The ZEC de la Croche is a controlled harvesting area (ZEC) in the northern part of La Tuque Region, in the administrative region of Mauricie, in Quebec.

This ZEC was incorporated in 1978, following the abolition of private hunting & fishing clubs on public lands. This ZEC is administered by the Association Sacerf La Croche inc.

ZEC de la Croche has three vocations: forestry, wildlife and recreation. The main recreational tourism activities on the territory of the zec are: hiking, picking berries or mushrooms, hunting, fishing, nautical activities (swimming, canoeing, kayaking, boating), mountain biking, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, cycling mountain, camping (furnished or semi-furnished), canoe-camping, etc. Users can also practise ice fishing in winter.

Understand

ZEC de la Croche covers an area of ​​351.8 square kilometres (135.8 sq mi). It is located north of the villages of La Bostonnais and La Croche, as well as north of the town of La Tuque. Its hydrographic slope is mainly part of the Saint-Maurice river via the Trenche river and the Croche river.

The route of route 450 constitutes more or less the northern limit and the eastern limit of the ZEC de la Croche. The Saint-Maurice river and Trenche river are the western limit. The Saint-Maurice river constitutes the southern limit of the ZEC. The territory of the Domaine Touristique La Tuque separates the ZEC de La Croche and the ZEC Borgia.

The main fish species are: pike, walleye, moulac, brook trout, perch and lake trout. The main hunted species of land animals are: moose, white-tailed deer, black bear, grouse and hare.

The ZEC de la Croche reception post is located to the west of the village of La Croche, on the edge of the Croche river.

• 1 Zec de la Croche, Administrative office: 91 rang Ouest, secteur La Croche, La Tuque, ☏ +1 819-523-2902, zeclacroche@hotmail.com. (updated Nov 2021)

Go

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

By car

• From Montreal (313 km (194 mi). Time: 3 hr 31 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 route 155 (northbound) to La Tuque; take the path of the Croche river (north direction), to the village of La Croche; cross the bridge spanning the Croche river to the ZEC de la Croche reception post.
• From Quebec (city) (261 km (162 mi). Time: 3 hr 07 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 route 155 (northbound) to La Tuque; take the path of the Croche river (north direction), to the village of La Croche; cross the bridge spanning the Croche river to the ZEC de la Croche reception post.

Do

• Randonnée pédestre (Hiking). (updated Nov 2021)
• Canotage et promenade en bateau (Canoeing and boating). (updated Nov 2021)
• Chasse aux gros gibiers (Big game hunting). Bow, crossbow and firearm hunting according to the authorized periods for moose, white-tailed deer and bears. (updated Nov 2021)
• Chasse aux petits gibiers (Small game hunting). Ruffed grouse, grouse and hare hunting. (updated Nov 2021)
• Pêche récréative (Sport fishing). Fishermen are required to respect fishing quotas according to species. (updated Nov 2021)

Sleep

Camping

• Camping rustique saisonnier dans la zec (Seasonal rustic camping in the ZEC). Seasonal camping. (updated Nov 2021)

Go next

• 2 Réserve écologique J.-Clovis-Laflamme. Ecological reserve covering 1,009 hectares (2,490 acres), south of Roberval and north of the ZEC and north of the ZEC Kiskissink. (updated Nov 2021)
• 3 ZEC Borgia, zecborgia@outlook.com. Controlled exploitation zone (ZEC) covering 556 square kilometres (215 sq mi) in Haute-Mauricie, north of the town of La Tuque. It borders on ZEC Kiskissink on the east side and ZEC Menokeosawin on the east side. Its northern limit constitutes the limit between Mauricie and Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean. (updated Nov 2021)
• 4 ZEC Ménokéosawin (Laurentides Wildlife Reserve). Controlled Zone (ZEC) in the municipality of Lac-Édouard and La Tuque. It has 162 lakes in an area of 298.5 kilometres (185.5 mi). (updated Nov 2021)
• 5 ZEC de la Bessonne. Controlled exploitation zone (ZEC) covering 524.5 square kilometres (202.5 sq mi), straddling the territories of La Tuque, La Bostonnais and Lac-Édouard. It is 10 km east of downtown La Tuque. Six rivers cross its territory. (updated Nov 2021)
• 6 ZEC Frémont. Controlled exploitation zone (ZEC) southwest of the city of La Tuque. More than 250 lakes have been counted in the territory of this ZEC, the main one being Lake Sincennes. (updated Nov 2021)
• 7 ZEC Wessonneau. Controlled exploitation zone (ZEC) covering the townships of Baril, Turcotte, Geoffrion and Polette. The reception station of the ZEC Wessonneau is west of the Saint-Maurice river, near the rivière aux Rats. (updated Nov 2021)
• 8 La Tuque. City of Haute-Mauricie, in Quebec, with 11,001 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)
• 9 La Bostonnais, trois-rives@regionmekinac.com. Municipality of Haute-Mauricie, 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)