Book Your Adventure
1-800-346-8747

Blog Posts > Hacks and Tips > Should I Take My Firearm?

Should I Take My Firearm?

WTA Team

| August 22, 2017

WTA Team
August 22, 2017

As an international traveling sportsman, one of the questions we are most frequently asked is about taking my own firearm or renting. This is a personal question, and the correct answer depends upon the hunter(s) themselves. Before advising my client the best route to take, I start with my standard list of questions and recommendations for the individual. Below is a simple guideline that has proven very successful in making the right call. This is a personal decision, so you need to be 100% honest with yourself when answering.

Which profile fits you best?

Hunter A: You’ve taken your firearm apart, glass-bedded your own stock and did your own trigger job. You hand-load custom rounds with fire-formed brass specific for your custom firearm? If so- take yours, it’s part of the experience

Hunter B: You are the type of hunter that says give me any firearm, I know how to shoot all firearms not just one. Then rent, make travel a bit easier

Understand the laws of the country your traveling to. Some countries like Spain require the same process to take your own or rent.

Ammo;

If you rent: Don’t take ammo for the outfitter. Ammo is a regulated item in ALL countries and on ALL airlines, and requires the same documentation to meet the various countries import/export laws as taking a firearm.

If you take your own: Know that should your ammo not make the trip, common calibers are easier to source replacement ammo then odd calibers.

Test fire your rental rifle till you are comfortable when you reach your destination; ammo is an inexpensive part compared to your total adventure.

Reasonable expectations:There are very few Left-Handed rental firearms, and it is a highly unlikely option with outfitters.

Rented firearms are not collector heirloom pieces that live in a firearm safe. They are workhorses with a few well deserved battle scars. You may be able to ask the outfitter in advance what caliber, models and optics are available to help you make your decision.

If you are used to a piece of equipment such as a Bi-Pod, still take it and temporally put it on your rented firearm.

Practice, practice, practice from hunting positions. Standing, sitting, prone. Get off the shooting bench.

Are you planning to tour pre- or post hunt? What steps are required to store or take your firearm with you in the countries you are touring? It may not be possible to take your firearm. Australia for example you need a different firearm license for every province you are visiting.

Because of the basic nature of some hunts, it best to take your own firearm that you know extremely well. This is especially true on mountain hunts where long range shooting is the norm like Marco Polo sheep hunts.

As always, we recommend you visit with your professional WTA hunting consultant and your outfitter about making the decision on whether to take your own firearms on a trip.

Good luck on your international adventures.

Recent Articles

Limited-Entry Alaska Dall Sheep: North America’s Pinnacle Hunt

Eric Pawlak November 5, 2025

My Alaska Range Grizzly Adventure

Joe Griffin November 4, 2025

Chasing Waterfowl from North to South

Brian Heywood October 27, 2025

Alaska

Dall Sheep

Limited-Entry Alaska Dall Sheep: North America’s Pinnacle Hunt

November 5, 2025

Saskatchewan

Waterfowl

Chasing Waterfowl from North to South

October 27, 2025

Alaska

Dall Sheep

Against the Odds: Drawing Back-to-Back Sheep and Goat Tags

October 20, 2025

Against the Odds: Drawing Back-to-Back Sheep and Goat Tags

Drawing a sheep tag with 1-in-5,300 odds is amazing. Drawing a mountain goat tag the next year? That’s lottery luck. That’s why it didn’t seem real when my WTA consultant, Jordan Roche, called me two years in a row with that news!

I’d been working with Jordan at WTA TAGS for about five years, letting him manage my hunting applications in multiple states while I focused on staying in shape for whatever hunts might come through. When he called about the Tok Range Dall sheep tag (the only non-resident permit out of 10 total), I knew it was special.

After the excitement of drawing my tag settled in, it was time to find the right outfitter to make my hunt a success. WTA recommended one of their top partners for that area and handled every detail. My outfitter made it clear: this would be a backpack hunt in some of Alaska’s toughest sheep country. At 64, with two hip replacements, I can’t run anymore. But I can hike. So that’s how I prepared—I hiked mile after mile with a weighted pack, knowing the Tok doesn’t care about age or medical history.

We went in a day and a half before the season opened and spotted a band of 14 rams, including one heavy-horned giant that immediately caught our attention. Then Alaska did what Alaska does best. Weather rolled in, the rams vanished, and we spent the three days scouring valleys and ridges to find them again.

When we finally relocated them, we had to break camp and make a major move. After a full day’s work, we spotted six rams bedding down as evening fell. The next morning, we made our play.

The wind that day was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. It sounded like a freight train roaring up the mountain; gusting, dying, gusting again. At 320 yards, I had to time my shot during the lulls. My first shot went wide in the wind. The second shot dropped him—a beautiful 39″ ram. Honestly, I didn’t care about the number. That’s not why I hunt. I’m in it for the experience and a good animal. This ram was both.

