GUIDEBOOK Q uebec: 5 STARS FOR QUEBEC TOP 10 REASONS TO HUNT/FISH QUEBEC THIS YEAR 72 GREAT HACKS FOR OUTDOOR TRAVELERS 4 ADVENTURES FOUND ONLY IN BYADVENTUREOUTDOORQUEBECTHENUMBERS QUEBEC ULTIMATE DESTINATION
Quebec 2 Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
05 ALL OF QUEBEC IS JUST NEXT DOOR Let your imagination run wild. And let the Quebec Outfitters Federation (QOF) plan your great outdoor adventures next door. 06 5 STARS FOR QUEBEC Outdoor television celebrities are unanimous in the view that Quebec’s hunting and fishing adventures get a “thumbs up.” 10 DIVERSITY NEXT DOOR: QOF FEATURES 8 GREAT HUNTING & FISHING REGIONS Big game, walleye, upland birds, salmon, waterfowl, pike, small game, bass, trout, and more. They’re all waiting … just next door! 28 TOP 10 REASONS YOU SHOULD HUNT AND FISH QUEBEC THIS YEAR And if these aren’t enough, just check out the QOF website at: 36https://www.pourvoiries.com/en/72TRAVELHACKSFOR HUNTING AND FISHING IN QUEBEC Traveling for hunting or fishing adventures is smooth sailing when you employ these proven tips and hacks for hunting and fishing travel. 46 4 ADVENTURES YOU’LL FIND ONLY IN QUEBEC Where can you hunt deer on the seashore or fish for the biggest Atlantic salmon in the world? Only in Quebec. QUEBEC DESTINATIONULTIMATEGUIDEBOOKuebec 3Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
4 Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
“The Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook” is meant to spur your imagination. To put yourself and your family into these places and pictures. And to show you how easy, relaxing, and convenient it can be to enjoy hunting, fishing, and outdoor adventures in Quebec. Give it a read, then visit https://www.pourvoiries.com/en/ to put your newly spun plan in motion.
Did you know the province of Quebec is more than twice the size of Texas? Yet the total population of Quebec (8.18 million) is less than one third that of Texas (30 million)! Nearly one million of Quebec’s population lives in the metropolitan areas in and around Montreal and Quebec City. That means Quebec has one heck of a lot of country to move around in. Did you know that Quebec has more than half a million lakes and 4,500 rivers? In fact, freshwater reserves in Quebec contain more than three percent of all the freshwater in the world. That’s a lot of places for a lot of fish to live and for anglers to enjoy. Did you know a portion of Quebec lies above the Arctic Circle? Did you also know that the city of Montreal actually lies well south of Seattle, Washington? Imagine what that means in diversity of climate, terrain, habitat, wildlife, and game to hunt… all in one Finally,province.did you know that the incredible hunting, fishing, and outdoor adventure opportunities of Quebec are right next door? You can catch trophy walleyes in the shadow of Quebec City’s famed Chateau Frontenac landmark. You can hunt deer and black bear and waterfowl and more less than an hour’s drive from metro Montreal. To experience even more exotic outdoor adventures in the far flung reaches of the province, there are flights from Montreal and Quebec City that are the gateway to hunting white-tailed deer on the seashore, angling for the incredible Atlantic salmon, and experiencing the midnight sun or aurora borealis on the arctic Eventundra.though they are close, the prospects of experiencing Quebec’s outdoor bounty and diversity for yourself may seem daunting. Indeed, the logistics of making these trips might put them beyond your reach were it not for the guides and outfitters who make up the Quebec Outfitters Federation. These experienced, professional men and women dedicate their lives and livelihoods to making it possible for you to experience the vast diversity of hunting, fishing, and outdoor adventures to which Quebec is home. More than that, they extend a hand of friendship and a sincere invitation for you to enjoy yourself.
Bill ALLEditorMillerOF QUEBEC OUTDOORS IS JUST NEXT DOOR! 5Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
QuebecIt’s a funny thing about those outdoor television shows and hosts who come to Quebec to hunt or fish. Every trip produces lifetime memories. And every one of them comes back again and again! ★★★★★ FIVE STARS FOR QUEBEC “ My favorite memory of fishing Quebec? Unfair question! How do you pick between a giant walleye and world-class brook tro ut? Or a huge northern pike and an Atlantic salmon? Fact is, I CAN’T. And that’s why I love Quebec... because you can fish ‘em all here, and so much more! ” ★ Steve Pennaz, Lake Commandos 6 Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
“ Quebec was the ultimate destination for James Brown’s Outdoor Dream Foundation hunt (OutdoorDream.org). Great hunting, unique experiences, awe inspiring landscapes, and of course fantastic hospitality with a French accent! ” ★ Doug Hamric, President, OutfittersRating.com “ Our favorite memory to date is taking our son RJ out for his first caribou hunt a few years ago. Getting to hunt together all as a family and watch him be successful is way more enjoyable… and stressful… than anything I could have imagined. We are blessed to hunt all over the world for our shows, and we enjoy coming back to Quebec for many of our adventures. ” ★ Ralph & Vicki Cianciarulo, Archer’s Choice Media uebec 7Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
Expansive Quebec Quebec “ The Baudoncourt River is one of Quebec’s famous east Ungava Bay Rivers with perfect water for fly-fishing the migratory Arctic Char. The river conditions are perfect for swinging flies or if you prefer to dead drift. Surrounded by high cliffs and incredible beauty. The Baudoncourt River char runs are huge with average arctic char running about 10 pounds. ” ★ Bill Spicer, Host, The New Fly Fisher TV Show ★★★★★ FIVE STARS FOR QUEBEC 8 Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
“ Quebec has long been one of my favored, “Up North” adventure destinations. Over the years I have hunted and fished only a small portion of the province I have wanted to, but hopefully we’ll cover more in the future. Fabulous deer, bear, caribou, waterfowl, upland game, and fishing usually only found in dreams! ” ★ Larry Weishuhn, DC’s Trailing the Hunter’s Moon uebec 9Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
10 Quebec Ultimate Destination Regions&GreatQuebec’sNextDiversityGuidebookDoor:HuntingFishing
Q
uebec Outfitters Federation features eight regions of the province in which its members invite you to enjoy unique outdoor experiences. While fish and game species and terrain overlap between many of the venues, each place offers every hunter and angler who accepts the invitation unique opportunities, welcome challenges, and satisfying accomplishments. No two sunrises are the same. No two places in the wild are identical. No two outdoor experiences are alike. Each one must be lived to be appreciated. Sit back. Relax. Let your imagination put you into the experiences waiting for you in Quebec. And know that your unique, overpowering moment is waiting for you with a Quebec Outfitter.
