Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Predators and Varmints Flying to CA for ground squirrels, ammo transport

I'm planning a trip for my son and I to travel to CA to shoot ground squirrels in April. We're taking two rifles, a .222 rem and a 22 BR. It's been a few years since I've been out thereto do this and I had to come up with new loads for lead free bullets since the ban went into effect. The bigger problem is they've clamped down on shipping ammo into CA. I used to UPS my fairly large volume of ammo (800-900 rounds) to myself or my friend at his house but that is no longer legal. My friend talked to his CA FFL about shipping to him, and apparently there would be a bunch of paperwork to get it back from him, and I'm not even sure I could being a non-resident. The FFL didn't seem to enthusiastic about it. I can bring 22lbs including packaging, between the two of us on the plane in our luggage. That would probably be less than 500 rounds total, but I haven't done the math yet.
As a non-resident I can carry as much ammo as I want into the state. We will be flying into Reno, NV and driving up from there. We had the brilliant idea to ship to a gunsmith in Reno and pick it up. Maybe pay a small fee for their trouble. I don't have any other contacts in the area to ship to. Has anyone dealt with this recently? Got a contact or reference for a shop that would accept and hold the ammo for us? Other suggestions that are legal?

It might be just as cheap, and easier to pay the fee for an extra piece of baggage.....just a thought.

Are you sure it's legal to bring ammo into California in an automobile if you are a non-resident? I don't think it's legal to do this as a resident. My belief is that you have to ship it to an FFL and pick it up. To buy ammo in California you have to have a background check, (yes that's right, I'm not kidding). This place is a communist state.

Just for grins, why don't you google and call "Mark, Fore and Strike" sports store in Reno. They are a full service sporting goods, since the '60's....explain your problem. They also are Calif license agent for hunting and fishing licenses. They are on Kietzke Lane, very near the airport. A little pricey, but I have done business with them since the 60's.

The 11 lb ammo baggage limit is per traveler, not bag. But I will verify that.
The information I've reviewed say that it is essentially impossible for a non-resident to buy ammo in CA. But, I can carry ammo into the state for personal use a non-resident. Residents can't legally bring it in from out of state without taking it through an FFL.

Thanks for the reference on the shop near the airport. I will be contacting them to see what they say and will try to report back.

It looks like we may have found a solution for this upcoming trip. My friend found someone in his gun club that has a relative in the Reno area. They the think they will agree to accept my shipment and hold it for me and I'll pick it up driving from the airport to his place in CA. Going to cost me a bottle of bourbon but it solves a lot of headaches. I'm still going to have to figure out something reliable for future trips.

It's horrible here in California that we have to suffer the pains because of the criminals, thugs and gang members that the gov't won't clean up.

Scrap the Cali trip and go to southern Oregon.

That will likely happen in the future.

Oregon is filled with more than it's share of loonies too. Just a matter of time.

If you don’t mind me asking, where do you shoot in Ca? I live in the valley and hammer them pretty hard myself.

Gzig, It's a long shot but since Oregon was mentioned, I know a kid in Klamath Falls that welded and fabricated, and he said ROE Outfitters had the best shooting trailers he'd ever seen. ???google it, might pan out.

Thanks. I'll look into it.

My friend lives near Fall River Mills. We used to go to a pay to shoot ranch and stay overnight out East of Alturas and there was some good shooting out there. Cockrells' Ranch. Nice place run by nice people and worth the trip in my opinion. https://highdesertlodging.com/
Now we go to a couple of alfalfa farms North of his place about an hour or so. I'm not sure exactly were they are other than looking West was Mt. Shasta in the distance. In years past I would bring two rifles and 800 rounds of ammo and be running out the end of the second day. Not always like that now, but still a couple hundred shots a day.

If this isn't solved, I will sit on your ammo for you if needed. Cedarville is always a fun shoot. I will be staying in Nevada this year. Found a potential new place.

Thanks for the offer but we found a solution for this year. Future hunts could be an issue but we'll take them one at a time.

Oregon campfire folks would probably set you up for future adventures....

I don't like to say Screw California... good people live there also...

but I can safely say, Screw Sacramento.... as well as screw Salem and Potlandia...

I'll keep that in mind. Need to look into areas in Southern Oregon as additional options for the future. Who knows what will happen in CA. Maybe between Ashland and Klamath Falls? I'd like to be able to shoot regular bullets too. My 8" twist 22BR doesn't really like the copper ones I've tried so far but it is a one holer with anything with a lead core. I'll put some more effort into loads this summer.

you're in mountains betweem Ashland and K Falls.... so no ground squirrels

shooting starts over by K Falls, but they get hammered by people wanting to shoot Sage rats over there...

you go past K Falls further east or south, there is plenty of opportunity.... and I've been shooting them for 20 plus years...

never paid a nickle to shoot on folks property... the Sage rats are as destructive as hell.. so most of the farms love people to hell thin them out...

plenty of opportunities... but from Wisconsin, it would be handy to have someone who lives here to get something lined up for you..
so you wouldn't have the logistic of that....

there is more than enough we usually don't see any real competition... the ranchers only want to have so many folks on their property at any one time..

only once in a blue moon do you see folks start to get into a fight over it... I saw that on one piece of property last year... had scheduled to shoot the property,
but owner called me the night before and cancelled my permission for the next day. he apologized, but 2 different groups started taking a few pot shots at each other..
Rare but it happens sometimes.....

I go thru 5 to 8,000 rounds a season myself on average...know folks who go thru 3 to 5 times that or more...

Just as a follow up, the trip went off well. We sent 500 rounds each of .222 and 22BR ammo to a friend outside CA and picked it up. It was all gone by 3pm the second day. Barrels definitely got a little hot. My son had a great time on his first shoot and was flipping squeaks with regularity. Weather threw us a curve and we had 4" of snow the second morning, but the squirrels didn't seem to care. They were out and very easy to see. Looked like chocolate chips on a field of ice cream.

Haha...love that description. "chocolate chips on a field of ice cream". That was good.