We crossed into Canada on Sunday. We were at the International Peace Garden crossing. After pulling up to the booth and showing our passports we answered a few questions about the amount of booze we had, if we had any fire arms with us (no) we were told to pull forward and stop. An agent entered the motor home and quizzed us about fire arms mainly. How many we usually traveled with, where we carried them, what caliber were they. Then he and another agent searched inside and outside the motorhome and towed vehicle for around an hour while we were told to wait outside. When they were finished (found nothing) the one agent thanked us for cooperating and we were on our way. I don't think we brought this on ourselves. I believe we were chosen at random. FYI.

Do you in fact own firearms? Is there a computer record somewhere re. that ownership of those items?I know full well that once I cross the border with a new to me vehicle, it is that vehicle which is in the border computer files re . me. So, the thought that comes to me, there is something on file somewhere that made the suggestion to really check these people thoroughly re. firearms.:C

Had a similar experience crossing into the States a few years ago.Border guard was just about to hand our passports back, glanced at his screen and said, "Aahhh....You've been selected for a random check."Pulled up, took the 3 kids and dog up to their office while they searched, waited for it to be done and then we were on our merry way.Never asked us once if we had firearms though :) So, don't take it personally....they're just doing their jobs.

We were once searched heading into Washington State at the Peace Arch Crossing at 10 p.m.First the sniffer dog went through the motorhome. Then the agents while we waited inside the building. An hour later they came out with our California oranges and told us we could continue on our trip to Oregon. They took the oranges but left the grapefruit, bananas, and all the other fruit.They also left it tidy although I could tell every cupboard, drawer and storage space had been shuffled about.

We got the third degree about firearms one of two times when we crossed last summer. I have concealed weapons permit which may show up on their computer. Like you they asked us repeatedly the same question phrased different ways. But we didn't get a search. Two days earlier at the same entry point were weren't asked about firearms it was just the standard questions, where were we going ect and then waved thru but we weren't towing that time.Coming back the US did search the fiver. If you do not have a CCW then you aren't supposed to show up on any database as a weapons owner. THere would be a political firestorm if there was some secret database.

dreamer wrote:We crossed into Canada on Sunday. We were at the International Peace Garden crossing. After pulling up to the booth and showing our passports we answered a few questions about the amount of booze we had, if we had any fire arms with us (no) we were told to pull forward and stop. An agent entered the motor home and quizzed us about fire arms mainly. How many we usually traveled with, where we carried them, what caliber were they. Then he and another agent searched inside and outside the motorhome and towed vehicle for around an hour while we were told to wait outside. When they were finished (found nothing) the one agent thanked us for cooperating and we were on our way. I don't think we brought this on ourselves. I believe we were chosen at random. FYI.We tried to enter the US at the piece arch on I-5, towing our new aircraft on a trailer, and was told to pull into the inspection area and go inside, the guard placed a orange sticker on the windshield. so we did. after we were inside the customs agents made us wait 35 minutes before any one would talk to us about what was going to happen, the took our pass ports and paper work on the aircraft and went into the office. we waited another 30 minutes prior to them coming back to tell us the we could not enter at this crossing. we were returned to Canada and told to cross at the Linden commercial crossing because we were importing material. Arriving the Linden station we sat in the booth for 35 minutes waiting a "wants and warrants check", then told to park at the loading dock and go inside. we did. it took the customs agents 4.5 hours to determine which form to use, for private goods that had no duty due. plus how to do a stolen aircraft check. We watched 6 customs agents set at their computer stations playing solitaire for 4.5 hours waiting to get our relieve form and our passports back. OBTW there is no method of searching for a stolen aircraft. Plus I have the US registration for our aircraft. I have since registered a complaint at the US customs web page for all the good it will do.

Well, that wasn't very pleasant. | Good Sam Community

35 Replies

Anonymous
Jun 03, 2016
With the OP's latest post, it's time to close this.
Tom_Barb
Explorer
Jun 03, 2016
SideHillSoup wrote:

Canada dosent allow hand guns,

read and learn, they do allow hand guns in Canada.
They do allow hand guns in Canada.
Mountaineer42
Explorer
Jun 03, 2016
garyhaupt wrote:
Mountaineer42 wrote:
gemert wrote:

Maybe but if just one of those rounds are a self defense handgun round like a 9mm, you are going to be very very inconvenienced at best, Arrested and all your possessions including motor home confiscated at worst. Not worth it to me. I am retired LEO and I find bullets in some very out of the way places in my vehicles.

TOTAL nonsense. Put away your paranoia and check the facts.

