Jaimie,

I'm not sure what kind of hunting you will be doing. Also, laws can always change, so you should make sure you call Canadian customs a month or so before you go.

Right now the easiest process with a non-restricted firearm would be to fill out a Non-Resident Firearms Declaration form at the border and pay the amount. I think the amount right now is $ 25 per gun which will cover you for 60 days.

If you think you are going to be making multiple trips over the next few years, you might be interesting in going through the process of getting a Purchase and Acquisition License (PAL) and then register your gun in Canada. This process costs $ 60 and covers all your guns for a 5 year period. All in all, the process of getting your PAL is a good 2-3 months (I can go into more detail if your are interested). The process of registering your gun and receiving your certificate is another good 1 - 2 months.

Above, is assuming you are bringing in a firearm which is deemed non-restricted which covers any normal hunting rifle.

If you are hunting with a bow, the process is much simpler. Somebody else might chime in here, as I have not received a good response from customs to date. I don't think bows are a controlled item. It may be a good idea to purchase a hunting license before you come up as one person in customs gave me a vague answer about needing a hunting license to bring a bow into the country. Whatever the case, it's much easier than bringing in a firearm.

Good luck,

Dan