Access to BP in Canada for Anacosti Island, Quebec hunt?

[Flint62Smoothie]

US citizen heading north ...

Well, we booked the trip anyway, as the rest of the hunters are using ... ahem, modern rifles, but the info and support (specifically for a muzzleloader) as provided by Sepaq is extremely poor; pathetic really.

First they tell me ... in a strong French accent, no? ... that any gun is a better hunting option than a bow, but they seem absolutely clueless about muzzleloaders and that flintlock MZLs need real black powder.

Now part of the trip is a flight from somewhere in Quebec over to the island and explosives cannot fly by air. So they finally give me the name of a hardware store on the island and I inquire with them about getting some black powder there. They reply with a list of every powder made by Alliant, Hodgdon or IMR .. all ‘smokeless’ powders to wit, but zip about real, holy BP.

Has anyone here from the US ever muzzleloader hunted Anacosti Island from the States and how did you get your powdah?

At worst, I’ll see if a guide or camp worker who maybe takes a boat over to the island can get me some. Just stunned that “they (outfitter) don’t know” ... and I feel like I’m the 1st person in the world to ever ask the question.

 

[Sparkitoff]

I cannot answer your question. I can state that we cancelled a bear hunt last year due to a lack of BP. The outfitter said he could get it. To his credit he tried, but the store that "used to" have it no longer carried it. He made calls and stopped in several places and eventually found some substitute, but that would likely not work in our flintlocks. The guy was willing to drive to the US, buy the powder and according to him "put the needed amount in a discreet container" and then just drive his RV back home. We did not want to risk the outfitters freedom over trying to accommodate us and we cancelled the hunt. This year he has called twice only to report he has still not found a source for the powder but continues to ask and look throughout the year. I hope you can get it done. I do not mean to discourage you, I just pointing out that you need to have someone enthused and diligent on the other side to make it happen and even that can be challenging.

 

[FishDFly]

From the Goex website under dealers:

Bowmac Gunpar
Ontario
1-800-668-2509

Give them a call and see what you can work out or send it to your outfitter.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

From the Goex website under dealers:
. . .
Give them a call and see what you can work out or send it to your outfitter.

Good idea, thank you!

 

[FishDFly]

I hope it helps you.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

UPDATE

DRIVING - One can transport BP throughout Canada.

FLYING - It appears that while one cannot bring containers of black or smokeless powder or boxes of percussion caps and primers on board airlines, hunters are allowed to bring ‘cartridges’ for their arm as long as said cartridges are locked into the arm’s hard travel case.

As I know as of 07Mar19, I will making paper cartridges for my flint smoothie and sealing them in a ziplock bag, to be included with my handmade Fusil de Chasse.

CAUTION - I would NOT DO THIS if flying out of a US airport into Canada. We will be driving from the US into Canada, driving many more hours ‘in country’ and then taking a chartered flight at the last leg over to the island where we will be hunting. I will report back here, once I am confident of ‘what I can or cannot do’ ...

To date, ‘cartridges’ or what constitutes a cartridge not defined anywhere, so I need to navigate the Canadian explosive act, and other Canadian laws on transportation of dangerous goods, etc., etc.

 

[Patocazador]

If your paper cartridges are deemed unacceptable, obtain some previously-fired large capacity cases, fill them with black powder and place a bullet in the neck. Do not replace the fired primer. These "cartridges" could easily be "converted" to containers for charging your flintlock.

While it satisfies the letter of the law, it is devious as to the intent of the law so use at your own risk.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

That’s the crux of it ... I have heard that hunters boarding planes in the US to US destinations may have problems with black powdah cartridge rifle ‘ammo’, like the 45-70 et al, when using real BP loads that is. Guys getting to their final destinations only to find their BP ammo removed from their case.

I’ll tell you this - they sure don’t make it easy! What gets me is ... I can’t be the 1st to ask these questions, yet it sure feels like it!

 

[fleener]

Have you looked into buying a pound of powder from a CN vendor and having it delivered to the island's hardware store? or to the outfitter?

