Border closure and spring outfitting season

[SaskHunter]

Ladies and gents, THIS IS NOT a what's your opinion on COVID-19 thread...

We're discussing border closure and its impacts on outfitting and guiding businesses...

 

[Panda Bear]

this is neither official or first hand information, however supposedly the border is suppose to open sometime in May or June --with caveats ---which in my humble opinion is telling us---absolutely nothing. Right now anyone entering the Territories, even from another Province is required to quarantine for 14 days.

If it doesn't open by June without a 14 day quarantine in place, the fall season will most likely be canceled and all hunts for 2021 will be pushed to 2022 and therefore some of the 2022 hunts will go to 2023. Many bookings are out to 2024 and 2025 now.

It should also be noted that each year will see an additional 10% or more added to the 2021 prices, unless you booked and paid for a 2020, and/or 2021 hunt, then it will remain the same. I am only talking large game and have zero knowledge about costs or bookings for fishing or birds. Supposedly more tags per year will be allowed in 2022 and 2023 for sheep, moose, caribou and black bear. But not Polar, Grizzly, Bison, Elk, Goat or Muskox. As many as 7 wolves can be hunted free when on other hunts. You can also hunt one wolverine free, but you never see them.

It is possible that the border between countries will open and yet the 14 day quarantine will remain in place in The Territories. However, it might be possible to do your 14 day quarantine while hunting, but that would take some real effort and agreement from the outfitter. Arrange to meet on the tarmac and fly directly to camp wont be easy to accomplish and expensive. Otherwise you quarantine for 14 days and then do your ten day hunt

To be honest this was a lot of typing to basically say, I dont know !

 

[Rainer]

The border isn't going to open this year, at all sadly. With Alberta now having the largest amount of cases per capita in North America. Ontario, BC and Quebec are at a breaking point. It really is a bleak outlook for this year. I know that some Native Nations won't allow anyone onto their land and are looking at barricading the roads again. These variants will wipe out these smaller communities. The vaccine they got will not fully protect them from this new disease

 

[SaskHunter]

The Feds are finally starting to talk about int'l travel requirements and are supposed to come up with travel rules regarding those who are fully vaccinated.

I'm confident there will be a plan laid out soon and hopefully people who are fully vaccinated can travel int'l without isolation requirements.

Saskatchewan has also started talking about first and second doses milestones to fully/partially re-open the Province. Things are starting to get in motion, I am confident the border will open this summer and that restriction will lift for those who have received their first or second doses.

 

[Tom_Nguyen]

It would be nice if the us and Canada could come to an agreement and at least have a strategy as to opening the border, like if A,B, and C are met we will reopen the border. But right now they just close it for 30 days and say they will reevaluate at that time. So businesses, property owners, fisherman, hunters and tourists are all left wondering if they will be able to go to Canada this year.

If you are fully vaccinated, you can go , I hope that will happen soon!

 

[Sytes]

Edited: Blah. No use. I wish all a merry season...

 

[Gellar]

Canada Will Require Using A Vaccine Passport For Entry

Our neighbor to the north is preparing to jump on the vaccine-passport bandwagaon, joining a slew of countries that require digital health certification.

www.google.com

I read this today or yesterday, I can’t remember anymore.

 

[OntarioHunter]

After spending two months fiddling with the local comic opera of too many vaccination authority cooks in the kitchen to figure out who's doing what and not getting my shot, I finally spent the better part of today sorting out the mess with US Veterans Admin so I can get their vaccine without having to drive thirty hours to Great Falls. Another tangled mess! I wanted to have my file moved to MN so I don't have to drive so far. Good news was they have Johnsons vax in Minneapolis and I can walk in for a shot in two weeks. Bad news was getting my file moved to MN was almost impossible because no one could punch in a Canadian postal code into govt computer programs designed for five digit zip codes. Same people must have designed Montana's Town Pump gaspumps that also require zipcode (why!?). At one point I was directed to Canada Veterans Affairs and a mouthy rude woman I desperately wanted to reach through the phone and slap silly. Ugh! What a BITCH! Canada Vets affairs provides haphazard support for American vets but only as they see fit ... not per what the US laws dictate. They won't vaccinate any vets from any country. "Call your district health unit ... or pharmacy ... or ministry website." Yeah, been there done that and got nowhere. Fell through cracks big as the Grand Canyon. FINALLY after calling the really nice folks at Minneapolis VA the fourth time, my name and Canadian address somehow magically showed up in the system. Ahhhhhh! So now I'm officially eligible. I will be driving across the border six hours one way in two weeks for my vax. Called the district health unit here and they confirmed I'll have to quarantine for two weeks when I return. Doesn't make a lot of sense but okay. Whatever. I live alone and am retired so it's doable. The GOOD NEWS is one shot and I'm done with it. The way it is here now even if I could get Astra shot tomorrow, it's almost certain I wouldn't have second one before my Africa safari in August. And as an added bonus, getting my vax in US means someone else will get vaccinated here sooner and that's what's really important. Definitely worth it to spend a couple more weeks homebound. Lots of maintenance needs to be done anyway.