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Region: Abitibi-TemiscamingueQuebec
On any hunt, especially a moose hunt, success is never guaranteed. Yet a moose on the ground is only one measure of success. To have spent time in the beautiful, quiet places that moose call home. To have… literally… attempted to converse with the animals by calling in their language. To have patiently waited on a worthy, regal, game animal. Each of these is an accomplishment of which to be Andproud.in Quebec, there will always be “next season”… to accomplish even more.
Patience. It’s a virtue hunting both demands and teaches. Without patience, hunting moose would be folly. Attention to detail. It’s amazing to think you’re after an animal that can weigh more than half a ton and stand over seven feet tall at the shoulder, yet unless you’re focused and intent, you may never see it. To even spot a moose, you must commit attention to detail.
Devotion. It’s the trademark of Quebec’s moose hunters. For those so addicted, it’s a way of life. To them, it’s nearly a religion… or even more. If you want to see a moose… let alone take one… you must devote yourself to the effort.
1 1 3 1 7 10 1 10 9 397 1 1 393 386 120 km 60 km 0 km LAC AB TIB RESERVOIR DECELLES RESERVOIR DOZOIS LAC KIPAWA AMOS VAL-D'OR LA SARRE VILLE-MARIE MONT-LAURIER LEBEL-SUR-QUEVILLON RAPIDES-DES-JOACHIMS SENNETERRE CLOVA ROUYN-NORANDA 12 Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
10 OUTFITTERS / 20 SPECIES FISH: WALLEYE, YELLOW PERCH, NORTHERN PIKE, SMALLMOUTH BASS, LAKE TROUT, LAKE WHITEFISH, BROOK TROUT, SPLAKE, YELLOW GAME:STURGEONBLACK BEAR, MOOSE, RUFFED GROUSE, SPRUCE GROUSE, HARE, WILLOW PTARMIGAN, DUCK, CANADA GOOSE, WOODCOCK, FARMED ELK 13Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
Like the pulse of the water around your legs, you feel it. You meld with it. Suddenly. There she is! Now make that cast! Mend. Mend. Mend. Cast again. Again. Again. Fish on! And now… you are hooked.
Quebec Region: Bas-Saint-Laurent-Gaspe
100 km 50 km 0 km 197 132 NEW CARLISLE NEW RICHMOND CABANO RIVIÉRE- DU-LOUPSAINT-SIMÉON MATANEBAIE-COMEAUMONT-JOLIFORESTVILLE RIMOUSKI LAC MÉTIS SAGUENAYRIVIÈRE RESERVOIRMANIC2 LAC TÉMIS COUATA PORT-MENIER SEPT-ÎLES 132 297195 232 185 289 20 299 198 GASPÉ GOLFE DU SAINT LAURENT FLEUVE SAINT-LAURENT 14 Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
There is no place in the world with more of these fish. They are bright and fresh, and they have come back from the expanse of the ocean once again to perpetuate their species in precisely the waters in which they were hatched. Atlantic salmon are denizens of literature and legend. No other fish owns such a mystical, historical sporting culture. They are unique among salmon in that they return multiple times to spawn, only to head back to sea, then run and spawn again… and Awayagain.from the river, it may be difficult to connect with the obsession surrounding these fish. But when you’re standing thigh deep in one of the famed rivers, rod poised, scanning the water for a hint of a rising hen, buck, or grilse; you understand.
3 OUTFITTERS / 12 SPECIES FISH: ATLANTIC SALMON, BROOK TROUT, SEA TROUT GAME: WHITE-TAILED DEER, MOOSE, RUFFED GROUSE, BLACK BEAR, SPRUCE GROUSE, SNOW GOOSE, HARE, WOODCOCK, DUCKS 15Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
The north woods is an ever-changing landscape. It’s a potpourri of smells. It’s a concert of sounds. And when you’re in it… with a rifle on your shoulder and your senses heightened in pursuit of game… in this case, white-tailed deer… it’s the ultimate natural high, and a feeling you long to experience season after season. Snow is falling. Unrelenting at times, limiting your visibility against a dark, expressionless sky. At other times, the sky is bright and sunny above, but large flakes still blow in from passing clouds and glint like giant You’rediamonds.onyourown… not another soul in your hunting area. You left camp with a map, a lunch, and a promise to be picked up at dark. The day is yours. You’ll decide which trails you’ll follow, when you’ll walk and when you’ll stand. You eat your lunch how and when you want. And when you encounter game… you will decide whether to shoot or not… and no one will judge… or ever even know unless you decide to tell Thisthem.kind of hunting in the north woods is a deeply personal experience… as it should be.
Quebec Region: Cote-Nord
p 120 km 60 km 0 km LAC MÉTIS MATANE LA TEMIS COUATA L’ LE-D ANTICOSTI PERCÉ NATASHQUANHARRINGTONSAINT-AUGUSTINBLANC-SABLONHARBORLAROMAINE138 138 138 389 132 385 172 FLEUVESAINT-LAURENTBAIE-COMEAUFORESTVILLELABRIEVILLE RIMOUSKIESCOUMINSLES RÉSERVOIRMANIC2 RÉSERVOIRMANIC3 RÉSERVOIR MANI COUGAN LE RENÉ-LEVASSEUR OUTARDESRÉSERVOIR4 SAINTE-ANNELAC HAVRE-SAINT-PIERREPORT-CARTIERSEPT-ÎLESFERMONT 198 16 Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
8 OUTFITTERS / 15 SPECIES FISH: LANDLOCKED SALMON, NORTHERN PIKE, LAKE TROUT, ATLANTIC SALMON, BROOK TROUT, LANDLOCKED AND SEA RUN ARCTIC CHAR, BROWN GAME:TROUT BLACK BEAR, MOOSE, RUFFED GROUSE, SPRUCE GROUSE, WHITE-TAILED DEER, DUCKS 17Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
A solid fish rockets from the depths to ambush the bait. It’s momentum carries it clear of the surface. Then it turns sideways in the air and smacks broadside back into the water. And the fight is Theon.outdoor life is sustained by its explosions.
