Q1. Do I need a passport?
A1. If arriving from another country, yes a passport is necessary.
Q2. How do I get to Newfoundland?
A2. You have two choices on entering the province, you can come by ferry from North Sydney, Nova Scotia, or by air into Gander, Newfoundland. Any clients travelling by the North Sydney, N.S. ferry to Port Aux Basques, NL will have to make reservations well in advance of your trip. If you are to check into the Lodge on Sunday afternoon, it is recommended that you choose the 11 o’clock crossing on the Saturday evening and book a cabin, so you will be well rested when the Ferry docks. Links to these two sources of travel can be found in our information category number 3, or we would be happy to help you with your travel arrangements.
Q3. Where is Sandy Lake Lodge located in Newfoundland?
A3. If arriving to Chanel Port aux Basque by ferry, you will be approximately five and half hours driving time from GrandFalls/Windsor which is located in Central Newfoundland. Someone from the Lodge would meet you there and transport you to the Lodge, approximately one hour and a half drive. If arriving by air, your best arrival point is Gander Airport, which would be approximately one hour driving time from GrandFalls/Windsor. Depending on your arrival time, if may be necessary for you to overnight in one of the hotels close to the Airport. You would be pickup by one of our staff the following morning and transported to the Lodge approximately two and half hours driving time.
Q4. Can I drive my vehicle to the lodge?
A4. Yes there are a couple of ways to reach the Lodge. For several reasons, a truck would be the best vehicle of choice but it is also possible to take a car to within site of the Lodge.
Q5. What can I expect for weather during my stay?
A5. The weather in Newfoundland is very unpredictable. Early September could bring you temperatures in the range of 85F degrees during the day. As the weather changes in the fall, you could see anything from rain to fog to sunshine and back to rain in a matter of a few hours in any given day. By October you could be into lower temperatures of 30-35F degrees night time with a high of 40 – 50F during the day. By the end of October there is a strong possibility of periods of snowfall. Regardless of your hunting dates, be prepared for a mixture of temperatures and weather.
Q6. What if I should need hospitalization or medical services?
A6. Visitors to Canada are strongly urged to obtain health insurance before leaving their home country. Canadian hospital and medical services are excellent but an extended hospital stay can be costly. It is a good idea to bring along a copy of your prescriptions in case you need to have them refilled while in Canada.
Q7. Should I declare my laptop, cameras, gps..etc at the border crossing?
A7. Non-residents entering Canada should fill out form 4457 Entitled Identification of Articles for Temporary Exportation. This form should be filled in with serial numbers of valuable items, which will be returning home with you. This form should also include the serial numbers of your firearms. You may find a link in our information category under number 4, or contact us and we will be happy to send you a form. Take note that Form 4457 is to be filled out before leaving your country and is in addition to form RCMP5589/CAFC909 which is explained in question 8.
Q8. What do I need to know about bringing firearms into Canada?
A8. To bring firearms for the purpose of hunting into Canada, non-residents must fill out a form including information about the firearms being transported. The form can be filled out in triplicate in advance but the signature must only be done in the presence of the Canadian Customs Officer. The form to import up to three firearms is RCMP 5589/CAFC 909. The extension to this form if you are declaring more that three firearms is RCMP 5590/CAFC 910. There is a fee of approximately $25.00 CDN for this service to be paid at the border crossing. A link to the website where these forms can be ordered is found in our About Us page, category number 2, or contact us and we will be happy to send you a form.
Q9. Will there be a problem bringing my meat back across the border?
A9. No. There is a provision that allows the transportation of wild meat across the border. A copy of your hunting license is an important form of documentation. Also a Meat Export Permit is supplied by the outfitter which will allow you to transport your meat outside of Newfoundland. A copy of the regulation can be found in our About Us page, category number 5.
Q10. Can I donate my meat if I don't want to bring it home?
A10. Yes, you have several options on donating of meat within the province of Newfoundland Labrador. Your outfitter will be able to assist you with that.
Q11. What caliber of firearm should I bring?
A11. You have many choices when it comes to choosing your firearm. Popular choices are a 270, 308, 30-06, 7 mm, 300 mag. These rifles should be sited in with a 180 grain ammo.
Q12. Can I enter Canada if I have a DUI?
A12. Yes, if you make prior arrangements before reaching the border crossing. Lucy Perillo is a professional of dealing with these types of issues. Her link can be found on our About Us page, category number 1.
Q13. What are your success rates?
A13. Over the past five years our success rates have been very high, in fact two of the five years we were at 100%. Our average for this five year period is a little over 98%. If you check out our pictures on our website, you will see that we publish all our animals taken, in the order in which they are taken, so that you can have a good look at the quality of our herd. We do not high grade our pictures or choose from previous years to make it look like there are more wall hangers taken than what really are. Some people come for meat, and are not looking for trophies but everyone goes home happy with their animal they choose to harvest. We consider any animal with a spread of more than 40 inches a trophy.
Q14. What should I bring with me?
A14. You can find a list of things to bring on our About Us page, category number 6.
Q15. What's included in the hunt?
A15. Included in the main Lodge package, your week will include comfortable lodging, home cooked meals, experienced guide, hunting license, and cherished memories.
Q16. What is available for drinking water?
A16. We have an excellent dug well on our property with unlimited supply of fresh water for drinking and bathing. For those who wish, we have bottled water to take on day trips as well. Juice or soft drinks are also available.
Q17. Will I need cash on my trip?
A17. Yes you will need cash to pay for meat processing and any gratuities you wish to leave for our staff. It is possible to get advances from your credit card, but you must first advise your credit card company that you will be outside of your home country.
Q18. Are there references available?
A18. Yes but on request only and their phone numbers will not be listed anywhere on our website for privacy reasons.
Q19. What is available for power supply?
A19. We use diesel generator source to supply power to the main lodge. Each room has its own electrical outlet.
Q20. Is there any fishing season open during the fall hunting season?
A20. The fishing season closes early September.
Q21. What happens to our meat after the moose is harvested?
A21. The moose is immediately retrieved from where it was harvested and transported back to main Lodge for skinning and quartering. By transporting the animal whole it reduces the chances of being contaminated by dirt and leaves. If the meat is to be cut by the butcher, it is transported to his facility where it is processed. The normal procedure is to debone, cut, vacuum seal, and freeze for your return trip home. If you decide that you want to ship your meat with the trucking company, it can be arranged to be picked up from the processor and held until delivery sometime in December. Both the meat processing and trucking are cost that is not included in the price of your hunt and it is your responsibility to negotiate terms with them. If you will be transporting the meat back home with you, it can be held at the processors until you get ready to leave. You have several options available for transporting frozen meat on your journey home. We can discuss them and help you decide which will work best for you.
Q22. What is your cancellation policy?
A22. Occasionally unforeseen circumstances do happen and we do our best to work with our clients and work out changes that is in their best interest. We have a no refund policy in place but dates substitution or deposit transfer to another hunter is acceptable.
We have made an effort to answer your most important questions but there will always be something that we have over looked. If you think of something that has not been addressed on this page, either send us an email or contact us by phone. If we do not know the answer, we will find out for you. On our About Us page, category 7&8, you will find Maps of Newfoundland and our Statement clause. Thank you for your interest in Sandy Lake Lodge and hope this information helps in your decision making process