Border closure and spring outfitting season

[antlerradar]

In addition to the outfitters in Canada, the city of Calgary had a huge financial loss last year and 2021 is still not for sure. I have attended the Calgary Stampede for twelve straight years before 2020. I understand the Stampede itself lost 25 million, plus the loss of revenue for all the other business's around the grounds.

On a personal note, we had planned to canoe the Mackenzie river in 2021, but might need to push that out a bit. Time will tell.

Cheyenne had told me that the outfitters in The Yukon Territory, had come up with a plan that would allow hunters from other Provinces in Canada to "quarantine" --while they hunted, in a effort to allow the outfitters to book some hunts, but that the cost of those hunts were so high, very few citizens of Canada could afford them.

I bet there are also some snowboarders on the forum who visit the slopes in Canada. As well as a few fishermen who like to fish in Canada.

I dont follow the NBA, but was wondering if the NBA team in Toronto, was able to travel to the States this season and vice versa ? Hockey teams in Canada and the States that compete with each other, how are they doing that, if they are ?

Sounds like if you have the coin 2022 would be a good year to tag a big stone sheep.

 

[Sasquatchewan]

Cheyenne had told me that the outfitters in The Yukon Territory, had come up with a plan that would allow hunters from other Provinces in Canada to "quarantine" --while they hunted, in a effort to allow the outfitters to book some hunts, but that the cost of those hunts were so high, very few citizens of Canada could afford them.

Travelling to hunt in Canada isn't as popular as it is in the US. Most provinces make it mandatory to use a guide or outfitters so the average Canadian hunter sticks to a Province or two.

As for outfitters, prices are always in USD and when it's a 1.30 CAD for a USD those hunts get pretty pricey, factor in the ridiculous price of flying inside Canada and those hunts get pretty pricey. Our population is 10% of the US' so we obviously have less wealthy hunters as you do, it's not that we're poorer than you (our wage average is actually higer but so's everything else). At the end of the day, the average American hunter can't afford a 10k elk hunt, the average Canadian hunter cannot also afford a 10k hunt in Canada, even if the outfitter gives us a "COVID special" and charges the same rate but in CAD istead of USD. TBH, the COVID specials for Canadian hunters weren't all that great either.

 

[Gellar]

Travelling to hunt in Canada isn't as popular as it is in the US. Most provinces make it mandatory to use a guide or outfitters so the average Canadian hunter sticks to a Province or two.

As for outfitters, prices are always in USD and when it's a 1.30 CAD for a USD those hunts get pretty pricey, factor in the ridiculous price of flying inside Canada and those hunts get pretty pricey. Our population is 10% of the US' so we obviously have less wealthy hunters as you do, it's not that we're poorer than you (our wage average is actually higer but so's everything else). At the end of the day, the average American hunter can't afford a 10k elk hunt, the average Canadian hunter cannot also afford a 10k hunt in Canada, even if the outfitter gives us a "COVID special" and charges the same rate but in CAD istead of USD. TBH, the COVID specials for Canadian hunters weren't all that great either.

I’ve read a lot about the tourism industry and western Canada. To summarize what I’ve read it would be exactly what you said. The population is a lot less dense and where the population is dense the local tourism is doing good. But it is a 20+ hour road trip from eastern Ontario to northwest Ontario, let alone Saskatchewan. So tourism businesses have to rely on US guests annually to survive.

 

[Randi]

maybe

 

[Randi]

Sounds like if you have the coin 2022 would be a good year to tag a big stone sheep.

maybe

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

Travelling to hunt in Canada isn't as popular as it is in the US. Most provinces make it mandatory to use a guide or outfitters so the average Canadian hunter sticks to a Province or two.

