The zec Tawachiche is a ''

zone d'exploitation contrôlée A ''zone d'exploitation contrôlée'' (in French; acronym ZEC) is a "Controlled harvesting zone" located in public lands areas of Quebec, in Canada. ZECs are a system of territorial infrastructures set up in 1978 by the Government of Quebec to take ...

'' (controlled harvesting zone) (zec) covering 318 km², of which 310 km² are located in

Mékinac Regional County Municipality Mékinac () is a regional county municipality (MRC) in the administrative region of Mauricie, in the province of Quebec, Canada. Its seat is Saint-Tite. It is composed of 10 municipalities and 4 unorganized territories. Toponymy According to ...

, in

Mauricie Mauricie () is a traditional and current administrative region of Quebec. La Mauricie National Park is contained within the region, making it a prime tourist location. The region has a land area of 35,860.05 km² (13,845.64 sq mi) and a popu ...

, in the province of

Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...

, in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

. This zec is mainly located in the municipality of

Lac-aux-Sables Lac-aux-Sables is a parish municipality in the Mékinac Regional County Municipality (MRC de Mékinac), in administrative district of the Mauricie region of the province of Quebec in Canada. Its population centres are Lac-aux-Sables and Hervey ...

and in the non-organized territories of Lac-Masketsi and Lac-Lapeyrère. The zec territory is situated north of Sainte-Thècle and

Saint-Tite Saint-Tite is a town in the province of Quebec, Canada, north of Trois-Rivières, in the Mékinac Regional County Municipality (RCM) and in the Mauricie administrative region. In the 19th Century, the Batiscanie economy was mainly founded on f ...

. Located approximately 80 km north of

Trois-Rivières Trois-Rivières (, – 'Three Rivers') is a city in the Mauricie administrative region of Quebec, Canada, at the confluence of the Saint-Maurice River, Saint-Maurice and Saint Lawrence River, Saint Lawrence rivers, on the north shore of the Sain ...

, it is bordered to the east by

Portneuf Wildlife Reserve The Portneuf Wildlife Reserve is located in the province of Quebec (Canada), in the western part of the Capitale-Nationale region. This wildlife reserve is administered by SEPAQ. See also * Island of the Cross (Quebec) * Jeannotte River * Batis ...

. The main entrance to the zec Tawachiche is located near the mouth of the Tawachiche West River in the Audy Station, 9.1 km from the intersection of the road 153 in the village of Hervey-Jonction, Quebec. The second entry into the territory of the zec is located north of the rivière aux eaux mortes; previously, it was located at the Milieu River. This entry is accessible via the Road 155 and taking the path of Carignan (), south of

La Tuque La Tuque (; ) is a city located in north-central Quebec, Canada, on the Saint-Maurice River, between Trois-Rivières and Chambord. The population was 11,227 at the Canada 2011 Census, most of which live within the urban area. At over 28,000 sq ...

. Visitors can also access the Zec territory in which seaplanes landing is possible on the lakes Masketsi, Roberge, the Bear and Hackett. The ''Association de chasse, pêche et villégiature Tawachiche inc.'' (Association of hunting, fishing and vacations Tawachiche Inc.) was granted the authority to administer the zec at its inception in 1978.

Geography

About half of the territory (Southern part) of the zec drains in the

Batiscanie, Quebec Batiscanie is the watershed of the Batiscan River, located in the center of the province of Quebec, Canada, covering 4690 km² on the North Shore of the St. Lawrence River. The area covered by Batiscanie is 53% in the administrative région o ...

. Northern part of the zec drains in

Mékinac River The Mékinac river is a located in the RCM Mekinac Regional County Municipality, in the administrative region of Mauricie, the province of Quebec, in Canada. This river of Middle Mauricie has played an important role in the forestry industry at ...

. Zec Tawachiche has 128 lakes (of which 72 are used for fishing) and four rivers in an area of . The vast majority of these lakes are accessible by car. Three lakes are reserved for fly fishing. The zec offers vacationers and nature lovers a variety of attractions and activities: hunting, fishing, rustic camping, canoe camping, stay in a cottage, hiking trails... The area can also circulate ATV or snowmobile, depending on the season. Visitors can indulge in the observation of nature, flora, fauna and landscapes. The zec is located in the fishing area number 26. Rail line Hervey-Jonction to

Senneterre Senneterre is a town in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region of northwestern Quebec, Canada. It is in the Vallée-de-l'Or Regional County Municipality. The town's territory includes a vast undeveloped area stretching from the Bell River to the Ma ...