Anyway, no vax available here now for anyone (even cranky old turds) as it's been diverted to hot spot blowups in Greater Toronto, Alberta, and B.C. They are running out of hospital space in many places.

 

[Panda Bear]

saskhunter, yes
rainer, no
me, maybe

do our neighbors to the south have any other questions we can answer ?

 

[MNElkNut]

my wife gives vaccinations. she had to throw away a few doses the other day as there was no one to give them to. there is a sign there that says walk ins welcome. no issues getting a shot here. anyone can sign up easily. she gets people who drive up from Minneapolis to get them. if anyone wants to get one, pm me and i will get you the details.

 

[Gellar]

my wife gives vaccinations. she had to throw away a few doses the other day as there was no one to give them to. there is a sign there that says walk ins welcome. no issues getting a shot here. anyone can sign up easily. she gets people who drive up from Minneapolis to get them. if anyone wants to get one, pm me and i will get you the details.

That is how I got my vaccination very early. A coworker who is lawn Forssman happen to be getting his shot and just asked if there was any available for the rest of our staff and the lady said if we could be there before noon that day they would give them to us because they had cancellations or had to open up to many vaccines then appointments for the day. Makes me wonder how many went to waste when the appointments were not filled.

We were talking about about the border opening at work again this morning as many of us like to go to Canada and fish every year one staff member just got back from Lake Erie and their group was all in on not going to Canada anymore as they found different locations with just as good if not better fishing than where they went to in Canada and it is not nearly the drive for them. Every day that the border remains closed Canada is losing tourists from the United States and millions of dollars for those small bush towns thatRely on tourism as a means to survive.

 

[OntarioHunter]

That is how I got my vaccination very early. A coworker who is lawn Forssman happen to be getting his shot and just asked if there was any available for the rest of our staff and the lady said if we could be there before noon that day they would give them to us because they had cancellations or had to open up to many vaccines then appointments for the day. Makes me wonder how many went to waste when the appointments were not filled.

We were talking about about the border opening at work again this morning as many of us like to go to Canada and fish every year one staff member just got back from Lake Erie and their group was all in on not going to Canada anymore as they found different locations with just as good if not better fishing than where they went to in Canada and it is not nearly the drive for them. Every day that the border remains closed Canada is losing tourists from the United States and millions of dollars for those small bush towns thatRely on tourism as a means to survive.

Better than communities on both sides of the border losing lives. COVID situation is very bad up here right now. No sense in spreading the fatalities just to make a quick buck.

 

[huntin24/7]

I wouldn’t think about making any vacation plans crossing the u.s./Canada border until 2022. It’s not even close to anything changing.

 

[bonedogg]

It looks like in Alberta right now we have the highest per capita rate in North America now of spreading this stuff. We are to expect a lock down order tonight perhaps of further restrictions. With the amount of people in AB determined to not get the vaccines available, it looks like this isn't going away anytime soon.

 

[Panda Bear]

a couple have asked and all I can tell you is the borders of all three Territories are still shut down. We have had only 6 deaths to date. There seems to be a small increase in cases, so the 14 day self isolation is still in place for those returning to The Territories from any trip they took within Canada. The outlook( and attitude of the outfitters here ) is 2021 is cancelled. 2022 is booked, 2023 is approx 80/90 percent booked, with booking being made into 2025. Costs for new bookings into 2023 and beyond will be approx 10% higher than what was quoted for 2021, with the possible exception of Grizzly, which may stay at the same price. The push will be to allow outfitter's more Grizzly tags, since they were not hunted for a couple of years. Supplies are still being flown in and set out on the tarmac, which is retrieved after the delivery plane takes off. The other negative effect's is that alcoholism, spouse abuse, and suicides have increased. In general, everyone does seem to have a shorter fuse at this time. My husband and I spend a lot of times with the dogs. Man's best friend

 

[OntarioHunter]

