Otter6;
Good morning to you sir, I trust this still, cold Monday finds you doing acceptably well.
There are a few things that I might suggest for you and as always are only worth what it costs the reader in time.
I'll note too that I left rural Saskatchewan in '84 and a lot has likely changed since then, but anyway here goes.
Call the outfitter and get contact information of other recent hunters from him and ask them what they did for extra security of their stuff, if it was needed and where specifically they stayed.
Call the motel you'll be staying at and ask them the same questions. Sometimes folks can be downright forthcoming if you approach it correctly.
I'd take a trigger lock for each firearm you're bringing up. Then you are legal up here to store the firearms in your motel room with you all night. Storage for non-restricted firearms is either "under your direct control" or "with a trigger lock or in a safe when it's not under your direct control". Once the trigger locks are in place you can legally leave them in your room and go out for supper, fuel up or what have you and again be legal.
This might not make any sense to you sir, but I'd suggest that the vast majority of our firearm laws really don't seem to.
Off the top of my head, I'd suggest that way, WAY more folks/kids will break into a pickup than would ever break into a possibly occupied motel room. Stats will bear that out too I'd think.
It's a bit of a hassle for sure, but if we're on the road and stay at an "iffy" motel, we always drag the stuff we'd like to keep around into the room with us.
Another final thought is to contact the local RCMP Detachment and ask them what they'd suggest for you to do as visiting hunters. They may blow smoke up your kilt and they just may be quite helpful - again it doesn't hurt any to ask and the right person on the other end of the line can be golden sometimes.
If you do call an RCMP Detachment and the person at the other end doesn't identify themselves as "Constable" or "Corporal" - I doubt the Sargent answers the phone - then you're talking to a "civilian member". Sometimes they are really, REALLY who can give you the low down on what's up in town and what to expect.
Anyway sir, just a few random suggestions as the caffeine kicks in for me here in the western most province. Good luck on your hunt whichever way you decide.
Dwayne