( Abitibi) via

, through the zec Tawachiche.

Via Rail Via Rail Canada Inc. (), operating as Via Rail or Via, is a Canadian Crown corporation that is mandated to operate intercity passenger rail service in Canada. It receives an annual subsidy from Transport Canada to offset the cost of operating ...

allows visitors to take the train or stand at various stops on the territory of the zec. The main rivers are: * Southern area of the zec: Tawachiche and its tributary the West Tawachiche whose mouth is located in the Audy, near the main entrance of the zec; * Northern area of the zec: Rivière du milieu (Mékinac) and Rivière aux eaux mortes (Mékinac).

Accommodations

In 1978, the administration of the zec was entrusted to the "Association of hunting, fishing and resort Tawachiche inc" (Association de chasse, pêche et villégiature Tawachiche inc). Annually, the recording desk of the zec Tawachiche open at the end of April and close at the end of October. In May and June, recording hours are from 6:00 to 22:00; July to October from 7:00 to 21:00. Visitors can get at the zec various items such as worms, ice, hunting licenses, fishing and trapping. Users can also rent boats and motors. Hunters can use the government registration service for the big animals. There are launching ramps on four large lakes. In order to accommodate its sailors and vacationers, the zec offers a rental service for boats, motor and sale of various items. Visitors may use outboard motors under 10 forces only on the lakes Roberge, "à l'ours" (Bear lake), Masketsi and chain of lakes Hackett. Several utilities are available outside the zec in villages Hervey-Jonction,

and Sainte-Thècle as convenience stores, gas stations, grocery stores, pharmacies, car garages... CLSC Saint-Tite is located 26 km from the main entrance of zecTawachiche.

Main attractions

Many species of fish live in the waters of the zec Tawachiche include: brook trout (speckled), trout (lake trout), the splake, smallmouth bass and muskellunge. Fishing activities are subject to quotas. Followers of observation of nature will love the area for aquatic birds, located in a wetland on the "Rivière à l'eau morte" (Dead Water River). This area attracts a lot of mooses. In the territory of the zec, hunting is possible for a variety of animals including moose, bear, deer, wolf, fox, partridge, hare, ruffed grouse, the spruce grouse and migratory birds. The zec is located in the hunting area is number 26. Hunting is subject to quotas and selective periods. Since 2009, climbers frequent the granite cliff overlooking a bog and the western shore of Lake Therrien. In many places, the cliff has a vertical sustained over 50 m, with some sequences of about 100 m. A boat is required to reach the foot of the cliff whose orientation is south, southeast, which allows them to climb from March to November. Cape Tawachiche inherited a Native American legend that transcends in the names of the 5 sectors of the cliff: Tomahawk (sections Shaman, Grand Duke, Totem), Indian Summer, Attimakekw, and Wometaci Maskwaaskwaaskwa. Therrien Lake is located 15 minutes drive from the entrance of the zec, taking the path Tawachiche East.

Camping and accommodation

There are many sites for rustic camping for short stay, or sites for the season. Visitors can also accommodate the numerous chalets or lodges. Outside the zec, users can benefit from several well-equipped campsites, lodges, hotel or motel.

Toponymy

The name "Tawachiche" comes from the

Tawachiche River TheTawachiche River flows from north to south for entirely in the territory of the Municipality of Lac-aux-Sables, in Mékinac Regional County Municipality, in Mauricie, in the province of Quebec, Canada. Geography The Tawachiche River waters ...

, for which zec Tawachiche is the headwaters. As for the river itself was named after a guide Attikamek named Awachiche that have guided the abbot Severe Dumoulin during a mission in Attikameks of

Wemotaci Wemotaci (designated as Weymontachie 23 until 1997) is a First Nations reserve on the north shore of the Saint-Maurice River at the mouth of the Manouane River in the Mauricie region of Quebec, Canada. Together with the Obedjiwan and the Coucou ...

. The name "zec Tawachiche" was officially registered as place names of the

Commission de toponymie du Québec The Commission de toponymie du Québec (English: ''Toponymy Commission of Québec'') is the Government of Québec's public body responsible for cataloging, preserving, making official and publicize Québec's place names and their origins according ...

(Geographical Names Board of Quebec) on August 5, 1982.Commission de toponymie du Québec, Geographical names registry in Quebec - Toponym: Zec Tawachiche
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Notes and references

External links

* of zec Tawachiche * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Tawachiche, zec Protected areas of Mauricie Protected areas established in 1978 Mékinac Regional County Municipality Geography of La Tuque, Quebec 1978 establishments in Quebec