Nothing has changed in Ontario. Borders to other provinces/territories and US are still closed to all but essential traffic until at least June 16. Only thing coming in from Manitoba are freight trucks and ambulances with COVID patients needing ventilators. Hospitals are swamped over there. Alberta is trying to jump back into normal mode ... way too fast ... again. You'd think they could learn something from their mistakes. That's Alberta for ya. Right now (since Biden took office) the US has also closed its border to everything but essential traffic. I think the US is the holdout to opening the border at this point ... and for good reason. I heard what happened in Montana last summer. Tourist industry had a boom season. A Malta motel operator I talked to in December on the way back from hunting said it was the best season they had seen in fifteen years! My brother in C Falls told me he'd never seen so many Texas license plates in his life ... at a time when they were setting up temporary morgues and ICU wards in Houston parking lots! I don't recall any state closing its borders. They should have. Too many purple flags. The Atlantic provinces have been sealed off in a "bubble" for a year but they have made good progress holding down infections so we may see them open soon, especially now that Quebec infection rate is dropping. Of bigger concern to me is international travel. I am still scheduled to hunt South Africa in August but as it stands now I'm looking at $2K COVID test and hotel quarantine when I land in Toronto. If I'd been smart I should have booked my trip out of Minneapolis and come back to Canada via land crossing. Though I would still have to self quarantine and do two at home Covid tests, I wouldn't have to deal with hotel bill. But at the time I booked the feds were talking about expanding the designated motel quarantine to land crossings too so I didn't see any advantage. Turned out to be such a logistical nightmare for air travelers the feds abandoned the idea of expanding the restrictions very quickly.

The "self quarantine" is generally complied with by the few who do cross into Canada. And it is enforced by both local and federal agencies. During my two quarantines I was called almost on a daily basis, especially if I forgot to check in with daily symptom report. Which is a good thing considering I live alone. I was physically checked four times in two weeks, twice by local police and twice by a security guard hired by the govt. Yes, it was a hassle ... and it should be. Those who don't stay at home are the problem. I was willing to pay the price to go hunting and to get vaccinated. No complaints.

 

[Bobbyosan]

It's been a year that the CAD/USA land border has been closed and signs of the border re-opening in time for spring bear season aren't good. We've seen a lot more human/bear interaction last summer and with outfitters not running baits last spring, resident bait sites were getting serious hits in 2020. The article below mentions that there were approx. 2000 less bears taken in 2020 vice 2019, from international hunters, I've seen this number ranging from 2000 to 3000 in various articles. The biggest issue isn't necessarily the number of bears taken, but the greatly reduced number of bait sites which means bears will compete for a smaller food source or will have to venture onto farmland. I've heard tons of guys who live on the forest fringe talking about unusual bear activity last summer in comparison to previous years and a lot more cattle/human interaction with bears. In terms of hunting, this spring should be even better for resident hunters but the reality of it is that outfitters are going into their second cancelled spring bear season. I'm sure this same scenario applies to other Provinces, not just Saskatchewan.

The article below mentions a raise in tag sales in Saskatchewan for 2020 but it is most likely due to the quota being raised to two bears in many zones, vice the amount of new resident bear hunter interest. The 2021 spring bear season should be a great one for resident and Canadian resident hunters but again, outfitters are taking a huge hit. Canadian residents seem to have little interest in investing in these resident hunts as the price tags are pretty steep, on the other hand, outfitters need to be able to run their outfits and can't just give away hunts. There's lots of hopes for 2021 fall hunting season, let's hope this border opens soon!!!

https://globalnews.ca/news/7731596/international-tourists-saskatchewan-bear-numbers/

Sasky bear for your viewing pleasure!
View attachment 179064

I have two different buddies that have moose hunts planned in two different canadian provinces. of course both were can’t last year and hoping for this year.

 

[Sytes]

Word is June 22 borders between U.S. and Canada may re-open w/ limitations.

Currently there are select ports for U.S. to transit to/from Alaska.

Each month on the 21st, the reassessment is announced.

 

[Panda Bear]

Word is June 22 borders between U.S. and Canada may re-open w/ limitations.

Currently there are select ports for U.S. to transit to/from Alaska.

Each month on the 21st, the reassessment is announced.

just let me add

I am sure no one has any desire to visit The Territories --but--if and when you are able to cross the border from the U.S. into Canada, that does not mean that you would be able to enter The Territories without isolating for 14 days after you got there. "Maybe" it will be possible to isolate for 14 days--while --hunting for 14 days. But it would not be easy, or cheap, to make that happen.

I just wanted to make sure you didn't think that when the international border opens, that it will automatically mean that you will be able to visit all of Canada without further complication/restrictions

 

[huntin24/7]

@OntarioHunter. Where do you come up with this stuff? The u.s. is most definitely not the “hold out” in reopening. Even when the u.s is ready to start opening more, I would expect Canada not to follow suit for some time. Also, nothing has changed from the u.s. side as far as restrictions since Biden has taken office. Everything has remained almost identical as what it was a year ago. I do feel we are finally getting closer to things returning to some semblance of normalcy between our borders but we’re still a long way from the good old days.