Quebec Region: Laurentides
On the lake, an angler casts a topwater bait over the submerged boulders. Crank and pump, crank and pump. Nothing. Another cast. Crank and pump, crank and pump… EXPLOSION!!!
105 315 321 117 117 3 327 5040 15 40 30 10 60 km 30 km 0 km BASKATONGRÉSERVOIR RÉSERVOIRKIAMIKA RÉSERVOIRTAUREAU LAC KEMPT SAINT-PIERRELACTREMBLANT / SAINT-JOVITE LAC-DES-ÉCORCESMONT-LAURIER MANIWAKI SAINTE-ANNE-DU-LAC SAINT-JÉRÔME LABELLE MONTRÉAL 18 Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
Explosions. They are not often thought of as therapeutic or relaxing. Yet hunters and anglers are fond of explosions. They seek them out. A hunter walks a forest trail. A trusted hunting dog quarters back and forth, sniffing and snuffling both sides of the path. The hunter and dog are at one moment relaxed and easy; the next animated and intent. The dog has picked up a scent. The hunter has picked up on the rate of the dog’s wagging tail. It’s all business now. A few more steps and… EXPLOSION!!! A ruffed grouse takes flight and noisily angles away through the limbs. The dog stops and looks. The hunter pivots and shoulders the shotgun. Then another explosion as the gun fires. Success! The bird steeply angles into the golden leaves. The dog tracks it down, grabs it, and delivers it to the proud hunter.
3 OUTFITTERS / 15 SPECIES FISH: BROOK TROUT, LAKE TROUT, LAKE WHITEFISH, NORTHERN PIKE, WALLEYE, SMALLMOUTH BASS GAME: HARE, RUFFED GROUSE, BLACK BEAR, SPRUCE GROUSE, MOOSE, WOODCOCK, DUCK 19Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
Quebec Region: Mauricie Centre-du-Quebec
And… there it is! Set the hook! The battle is on. With the setting of the hook, your focus instantly goes from feeling for the minute and subtle to dealing with raw speed and power. Big fish of inland waters are often violent, toothy critters that need to be fought with care. In the early stages of the battle, the fish is mostly in charge. Your objective is to just stick with it. Then comes a tipping point. The runs are shorter. The head shakes not quite so violent or frequent. The dives aren’t as deep or the aerobatics so high. And then, the fish is next to the boat. You’ve won… this time. Now, let’s do it again.
50 55 1 12 132 40 20 55 155 147 10 15 SAINT-JEANLACRÉSERVOIRKEMPTLACGOUINRÉSERVOIRTAUREAU SHERBROOKECOATICOOKDRUMMONVILLEMAGOGSHAWINIGANTROIS-RIVIÈRESLATUQUE PARENT OBEDJIWANCLOVA VICTORIAVILLE SOREL MONTRÉAL QUÉBEC 20 Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
T he line pleasantly cuts into the crease in your index finger. You focus intently on that feel. The rod’s doing its job relaying the sensations of the bait doing its job. The lure ticks off of rocks, bottom, and structure. You’re on a big body of water after big fish, yet you’re intent on feeling the slightest change or sudden slack in the line. It’s amazing how the biggest fish can take the bait with the lightest touch.
8 OUTFITTERS / 20 SPECIES FISH: WALLEYE, NORTHERN PIKE, LAKE TROUT, BROOK TROUT GAME: RUFFED GROUSE, BLACK BEAR, MOOSE, HARE, SPRUCE GROUSE, WILLOW PTARMIGAN, PHEASANT, WILD TURKEY, WHITE-TAILED DEER, FARMED BISON, FARMED ELK, FARMED WILD BOAR, SNOW GOOSE, DUCKS, CANADA GOOSE 21Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
T here’s no other feeling in the world quite like it. You step out of the freighter canoe, and your boot sinks… just a bit… into the spongy tundra vegetation. You give that boat a nudge at the bow as the camp hand lowers the motor. He jerks the starter cord and the trusty old outboard sparks to life again. You watch as he turns the boat for the camp you can just see as a cluster of specks far down the opposite shore. You pick up your pack and swing it on to your shoulders. Funny… it has everything you need… just in case… and then some… but it suddenly seems so light, easy, and effortless. You haven’t felt this good in months, maybe even years. As the motor noise already begins to fade down the lake, you turn to view an eternal stretch of tundra. There are miles of rocks, lakes, moss, streams, stunted trees, and brush to call your own for the Whetherday.you’re setting out to hunt this land, or fish a distant stretch of river accessible only by foot, you won’t see another human until you return to this lakeshore rendezvous and signal camp for a boat ride home.
