Contemplating Move From BC to WA. Need Some Guidance on Regs

Hello All,

We are considering a move from Vancouver, BC to Blaine, Washington. Long story short there are some great homes with facilities for animals on 5 acres or so around $450k versus $1.5M to $2M in our parts of Canada. Commute for the better half goes up 10-15 minutes even with the crossing. Using Nexus of course. She is American although has been in Canada for 16 years now. So as far as immigrating, I do have the easier of the paths. By no means a piece of cake from my early research but none the less I have a running start.

I work from home so I'll be A OK to work from there and won't have to seek out work.

But enough about the fluff...

Up here we have pretty blanket seasons. Opens this date, hunt how ever you want (bow, rifle, shotgun), here's your bag limit and closes this date (give or take).

We also have draws of course for various species and locations. But every critter has an general open season somewhere in the province. I get that won't be an option anymore. I can get over that and live with the draw system being more prevalent.

Wondering if any you guys on the ground in WA would be cool chatting for 15 minutes or so to help wrap my head around what my season would actually look like. Totally cool with it being different than what I have now, but need some help turning the regs into something tangible in my head.

This is actually a good chunk of my hesitation on fully committing. I'd be giving up being a BC resident so naturally lose my right to hunt here other than with a guide.I just want to make sure I understand what I am getting myself into.

If you don't mind sparing a short bit of time by phone to help me out, be much appreciated.

Of course with my 5 acres I plan of having a couple of llamas. For two reasons, one I want an animal as socially inept as me and willing to pack part of the load. Have no idea how practical that'd be in the more dense parts of WA forests but in the alpine should work. Not overly well thought but don't crush a guys poorly contemplated dream! Cause that is one my pros on my pros and cons list! ;-)

Have you seen the way our country is going? Just saying

Shoot me a pm and I would be happy to. I grew up in Ferndale, Wa but live a bit farther south now. Did a fair amount of blacktail hunting in Blaine growing up.

Shoot a goat and a ram before you move though!

Drhorsepower said:

Have you seen the way our country is going? Just saying

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I hear ya. I've always been a fan of your country, spend a decent chunk of time there. Often contemplated moving there.

To be fair my time was spent in NW Washington, Michigan (Grand Rapids) and Florida. So I certainly got to be in what I consider some pretty great spots. Well and of course Vegas, but that doesn't count. ;-) Which takes nothing away from the rest of country. Just that I've been fortunate to meet nothing but great people in my travels and visit great towns and cities.

Your assuming our country isn't going down a disagreeable path as well. We've had most of the recent changes your experiencing here for some time (marraige, healthcare, gun control). None have ever greatly bothered me. Perhaps how they exist and are governed is different. But I've lived with them and been none the worse for wear.

Our current governments (provincial which is state and federal) are atrocious and the potential incoming options are dismal too. So probably neither here nor there in my world. If I can get a small piece of land to keep me busy, make things more sustainable for my family and still enjoy the things I do I'll be at peace. And heck we are going to be a mile from the border. I can always turn tail and scurry back! ;-)

And really this is more politics than I've talked in years. I stay informed and vote, but also steer clear of letting it get me too high or too low. So as long as they don't take my land, right to own guns or my llamas I'll be content. Especially my llamas. ;-)

Me and my llamas will take turns scowling at each other to let off some steam. Ideally no spitting. ;-)

PS - how much do you want to bet I never end up with the llamas? Already getting resistance from the other half. Once she found out we wouldn't be able to eat them or milk them.

dreamingbig said:

Shoot me a pm and I would be happy to. I grew up in Ferndale, Wa but live a bit farther south now. Did a fair amount of blacktail hunting in Blaine growing up.

Shoot a goat and a ram before you move though!

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Will do! Appreciate that!

And I suspect I'll get my goat tag this year, put in for a pretty favourable odds draw. Was 1.1:1 last few years. Have a friend on the ground a half mile from the the area who has hunted it for the past few years. Fingers crossed!

The ram will be a little trickier. Math is certainly not on a guy's side with that tag. Although have an invite to join a couple guys on a sheep in one of general open season areas, but the timing may not work.

dreamingbig said:

Shoot a goat and a ram before you move though!

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This ^^^^

I'll PM you my number as I've lived in Whatcom county most of my life also.

like the other guys have said. Make sure to kill a ram and goat. cause Washington's draw system is not very friendly. especially with the oil tags

I was living in bc the last 5 years not far from you. I was in coquitlam. I just moved to New Jersey a couple months ago for work. The Blaine area is nice. I got married in Blaine.

Others can give better advice than me on the hunting options in wa. Keep in mind, though, that you can go back as a Canadian non-resident and hunt without a guide. You just have to pay the non-resident rate. I believe that's how it works... Im considering becoming a dual citizen for that and to make it easier for my (Canadian) wife and I to come and go as we please in the future. I haven't worked out or checked all the details yet.

One source for information that really helped us, though, is visajourney.com. I'm not sure on your immigration status or whatever, but that website is very helpful. The process can be extremely time intensive to research.

Feel free to pm me if you think of anything that I may be able to help you cut some learning curve on.

The odds of drawing tags in WA is quite terrible.... Tons of applicants and not many tags. If your ok with OTC deer elk and bear and giving up your goat,moose & sheep chances then I guess it's not a big deal. Seasons are weapon specific unless you draw the multi season tag.

KH bowfly, I think you will find that the regs specifically show that if you are a non resident you must be accompanied by a guide or a hunter host (resident) which involves paperwork in itself as well as pay the non resident fees.
Most Canadian provinces/territories are like this when it comes to big game with a few exceptions.

really that bad there?
i was thinking about moving from down here up your way to get away from the insanity.

Brodie, you're right. It's been a while since I read that part of the regs. I was thinking of an accompanied hunt.

That might be worth looking into, I'm not sure. It's something I'm considering looking into in the future to go hunting with my father-in-law.

We were on the road most of the day today. To those what have reached and offer to take a call, appreciated and I'll do my best tomorrow.

To the rest of you, thanks for all the advice. Very helpful in what is proving to be a tough decision.