The ZEC Kiskissink is a controlled exploitation zone, straddling the administrative regions of Mauricie, Capitale-Nationale and Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, in Quebec, Canada.

The territory of this ZEC covers 829.5 km² (320.3 sq mi) in the administrative regions:

• Mauricie: La Tuque Region and the municipality of Lac-Édouard, in Haute-Mauricie;
• Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean: municipality of Lac-Bouchette (MRC Le Domaine-du-Roy) and the unorganized territory of Lac-Moncouche (MRC Lac-Saint-Jean-Est);
• Capitale-Nationale: unorganized territory of Lac-Jacques-Cartier (MRC La Côte-de-Beaupré) and unorganized territory of Lac-Croche (MRC La Jacques-Cartier).

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 Macousine inc. The toponym "ZEC Kiskissink" derives from the toponym of the forest hamlet "Kiskissink" and "Lake Kiskissink" which are found on its territory.

ZEC Kiskissink has three vocations: forestry, wildlife and recreational. 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. The ZEC provides users with fully equipped cabins, various boats (canoe, kayak, rowboat), and engines.

Understand

ZEC Kiskissink covers an area of ​​829.5 km² (320.3 sq mi). It is north of the village of Lac-Édouard and northeast of the town of La Tuque. Its hydrographic slope is mainly part of the Saint-Maurice river, except for the eastern part of the territory of the ZEC which rather flows into the Métabetchouane river. This ZEC is located on the ridges of the watershed between the three major watersheds.

The northern limit of the ZEC Kiskissink constitutes the limit of the administrative regions of Mauricie and Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean. Its eastern limit constitutes the limit of the administrative regions of Mauricie and Capitale-Nationale. Its south-eastern limit borders with the Réserve faunique des Laurentides. On the west side, this zec borders with the ZEC Ménokéosawin.

In the territory of the ZEC, 300 lakes have been counted and 50 km of rivers. The main fish species are: pike, walleye, bass, arctic char, brook trout, lake trout. The main hunted species of land animals are: woodcock, white-tailed deer, grouse, hare, moose, black bear and grouse.

The Canadian National Railway crosses the territory of the zec in a north-south direction. The Kiskissink ZEC reception desk is located at Lac Écarté.

• 1 ZEC Kiskissink administration office, bureau administratif: 1480, chemin de Lac Écho, Prévost, ☏ +1 418-348-9356, zeckiskissink@gmail.com. (updated Nov 2021)

Go

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

By car

• From Montreal (368 km (229 mi). Time: 3 hr 456 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), passing La Tuque and La Bostonnais, to the Zec Kiskissink reception post.
• From Quebec (city) (2,300 km (1,400 mi). Time: 3 hr 17 min. Take route 175 (northbound); take road 169 (northbound) to Chambord; take road 155 (southbound) to the ZEC Kiskissink 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 saisonnier dans la zec (Seasonal camping in the ZEC). The ZEC has rustic and seasonal camping sites. (updated Nov 2021)

Chalet, gîte, inn

• Chalet (Ready-to-camp Units). Seven ready-to-camp units for 2 or 4 people along the Matawin River. (updated Nov 2021)

Go next

• 2 Réserve faunique des Laurentides (Laurentides Wildlife Reserve). Formerly designated "Parc des Laurentides", this park covers 7,934 km² (3,063 sq mi) straddling the Capitale-Nationale and Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean regions. This park is part of Quebec's wildlife reserves. (updated Oct 2021)
• 3 ZEC Ménokéosawin, ☏ +1 819-840-3758. ZEC located northeast of the city of La Tuque and west of ZEC Kiskissink. (updated Nov 2021)
• 4 ZEC Kiskissink. Controlled exploitation zone (ZEC) northeast of the city of La Tuque. It covers an area of 829.5 square kilometres (320.3 sq mi) (updated Nov 2021)
• 5 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)
• 6 ZEC Borgia, ☏ +1 819-805-4911, zecborgia@outlook.com. Controlled exploitation zone (ZEC) covering 556 km² (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)
• 7 La Tuque. City of Haute-Mauricie 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)
• 8 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)