Fall Hunt related: Covid-19 On The Rise <See Post #9 before posting>

[WyoDoug]

Thanks - I was aware the original order is gone, was referencing a potential future reinstatement. Hope you are right on the chance of that happening. Always happy to respect the wishes of the locals on this and other topics, we try to be good guests.

Current governor is more worried about the economy than the level of COVID-19 spikes at the moment. I am a state employee and get all his press releases. None of them indicate the possibility of restating the restriction. Wyoming's budget as you may know is a disaster at the moment due to low revenue on fossil fuels. He does not want to slam the state economy any further.

 

[Hunting Wife]

I acknowledge at the start that these are first world problems but looks nearly certain that my son and my fly-in fishing trip in Ontario is shot. We already moved it from the end of June to the end of July. Probably less than 10% chance border opens on July 21st. Also puts our end of August fly-in black bear hunt in jeopardy as well. Looking at a clear wash on those two I think. It would take a WY 14 day quarantine rule for hunters camping on BLM land for us to cancel our pronghorn trip in October. Fingers remain crossed.

I read the Canada border closure was officially extended to Aug. 21, but I honestly think the way things are going it will be closed until next year. Our summer fishing and fall waterfowl plans have completely gone down the tubes.

I’m thinking maybe it was a blessing in disguise that we didn’t draw anything this year.

 

[406dn]

One of my passions,,likely the biggest one, is field trialling pointing dogs from horseback. Some of the biggest field trials in the late summer occur in Canada. We have postponed all of them. I do not think the Canadians are in any hurry at all to open the border to non essential visitors.

There have been some reported cases where US citizens told border agents they were headed to Alaska and did not intend to stop in Canada, more than necessary. Turns out they really wanted to go to Banff and Jasper National Parks. Every time I talk to one of my Canadian friends on the phone, they bring that up. The sentiment up there is to keep the border closed until the US has the virus much better contained.

 

[kansasdad]

My Wyoming trip will look very different this year with Miss Corona complications. I will not "swing by" to see any Aunts/Uncles, and will perhaps see from a socially responsible distance some cousins. Family friends that would have gladly let us stay with them may not even find out we were in the hunting zone until after we return and share our adventures on AlGore's internet.

We plan on being fully contained with food/shelter/meat processing, and should only have to get be in town to get gas/groceries as required by mileage and lack of forethought with food/gear.

 

[VikingsGuy]

And it's called. Ontario border not opening and both our fly-in fishing and fly-in black bear hunts are canceled. Wyoming here we come in Oct.

I feel bad for my son - he will be a high school senior this fall and many of the things he wanted to do before going off to college in a year are falling through. There will of course be more chances to hunt with dad, but he had a lot invested in these two.

 

[blueridge]

Sorry to hear that, VG.

 

[VikingsGuy]

Sorry to hear that, VG.

I was surprised, but a backup plan came through a few minutes ago. Got the last cabin of the season on south side of Rainy Lake/River out of I-falls - not Ontario fly-in, but it's a week on the water with my son chasing late summer walleyes and smallies. Life is good - we are blessed.

 

[88man]

Just wait until the fall> Think of all the guys who will need to self quarantine during hunting season for 14 days. Covid -19 the vacation saver for some. It worked out for a few in spring gobbler season.

 

[Shangobango]

And it's called. Ontario border not opening and both our fly-in fishing and fly-in black bear hunts are canceled. Wyoming here we come in Oct.

I feel bad for my son - he will be a high school senior this fall and many of the things he wanted to do before going off to college in a year are falling through. There will of course be more chances to hunt with dad, but he had a lot invested in these two.

Man that stinks.

 

[VikingsGuy]

Man that stinks.

I felt super bad for spring '20 graduating seniors (missing graduation, spring sports, prom, etc) and now looks like we may have a similar mess for the coming school year. But, we are safe and together so we will count our blessings.

 

[Rainer]

You can pretty much guarantee that the border will be shut down throughout the Fall now, I've cancelled my January Cous hunt in Arizona this year now. Which sucks, I was really hoping to walk around and attempt to take one with my bow.
Some provinces are thinking of applying the same penalties to people who lie at the border to take their vacations as what the MLB players will get if. That's a $750,000 minimum fine and possible jail time.

 

[Justabirdwatcher]

I have 2 tags in NM in late Oct and early Nov. I also have a early muley tag in CO beginning of Sept. I usually hunt solo so quarantine myself isn't an issue, but my wife is planning on coming with me to CO so I really hope they let me in. We already had to cancel a trip back in May to Banff. I hope this thing goes away in the near future

I don’t see any point in hoping this will go away. If we’ve learned anything by now, it’s that hoping it will go away just leads to more of a problem. Enough people need to take this seriouslythat we can even hope to contain it. Even then, a vaccine(s) has to be created, then distributed, then accepted by the majority of Americans before life will go back to normal. So however long all that takes, is what I’m waiting for. At this point, I hope that next fall, we can resume traveling and hunting. I certainly don’t expect this fall to look normal because frankly America blew this big time.

 

[VikingsGuy]

Let’s remember to heed BigFin post #9.

 

[mtmuley]

Won't affect my plans at all. And I bet the spike of cases in Montana is due to the hordes of folks flocking here to recreate. Gonna allow another horde starting in September? We'll see. mtmuley

 

[NMGuy]

This was supposed to be the year I finally went out to hunt whitetail in PA and NY. Not looking too good for those plans. At least I have my NM mule deer tag that requires zero overnight travel.

A buddy of mine from NY drew a mule deer tag down here in NM, so he's in limbo while he waits to find out if that hunt will happen or not.

 

[geetar]

I have no agenda behind this post and no sides to take I’m simply asking a question. How would shutting down hunters from coming in or out of states or countries that are part of the North American continent help stop the spread of Covid? I can understand that if you have to fly being cooped up with others might be a risk but most of the people who travel to hunt are going to places where once they get there they are literally distant from any large group. It seems that if we made everyone stay in their home areas and go nowhere this season it would actually lead to people being in closer contact with others than if we let them go on trips they had planned. Once again I’m only asking I’m not an expert and don’t have an answer. It’s just got me wondering if keeping hunters home wouldn’t hurt more than help.

 

[Bigjay73]

I have no agenda behind this post and no sides to take I’m simply asking a question. How would shutting down hunters from coming in or out of states or countries that are part of the North American continent help stop the spread of Covid? I can understand that if you have to fly being cooped up with others might be a risk but most of the people who travel to hunt are going to places where once they get there they are literally distant from any large group. It seems that if we made everyone stay in their home areas and go nowhere this season it would actually lead to people being in closer contact with others than if we let them go on trips they had planned. Once again I’m only asking I’m not an expert and don’t have an answer. It’s just got me wondering if keeping hunters home wouldn’t hurt more than help.

I dont think hunters are a problem , but differentiating visitors by activities might be too much for local govts to handle. Figuring whats allowed and what's not, drawing the line between acceptable and unacceptable would be difficult

 

[thatsjet]

Careful. This is logical and reasonable civil discourse. I don’t think we can handle it.

 

[geetar]

I dont think hunters are a problem , but differentiating visitors by activities might be too much for local govts to handle. Figuring whats allowed and what's not, drawing the line between acceptable and unacceptable would be difficult

That makes sense. Thanks for the perspective.

 

[mtmuley]

Careful. This is logical and reasonable civil discourse. I don’t think we can handle it.

No it isn't. If you believe in the stay at home, quarantine and mask wearing. Great. Just don't make an exception to travel to hunt. Simple. mtmuley