5 provinces of Canada, 5 beautiful places in Canada - dream hunts.
There is no equal to the stories told by sport hunting enthusiast Mario Huot to make us dream! On the occasion of Canada Day, we wanted to ask him to give us a list of the 5 most beautiful destinations across the country to experience an incredible hunting trip. At go, we start our “bucket list”. Go!
A text by Manon Rivard
5It is location: Quebec
With its diversity in terms of hunting - bear, turkey, deer and moose, in particular! – Quebec is a place of choice. “We are lucky to have such a playground. British Columbia also has a great variety, but at home, everything is nearby within a few hours drive or so. You can have a good hunting quality almost everywhere! », he drops, explaining that if he lived in Saskatchewan, for example, Quebec could easily occupy the second position on his list. Many Europeans come to visit us for a hunting experience. They find warm, welcoming people and are amazed by our Quebec forests.
4It is position : l’Ontario
Everyone knows Mario Huot, who has been living his passion for 35 years, for his marked interest in wild turkey hunting. We are therefore not surprised to see that he ranked our neighboring province, Ontario, in fourth place on the list, since it is the perfect place to hunt wild turkeys. “People always find it curious that I travel all over the world, meet a wide variety of animals, but find it fascinating to hunt such a small bird. », exclaims Mr. Huot, recalling that for him it is one of the most beautiful hunts in the world, ahead of elk and then moose. “We like to hunt the moose because we like to communicate with the animal. It's the same thing with the turkey, which is intended to be a very interactive hunt between man and beast, since it is easy to lure so the chances of a successful hunt are great.", he adds, pointing out that it costs practically nothing in terms of basic equipment (a gun and a decoy) and that practically anyone could choose to hunt turkeys at little cost.
3It is location: British Columbia
Ah the West with the rockies, the glaciers, the eternal snow! For Mario Huot, it is the place that offers the greatest change of scenery hunting environment in Canada. It is there that he used to hunt mountain goats at an altitude of 3000 meters once a year. “It represents an ultimate challenge, he qualifies, because we have to walk in the rocks every day with slopes of 60 to 70 degrees. Sometimes we have to abseil to harvest our goat. Our body is solicited every second and we constantly come close to danger. » Anyone wishing to follow him on this extremely physical adventure must undergo rigorous training months in advance. Another part of the challenge is to bring the goat meat back to your backpack. “A goat can weigh up to 400 lbs, he says, so then we divide the meat and carry maybe 70 lbs each more for the return trip! It is one of the toughest hunts in the world but we are lucky to be able to experience it at home, in Canada. »
2It is position : la Saskatchewan
Our avid hunter calls Saskatchewan "the land of the giant white-tailed deer." When you look for world records, that's where you find them. Not a year goes by without him going back to live the experience. In addition to the size of the animals, which is impressive, the taste of the meat is also highly sought after. On these lands, the deer feed on barley, wheat and oats, which gives it a sweet touch. It is a completely different taste from our deer in Quebec, which devours more spruce, and therefore, gives a more “resinous” note. “We also find ourselves in vast expanses with fields as far as the eye can see, we picture Mario. We can have 40 km without any trees and therefore, we see the animals trying to camouflage themselves in this particular environment. » It is always with a group of friends that the Beauceron hunter comes to Saskatchewan. The harvest is the conclusion of his journey, but in truth the “must” is to share the experience while being well surrounded.
1time location: Newfoundland
There was no doubt that Newfoundland should occupy the first position of our improvised charts. After all, isn't this the place in the world where there is the greatest diversity of originals? “There are 10 times the density of moose in Quebec per square kilometer. It is also a unique experience because the hunting territory is so different. We are talking about large mudflats, without trees, which makes everything exceptional. », he says enthusiastically, confiding that the hunting technique is also different from ours (hunting more on sight, more movement, calling the animal). Then, as the animal is very fond of saline water, it is not uncommon to see both the sea and the moose: a dream duo! Moreover, since game consumes a lot of aquatic plants, it gives a milder taste to the meat than what we are used to eating. “My first visit dates back to the late 80s with Maryo Pépin of Buck Expert, a leading authority in the field of hunting. I fell in love with Newfoundland and then its warm and festive residents. », he recalls. Since then, it has been a tradition, he returns there once or twice a year.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we have a Canadian territory that offers an array of hunting experiences. During the COVID period, Mario Huot's playground was smaller, he who is used to expeditions in the corner of New Zealand or Africa. “I really rediscovered my Canada with the size of our territory and the diversity of animals. We have nothing to envy anyone in the world. We can be proud and grateful to have a country that offers us so much.”, he concludes.
