Planning to fly through the United Kingdom on your way to hunt elsewhere in the world this season? Take note: You might not be able to take your gun. That's because a number of popular hunting destinations have been added to the list of countries the UK has slapped with trade restrictions on firearms and other military, paramilitary and security-related goods. And yes, sporting firearms fall into this category, according to the UK's Department for Business Enterprise & Regulatory Reform.
What are the hunting destinations you won't be able to take firearms to when transiting the UK? The list includes Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Serbia, Sudan, Tajikistan, Ukraine and Zimbabwe.
The list is created by the UK's Department of Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (www.berr.gov.uk) under the auspices of the Export Control Act of 2002. It was updated this past January. The legislation seeks to control the transit and transshipment of military goods through the UK to "destinations of concern." You can read the guide on Trade "Transit and Transhipment" Controls yourself by clicking on the link below. The listing and definition of military goods is found in the BERR UK Military List, also posted below.
The bottom line for traveling hunters is to make sure you do not try to transit the UK with a sporting firearm on your way to one of the countries listed above. Work with your travel agent to make any European connections through other ports.
BERR Export Control Act Review and Supplementary Guidance Note on
Trade "Transit and Transhipment" Controls
http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file49825.pdfSee pages 10-11 and 18.
BERR UK Military List
See pages 5-6.
http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file49409.pdf 
