Question about traveling to Canada with a bow

[30coupe]

My sons and I are going to Canada (Ontario) next week on a fishing trip. My youngest son wondered if we could take our bows and do some stump shooting. I've never been to Canada, so I didn't know the answer. We're driving and pulling a boat.

Do any of you know the particulars of crossing the border and coming back with a couple of bows and some arrows with blunts or judo points...no broadheads. I'd certainly rather leave them home than risk losing them at the border.

[Jake Diebolt]

I think you should be safe enough with just bows. Firearms can kind of be a pain in the butt, but I've never heard of any trouble with archery equipment.

Here's a website for border services. It never hurts to call ahead.

 www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca

And here's the fishing regs for ontario. Keep in mind some of the stuff about storage and transport (the species of fish has to be identifiable in most cases)

 http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/LetsFish/Publication/STEL02_163615.html

Hope this helps. Enjoy Canada!

[TDHunter]

There's no problems bringing bows in and out of canada. I went hunting in hawaii Feb 2011 with my take down recurve and came home with a second bow that I bought while in Hawaii. No issues, No questions.
Cheers
Allan

[30coupe]

Thanks for the link, Jake. I'll check it out. I already have the fishing one.

TD, that sounds good. I'm more concerned with getting back across the border into the U.S. According to the passport office, I could get into Canada with a driver's license, but I need a passport to get back into the States.

[Rick Wiltshire]

I just returned from Canada and had NO problems going either way.

[30coupe]

Thanks, Rick! That's what I wanted to hear.

[BobCo 1965]

We bring bows over pretty much every month. Just make sure you declare them when crossing. They only stopped us once to look at them and that was only because there was a mis-communication and Canadian border authorities thought we had crossbows. US authorities have checked more then once which should be expected.

I'd be much more concerned with ID. If you both have passports then no problem. If your son is under 16, you can use a stamped birth certificate, but if he is over 16 you'll need more. My son just turned 16 this past February and was able to get an enhanced drivers learners permit which we now use.

[30coupe]

Thanks, Bob. My sons are 32 and 26, so they have to worry about their own passports...both have them though. I just got my passport this morning, so we are covered on that score. The 26 year-old, Dave, shoots a Kanati, but the 32 year-old, Ed, uses training wheels, lol.

I don't know how much shooting we might get in, but I'm glad Dave is thinking about shooting. He put a nice 12 point on the wall two years ago, but both of us had tag soup last year. I was too picky, he didn't have a lot of time to hunt due to a job change. I hope he gets out more this year. I know I'll be less picky...sure miss that venison in the freezer!

Thanks again.

[BobCo 1965]

I know what you mean, I am a lot less picky myself. :-)

Have fun in Canada!

[ron w]

I have crossed the border 100's of times. I went on a bear hunt in New Brunswick and told them I was going to hunt and that I was going to do it with a bow.....They pulled me aside and searched me and my car stem to stern, went thru my clothes and my coolers. Not a real problem but a pain in the A$$. Ont he way home they didn't ask me for anything.