doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Bird hunting in Alaska???

More pics:

Dome country, pic taken around noon'ish in December:


A shot of Minto Flats in the winter, in the spring it becomes home to millions waterfowl:


Spruce grouse country:

Thanks Dustin, That best artist in the world couldn't begin to paint a better picture.

I take it that's your 20 gauge Rizzini? Beautiful!!!

I've hunted waterfowl and ptarmigan in Alaska several times. King Eiders in the Bering Sea or Harlequin in Prince William Sound are not do-it-yourself trips. Pacific Brant and ducks in Cold Bay can be DIY. All the waterfowl hunting I have done in Alaka has been with outfitters. While the guided waterfowl trips can be very expensive I don't see any other options unless you live in the area, own all the appropriate gear and have the ability to operate the equipment in an environment that gives no second chances.

Ptarmigan hunting can certainly be a DIY trip. I would suggest the Denali Highway between Cantwell and Paxson. Drive till you see an area you like, get out and start walking. Not a lot of birds but you will get a bird or two. Cold Bay can be DIY for Ptarmigan and waterfowl. Fly to Cold Bay rent a truck and drive the roads. Great Pacific Black Brant plus geese and ducks. Ptarmigan are plentiful and so are the BEARS. There are a lot of bears in Cold Bay and they have the right-of-way.

If you really want to experience alaskan ptarmigan hunting and feel a bit plush take a bush plane out of Soldotna and fly across Cook Inlet. Willow and Rock ptarmigan in great numbers and you can stop and catch a few fish on your way back to camp.

Alaska has great bird hunting opportunities and they are all worth whatever you invest in them. It's been a couple years since my last trip and I think it's time to head back. I think a guided trip to Cold Bay is on the horizon again before I get any older. Any one want to go?

Dennis

Dennis, Great information on your hunting trips. That's the picture I kind of had in my mind about Alaska; drive, look, stop, load up your shotgun and start walking.

What did you take/use up there? Shotgun or shotguns?

I use a Benelli SBE for all my waterfowl hunting in salt water. 12 ga. with a modified choke. In extremely harsh conditions I use a Browning Citori in 12 ga., 3 1/2". That's the back up gun for those times that the Benelli won't go bang. King Eiders in the Bering Sea would be a prime example of needing a back up gun. I also took one of the first A10's to the Bering Sea. A rose and scroll A10 with exhibition wood covered in salt spray and ice will make one shake is head.
Most of my Ptarmigan have been taken with an AyA 4/53 in 12 ga., choked .012 & .021. One of the deluxe ones that Cabelas had a few years ago. I usually shoot 1 1/8 oz.,
# 7 1/2's for Ptarmigan. I bought the AyA with prairie birds in mind but it makes a great Ptarmigan gun also.

If I get back to Cold Bay in the near future I think the SBE may become my back up gun. Since my North American Waterfowl Collection is complete the pressure is off so I will go back to a vintage SxS. Finding the perfect vintage Brant gun could be as much fun as the trip itself.

Dennis

Let me get this straight in my head. I'm driving to Alaska however I have to go through Canada first, now do I just drive to the border with my shotgun and ammunition and fill out the necessary paperwork at the border crossing or do I have to do something prior to that?

Some beautiful pictures of some beautiful scenery these guys posted here, isn't it?

Whenever I've crossed into Canada with firearms, I've printed and filled in the form prior to crossing. It goes a bit quicker if the form is already filled in. You can certainly fill in the form at the border, but again, I do it beforehand.

The link below has the information you're looking for in taking guns into Canada. The form needing filled out is a CAFC 909 form.

The information you're looking for should be found in the link below.

http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/fs-fd/visit-visite-eng.htm

Thank you Cameron, good information!!!

It's written here,

A PAL or a confirmed Non-Resident Firearm Declaration or a Temporary Firearms Borrowing Licence (for Non-residents) is necessary to buy ammunition in Canada. Limited amounts may be brought into Canada with you. Please note that ammunition should not be loaded in a firearm when arriving at an entry point.

Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) is responsible for regulating the import of ammunition under the Explosives Act. Contact NRCan for information on how much ammunition can be imported for personal use. For information on how much ammunition can be imported duty-free, please contact the CBSA.


How much can be brought through Canada. The reason I ask is, of course, I'm bringing a 16 gauge, if I go.

I found it, pretty easy web-site to navigate through,

http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/explosives/importation/9909

A person is permitted to import up to 5000 rounds of small arms cartridges for personal use and not for resale into Canada without an import permit. An Import Permit is required to import larger quantities or if the ammunition is for resale in Canada. A person is permitted to export and transport in transit up to 5000 rounds of small arms cartridges without an Export or In Transit permit. An Export or In Transit permit is required to export and transport in transit larger quantities.

Treb,

Last trip to Saskachewan waterfowl hunting in 2104, we were able to take, if memory serves correctly, 10 boxes or 250 rounds of shotgun shells apiece. (edit) In thinking about it, I think it was 8 boxes or 200 rds one could take in without any issues.

Was that enough ammo or did you run short?

Bless them Canadians, they sure know how to set up a web-site. I just searched for 'non resident ammo limits' in their search screen and boom it came right up.