Transporting Harvested Ducks and Geese from Canada to the US
The More You Know: Transporting Dead Waterfowl Over the U.S. - Canada Border
So, your Canada trip was a huge success, and you have dozens--if not hundreds--of ducks and geese in your coolers. First off, congrats on what sounds like an awesome trip. But you’re not out of the weeds yet; you now have to successfully and legally get your haul back stateside. Follow these tips/laws to keep your soon-to-be duck poppers and goose pastrami in your possession and avoid the preventable headaches.
Each hunter in your vehicle can bring their possession limit of ducks and geese from Canada back into the states. Let’s say you were hunting in Saskatchewan, Each hunter can transport 24 ducks, unlimited Snow and Ross’s geese, and 24 Canada/Cackling/White-fronted Geese. For more information on other Province’s possession limits, go here.
Always leave one wing attached to each bird. This is a US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) import requirement. The US does not allow processed game birds to be imported--leave those wings attached!
You CANNOT import another hunter’s birds or more birds than your possession limit allows.
Sandhill Cranes are a listed species within the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). However, you can bring those ribeyes back home if your legally harvested cranes are a part of your accompanying luggage.
Because you are technically importing wildlife across an international border, you will need to fill out a Declaration for Importation or Exportation of Fish or Wildlife form (Form 3-177) to return to the US with your harvest.
Those are the main regulations you must comply with to bring home all that good eating waterfowl, but check out this USFWS link for more. Sure it seems all too easy to try and bend some of these rules, but is it really worth it? If you follow these regulations, your border crossing will be a breeze and you will be that much closer to enjoying this meat with friends and family. The only problem you will have now is figuring out what to do with all that waterfowl. Well, thankfully SplitReed has you covered on that issue: check out some of our favorite waterfowl recipes!
Will Poston for SPLIT REED
Photos courtesy of Nick Costas
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