As for outfitters, prices are always in USD and when it's a 1.30 CAD for a USD those hunts get pretty pricey, factor in the ridiculous price of flying inside Canada and those hunts get pretty pricey. Our population is 10% of the US' so we obviously have less wealthy hunters as you do, it's not that we're poorer than you (our wage average is actually higer but so's everything else). At the end of the day, the average American hunter can't afford a 10k elk hunt, the average Canadian hunter cannot also afford a 10k hunt in Canada, even if the outfitter gives us a "COVID special" and charges the same rate but in CAD istead of USD. TBH, the COVID specials for Canadian hunters weren't all that great either.

What’s been boggling mine are the “Covid” specials in the US for various things, 2x+ the price half the opportunity. I made some calls last week and it sounds like they did so well last year working less that they are going to stick with those rates.

 

[Sasquatchewan]

What’s been boggling mine are the “Covid” specials in the US for various things, 2x+ the price half the opportunity. I made some calls last week and it sounds like they did so well last year working less that they are going to stick with those rates.

I actually looked into guided hunts, not that I normally have any interest in them but figured it's a requirement to hunt most provinces and it might be a decent opportunity given the border closure. So I enquired about antelope and wolf hunts in Alberta with several outfitters, the prices were completely ridiculous, $5,700 for a Canadian resident antelope hunt and $3,500-4,000 for wolf.

The only hunts that had good discounts were bear and whitetail deer but those are two of the most common hunts that people can easily do themselves.

They can charge whatever they want and I support them doing so, but in what world will people pay a "discounted" $5,700 very average antelope hunt in Alberta, when you can pay half that in the US on a non-COVID year or $4,000 for a 50% chance at maybe seeing, let alone getting a shot at, a wolf?

 

[Panda Bear]

They can charge whatever they want and I support them doing so, but in what world will people pay a "discounted" $5,700 very average antelope hunt in Alberta, when you can pay half that in the US on a non-COVID year or $4,000 for a 50% chance at maybe seeing, let alone getting a shot at, a wolf?

It has gone so far south ( no pun intended ) it is a bit crazy, I agree.

Some current "deals" for 2022 in The Territories

Sheep 45000 and up !

Moose/Caribou/Grizzly Combo hunt 45000 and up!

Sheep/moose/grizzly Combo hunt 60000 and in most cases WAY up !

Sheep/goat/ caribou/grizzly combo hunt 65000 -Plus ( and the "plus" or "extras" can add up --way up. One American is up to an 80000 hunt )

The prices for 2023 are already being quoted at higher rates and 2022 is almost entirely booked, with reservations being made for 2023

Somebody in the States has the bucks or a lot of someones actually. We appreciate your willingness to share your wealth with your northern neighbors

American Express cards are accepted

 

[Sasquatchewan]

@Panda Bear that's nuts! I wish it were possible for Canadian residents to do a reasonably priced big game hunt in the territories. I get it, people have to make a living but as a Canadian resident it's kind of disappointing that there isn't a single DIY option up north. Even Saskatchewan which is very restrictice for non-residents, offers several DIY hunts to Canadians.

 

[bonedogg]

I actually looked into guided hunts, not that I normally have any interest in them but figured it's a requirement to hunt most provinces and it might be a decent opportunity given the border closure. So I enquired about antelope and wolf hunts in Alberta with several outfitters, the prices were completely ridiculous, $5,700 for a Canadian resident antelope hunt and $3,500-4,000 for wolf.

The only hunts that had good discounts were bear and whitetail deer but those are two of the most common hunts that people can easily do themselves.

They can charge whatever they want and I support them doing so, but in what world will people pay a "discounted" $5,700 very average antelope hunt in Alberta, when you can pay half that in the US on a non-COVID year or $4,000 for a 50% chance at maybe seeing, let alone getting a shot at, a wolf?

I wonder how many of those tags they sold to residents for those $$? No brainer for the wealthy to have some fun, but damn that was a lot of $$ to hunt antelope out of the que.....

 

[bonedogg]

I do not feel bad for any of the Canadian outfitters actually. With the few discounts I saw last year provided to us residents, those guys can go down with the rest not lined up with the new era we live in. No protection for the local feed stop, no protection for the outfitters. How much rainy day cash did they put away......

