elk jerky and elk pepperoni - can I mail to PRC?

Ok, so - two of the things often in my bag is homemade elk jerky and dry pepperoni. (don't worry, I just found it after it seemed to have tragically expired from a 7 milimeter coronary occlusion). So a simple question for those of you in California...

Will I get away with putting it (vacsealed) in a mailed resupply package - or should I not tempt fate?

You probably want to check the US Dept. of Agriculture rules for importing foods. I'm not sure they allow homegrown dried meat (as opposed to commercially packaged). Maybe it's no big deal from Canada; I don't really know. I don't think you folks have any animal diseases that we don't have. I don't know if the USDA puts their cute little green-jacketed beagles to work on shipped items, but they are in evidence at a lot of airports. The one time I really got the third degree was coming back from Europe in 2001, when foot-and-mouth disease was raging over there. That was understandable!

California's thing is plant products, especially fruit. Again, from a supermarket, OK, but from orchard or home garden fruit trees, no. Again, I don't know about home-grown dehydrated fruit. I cross the border from Oregon quite a bit. I just tell them it's all from the supermarket, which it is. Also, the border inspection station on US 199 (Grants Pass, OR to Crescent City, CA) is closed over half the time when I go through, so they evidently aren't all that serious, even with the apple maggot problems up here in the PNW.

Oh I'm sure the official rules would have some kind of prohibition against it - What I was more wondering was if I put some in a bucket that's going to Muir Trail Ranch will anyone notice

will anyone notice

When it comes to customs enforcement, I think they want to keep you guessing about that. Fear, uncertainty and doubt are their friend.

Yeah, I know.. And this walrus getting to mtr without his bukkit would be very unfortunate... :P

I can't offer any advice on crossing the border, and I think that is the gist of your question.

Can you mail your resupply once you get here? I would be shocked if you had problems doing that. I mail homemade items all the time through the post office. It has never been a problem. California is quite strict about fresh produce crossing its border though.

Ok, what did you bring to the Eagle Creek hike some years ago? If that got through, probably whatever you're taking to the JMT will go through. No guaranttes (especially from this ignorant granny), but it might be an indication. Monday my daughter, her husband and I, went back and forth between Oregon and California several times (including one road right on the state line) with no inspection at all--for whatever that info is worth.

I had moose jerky on eagle creek.. but it came in with me - and had it been not allowed in, I'd have just picked up some replacement food before starting..

The last thing I want is to arrive at MTR and find out my supply bucket never cleared customs so I probably won't take the chance...

Animal Products and Animal By-Products

The importation of fresh, dried or canned meats or meat products is generally not allowed from most foreign countries into the United States. This includes products that have been prepared with meat. However, currently pork and poultry, which has proof of origin, from Canada is enterable. Not all Ruminant material can enter however personal use amounts of bovine meat or foods containing bovine meat or meat products (e.g., beef, veal, bison) are allowed in passenger baggage and mail, no import permit or other documentation is required.

Questions about bringing hunting meat/wild game products, please click here.

The regulations on importing meat and meat products change frequently because they are based on disease outbreaks in different areas of the world. The best source for the current disease status can be found starting on page 19 of the APHIS website: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/manuals/ports/do

Source for last: https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1273/kw/beef%20jerky%20vacuum%20packed/session/L3RpbWUvMTM5NzI1OTkyNi9zaWQvMU1DQ195Umw%3D/suggested/1

Das Google is wonderful, if a little freeky:)

So as I suspected - the short answer is it's "rule of the week" and I probably shouldn't try it

Dude... you're sending in a "personal use amount" via the mail.

The way this reads, that's allowed.

Whether a "personal use amount" is allowed would depend on the interpretation of the word "bovine" in regard to elk. The fact that it seems to include bison along with domestic cattle makes that interpretation less than obvious.

Edited by moderator to remove ad hominem political comment (about one of our longtime and respected members) in a "zombie" thread resurrected only for this purpose.

Perhaps you can edit the ad hom comment in the subject as well?