Well, I did do some research and yes, what the poster says, can happen. But..its the American ATF, doing vehicle searches at the border, before getting to the CDN agents, NORTHBOUND that can cause the big trouble. Having ammo that is subject to an Export License.

In fact, I have been thru these, at the Peace Arch in Washington State. I had just never connected the dots.

Gary Haupt

Still, TOTAL nonsense.
#1. Obviously gemert was not referring to being stopped by US authorities, he was referring to his fear of Cdn authorities finding a single round of ammo in his camper.
#2. The references you mentioned previously are from several years ago.
#3. Check the info on the US Customs and Border Protection website, dated December 2015:
" Traveling outside of the U.S. - Temporarily taking a firearm, rifle, gun, shotgun or ammunition abroad for hunting purposes

What is the process for a traveler temporarily taking a firearm, rifle, gun, shotgun or ammunition abroad for hunting or sports-related purposes?

Current export regulations issued by the Department of State require travelers to file electronic export information (EEI) for temporary export of personally owned firearms via the Automated Export System (AES) prior to departure from the United States.

CBP is aware of issues that travelers are having with the implementation of this regulation and is working to ensure that no traveler attempting to legally take their firearm out of the country experiences significant delays or incurs additional cost.

Because of these issues, we are temporarily suspending implementation of the regulation as we work with our government partners to modify the AES system to make it more user-friendly for individual travelers. "
dreamer
Explorer
Jun 03, 2016
Original poster here. I do have a concealed carry permit from Illinois. I wondered if that comes up when they enter your passport. I realize they were doing their jobs, I have no problem with that. Canada is a beautiful country and this will not keep me from visiting.

dreamer.
garyhaupt
Explorer
Jun 02, 2016
Mountaineer42 wrote:
gemert wrote:

Maybe but if just one of those rounds are a self defense handgun round like a 9mm, you are going to be very very inconvenienced at best, Arrested and all your possessions including motor home confiscated at worst. Not worth it to me. I am retired LEO and I find bullets in some very out of the way places in my vehicles.

TOTAL nonsense. Put away your paranoia and check the facts.

Well, I did do some research and yes, what the poster says, can happen. But..its the American ATF, doing vehicle searches at the border, before getting to the CDN agents, NORTHBOUND that can cause the big trouble. Having ammo that is subject to an Export License.

In fact, I have been thru these, at the Peace Arch in Washington State. I had just never connected the dots.

Gary Haupt
westernrvparkow
Explorer
Jun 02, 2016
khager76248 wrote:
We traveled to Canada one time. They saw we were from Texas, so they not only asked if we had any guns with us(and of course we said no). They also asked if we had any guns back in Texas. What type of question is that. I understand them not wanting guns in their country, but what business is it of theirs if we have guns back home in Texas? We had to say no, otherwise I think we would have been in for a long and unnecessary search.
So following your logic, if a 20 year old Syrian Male was crossing the Texas Border it is OK to ask him if he has any explosive devices with him, but it is out of bounds to ask if he was affiliated with ISIS in Syria because it's none of business what he does in Syria?
EEWally
Explorer
Jun 02, 2016
On another return to Montana at Chief Mountain after a day trip to Waterton, the US agent asked what we bought in Canada. I told him we bought a bottle of whiskey. He said that we needed to stay 24 hours to bring it in duty free but said "OK, get outa here."
EEWally
Explorer
Jun 02, 2016
Once returning to Montana at Roosville, a newbie US agent asked me to pop the hood latch of our Dodge Ram. I did and he fumbled around for the secondary safety latch. He finally had to ask me to get out and finish the opening. I felt a little sorry for him.

I really think opening the hood was to demonstrate to everyone in line that they could do that.
Mountaineer42
Explorer
Jun 02, 2016
gemert wrote:

Maybe but if just one of those rounds are a self defense handgun round like a 9mm, you are going to be very very inconvenienced at best, Arrested and all your possessions including motor home confiscated at worst. Not worth it to me. I am retired LEO and I find bullets in some very out of the way places in my vehicles.

TOTAL nonsense. Put away your paranoia and check the facts.
garyhaupt
Explorer
Jun 02, 2016
Further to ammo...typing in "carrying ammo into Canada" got some interesting results. One of them being that is the US ATF folks that are stopping and searching outbound vehicles and if someone has ammo without an export license, then they stand to be paying heavily.

I'm sorry...but that has me laughing...a US citizen getting busted, big time, by ATF for having ammo without an export license. It's all about taxes..money. Your own US government at work.

Gary Haupt