I did not see one Canadian outfitter discount any hunts in any significant way.

 

[Sasquatchewan]

I do not feel bad for any of the Canadian outfitters actually. With the few discounts I saw last year provided to us residents, those guys can go down with the rest not lined up with the new era we live in. No protection for the local feed stop, no protection for the outfitters. How much rainy day cash did they put away......

I did not see one Canadian outfitter discount any hunts in any significant way.

I feel bad for them but at the same time I feel like a lot of them banked on the border reopening in time for fall hunts and didn't offer actual deals.

I get it, a fly-in rocky mountain goat hunt IS expensive, but any hunt I can drive my azz to and rent my own cheap motel or tent it up shouldn't cost $5,700, especially for an antelope that requires little scouting. But eh, if someone can afford it, good for them!

 

[BenInMT]

I’m sorry that the 3rd world poors of Canada can’t afford an outfitted hunt in their own country.

 

[Panda Bear]

A U.S. citizen is not allowed to bring their Polar Bear or Walrus trophy back into the US.

And yet------there is literally a bidding war going on for these hunts. U.S. citizens are asking for the names of the people who have already booked a hunt and are offering to pay those people more than they paid for their reservation. Would you pay 100,000.00 to hunt a Polar Bear ? I guess if your a billionaire or a son of a billionaire 100,000.00 is no big deal, but instead of outfitters in Canada lowering their prices so that fellow Canadians can hunt outside of the Province they live in, the prices have gone up, and they are selling them.

While I am here. How do you fellows feel about the 41 U.S. citizens who still have their trophy in cold storage up here. They legally hunted the Polar before the ban, but the trophy had not made it back to the U.S. by the time the ban went into effect. Why is it so hard for those 41 hunters to get an exception to the law/ban, since there was no ban, when they hunted the Polar ?

I am sure if it was feasible and affordable most or at least some of you would hunt the Polar Bear, but has any of you actually thought "I would like to hunt walrus ? "

 

[44hunter45]

A U.S. citizen is not allowed to bring their Polar Bear or Walrus trophy back into the US.

And yet------there is literally a bidding war going on for these hunts. U.S. citizens are asking for the names of the people who have already booked a hunt and are offering to pay those people more than they paid for their reservation. Would you pay 100,000.00 to hunt a Polar Bear ? I guess if your a billionaire or a son of a billionaire 100,000.00 is no big deal, but instead of outfitters in Canada lowering their prices so that fellow Canadians can hunt outside of the Province they live in, the prices have gone up, and they are selling them.

While I am here. How do you fellows feel about the 41 U.S. citizens who still have their trophy in cold storage up here. They legally hunted the Polar before the ban, but the trophy had not made it back to the U.S. by the time the ban went into effect. Why is it so hard for those 41 hunters to get an exception to the law/ban, since there was no ban, when they hunted the Polar ?

I am sure if it was feasible and affordable most or at least some of you would hunt the Polar Bear, but has any of you actually thought "I would like to hunt walrus ? "

I hope you are getting good tips!

 

[Rainer]

With the US government withholding 18.5 million vaccine doses that were purchased by the Feds. I doubt the border will open anytime soon

 

[Seeleylakehunter]

Or be like the folks that have duel citizenship. I know a husband and wife with thier 3 kids that go up for the weekend and come back. Not sure how they work it but it works I guess.

 

[mxracer317]

Or be like the folks that have duel citizenship. I know a husband and wife with thier 3 kids that go up for the weekend and come back. Not sure how they work it but it works I guess.

They are required to quarantine. Not sure how they're doing it as well.

 

[Mallardsx2]

I have an archery Alberta bear hunt on the books right now. The outfitter I am going through said that there will be a ton of very big bears shot in the next few years due to this closure.

 

[thusby]

I have an archery Alberta bear hunt on the books right now. The outfitter I am going through said that there will be a ton of very big bears shot in the next few years due to this closure.

Going to be some real nice bear taken, most definitely. As soon as I can cross the border, I am getting on some Manitoba bruins.