Guess it goes both ways!

[Canadian Hunter]

Alert for Visiting Shooters, Hunters and Related Business people

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (BATF) this week announced restrictive new rules on possession of firearms by visitors to the United States.

The new rules implement a 1998 law that prohibits possession or purchase of firearms by most non-immigrant aliens such as tourists, students and temporary workers. There are exemptions for licensed hunters, law enforcement officers on official business and certain other foreign officials.

However, when the rules go into effect on February 19, 2002, all foreign visitors (other than law enforcement officers and foreign
government officials) seeking to bring a firearm into the United States will be required to apply for an import permit from BATF's Imports Branch. Since approval of import permits can take several months, anyone planning to visit the United States to shoot, hunt, or attend sporting trade shows should contact BATF's Imports Branch immediately to ask about this procedure. You may call the Imports Branch at 202-927-8320.

To read the new rules, see pages 5422-5429 of the Federal Register for Tuesday, February 5, available online at http://www.atf.treas.gov/regulations/td471.pdf

While the rules are going into effect on a "temporary" basis in less than two weeks, they are also subject to a public comment period.
Make sure your comments refer to "Notice No. 935" and that they are received at BATF on or before May 6, 2002.

Your signed comments up to three pages long may be sent by fax to: (202)-927-8602.
Comments may also be e-mailed to: nprm@atfhq.atf.treas.gov
e-mailed comments must contain your name, mailing address and e-mail address and must be no more than three pages long when printed. More detailed comments may be mailed to:

Chief, Regulations Division
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms
P.O. Box 50221
Washington, DC 20091-0221
Attn: Notice No. 935

The National Rifle Association of America will work with the Administration and the Congress in an effort to ensure that the implementation of this law does not burden law-abiding visitors to the U.S. and the businesses that depend on them. If your visit to the United States is obstructed by these new regulations, please contact the NRA's Office of Legislative Counsel at 703-267-1160.

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[Biggbear]

Are you somehow trying to draw a paralell behind tightening security at our borders in the wake of the 9/11 tragedies, and the restrictive, prohibitive policies placed on your own citizens. You've got to be kidding! Any law abiding citizen in the U.S. can still own a firearm, can your citizens say the same? If you don't like the policies that our Govt. is using to protect it's citizens the answer is a simple one- Stay Home.

[RJE]

Sheeeeez Biggbear,

A little animosity to our neighbors to the north?

CH was just giving information. Engage in discourse (sp). It is much more effective. If CH calls us Americans a buncha pinko commies, then by all means rip him a new one....But, I dont think he was deserving of your type of response. I gotta believe he is on OUR side.

RJ

[Magnet]

I think he was just making a comparison to the "red tape" that we have to go through in order to hunt in Canada. Now the same is true for Canadians wishing to hunt Pronghorn (for example) in the US.

Magnet

[Biggbear]

Perhaps my original post was a little to judgemental. The point is that there is no way to compare the "red tape" it's apples and oranges. The potential for inconvienence is the result of thousands of people losing their lives. If it is a little more difficult for hunters to cross the border to avoid this again, I guess we'll just have to live with that. There are thousands of kids who lost a parent, parents that lost a son or daughter. Who are we to complain about a little extra "red tape." I just seems to me that having to fill out a form is trivial compared to what some are going through due to this situation.

[Canadian Hunter]

Biggbear all I was doing was posting an article I found that affects thousands of hunter's that participate in your state/country.

And yes any "law abiding" citizen can own a gun over here. We just have a stupid little card that say's so. Which quite honestly doesnt bother me except for the cost, I do not agree with registration though!

Also you do not have to tell me anything about the increase in security(which is well deserved). My wife works for custom's canada, at the busiest border crossing in North America. I have seen the stress that followed, first hand.

I have no problem if I have to fill out some little form to bring a gun to the U.S. Belive me, one more wont kill me!

[Ebowhunter]

I think it sucks that we are being drawn into these kinds of restrictions by a few bad apples... but I would rather fill out the forms in order to force the crooks to be more creative in their endeavors.

[dogjaw]

I'm compelled to jump to the defense of our good neighbor to the north. Living in Michigan all my life, I've come to think that Illinois (Chicago) is more foreign than Canada. The info is good. Now for all us folks south of the border, if you go on than bear hunt in Ontario this year, you might be a little more aware of what you'll be greeted with when YOU try to get that precious pre 64 model 70 of yours back into the States and deal with our sometimes extremely rude U.S. Border guards. It's also obvious that sharing a large friendly border with Canada, that their might be quite a few Ontario citizens who visit this forum, and our country (try getting back into Michigan on a Friday night in the Soo).

Canadian Hunter's post was VERY appropriate and welcome. I did not see it as a Canada/U.S. political issue at all. What I see is a U.S. political issue (1998? Can you say Clinton/Gore/anti gun?). I'm afraid we've come too pre-occupied with "9/11". The new regs. are NOT about Sept. 11. If you read the 4th line you'll see it's A 1998 LAW THAT'S JUST NOW TAKING AFFECT. This is the governments way to allow time for them to implement a new law after the dust (and political fallout) settles.

We Americans take so much for granted. Now be honest, we think nothing of loading up the gear and heading to Ontario for some excellent fishing or hunting. If this was a Canadian law, you can bet your sweet backside of it's being posted, and with a lot more umpa. There surely would be some bitching and complaining, but it would not have taken the ugly turn it did. Don't you think that the Canadians can look past our usual bad social manners and visit once in a while? After all, we do offer sand on our beaches and lake water with temperatures higher than the beer we drink. :D

Canadians, come visit the apple knockers of Berrien County Michigan! We need some good folks to push the fondly named F.I.P.s (friendly Illinois people) back to Chicago. We offer sand on our beaches, much, much warmer water, and yes....... apples.:cool: