La Vérendrye Wildlife Reserve
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- For the similarly named park in Ontario, see: La Verendrye Provincial Park.
La Vérendrye wildlife reserve is one of the largest reserves in the province of Québec, Canada, covering 13,615 square kilometers of contiguous land and lake area (Assinica wildlife reserve is the largest in the province, but its territory is broken up in four non-contiguous parts). It is named after Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de La Vérendrye, a French-Canadian explorer. Located 180 kilometers north of Ottawa (Canada’s capital), it is traversed from south to north by Route 117.
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[edit] Activity
La Vérendrye Reserve is a popular park for outdoor activities in all seasons. In the winter, snowmobiling can be done on trails through the park. In the spring there are whitewater rivers to canoe, in particular the Gens de Terre River. In the summer it is a great place for fishing, hiking, swimming, and canoe camping. In the autumn, hunting is permitted. Popular game animals include moose and white-tailed deer (black bear hunting in the spring). Permits and payment of fees are required for any of these activities.
[edit] Flora
La Vérendrye's landscape is typical of the Canadian Shield. The main tree species include Black Spruce, White Spruce, Jack Pine, Eastern White Pine, Red Pine and White Birch.
[edit] Fauna
There are over 40 species of mammals including moose, white-tailed deer, bear, wolf, fox, beaver, hare and over 150 species of birds including Spruce Grouse and Ruffed Grouse.
[edit] Fish
Walleye, northern pike, lake trout (salmon trout), smallmouth bass, sturgeon. A few bodies of water, in the southern part of the reserve, contain brook trout (speckled trout).