Quebec Region: Nord-du-Quebec
EE Y OU ISTCHEE J AMES B A Y NUN AVI K ÉS E R O É A N A P U ÉS G 3 E R O M A N O UA G A N A C M A S U CLA IR E É V O R LAFO GE ÉS1 V O L G A G A VA A M E FL E U V E A N T L A U R EN T ROUTEDELABAIEAMES ROUTE TRANS-TAÏGA 389 1 38 1 1 3 1 67 10 9 0 km 340 km 680 km D'U N SALLUIT FERMONT UMIUJAQ TASIU JAQ KUUJJUAQ EASTMAN SAKAM RADISSON LEBEL-SUR -QUÉVILLION KANGIRSUK SEPT -ÎLE S MISTISSINI CHIBOUGAMAU BAIE -COMEA U SCHEFFERVILL E KANGIQSU ALU JUAQ KUUJ UARAPIK 22 Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
10 OUTFITTERS / 13 SPECIES FISH: ATLANTIC SALMON, LAKE TROUT, BROOK TROUT, NORTHERN PIKE, WALLEYE, ARCTIC CHAR, (LANDLOCKED AND SEA RUN) GAME: BLACKMOOSE,BEAR, CARIBOU, WILLOW PTARMIGAN If you chose to step off the trail, chances are you’ll be making a footfall where no other human has tread… ever! Whatever unfolds this day, at dark, you’ll be good and tired. You’ll also be richer… far, far richer. 23Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
I n June the sun rises here by 5 a.m. That means a serious angler has already been on the water for at least half an hour. If he or she enjoys a good breakfast and wants to make sure their gear is ready, that means wakeup is around 4:00 a.m. Anticipating the day ahead, who can sleep anyway? Come late morning, a crackling campfire on a distant beach fries freshly caught fillets, bacon, onions, and potatoes. The boat ride back to the lodge starts around 2:00. Then fish need to be cleaned and packaged. Better hurry! The chef and staff will be putting dinner on the table by 4:00. Too early for supper? No way! The bear stands are spaced over a huge territory. You need to eat, dress for hunting, grab your bow or rifle… and get going! Your guide is leaning against his pickup looking at his watch, tapping his foot. You’ll be settled in your stand by 6:00 p.m. The guide will head off to check other baits in the area. You’re on your own for now. Sitting in a one-man shooting house, you feel like a solitary sardine. You’re after a giant black bear, ravenous after its long winter’s sleep. Imagination convinces you one might peel off the door of your blind to pluck out an appetizer before settling in for the main course of popcorn, grain, and molasses. It’s highly unlikely, but sitting alone waiting on a 300-pound alpha predator, it’s all too easy to convince yourself it could happen!
Quebec Region: Outaouais
382 FORT COULONGE 140 km 70 km 0 km 105 5 301 148 321 309 117 RÉSERVOIRCABONGA BASKATONGRÉSERVOIR GRANDMANIWAKIREMOUS MONT-LAURIER GATINEAU OTTAWA BUCKINGHAM 24 Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
14 OUTFITTERS / 19 SPECIES FISH: BROOK TROUT, LAKE TROUT, NORTHERN PIKE, WALLEYE, BROWN TROUT, LARGEMOUTH BASS, SMALLMOUTH BASS, RAINBOW TROUT, YELLOW PERCH, LAKE GAME:WHITEFISHBLACKBEAR,WHITE-TAILED DEER, MOOSE, WOODCOCK, RUFFED GROUSE, HARE, SPRUCE GROUSE, WILD TURKEY
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Sunset comes after 9 p.m. The real witching hour for bears is from then until you can’t see anymore. That’s close to 10:00. Your guide will be back a half hour or so after that. If you or your hunting buddies enjoyed success, don’t figure on getting out of there until 11:00 p.m. at the earliest, and it may take an hour to get back to the lodge. Reliving the day’s events and sharing stories of lifetimes of these adventures start around the fire at about midnight. … and you get to do it all again tomorrow!
He’s wondering who and what you are. You recognize, “this is WILD.”
170 138 1175 69 167 1 13 1 55 CHIBOUGAMAMISTISSINI 100 km 50 km 0 km SAINT-LAURENTFLEUVE 389 PIPMUACANRÉSERVOIR SAINT-JEANLAC PÉRIBONKALAC MANOUANELAC MISTASSINILAC PLÉTILACPL DOLBEAUALMAROBERVAL SAGUENAY 26 Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
Though you’re only a few hours drive from so-called civilization, the rejuvenating power of the place is overwhelming… exactly what you needed. It’s wilderness. It’s the feel of a native fish in your hand. It’s recuperation. It's restoration. It's rest.
Quebec Region: Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean Y
ou’re tired. Deep down, bone tired. You need to get away. You must recuperate. You need rejuvenation only found in the wild. But there’s a problem. In the world of work and family responsibilities, you can’t go far. There just isn’t time. But you have to cast a line. You need to invest some hours on stretch of river that’s yours alone. You must feel the tug of a trout on your line; lift the rod to set the hook; engage in the fight.
As it happens you can feel your strength coming back. With each moment, it’s relaxation like you haven’t felt it in… forever.
As you net the trout and remove the hook, you sense you’re not alone. You look back over your shoulder only to see you’re being watched. It’s a young bull moose.
