attacks, I mean real close range before you even know there is a bear there. Theory of the bells of course as well as talking loudly as your moving through the bush, even of there is no one to talk to.
Velocity loss of a 12Ga slug at 100' is essentially zero, they are actually very accurate etc out to 100 yds or more if a rifled barrel, but again protection means up close, 100 ' is probably stretching that a lot. Not much has more "stopping power" than a 12 Ga slug, I'd rather have a 12 Ga up close than say a 45-70. But there is no hand gun I don't think that has the kinetic energy of a 12Ga slug, nothing that I could wield anyway

I have zero experience with a Polar Bear, my understanding is they are the only land animal on earth that will actually hunt humans for food. I would have though Lions and Tigers too.
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Old 15-01-2015, 11:08   #25
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Re: Locations Where Guns Are Required by Authorities

Quote:
Originally Posted by manitu View Post
Rules for cruising in salbard:

First of all, you must apply for a cruising permit.
You have to provide proof of weapon training, paperwork for rifles, detailed sailing plan ,search and rescue insurance or bank guarantee of aprox 25000$, inventory list (foul weather/survival/safety gear/food/comms and guns)
A rifle, flare gun, epirb and HF or SATCOM is mandatory.

When you get the thumbs up on the cruising permit, you have permission to carry the guns mentioned in the permit.

It quite a hassle getting the permit, but it is available for foreigners and you have to provide proof of weapon training in your home country.

Im not shure, but I believe the danish rules for greenland are similar


.manitu

My understanding regarding Greenland and the Faroes, is that there is no requirement to bring a firearm. To visit the Greenland National Park , its a recommendation and you must apply for a license in advance. The minimum calibre is 7.62mm and only bolt action is allowed. There are paperwork and reporting procedures if you kill a polar bear inside or outside the National park.
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Old 15-01-2015, 11:17   #26
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Re: Locations Where Guns Are Required by Authorities

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It is worth a call to Can.Customs if you have any doubts about an item.
/ Len
That is what I did and had absolutely no hassles at all, I had all the paperwork filled out and sent in advance that had weapon serial number and all. I checked in in Leftbridge and called them on the phone, since I arrived on Canada day and all I had was the shotgun, they took my credit card number over the phone and I was done. Had I not already have submitted the paperwork, I don't think it would have been so easy.
Once you get up in the NWT, a long gun is just another tool, like a chainsaw or an axe.
As adamant as they always were about me knowing no handguns, must be quite a few that try.

I had more trouble coming back when I cleared in in Montana, I had sandwich meat and a couple of other things I had to throw away.

On edit, if I remember right pepper spray was controlled and more hassle having it than a shotgun?
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Old 15-01-2015, 11:31   #27
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Re: Locations Where Guns Are Required by Authorities

Quote:
Originally Posted by GordMay View Post
Excerpted from “Safety in Svalbard”:

“... For protection from polar bears, a rifle calibre.308 Win, or higher, is recommended, but unless the user is familiar with the weapon and has had sufficient training with a gun, the sense of safety provided by weapons is deceptive. Never embark on a trip without necessary know-how in this field...
... Taking loaded weapons into settlements is prohibited and weapons must be carried in such a way that everybody can see they are unloaded...”

http://www.sysselmannen.no/Documents...Eng_Znz9W.pdf/
A .308 might just piss off a polar bear. The gun is only as good as the person using it.
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Old 15-01-2015, 11:41   #28
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Re: Locations Where Guns Are Required by Authorities

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A .308 might just piss off a polar bear. The gun is only as good as the person using it.
I'd want a .375 H&H or even a .458 or so, I think, but unless I'm wrong the Nunavut (sp?) will only carry like a 30-06 or 300 Win Mag?
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Old 15-01-2015, 12:34   #29
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Re: Locations Where Guns Are Required by Authorities

I think you'e gotten pretty good info on firearms in Canada already. The big thing is to not just arrive with one, or try to smuggle one in. Call the RCMP or Canada Border Services Agency & get the exact details from them.

The Canadian Aviation Regulations don't require you to carry a firearm for northern survival but I believe it is on the recommended list for sparsely settled areas. We carried a carbine but all pilots had to take the firearms course to legally allow you to have possession of a firearm. I don't know how that would translate to a foreign visitor.

Pepper spray is a restricted item and may not be purchased for self defence, but dog spray & bear spray (the same damn stuff) may be purchased at an outfitters store.

As far as what firearm to carry, that has been hotly debated often enough on AvCanada forums. You can check there to see what the bush pilots are carrying.
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Old 15-01-2015, 12:42   #30
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Re: Locations Where Guns Are Required by Authorities

Yes, guns are rented to visitors of the far north reaches of Norway because of the polar bears. British Columbia and Southeast Alaska shores have lots of bear roaming the forests and water's edge--they generally are shy, but if you inadvertently end up being between them and their cub(s) or their food source, they will prevail. Some folks are using flares to scare off Grizzlies, etc., as well as wearing bells to make noise to scare them off. However, the forests are thick with undergrowth/bushes, and it is easy to end up surprising them.
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