Importing and Exporting game meat??
 

I'm looking for some information on exporting meat and antlers from the USA to CANADA. I am going on a caribou hunt in Alaska in august and i want to bring my meat and antlers back home. Calling around for information is frustrating and time consuming. :angry3: If anyone has any information on this it would be appreciated.. Cheers

DEAD ON

Depending what you bring you'll need this

http://www.fws.gov/le/declaration-form-3-177.html

Tags, and a CITES permit if it's a controlled species. US F&G is the best place to find info. They have a pretty good website and super helpful people on the phone.

In Alaska I believe you need a guide or outfitter no? They should be able to help you with that info.

I am going through a guiding service but they don't deal with the transporting of meat after the hunt just transport it to a butcher in anchorage or donate it.

Bringing the meat and antlers back with you is a lot easier. Usually just the tag you the hunted the animal with and away you go. Unless it is an animal listed under CITES.

If the meat does not accompany you make sure you do your research or you could lose it all.
I had a butcher in Texas take care of the meat for me and ship it to me. The Fed Ex boxes was limited to 44lbs each and each box had to be its own shipment.

Getting it out of the US is the easy part it is the CBSA and having it cleared by the food department here that you have to sure about.

I figured it all out by doing a Google search and making a few phone calls.

I wish I could post the links but it was about 4 years ago and the rules probably changed when I hung up the phone.

As was said above, you basically just need your license and tag and your good to go i believe s long as you accompany it. I drove across the border with an antelope cape/head and meat from wyoming, and canada customs didnt even check my tags/licenses or anything....he just looked in the box of the truck and said "nice goat, bow or rifle"? I answered him, he said congrats and i was on my way.

Contact US F&W in Anchorage to get first hand answers. The guy I have dealt with and talked to on several occasions was inspector Drewer.

Exporting it seems to be easy its importing it that seems to be a pain. I spoke with a lady from air Canada that was adamant that you could no longer import game meat lol. I think i may just pay a broker to look after it for me so i don't loose my meat. Thanks all who replied..

I just got back from a Turkey hunt in Washington a few days ago. Got to the Canadian border and they took my Bird. Apparently there was an outbreak of Avian flu in some of the surrounding states so Canada shut down the import of any raw poultry or bird parts. This stop on importing happened on Jan 30th this year and I had no idea. The border agent was quite upset with me for not knowing. Last year it wasn't a problem, this year it was.
Importing meat into Canada has nothing to do with the U.S., it all falls under Canadian law. They are the ones to talk to.

The antlers and Cape will likely need an export permit before your taxidermist will touch them, your outfitter should be able to do / facilitate this for you.

Importing and Exporting game meat??
 

Same happened to me. There was a thread on it here. I did some research on which counties in Montana were okay and we crossed with two Turkey the next weekend. Never happened before Any mounts I've had come across only needed an import permit no idea as far as meat. All we've needed for Turkey was the tags. If I were in your position I would be talking to both sides of the border.

Just came home last night from Texas my meat in a cooler and hunting licence in hand took 2 minutes to clear customs. But your outfitter will be sure you have all you need

That is awesome to hear getting answers from government people is like pulling teeth. My outfitter doesn't deal with many Canadians.