3 OUTFITTERS / 8 SPECIES FISH: BROOK TROUT, LAKE TROUT, NORTHERN GAME:PIKE BLACK MOOSE,BEAR,RUFFED GROUSE, HARE, SPRUCE GROUSE 27Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
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10 QuebecYouReasonsShouldHuntandFishinThisYearIT’SRIGHTNEXTDOOR.FortensofmillionsofAmericansthelaunchingpointsforQuebec’soutdooradventures(MontrealandQuebecCity)arelessthanan8-hourdriveaway.Manycampsforbear,moose,deer,uplandbirdsandwaterfowl,pluswalleye,bass,pikeandmuskiefishingaredrive-tolocations. #10 29Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
Photo: Thomas Woelfle / Fliegenfischen
#8 THE RATEEXCHANGEISREALLYGOOD.ThestrengthoftheU.S.dollarmakestravelinCanadaafantasticbargain.WHITE-TAILEDDEERONTHEBEACHANDTHEWORLD’SBESTATLANTICSALMONFISHING.Needwesaymore? #9 #7 restaurants,andHUNTERSUNDERSTANDQUÈBÈCOISANDAPPRECIATEANDANGLERS.OutdoortraditionsinQuebecrundeepareimportanttoitsresidents.Hotels,andmeatprocessorsgraciouslyassisttravelinghuntersandanglers. 30 Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
#6 RIGHT NOW THERE’S A GIANT HIBERNATING BLACK BEAR WAITING FOR YOU! When he wakes up and starts prowling for food in the beautiful spring forest, you want to be there waiting for him! 31Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
#5 THE FOOD, MAN! THE FOOD! Many of Quebec’s lodges and hunting camps pride themselves on serving more than just meals. This is fine dining in fine settings that must be experienced to be appreciated. #3#4 LEARNYOU’LLNEWWORDS! Yes, the official language of Quebec is French. No, it’s not a problem if you don’t speak it. The outfitters of the QOF are fluent in English. Besides, “cerf” is deer, “Saumon” is salmon (ooh a toughy), “canard” is duck, and “dorè” is walleye. What more do you really need to know? BIGGER QuebecBETTER…ISFORYOU!isenormous.It’smorethantwicethesizeofTexasandnearlyasbigasAlaska.Itcoversmanyclimateandgeologiczones.So,theoutdoorexperiencesQuebecoffersareincrediblydiverse. 32 Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
#2 YOU… AND YOUR FAMILY… DESERVE IT. Quebec’s hunting and fishing outfitters make special efforts to welcome newcomers and families. Ask about specials to encourage new hunting and fishing participants. 33Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
you’ve found the right service to guide you. Members of Quebec Outfitters Federation are committed to providing stellar service and making you feel right at home. 34 Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
#1
FEDERATION INVITES YOU! The first
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QUEBEC OUTFITTERS time book in location, always a bit of concern about whether
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Tips
Travel Tips forHunting andFishing in Quebec
Enjoying a fun, safe, and successful hunting or fishing trip in Quebec begins long before game is spotted or you set the hook. You’ll make the most of every moment of your much-anticipated trip by planning ahead for efficient travel.
TRANSPORTING FIREARMS INTO CANADA
❹ Always be totally honest and thorough in declaring your fire arms and ammunition. It’s far better to share too much information rather than appear to be hiding something.
❷ You may also request a carbon form from customs at the border crossing and complete it there. In this case, it’s wise to have all information for your firearms written down on another easily accessible note. It should include make, model, serial number, caliber/ gauge, barrel length, and action of each firearm you’ll be registering. Upon completion of your form, the customs agent will inspect your firearms and compare the informa tion you provided on the form to that imprinted on the firearm(s).
❷ It’s better to be over-secure rather than cut corners that could cost you time and hassle with the airlines. For example, no airlines will ever complain about you having trigger locks on your firearms in addition to the required airline approved locking cases, so lock the triggers.
IMPORTANT TIPS:
TIPS:
❺ Once the firearms are de clared and the fee is paid, you must keep the approved documents with the firearms at all times – in cluding when you’re in the field. Roy al Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) or other law enforcement officers can ask to see your approved dec laration forms at any time and can confiscate your firearms if you don’t have them. A great way to do this is to have an ammo pouch on the stock of your rifle with a pocket where you can keep the paperwork.
❶ You can go online ahead of time and download the Non-Resident Firearm Declaration Form
FLYING WITH FIREARMS AND CanadianAMMOairlineshave different paperwork and procedures than U.S. airlines for flying with firearms. Be sure to ask for the proper forms and sign everything in the presence of an airline IMPORTANTagent.
Honestly, the journey can be equally enjoyable to the moment of truth. Nearly, anyway.
❹ Firearms must be unloaded, and it’s best to have the actions opened and the triggers locked as well.
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Customsarecrossing,itpdfs/5589-eng.pdf)gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/form-formulaire/(http://www.rcmp-grc.andcompleteintriplicateaheadofyourborderbutdonotsignuntilyouinthepresenceofaCanadianOfficer.
❶ Firearms to fly on any airlines need to be unloaded and locked inside an airline approved hard-side case. The case must be locked in a manner so that no part of the case can be pried open to remove a gun while another portion remains locked.
NO HANDGUNS OF ANY KIND CAN BE TAKEN ACROSS THE BORDER. The procedure is to fill out a Canadian firearms declaration form and pay a $25.00 fee. This allows certification of up to three firearms for 60 days.
❸ Keep ammunition in its original packaging and separate from firearms. Lock it in its own hardside container inside other checked baggage.
❸ It’s best to present the fire arms for inspection in locked cases along with the key or combi nation to the customs agent. In most border crossing locations, they do not want owners handling firearms during inspection, and in some cases they remove the firearms to another room.
You can (and should) bring your own hunting firearms into Canada. Qualified firearms are rifles or shotguns with barrels at least 18½ inches long that cannot be fired when reduced to an overall length of fewer than 26 inches (folding or telescoping stocks for example).
BRINGING FIREARMS AND OTHER GEAR BACK INTO THE U.S.A. Many U.S. hunters and anglers don’t realize that it can actually be more difficult to bring firearms and other outdoor gear back into the U.S. rather than taking it into Canada. The process goes much more smoothly if you complete and certify a U.S. Customs Form 4457 prior to leaving the country. This is a “Certificate of Registration for Personal Effects Taken Abroad.” Basically, it’s proof that you owned the equipment before you left the country and did not purchase it abroad, which could mean there would be taxes
❶ It is safest to have your broadheads removed from the arrows/bolts for transport. Each head should be individually contained to avoid damage and dulling.
Airline transportation of bows and crossbows requires a hard-side locking case. This is just plain smart, anyway, to avoid damage to the equipment.
IMPORTANTbordercustomsequipmentpresenceyouaspaperworkareinarecrossbowBothEQUIPMENTBOWHUNTINGWITHTRAVELINGverticalandequipmentlegalforhuntingQuebec.Therenoadditionalandfeeswithfirearms,butshoulddeclaretheofarcherytotheagentatthecrossing.TIPS:
❸ When you return home, consider leaving the unused components with the outfitter to act as a back up plan for the next muzzle loading hunter in camp.
The agent will compare the description and serial numbers on the document to that on the equipment and will sign and seal the document if everything matches.
