Canada Poultry Ban

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pgidley

New member
Crossing into Minnesota to pick up some parcels the other day, there was a sign up at the border crossing stating:

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has implemented measures to protect Canada's poultry resources from an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza reported in poultry in the following states:
Arkansas
California
Idaho
Iowa
Kansas
Minnesota
Missouri
Montana
North Dakota
Oregon
South Dakota
Washington
Wisconsin

So when I got home I went on the CBSA import reference website and looked up "Pheasant, Raw, Eviscerated" and sure enough: Refuse Entry.

Not sure what we can do about our N. Dakota trip this year - we were just starting to make it a tradition. Thinking about ways we could cook our birds, as it states "raw poultry" but I wouldn't trust that kind of leniency to a border guard. We may have to do a trip to one of the Western Provinces for huns and ducks I guess. In the meantime, I'll monitor the situation.
 
That is interesting, there are a lot of Canadians hunt pheasants South of the border.
From what I read Avian Influenza is carried North by migarating waterfowl.
 
I would bring a grinder, a dehydrator, and a Jerky cannon along. My buddies an I can turn a 6 man limit into Jerky in about 40 minutes (cooking time not included).
 
david0311

Hub said:
I would bring a grinder, a dehydrator, and a Jerky cannon along. My buddies an I can turn a 6 man limit into Jerky in about 40 minutes (cooking time not included).
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Would be a good idea---Except would be a violation of proper possession and transportation while in U.S. because of state laws and could lead to federal violations as well if crossing state or international boarders
 
Better start looking up pheasant recipes, and just cook them for dinner each night. :thumbsup:
 
There was a thread on here a while back, (few years I guess)? Talked about canning, like in pint jars, not a bad thought except where would be the evidence of sex. You wouldn't want a leg with a spur in the jar. That would sure get C.C. and border guys scratching their head. :confused:
Bring the fry pan, little cooking oil, some flour or crumbs, feast on the prairie. :thumbsup:
 
david0311 said:
Would be a good idea---Except would be a violation of proper possession and transportation while in U.S. because of state laws and could lead to federal violations as well if crossing state or international boarders
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Please list the state statute you are referencing....unless you are just talking. There is no restriction governing the transportation of cooked wild game that I have ever seen (MN, WI, ND, SD etc). If there was, a person baking a pheasant pot pie and taking it to his neighbors would be just as guilty. I am not suggesting shirking bag or possession limits. Cooking food doesn't reduce it from your bag (consuming it does). I am sure you could run into a game warden that would give you a hard time. The same type of warden could give you a hard time for taking a legal bag limit in one state and returning it to another that has a lesser bag limit, or having two legal daily bag limits that you took in two different states in a single day. For these types of reasons I think it's better to takes pictures and accurately document what you are doing. Better yet, ask the question of a warden and get him to sign his written response. I speak from experience that you will get different answers to the question because there isn't a law that specifically addresses certain scenarios.
 
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david0311

Hub said:
Please list the state statute you are referencing....unless you are just talking. There is no restriction governing the transportation of cooked wild game that I have ever seen (MN, WI, ND, SD etc). If there was, a person baking a pheasant pot pie and taking it to his neighbors would be just as guilty. I am not suggesting shirking bag or possession limits. Cooking food doesn't reduce it from your bag (consuming it does). I am sure you could run into a game warden that would give you a hard time. The same type of warden could give you a hard time for taking a legal bag limit in one state and returning it to another that has a lesser bag limit, or having two legal daily bag limits that you took in two different states in a single day. For these types of reasons I think it's better to takes pictures and accurately document what you are doing. Better yet, ask the question of a warden and get him to sign his written response. I speak from experience that you will get different answers to the question because there isn't a law that specifically addresses certain scenarios.
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Based on the tone of your post you are looking for a argument --I don't care to join in-- or do your research or quote law for you--:(

Your example of the pie is not even closely related to the original posters
question --

You seem to claim the expertise and superior knowledge--go for it

I posted based on law of day -- limits possession limits-sex identification ect.
 
david0311 said:
Based on the tone of your post you are looking for a argument --I don't care to join in-- or do your research or quote law for you--:(

Your example of the pie is not even closely related to the original posters
question --

You seem to claim the expertise and superior knowledge--go for it

I posted based on law of day -- limits possession limits-sex identification ect.
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You sounded pretty confident when you said I was suggesting something illegal, but don't provide anything to back up an assertion you stated as fact. You say I come off as argumentative, I just feel like when someone implies I am encouraging someone else to break the law they ought to be able to back up their talk. I have done the leg work of looking at the statutes and speaking with game and fish on the subject. While some wardens have mentioned they could take issue with transportation of jerky due to lack of head, foot, or wing...more have mentioned that a cooked pheasant sandwich or pheasant pot pie has that same issue. All have mentioned that cooking doesn't reduce the poession limit. Actually consuming does. As I mention you are probably better off getting something in writing since this is really a gray area and subject to the discretion of the warden you run into.
 
