LAURENTIDES RESERVES | When I called the manager of the Gîte du Berger sector in the Laurentides Reserve, Patrick Verreault, he told me that there were a lot of partridges in his sector and that we would have a successful hunt. His words couldn’t be truer.
Popularly, the word “partridge” refers to the ruffed grouse and the savanna grouse that live in the forests of Quebec. Every fall I go to this area with a group of friends to try to outsmart these little birds that sometimes make our lives difficult.
We always hunt in groups of two next to each other. On the morning of October 17th, at the opening, my companion and I went to our favorite route, but nothing changed. No partridge in sight at lunchtime. Much to our surprise, one of the other tandems, Nil and Yvan, is already at the chalet, where the maximum number is limited to 10 birds. They tell us that they saw a lot of them and that they finished their hunt at 8:45 am.
Let’s just say our pride took a hit. However, you should never be discouraged in this hunt, where the situation can change very quickly.
In the afternoon we change sectors, with several small paths that can only be reached by quad bike. The birds quickly follow each other in front of us, two, three and sometimes four at a time. At 4:15 p.m. we returned to the hut with our 10 birds. This is partridge hunting.
An extraordinary living space
The Gîte-du-Berger sector can be reached via route 169, which takes us through the reserve to Lac-Saint-Jean. In the same area there is also another camp known for its hunting quality, including Camp Montagnais.
In this sector, along the Rivière aux Écorces, the habitat is ideal for these species. There are forest paths with sand and gravel, essential elements that these birds eat to ensure their digestion. Along the road there are hay and alders, little hiding places that partridges love. There are also often watering holes.
Behind them, the old forest represents a perfect habitat for them and, above all, an ideal escape route if necessary. Many hunters use their vehicles and are successful on these routes. You need to drive very slowly and examine the sides of the road. You follow an imaginary line that leads you into the interior of the forest. It is not uncommon to see birds hiding in these thickets or even standing like statues in the forest, believing themselves to be very well camouflaged.
Discover secret corners
The use of quads and side-by-side vehicles in this hunt allows access to paths where cars and vans cannot travel. Here we discover several birds that are waiting for us in the middle or on the side of the path or that decide to escape into the forest. These vehicles don’t really scare them.
If a bird escapes into the woods, take the time to carefully examine the area before hunting it. Very often it will try to surprise you by flying very close to you. If you see him walking on the ground, follow him with your eyes because he will definitely stop to see if you are following him. At this point you will most likely have a recording window.
You also need to make sure there are not multiple birds. During our stay we often met groups of two or three. There is one who betrays himself and the others hide nearby.
As for weapons to use, a 20-gauge or 12-gauge rifle with 7 1/2 pellet ammunition works very well. The powder charge must be powerful enough to allow you to cross the branches that often separate you from the birds.
Our group of six were each allowed five birds per day, for a total of 30. At the end of our third day of hunting we had 79 birds, 78 grouse and a single grouse. Once again, the Gîte-du-Berger sector has kept its promises.
By the way, we weren’t the only ones who were successful. With other hosting sites, we only heard about limits being reached.
► To learn more about costs and available services, you must contact staff at the reservation at 418 528-6868.