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❷ Make multiple layers of back up plans to get what you’ll need. While your outfitter may be willing to order your muzzleloader supplies well ahead of the hunting season so they are there when you need them, ask him/her to send you a photo of the components when they arrive so you can confirm they are correct. Same goes if you’ll be buy ing them at a sporting goods store in Quebec. Get them to send you confirmation of the right products, but still make additional back up plans.
❶ The USB 4457 must be complet ed and presented to U.S. Customs Border Patrol prior to leaving the United States. You must present the form, along with the gear it covers, for inspection of the customs agent.
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR muzzleloadersWhenFIREARMSMUZZLELOADINGitcomestobordercrossings,willbetreatedandhave
the same requirements as modern firearms. IF YOU ARE FLYING, YOU CANNOT TAKE BLACK POWDER, BLACK POWDER SUBSTITUTES, LOOSE PRIMERS, OR LOOSE PERCUSSION CAPS ON BOARD A PLANE!
❶ If you wish to hunt with a muzzleloading firearm you either need to drive to your destination and take the components with you or make arrangements to acquire them once you’ve reached your destination.
❹ When you step up to present your passport and declaration form to a U.S. Customs Border Patrol agent at a border crossing, include the approved USB 4457 in the paperwork. It lets the agent know you’re an experienced, in-theknow traveler.
IMPORTANT TIPS:
❷
Anticipate damage at the worst possible time and place. Take backups of everything possible includ ing strings, releases, sights, cables, silencers, stabilizers, etc. – anything that could be damaged, broken, or lost.
IMPORTANTpayable.
❸
TIPS:
❷ Once approved, a form USB 4457 is valid as long as you own that equipment. So if you take your firearms, optics, tackle, etc. on more than one interna tional trip, be sure to hang on to the forms. You’ll save yourself a lot of time.
❸ The requirement for this registra tion can be applied to any personal effects of significant value, so you should complete the forms for your optics, camera gear, rods and reels, and other valuable equipment you may take with you into Canada… or elsewhere.
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40TipsQuebec
❸ While the guide/outfitter is there to “guide” you, it is the legal responsibility of each hunter and angler to know and follow the laws for the area in which he/she is hunting or fishing. Quebec publish es hunting and fishing regulations books just like the states in the U.S., so get a copy (or go online) and review the laws before you go into the field or onto the water.
IMPORTANTmeethuntingincludingaAnyonefromandleastorangewearwaterfowlbowhuntersAllLAWSANDREQUIREMENTSBLAZEQUEBEC’SORANGEHUNTINGhunters,including(exceptforhunters)mustaminimumofablazevestthatcoversattheback,shoulders,chestandisvisibleallanglesatalltimes.accompanyinghunterinthefield,aguideornon-partnermustalsothisrequirement.TIPS:
❹ Begin your search for a professional, ethical Quebec outfitter with the Quebec Outfitters Federation at: oiries.com/en/.https://www.pourv
IMPORTANT TIPS:
❷ A blaze orange stocking hat or ball cap provides addi tional visibility and safety. Though it is not required by law, wear one anyway.
Ultimate Destination Guidebook
❶ Bring a spare blaze orange vest folded up in the bottom of your daypack and carry it with you in the field. Your own vest could become lost or torn or you can loan it to another hunter who has forgotten a vest.
❺ Each outfitter who is a mem ber of the QOF must agree to respect the Federation’s Code of Ethics and basic principles.
❻ A professional outfitter will be able to answer all of your questions and handle all of the lo gistics to make your trip enjoyable and care-free.
❸ Each outfitting camp oper ates within a specific fishing or hunting zone. For detailed information on hunting and fishing primary regulations (such as zone boundaries), contact the Quebec Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks at: 6936.ping/?lang=enthe-wildlife/hunting-fishing-traphttp://mffp.gouv.qc.ca/orcall1-866-248-
HUNTING/FISHING REGULATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR NONRESIDENT HUNTERS
In nearly all cases, non-residents are required to employ the services of a licensed guide/outfitter to hunt big game and most small game in Quebec.
❷ Outfitters/lodges sometimes sell licenses themselves. Oth ers do not, and some licenses must be acquired either online or from Canadian federal agencies such as their post office. Be sure to confirm with your outfitter if there are licenses you’ll have to acquire on your own before arriving at camp.
❶ You are required to have a hunting or fishing license to pursue game or fish in Quebec. Your outfitter is the best source of information on what licenses are needed and how to acquire them.
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❻ At the border crossing, you may be required to fill out U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service forms on which you’ll have to list exactly what you are transporting. It’s a time-saver to have this information written down so you can just copy it on to the forms. You’ll need species (i.e. mallard, blue-winged teal, Can ada goose, etc.), quantity, license number, etc.
The point of many hunting and fishing trips is to get away from the daily grind; leave the outside world behind. Quebec is a great place to do it. At some camp locations you’ll have regular digital phone service and even wi-fi. In remote locations, there may be one daily radio check between the camp and base… that’s it. However, more outfitters are working satellite phones into their operations for IMPORTANTemergencies.TIPS:
www.fws.gov/le/hunting.html)(https://
❷ Airlines and ofandThistificaterequiretransportersothermayaveterinarycerofhealthaswell.needstobedatedsignedwithin30daystravel.
Be sure to learn those regulations for each state through which you’ll be traveling BEFORE YOU LEAVE.
IMPORTANT TIPS:
❶ Crossing the border with a pet, you must present a valid, up-todate certificate of rabies vaccination. Like your other travel documents, you should make multiple copies of this and carry one with you at all times.
REGARDING PETS
COMMUNICATION WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD
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❸ It’s smart to bring along a copy of your dog’s health record. In case of an emergency, the vet in Quebec will have a better idea of what may be wrong with this back ground information.
BRINGING FISH AND GAME BACK INTO THE U.S.
❷ States have their own restric tions regarding the transport of fish and game meat from outside the country or the state’s borders.
❸ With concerns about Chronic Wasting Disease and other wildlife diseases, the regulations change frequently. So even if you’ve transported fish or game meat be fore, DO NOT ASSUME THE LAWS ARE THE SAME.
❹ Bring a supply of your dog’s regular food and medications to last the trip and any unexpected delays. Some brands are not readily available in Canada.
