Taking the Kids Camping in Canada? Some important Tips

Congratulations!  You've finally set up that hunting (fishing) trip to Canada with your teenager!  The bags are packed, the iPhone is put away, and you've mapped out the travel schedule.  You are all set to share your love of the great outdoors with your child.  Or are you?


There are certain things you need to know before you go.  The Canadian Border Patrol watches for missing or abducted children and may ask detailed questions about the children who are traveling with you.  Make sure you're prepared before you go!  Here are a few tips:

• If you're traveling with kids, you should carry identification for each child. 
• In the case of infants who have not yet been issued birth certificates, an original baptismal or hospital certificate that indicates the country of birth is sufficient.
• If you are travelling with children, you should carry identification for each child. 
• Divorced parents who share custody of their children should carry copies of the legal custody documents.  

• Travellers under the age of 18 and unaccompanied by a parent need a letter of permission to travel in Canada from a parent or guardian. Have it notarized.  It should state where the minor is going, how long they plan to travel, where they're staying and when they plan to return.   Include all the parents' contact info, address and phone numbers.
• Children traveling with one parent, grandparents, or other guardians should carry proof of custody and/or notarized letters from the non-accompanying parent(s) authorizing travel. This is in addition to proof of the child’s citizenship. This letter should contain contact telephone numbers for the other parent or legal guardian not present. 
• Travelers without such documentation may experience delays at the port of entry.  
• If you are traveling as part of a group of vehicles, be sure that you are in the same vehicle as your child/children when you arrive at the border.

Check out other posts in our blog about information regarding firearm possession for kids under 18 in Canada!

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Satveer Chaudhary is the founding lawyer of Chaudhary Law Office, PLLC.  In practice over 10 years Chaudhary brings 14 years of legislative experience as a State Senator and Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives to each and every case

Satveer S. Chaudhary is a lifelong sportsman and former wildlife and conservation policy- maker. As an attorney, he represents hunting and fishing organizations, businesses, individual hunters and anglers, and serves on the board of Safari Club International. He has worked in a variety of capacities with National Association of Sportsmen Caucuses, NRA, Ducks Unlimited, and Pheasants Forever. He knows the law because he helped make it.

Training our Next Generation of Anglers

From an article in Journal of a Minnesota Angler

http://www.journalofamnangler.com/2010/05/16/training-the-next-generation/

Yesterday, on the day of the Minnesota Fishing Opener, I didn’t get to go fishing. I did, however, take my 5 year old son fishing.

Minnesota State Senator Satveer Chaudhary of Minnesota District 50 hosted a youth fishing event on Lake Johanna with the Minnesota BASS Federation. Any kid that showed up was taken on a fancy bass boat and provided with a life jacket, a fishing pole, and bait, free of charge.

I went out to the event with my son and was amazed at how many boats were on shore waiting for kids when we got there. One of the members of the BASS Federation greeted us and volunteered his boat because he brought a more traditional fishing boat with higher sides than a bass boat. He thought my son would be more comfortable on it. We got on our life jackets and climbed aboard.

On the way out, our guide was very conscientious and made sure not to go to fast for my son. He used his fish finder to show us that we were headed to a hump in the middle of the lake. My son was very interested in how the fish finder worked. In fact, during our actual fishing, he was more interested in watching the electronics than the act of fishing at times.

When we got to our destination, our guide rigged up a nightcrawler on a jighead for my son. He put a Gulp leech on a spinning reel for me, and set up a crank bait for himself. I only really cast out once or twice before helping my son and the our guide soon put a worm on a jig with a skirt under a slip bobber to try to get a fish on the line for him, too. I was jigging with my son’s worm and felt a tick-tick-tick, but couldn’t set the hook fast enough. I reeled in and our worm was gone. We used a trolling motor to go back and forth over the hump a bunch of times and our guide got a few hits, but nothing he could keep hooked. They were just biting lite. My son’s line didn’t get any more action.

Our guide’s com padres were all hitting the shore with older kids and we only heard hooting and hollering once. Our guide was smart to use a bobber and jigging for my son. You can’t really cast with someone so young. Even though we didn’t catch anything, my son said he had a lot of fun. He enjoyed being out on the boat. So already at such a young age, he has the right attitude about fishing.

I was glad to hear he had a good time and I enjoyed taking him out. I also got to ask some questions of our guide and methods. I picked up a few tips and hope to put some of them to use soon.

From what I saw, all the kids were having fun. I hope Senator Chaudhary makes this an annual event. Fishing with your kids is almost always better than any day out on your own.