Have you considered taking the ferry to the island instead of flying? I did a quick google search and there appears to be a ferry that you can take, or have your powder delivered by.

Fleener

 

[Brokennock]

This is on my watch list of threads as I'd like to bring my flintlock smoothrifle next trip to Newfoundland for moose.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Have you considered taking the ferry to the island instead of flying?

Ferry - I have, but only 1-2 ferries per week, probably only 1 in NOV - weather permitting - and the timing won’t work for the other 5 guys going (driving up in 2 cars).

Powdah Shipment - There is a Goex distributor in Ontario and that might be an option I may try, if I strike out on the paper cartridges. But a 1-lb container cannot be transported by plane, so that too would be a ferry delivery.

Again, I inquired TWICE already with the hardware store on the island to get a pound of ‘real’ black powdah and they keep sending me to Hogdon’s website ... arrggghhhhhhh. Is there anyone else in Canada besides Pukka Bundook who shoots real BP?

Outfitter - All along they have said ... just put it on the plane, put it on the plane, put it on the plane ... but in reality, it will not be there ‘azz’ sitting in jail if something were to go wrong.

 

[fleener]

I would consider contacting a CN powder distributor, buying a pound and having it shipped to you at the hardware store or where ever. That could be done well before the hunt, so that when you get there the powder is waiting for you. it will go by the ferry, no worries what week it gets there if you get it done months in advance.

Fleener

 

[Brokennock]

Just curious/throwing this out there. Is the restriction on flying with it per Canadian law, airline regulation, charter regulation? Does a charter flight have to follow the same restriction as a regular commercial airline flight? Have you asked the carrier of your chartered flight directly? Is it a private "Bush plane" flight, or small commercial carrier charter?

 

[fleener]

I can only speak for US law. However I do work with with the Canadians on occasion and their HM regulations (transportation of dangerous goods) are very similar to ours and where they do differ, they are usually better written and more stringent then ours.

For the US, black powder for sporting arms can be reclassified from an explosive to a flammable solid. That changes things quite a bit regarding federal regulations. You can not do this for air transportation however. For air, it is still an explosive. We can not fly with most explosives in a commercial air craft. A bush plane is a commercial aircraft. They are for hire.

In the USA I have a special permit from the USDOT that allows me to fly with a pound of BP and a tin of percussion caps in Alaska where no other means of transportation is available. That does not mean I can fly from the lower 48 up there with the powder and caps.

Now if you fly over there and it is just you and bush plane, they might not even care.

If you want or need a government HM contact in CN, shoot me a private note and I can at least get you started with a guy.

I still think that ordering a can and have it delivered on the boat is the best bet. Might cost you a few bucks, but it is what it is.

Fleener

 

[Sparkitoff]

I understand your frustration and the situation. I am a retired PH and owned an adventure travel company for 25 years. We used to book a lot of Canadian bear and moose hunts and some mule deer, caribou et al. I realize you stated you booked a trip already. With all due respect to our Canadian brothers and sisters, there are so many good bear hunts in the US now for similar cost that it is hardly worth it to deal with another country. The latest example is and OTC tag for bear in Wyoming where this is 100% success rate for the past few years, spot and stalk or bait. Bears are 50% or more color phase. For $3000-$3500 and a two bear possibility. Most moose hunts in Canada are a bit less expensive than US. You cannot take loose powder on aircraft. If you "disguise" it and are discovered you face expensive fines, possible criminal charges and may end up on the "watch list". If it makes it into Canada what happens when the wildlife officer wants to know where it came from? If you have a Canadian outfitter that will supply the black powder (or sub) and caps (if necessary) it can be a nice opportunity to use your traditional rifle. Without a supporting outfitter on the other side it is not worth the hassle or risk (in my opinion). I can get black powder easier in South Africa than in Canada (for a visiting hunter). I truly wish you the best of luck and hope your trip turns out great. For anyone who has yet to book such a trip, I encourage you to look elsewhere for black powder rifle hunting. I am happy to provide consultation or even book a trip for someone that needs assistance.