British Columbia's Cariboo - Chilcotin

By Gary Deane - Jul 10, 2003

The Cariboo region is located roughly in the middle of British Columbia with it’s Northern boundary just South of the geographic centre of the province. It is bounded on the East by the rugged Columbia and Cariboo mountains, and to the West by the Coast mountains and the Chilcotin plateau

The area contains a full cross section of climates and landscapes that ranges from true desert to alpine meadows located well above the tree line. There is the flat terrain of the Fraser Plateau to compare with the rugged peaks and snow-capped mountains of the Cariboo range.It is a wonderfully diverse, truly wild and beautiful place.

At over 350,000 square miles the region is larger than a number of countries yet is home to less than 70,000 people. The major population centres in the area are the city of Quesnel in the North Cariboo, the city Williams Lake in the central zone , and the district municipality 100 Mile House in the south. All three centres host a complete range of services for residents and visitors.

The Southern portions of the Cariboo are within an easy half day drive from the lower mainland and as such it is a popular destination for hunters, fishers and other outdoor enthusiasts wishing to escape the pressures of the Greater Vancouver area. The Cariboo is well know internationally for it’s world class fresh water fishery as well as the fantastic hunting opportunities available to both resident and visiting hunters.

Hunters may have a chance to pursue many different species of big game including Whitetail and Mule deer as well as Moose and Mountain Goat. Black and Grizzly bears are abundant, while Big Horn Sheep can be hunted in a few areas. Hunters interested in pursuing predators will find plenty of them here ; Coyotes, Cougars and Wolves exist in very healthy numbers and there are seasons for Lynx, Bobcat and Wolverine as well.

The area is home to some of the most diverse bird hunting to be found in Canada.. Ruffed, Sharptail, Blue and Spruce grouse as well as Ptarmigan all call different areas of the Cariboo home. Partridge, Quail, and Pheasants also are available in a few limited areas.

The waterfowl hunter will find satisfaction here as well. There are large numbers of locally nesting ducks and geese to pursue as well as hundreds of thousands of migrating Pacific Flyway birds in the late fall. Snowshoe hares abound, and with a very liberal bag limit the rabbit hunter will also find happiness. Anyone planning on hunting in the Cariboo should first check out the Provincial regulations. The regulations, while pretty straightforward, are dynamic and changes can and do happen with regularity.

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