❷ Do not expect that access to the outfitter’s satellite phone is part of the trip package. You may be able to use it for an additional fee, but be sure to get this squared away in the agreement before the trip.
Part of a successful trip may be bringing fish or game meat back to your home to enjoy for months to come. The regulations on this are not difficult, but need to be IMPORTANTfollowed.TIPS:
❹ When you are packaging fish or game meat, label it care fully with full information including the package contents, species, hunter’s/angler’s name, and license number.
On some types of Quebec outdoor adventures, it may be entirely appropriate to bring along your dog(s). However, this should be discussed and approved with your outfitter while you’re booking the trip.
❺ In the case of birds and fish, package each individually and leave attached the required elements for identification. For example, fish are required to have a fully scaled patch of skin on each fillet. Birds must have a fully feath ered wing attached.
❶ Work with your outfitter carefully to understand the limits and restrictions for bringing fish and game back into the United States. If you have questions he or she can’t answer, contact the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
❶ If direct, communicationdaily with the outside world is really important to you, consider acquiring your own satellite phone. Check with your outfitter which service plan works best at his/her camps.
Ultimate Destination Guidebook
❹ If you have your own 2-way radios, it’s not a bad idea to bring them along for you and your companions to use to keep in touch with each other while in the field or on the water.
❸ Before the trip, confirm with your outfitter the process for your family to contact you in case of an emergency back home and be sure the right people have that information. Also, make it clear what constitutes an “emergency” worth contacting you about.
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IMPORTANT TIPS:
❸ Turning right on a red light is permit ted in most of Quebec, but some restrictions apply.
❻ If you’ll be renting a vehicle for your stay in Quebec and want to use a navigation assistance option, be sure to ask for a system that is programmed for English instructions.
❺ You may only use completely handsfree cell phones while driving.
❺ If your bags weigh a few pounds over, wear some extra layers of your clothes and your heaviest footwear for the flight on the smaller plane.
❶ How much to tip is always a tricky question. One rule of thumb is to tip 10-15% of the cost of the trip for the team. So if the total tip was $500, then your guide might get $250, the camp hand $100, the cook $100, and the dock hand $50.
IMPORTANT TIPS:
❷ In all but the most unusual situations, tip with cash. Everyone can make good use of cash money. You may have paid a whole bunch for that beautiful fillet knife your guide even commented on, but he likely has a drawer full of them in his cabin. If you want to tip with gear or game meat – wonderful – but add it to the cash tip you’d leave anyway.
❷ As you prepare your gear for the trip, ACTU ALLY WEIGH IT on an accurate scale. Do not estimate. ❸ It may pay to pack a lighter, soft-side case for a firearm or bow. Store the heavy hard-side case at the outfitter’s base camp and use the soft-side case for the final leg(s) of your journey to camp. But confirm this plan with your outfitter ahead of time. ❹ Nothing adds weight to a load faster than liquids. (It’s why beer and alcohol are so expensive in remote camps.)
TRAVEL BY FLOAT PLANE OR ReachingPLANEBUSHsome Quebec hunting and fishing destinations will require you travel by smaller planes either on wheels or floats. In either case you may face strict limits on the amount and weight of the gear you can fly into camp.
❹ You only need to tip the outfitter – the one you wrote the checks for the trip to – if you want to… or if he/she filled these other service roles personally. Quebec
❹ Owning or operating radar detectors is strictly prohibited.
❶ Discuss weight limits with your outfitter well ahead of your trip. Weigh-in at the airport or remote float plane base is not the time to discover you have too much gear. It can get really inconve nient and really expensive.
❽ By law, all occupantsvehiclemust wear seat belts.
Try to minimize beverages and liquids of any kind in your gear.
❶ Street and road signs are in French, but also use universal symbols. “Street” is “rue.” “North, south, east, and west” are “nord, sud, est, and ouest.” “Stop” is “arret” – and it’s on an octagonal red sign with white letters!
The official language of the province of Quebec is French, but don’t worry about it. The majority of Quebecoise also speak in English and are very welcoming of American hunters and anglers.
LANGUAGE, LOCAL CUSTOMS, AND DRIVING
❷ When you’re in rural Quebec, you may encounter people who do not speak English – even the occasional guide. In that case, go with the flow and use the opportunity to learn new words and customs.
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❸ Discuss with your outfitter the option of leaving one large tip with him and having him divide onabletheseeularlyamongappropriatelythestaff–particstaffyoumaynotlikehousekeepersorcook.Youmayalsobetoputthislumpsumyourcreditcard.
IMPORTANT TIPS:
JustTIPPINGasintheStates, tipping those who provide you with good service is customary and appreciated. This can include guides, camp hands, cooks, wait staff, dock hands, pilots, housekeepers, etc.
TipsQUEBEC
❼ Look at ordering from an all-French menu as part of the adventure. Try some things you have no idea what they are. You may come away with some new favorites.
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4 Adventures YOU’LL FIND ONLY IN Quebec 46 Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
Quebec offers great variety and diversity in hunting and fishing experiences. Anglers can enjoy everything from catching pan fish off the dock at a bustling family resort to casting an unnamed stream of the far north for a brook trout that has never before seen a lure. Hunters can pursue game from upland birds like the tiny woodcock to enormous beasts like a full-grown moose weighing more than half a ton and standing 7½ feet tall at the shoulder. No matter where and no matter when, every angling and hunting adventure is unique. It’s the definition of a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Quebec is blessed to offer a number of hunting and fishing opportunities unique to the province. These opportunities fill outdoor bucket lists for hunters and anglers from around the world.
47Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
Greater Snow YouGeesemention spring snow goose hunting to someone who chases the birds in the Mississippi or Central Flyways, and the word with which they’ll probably respond is “MUD!” or “impossible.” They are hunting tilled farm fields for birds that have seen every hunting trick in the book for decades. In Quebec, snow goose hunters are after Atlantic Flyway greater snow geese. These birds are significantly larger than their prairie cousins. When they reach the St. Lawrence River their daily behavior is partially governed by predictable tides, so their habits are more routine and corridorThehuntable.St.Lawrenceisthefinal mass staging zone before the greater snow geese push on to the nesting grounds in the Far North. Early May usually sees the peak gathering of the birds and often coincides with pleasant spring weather for hunting in this region.