david0311

jmac said:
Hub and david please tone it down. no need for an argument on this subject.:)
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I don't feel as though I set the adversarial tone in original post --However if you feel so __I had no intention of doing so--just trying to point out doing so at any other location than at your permanent residence--or your a licensed wildlife processing facility would be a violation--and trying to keep people from getting misinformation--

Verification of my point--

South Dakota 2014 Handbook---page 24 and 25 spells out proper possession and transportation law--(pictures included)

10:00am today---

Warden Supervisor--Phil Gates at Fort Pierre confirmed my interpretation of the law as stated in my previous post--

Those in disagreement do what you think best--but don't complain if it causes you problems in the future--:cheers:
 
I like the idea of just eating what we get each day. We usually don't come home with a possession limit anyhow, since its just me and my wife shooting and one dog. We do a lot of bird watching!

I'll sure miss having a nice pheasant schnitzel long after the trip though.

Anyways, I was talking to a buddy who's wife is a border guard. She thinks the ban will be lifted before the fall. Fingers crossed. Not going to cancel the trip, we enjoy it far too much to do that.
 
pgidley said:
I like the idea of just eating what we get each day. We usually don't come home with a possession limit anyhow, since its just me and my wife shooting and one dog. We do a lot of bird watching!

I'll sure miss having a nice pheasant schnitzel long after the trip though.

Anyways, I was talking to a buddy who's wife is a border guard. She thinks the ban will be lifted before the fall. Fingers crossed. Not going to cancel the trip, we enjoy it far too much to do that.
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You know I was just thinking there's a few members you can meet up with (after your trip) who might not mind a gift of pheasant meat;)

Nick
 
You just gave me another idea! We've got friends across the border who I'm sure would rent us some freezer space for the small fee of some pheasant meat. We live near the border anyhow, so we could hold out until the ban is lifted.
 
Hey Folks, just thought I'd update on this since we are back from our trip.

We decided to just see what they say at the border. And sure enough, it wasn't even an issue, with a back up plan of leaving them at a friends place if it was.

The conversation went as such:

Border guard: How long you been gone?
ME: Since last Sunday
BG: Whats the value of everything you're bringing back?
ME: Under $500, just some groceries and leftover bourbon. We were hunting so I need to declare that I have firearms on board.
BG: Do you have your firearms license?
ME: Yes, would you like to see it?
BG: No, have a good day

And off we went. No issue at all. Hope any other Canucks heading across have the same experience.
 
Jerryv said:
I'm curious; what did the BG mean by "firearms license"? Not familiar with Canadian law.

Jerry
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Yea its pretty straightforward. In order to own guns in Canada you have to go through a simple course and pass a test. Its basically safe handling and storage, etc. Once you do that they do some background checks and then they mail you a license, looks like a driver's license with your photo etc. That's our license to possess and purchase firearms. We don't have mandatory wait times or anything like that, its actually very convenient in my opinion.

There are two classes of licence, one called non restricted, which covers most rifles and shotguns. The other license is for restricted which covers handguns and some black rifles (which is stupid, a mini-14 is non-restricted while an AR15 is restricted, it makes no sense).

Owning and using anything restricted is more of a pain in the butt here, but for your average hunter Canada is pretty gun friendly, and its nice to know anyone with a license was at least able to pass the test.

One other thing is that the license is Federal, so its the same across the whole country. Provinces aren't able to make up their own laws of rules. We used to have a registry where you had to register your guns but the government did away with it when they realized it was a waste of money.
 
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Entered Canada twice in October to grouse hunt and fish by way of I Fall Mn. Both times were asked if we had poultry or eggs, as not allowed. On the firearm licence I did the 60 day paperwork my partner has Canadian firearm license and is Mn. Red. BP said the only difference was he could most guns I could only use my gun listed on paperwork.
 
pgidley said:
Yea its pretty straightforward. In order to own guns in Canada you have to go through a simple course and pass a test. Its basically safe handling and storage, etc. Once you do that they do some background checks and then they mail you a license, looks like a driver's license with your photo etc. That's our license to possess and purchase firearms. We don't have mandatory wait times or anything like that, its actually very convenient in my opinion.

There are two classes of licence, one called non restricted, which covers most rifles and shotguns. The other license is for restricted which covers handguns and some black rifles (which is stupid, a mini-14 is non-restricted while an AR15 is restricted, it makes no sense).

Owning and using anything restricted is more of a pain in the butt here, but for your average hunter Canada is pretty gun friendly, and its nice to know anyone with a license was at least able to pass the test.

One other thing is that the license is Federal, so its the same across the whole country. Provinces aren't able to make up their own laws of rules. We used to have a registry where you had to register your guns but the government did away with it when they realized it was a waste of money.
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Thanks for the explanation.

Jerry
 
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