The pack-out was its own adventure. We crossed the glacier-fed Tok River multiple times before Matt showed up with a Korean War-era military vehicle that could go just about anywhere. After nine days in the mountains, that slow, bumpy ride was a step up from travelling another 10 miles on foot. This was a trip I’ll never forget.

When Jordan called me in February 2025 to tell me I’d drawn a mountain goat tag, I actually laughed. “Figure out something for next year,” I told him, knowing the odds of a three-peat were one in a million. But first, it was time to prepare for my goat hunt.

I flew into Homer at the end of August, expecting to start hunting on Tuesday. By Monday evening, my outfitter, Paul, was warning me about the incoming weather. “We might not get you in until Friday,” he said. He wasn’t kidding. We sat through three days of howling wind, driving rain, and zero visibility before finally getting our chance.

Paul operates from a landing craft that serves as a mobile base camp. But getting from sea level to where the goats live? That was the hardest climb I’ve ever done, and I’ve completed five sheep hunts.

It was only 1,500 vertical feet, but every step came wrapped in devil’s club thorns, soaking brush, deadfall, and rain-slicked cliff bands. We hiked for what seemed like an eternity before stopping for the night to set up camp.

The next morning changed everything. Once above that coastal jungle, the alpine opened up to reveal why we’d suffered through that brutal climb. There were mountain goats everywhere. Good billies. The kind that makes you forget about devil’s club and exhaustion.

I took my billy on August 30, the first day of actual hunting after being sidelined due to weather. While packing him out, we witnessed something I’d never seen: ravens harassing a billy goat. They would swoop within inches of his head, and he’d swing his horns, trying to knock them away. Paul had told me about this strange relationship between ravens and goats, but seeing it firsthand was incredible.

The trip down gave us one more show. A black bear, fat from gorging on berries, army-crawled through the blueberry patches, entertained us from 400 yards away. I had a bear tag, but watching him was worth more than any trophy. Crossing salmon-choked streams on the way out completed the full Alaskan experience.

Both hunts worked because of solid preparation and connections with the right team. Jordan, my WTA consultant, had been helping me strategically build points and select units for years. When the draw results came through, WTA’s network meant proven outfitters were ready and handled every detail. They provided thorough gear lists, arranged logistics, and coordinated air charters. Everything was dialed in.

Some guys chase record books. Others chase hunting milestones. I finished my slam in 2019 with a desert ram, but what excites me most these days is the experience—the hunts that test you, humble you, and stay with you long after the pack is unloaded. When you work with the right people and put in the preparation, amazing things can happen. Jordan’s already working on my applications for 2026, so we’ll see what adventure comes through next.

Contact WTA TAGS to learn more about drawing the tags of your dreams: 1-800-755-8247.

Get Started with WTA TAGS

Wyoming’s Preference Point Deadline Is Approaching: October 31

Preference Point Deadline: October 31, 2025

The deadline to purchase Wyoming preference points is October 31. If WTA is already managing your TAGS applications, you’re all set. If not, don’t miss the chance to secure points this year. It’s the perfect time to talk with a TAGS consultant to start a new portfolio or grow your existing one.

Wyoming’s system is unique. Unlike other states, you don’t automatically receive a preference point if you’re unsuccessful in the draw. Instead, you must log in after July 1 and purchase your points separately. Building points is critical if you want a shot at drawing a Wyoming tag. Over-the-counter opportunities are a thing of the past. Today, only 25% of non-resident tags are issued randomly. The other 75% go to applicants with the highest point totals.

If you want to hunt big game in Wyoming, building preference points isn’t optional…it’s essential.

Watch Wyoming Video

While preference points are an investment in the future, don’t let that keep you from starting now. While Wyoming has units that require 18+ points, there are also good opportunities to hunt sooner. There are elk, deer, and antelope hunts that can be drawn with 0–3 points. Think about it this way—the more points you have, the more options you have.

View Wyoming TAGS Hunts

Serious hunters know that Montana is home to some of North America’s most coveted species: Rocky Mountain elk, mule deer, bighorn sheep, Shiras moose, mountain goat, and antelope. The key to unlocking these dream hunts is building points, and the deadline to secure your bonus point for this year is September 30.

Montana squares bonus points in its draw system, and hunters with more points gain a significant advantage in the draw. If you’ve ever dreamed of chasing a record bull, a giant ram, or a heavy-horned buck in Montana, strategically building points will put you in the best position to find success in upcoming seasons.

Watch Montana Video Rocky Mountain Elk

Montana consistently produces exceptional trophy bulls, making elk the most sought-after species in the state. Archery permits are especially appealing, often requiring only 4–7 years to draw—a remarkably short time period compared to other western states. Rifle permits can often be drawn with a similar point investment, though trophy quality is slightly lower on average. Many of these hunts take place on expansive private ranches, providing hunters with excellent opportunities and high success rates.

View All…