The ZEC de la Bessonne is a controlled exploitation zone (ZEC) overlapping the territory of the city of La Tuque, as well as the municipalities of Lac-Édouard and La Bostonnais, in La Tuque Region, in Mauricie, in Quebec.

This ZEC was incorporated in 1978, following the abolition of private hunting & fishing clubs on public land. This ZEC is administered by the Association Épervier de La Tuque inc. The toponym "ZEC de la Bessonne" derives from the toponym of the "Bessonne river" which passes through the southern part of its territory. The term Bessonne also turns out to be a component of the toponyms of two lakes, an island and a dam.

The main recreational tourism activities on the territory of the ZEC are: hiking, berry picking, hunting, fishing, nautical activities (swimming, canoeing, kayaking, boating), mountain biking, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, dog sledding, etc.

Understand

The ZEC de la Bessonne covers an area of ​​527 square kilometres (203 sq mi) on the eastern slope of the valley of the Saint-Maurice river and on the western slope of the Batiscan river. ZEC de la Bessonne borders on ZEC Jeannotte to the east and Kennedy outfitter to the south. Nearby, the main areas organized in ZEC or park are: ZEC Tawachiche in the south; ZEC de la Rivière-Blanche to the east, Réserve faunique des Laurentides to the northeast, ZEC de La Croche to the northwest and ZEC Menokesawin to the northeast.

In the territory of the ZEC, 281 lakes were counted including 168 exploited for recreational fishing. The ZEC has six rivers and none are developed for recreational fishing, including the Épervier river, Bessonne river, Le Fouet river, Mystérieuse river and Petite Bostonnais river. The main species present in bodies of water are: brook trout, muskellunge and yellow perch.

The ZEC de la Bessonne reception desk is northwest of Lake Wayagamac, on Chemin du Lac-Wayagamac, in La Tuque.

• 1 ZEC administration office, bureau administratif: 3137, rue Laberge, Québec, G1X 4B5; poste d'accueil: chemin du Lac-Wayagamac, La Tuque, QC, G9X 3N8, ☏ +1 418-527-0235, info@reseauzec.com.  

Go

The ZEC de la Besonne territory is accessible by road vehicle, ATV, snowmobile, by train (with VIA Rail Canada) and even by air (via seaplanes).

By car

• From Montreal (300 km (190 mi). Time: 3 hr 21 min. Take highway 40 (north shore) eastbound, to Trois-Rivières; take highway 55 (northbound) to Grand-Mère, which becomes route 155 and cross the Saint-Maurice river bridge; take road 155 (northbound), until after the bridge over the Petite rivière Bostonnais; take the Chemin du Lac-Wayagamac to the Wayagamac reception.
• From Quebec (city) (248 km (154 mi). Time: 2 hr 58 min. Take highway 40 (direction West), to Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade; take route 159 (northbound) passing through the village of Saint-Stanislas, Saint-Séverin, Saint-Tite and Saint-Roch-de-Mékinac; take road 155 (northbound), until after the bridge over the Petite rivière Bostonnais; take the Chemin du Lac-Wayagamac to the reception station.

Do

• Randonnée pédestre. (updated Nov 2021)
• Canoeing and boating. (updated Nov 2021)
• Big game hunting. Bow, crossbow and firearm hunting according to the authorized periods for moose, white-tailed deer and bears. (updated Nov 2021)
• Small game hunting. Ruffed grouse and hare hunting (hunting or snaring). (updated Nov 2021)
• Sport fishing. Fishermen are required to respect fishing quotas according to species. (updated Nov 2021)

Sleep

Camping

The ZEC allows you to go wild camping throughout the territory, with certain exceptions; the ban concerns access to lakes, roads and along the Grand Lac Wagayamack.

• Camping in the zec. The ZEC has two semi-serviced camping sites. (updated Nov 2021)

Go next

• 2 ZEC Jeannotte. Controlled harvesting zone (ZEC) located in the municipality of Lac Édouard, about 30 km east of the town of La Tuque. Its territory, which is an island, is more or less framed by Lake Édouard, the Jeannotte River and the Batiscan River. (updated Oct 2021)
• 3 Zec Tawachiche (ZEC Bessonne borders ZEC Tawachiche on the north side). ZEC located mainly in the municipality of Lac-aux-Sables, and partly in the unorganized territories of Lac-Masketsi and Lac-Lapeyère. This area is located to the south of the ZEC de la Bessonne. The Tawachiche and Tawachiche Ouest rivers cross its territory. This ZEC in Moyen-Mauricie is popular for recreational and tourist activities. (updated Nov 2021)
• 4 Zec de la Rivière-Blanche, ☏ +1 418-323-2546, info@zecdelariviereblanche.com. Controlled exploitation zone (ZEC) covering 729 km2 in the county of Portneuf. It is bounded to the south by the Portneuf wildlife reserve and to the west by the ZEC Jeannotte; to the east by the ZEC Batiscan-Neilson and to the north by the Laurentides wildlife reserve. (updated Nov 2021)
• 5 La Tuque. City of Haute-Mauricie, in Quebec, with 11,000 inhabitants. The three Indian reserves which are on its territory, have their own administration. The territory of Haute-Mauricie (covering 28,099 km² (10,849 sq mi)) has long been traversed and inhabited by Indigenous communities. Since the middle of the 19th century, Haute-Mauricie has experienced considerable economic development thanks to forestry and recreational tourism (vacationing, hunting & fishing, snowmobiling, mountain biking , nautical activities, observation of flora and fauna, boating, etc.) (updated Oct 2021)
• 6 Lac-Édouard, trois-rives@regionmekinac.com. Municipality of Haute-Batiscanie, the village of Lac-Édouard is on the shores of Lake Édouard. This locality is famous for its forestry and for its recreational tourism activities (resort, outfitters, nautical activities, snowmobiling, mountain biking). (updated Nov 2021)
• 7 La Bostonnais. Municipality of Haute-Batiscanie, the village of La Bostonnais is 11 km (in direct line) northeast of downtown La Tuque. It shares its boundaries between La Tuque and Lac-Édouard. (updated Nov 2021)