We recommend that you fly into Gander International Airport, Newfoundland sometime on Saturday. This may require hotel reservations for Saturday night. We will arrange transportation to meet you and other guests at the hotel of your choice on Sunday. We will transport you 2 to 3 hours, to our drive in lodge. Once there, our friendly staff and guides will meet you to get either settle in or transport you to your camp . Your hunt will begin on Monday morning, and end at noon on Saturday. NOTE: Please plan to ARRIVE at Camp 8 on Sunday, and depart from Camp 8 on Saturday afternoon/evening.
Please note that you are responsible for all arrangements and costs for your travel and hotels. If you need to stay the night during your travels, we’ve provided a list of hotels for you.
Hotels in Gander
If you are driving to Newfoundland, you will need to stay on the Trans Canada Highway (TCH) all the way to North Sydney, Nova Scotia, where you will catch the Marine Atlantic Ferry for the 6-hour, one-way trip to Port Aux Basque, Newfoundland. The vehicle-carrying ferry is impressive in size and features, including on-board
dining and sleeping cabins and is part of the TCH system. You should make your round-trip reservations for the ferry at least 2 months in advance of your intended travel date.
For reservations and for more information, please contact Marine Atlantic via the following: Toll free 1-800-341-7981or www.marine-atlantic.ca
Hotels Along the Way (Driving)
Hunters coming into Canada with firearms must follow Canadian regulations and fill out a (Non-Resident Firearms) Declaration Registration Form. The fee for this registration is found in the below website and is good for one calendar year. For additional information you may require, please contact the Canadian Firearms Center at 1-800-731-4000.
Note: The (Non-Resident Firearms) Declaration Registration Form should be completed before your travel and presented to Canadian Customs upon your arrival in Canada to avoid unnecessary delay.
Information on Importing Firearms into Canada (copy the following link into your web browser):
http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/index-eng.htm
(Non-Resident Firearms) Declaration Registration Form required to cross the border – link provided on the above website.
Our hunts generally follow a standard schedule, unless otherwise specified. You will arrive at either the Drive-In camp or the launch site to begin your hunt. Day one consists of traveling into camp and getting settled. There are places for you to sight in your gun or bow to ensure it wasn’t bumped during travel. Hunts begin on Monday morning, where you will hunt all day with your guide and return to camp each evening for a home-cooked meal. Our lodging and amenities are first-class in this remote wilderness, offering you all the comforts of home. Most of our hunters hike countless miles each week and go home weighing more than they did when they showed up. That is a true testament to our camp cooks and the phenomenal meals they provide each day!
All hunters will check in at Camp 8 (see attached map in this document). Depending on your hunt package, you will either settle in or prepare to travel into Medonnegonix OR one of our many spike camp options.
You will receive your license and will need to sign it appropriately upon arrival. You will carry it with you throughout the week, as well as meat/carcass tags. It is important to keep track of the animals you see throughout the week, as you’ll be asked to fill this out on your license upon departure. Whether you are successful or not, your signed/completed license MUST returned at the end of the trip.
Moose across Newfoundland average around 30” antlers. A BIG Eastern Canadian moose will typically top out in the low to mid 50” range. Setting appropriate expectations for what you consider a trophy and what type of animal you’re looking for, will truly determine what you measure your success by. We take a lot of animals in the 35″-45” and bigger range; but you should also have an idea in your mind on what you want to take home with you. The old adage of never pass the first day what you’d shoot on the last maintains true here, and we advise that you follow that rule yourself.
If you’re caribou hunting with us, it’s most likely true you’re looking for a trophy, and we have them here. We will do what it takes to get you on that stag of a lifetime even if that means moving camps to where there are more animals. You’ll want to come to camp prepared to be flexible to find that stag you’re looking for and we’ll all have a great, successful hunt.
Bear hunting is mostly stumble across or hunted after you’ve taken your moose/caribou. Bears are everywhere here, but if they don’t come out to the open, you may not see them. Our hunters from the same camp have reported seeing over a dozen animals in one week while the other hunter saw zero. With bears, it’s always right place at the right time. Typically, bears like the sunny/warm weather, so if that hits and the moose movement is slow, it may be a good time to consider killing your bear if an opportunity presents itself. If you choose to bear hunt, you must purchase your license at the beginning of the hunt.
Meat and trophy handling from field to the butcher is included in all of our hunting packages. Butcher fees, processing and shipping costs are extra and rates may vary and will be provided to you upon request at the beginning of each season.
We handle all of the necessary paperwork needed for exporting meat, antlers and trophies. All necessary forms are included with your welcome package when you arrive, and will be completed by you and your guide before you leave to ensure all requirements are met.
We provide access to a professional butcher. Once game is harvested in the field we will get it to the butcher for processing as quickly as possible, especially for those guests whose aim it is to bring meat back with them when they leave.
The butcher can process meat and have it frozen for you within 24 hours. The butchering fees may vary by year. A pricelist of available services will be provided to you upon arrival. If you prefer to take your game home without having it processed here, we can certainly help you break it down into major primal cuts or smaller pieces if desired.
Styro-foam waxed cardboard shipping boxes are provided at the butcher shop for meat shipments. The fee is $25.00 per box whether you ship with Central NL Shipping or you take your meat with you in the boxes. A box holds about 70lbs of meat (50lb max for Central NL Shipping, 70lb max for airlines). Both ground shipping and airline shipping carriers demand the use of these leak proof boxes.
A moose generally takes 4-6 boxes while a caribou usually takes 2-3 boxes.
For those guests who fly, getting game back home is not an issue as it can be easily flown or shipped. If you are driving and would rather have your game shipped in this manner instead of taking it with you, that can be accommodated.
Please visit Air Canada’s website to view a list of destinations where game can be brought home via airline.
https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/home/plan/baggage/special-items.html
Fees for shipping as provided by Newfoundland Big Game Shipping. Note: these prices are quoted in US denomination. *Prices set by and Subject to change by Newfoundland Big Game Shipping.Conne River Outfitting will work with the butcher to store your meat, hide and antlers and get them to Newfoundland Big Game Shipping in time to make the truck for delivery. Delivery usually happens around the end of November or beginning of December. If it is going by ground, you will be notified by Newfoundland Big Game Shipping of its arrival date at the destination of your choice. There it will be kept in cold storage and you will have thirty days to pick it up.
If you are having a trophy prepared for taxidermy and want it done in Newfoundland, we provide access to a professional taxidermist. The hide of your animal will be removed at the lodge and preserved until it’s presented to the taxidermist at a future date. The taxidermist handles the shipping of your trophy back home to you.
Once game is harvested, we have a fully enclosed fly-proof meat house on site as well as a separate skinning facility. We take great care to ensure that all game reaches the butcher in the best of shape, free of loose hair and particles. Taking game in warm weather does not pose a problem.
**Note** Shipping Black Bear trophies requires a CITES Permit and may not be available for shipping into the US through Central Newfoundland Shipping depending on the time of year the trophy is taken. Other shipping arrangement may need to be discussed.
