Canada moose and mountain caribou hunting in central British Columbia
A FAMILY TRADITION
Lester Dorsey rode into the Chilcotin in the early 1920s and began a family moose and bear hunting and guiding tradition that continues to this day. He started several ranches in the Anahim Lake area and in 1946 started a professional guiding service. Before that, Lester had learned the country by guiding surveyors mapping the Chilcotin. By 1946 he was hunting in the area he had learned from guiding the map-makers. Times were hard in the Chilcotin in the 1940s and guiding became an important part of the family income and, along with trapping and ranching, was on its way to becoming a family tradition. David Dorsey Sr. started hunting with his Father Lester in 1951, learning much of the country we still hunt. By 1955 Dave Sr. and his wife Jean had acquired their own ranch, using it as the base of operations for their own guiding business. Located at the base of the Itcha Mountains, the ranch was in the centre of the best moose hunting in the Chilcotin. Dave's guiding business flourished and his reputation as a moose guide grew. In 1974 David Jr. began guiding with his father, learning the guiding business from the ground up, eventually taking over management of the family business in 1985. He also adopted Lester's company name of Rainbow Mountain Outfitters and continues the family tradition of providing high quality guiding services.
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Hunting has been a tradition in the Dorsey family in Anahim Lake for three generations and we are looking forward to a fourth. Rainbow Mountain Outfitting was started by Lester Dorsey, one of Anahim Lake's legendary pioneers. Dave Sr. began his own outfit some fifty years ago after hunting with his father. David Jr. in turn began hunting with his father 30 years ago and now operates Rainbow Mountain Outfitting with his wife Joyce and daughter Leslie. The Dorseys own and operate ranches in the Anahim Lake area raising and breaking their horses to ensure reliable and experienced saddle and pack horses. David and Joyce continue to live the Chilcotin lifestyle, using a team of Clydesdales as transportation to their remote cabin.
Home Base CabinOur hunting territory is located in the centre of the best moose habitat in the Chilcotin. Anahim Lake is at the western edge of the Chilcotin Plateau at the base of the Itcha-Illgatchuz and Rainbow Mountain Ranges and in the Dean River watershed. This is lodgepole pine and spruce country and the hunting is done in the meadows, swamps, lakes and draws at the 4,000 to 5,000 foot elevation level. We are within Wildlife Management Unit 5-12.
Your hosts (written by regular hunt client, Jim Settle)The Dorseys - Joyce, Leslie, and Dave - worked extremely hard to make our hunt successful. Joyce is an amazing cook and doubles as the local adult education English teacher. Leslie and Beau live in nearby Tatla Lake. Leslie is studying accounting and is a guide. She knows more about living in the wild than I will ever think about! A great person to have with you if you are ever lost in the wilds. Dave comes from Chilcotin First Nations royalty. He is an amazing man - well-read (they all are). It was pure joy to watch him hitch the team of draft horses to the wagon and charge through the brush! Dave kept us entertained with many colourful stories and commentary on life in the Chilcotin region.
Our guide was Patrick with his horse "Grady" who was in training. He complained in a low growl most of the time. Patrick frequently had to motivate Grady who "needed a tune-up" with a willow switch. Patrick was raised by educated folks who kept him busy running trap lines till he was 14. He was home-schooled, self-educated and well read. Patrick is a guide, logger, commercial fisherman, rancher, and equipment operator. He and his girl are expecting their first child in two months! Patrick is a very "colourful" character and can read the forest like a well-worn novel! We learned a ton of wood-lore from him. And boy did he know where to find moose!
David, Leslie and Joyce Dorsey
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SUMMER WILDERNESS HORSE PACKING ADVENTURES
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