ONLY IN Quebec 48 Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
Arctic Char The Arctic char is a fish of the Far North. Getting to them is an adventure and an experience in itself. Those who have had the chance to catch them compare them to Atlantic salmon and steelhead… many say they are even better and more tenacious fighters. One second a char will bulldog with wide, heavy headshakes. The next, it will go on a long, searing run. At any moment it may go airborne in a series of acrobatic leaps. All that from a fish that can commonly reach 12 pounds and sometimes weigh as much as 15 or even 20 pounds. Like many Arctic species, char grow slowly. These fish don’t mature until eight years of age, are commonly found to live 20 years, and have been recorded as old as 40 Besidesyears. the char’s tenacity… and delicious taste on the plate or in the smoker… part of their unique allure is where they live. Fishing for char in Quebec’s Far North, it’s entirely possible you’ll see caribou, muskox, ptarmigan, wolves, and many more animals. The crowning glory of the Arctic char is its paint job. As these fish move toward the spawn, males take on incredible contrasting moss green, orange, and candy apple red hues. Their beauty is nearly indescribable… you have to catch one to see it for yourself!
ONLY IN Quebec 49Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
StoriedIslandAnticostiAnticosti Island lies in the Gulf of St. Lawrence where the St. Lawrence River reaches the Atlantic Ocean. It is a piece of north woods happy hunting ground about 70 miles long and 32 miles wide. Once the private retreat and hunting grounds of French candy magnate Henri Menier, today the island is recognized as one of the world’s premier locations to hunt whitetailed deer. The island’s fame is not so much because of the size of its deer (which is often underestimated), but because of the unique ways and seasons in which you can hunt them. To begin, Anticosti’s season is long. It begins in late summer and some outfitters offer hunts running all the way to Christmas. That means you can take Anticosti white-tailed bucks still in the velvet for the first weeks of the season, which is a unique proposition in itself. With the onset of winter in late November and into December, Anticosti’s deer migrate. Herds move from the heavily forested interior of the island (that receives heavy snowfall) to the more temperate coasts where winter storms in the Atlantic uproot and wash ashore drifts of seaweed and kelp. The deer count on this bonus source of feed, and it creates a truly unique hunting opportunity. Late season hunters on Anticosti Island can hunt deer on the beach! You won’t be sunbathing in the stand, but there’s something special about glassing and stalking white-taileds with the roaring surf close at hand.
ONLY IN Quebec 50 Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
en/.www.saumonquebec.com/apoundersanglerorforintriguedWhetheraccessiblenowherearoundfishingthebyultimateconsideredsalmonlandingprofound.andbothfishingThenortheastevenareonrivers,andproducingtheQuebecconsiderBrunswick,Scotia,Newfoundland,provincesgreatisWhileRiversSalmonBestAmerica’sNorthAtlanticeasternCanadahometomanysalmonriversinlikeLabrador/NovaandNewmanytheriversoftobethebestofbest.Inadditiontomanyfish,largefish,Quebec’sespeciallythosetheGaspePeninsulareadilyaccessiblebycarfromtheU.S.historyofsportAtlanticsalmoninNorthAmericaEuropeislongandHookingandalargeAtlanticonaflyrodistobetheaccomplishmentmanyanglersaroundworld.Anentirecultureisbuiltthisfish,andaretheymorethanQuebec.you’resimplyaboutfishingtheAtlanticsalmon,you’reaveteranwithseveral40toyourcredit,greatwebsitetovisitis: ONLY IN Quebec 51Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
52 Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
...the best vacation, ever. QUEBEC'S OUTDOOR ADVENTURE. YOUR PLACE IS READY, WAITING. PUT DOWN THE PHONE. TELL THE OFFICE NOT TO CALL. IT'S REALLY NOT THAT FAR. THIS WILL BE... 53Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
https://www.pourvoiries.com/en/
Expansive Quebec Quebec “ THE BAUDONCOURT RIVER IS ONE OF QUEBEC’S FAMOUS EAST UNGAVA BAY RIVERS WITH PERFECT WATER FOR FLY-FISHING THE MIGRATORY ARCTIC CHAR. THE RIVER CONDITIONS ARE PERFECT FOR SWINGING FLIES OR IF YOU PREFER TO DEAD DRIFT. SURROUNDED BY HIGH CLIFFS AND INCREDIBLE BEAUTY, THE BAUDONCOURT RIVER CHAR RUNS ARE HUGE WITH AVERAGE ARCTIC CHAR RUNNING ABOUT 10 POUNDS. ” ★ BILL SPICER, HOST, THE NEW FLY FISHER TV SHOW ★★★★★ FIVE STARS FOR QUEBEC 8 Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
“ QUEBEC HAS LONG BEEN ONE OF MY FAVORED, “UP NORTH” ADVENTURE DESTINATIONS. OVER THE YEARS I HAVE HUNTED AND FISHED ONLY A SMALL PORTION OF THE PROVINCE, BUT HOPEFULLY WE’LL COVER MORE IN THE FUTURE. FABULOUS DEER, BEAR, CARIBOU, WATERFOWL, UPLAND GAME, AND FISHING USUALLY ONLY FOUND IN DREAMS! ” ★ LARRY WEISHUHN, DC’S TRAILING THE HUNTER’S MOON uebec 9Quebec Ultimate Destination Guidebook
Q uebec: 5 STARS FOR QUEBEC TOP 10 REASONS TO HUNT/FISH QUEBEC THIS YEAR 72 GREAT HACKS FOR OUTDOOR TRAVELERS 4 ADVENTURES FOUND ONLY IN GUIDEBOOKBYADVENTUREOUTDOORQUEBECTHENUMBERSQUEBECULTIMATEDESTINATION
