Canada moose 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
The Dorsey family team brings all the necessary talents and skills together to ensure a successful hunt. David (otherwise known as Hoss) grew up raising horses, hunting, guiding and packing. Joyce is the business organizer as well as an amazing cook whether over a campfire or the home cabin wood cookstove. Leslie grew up at the remote ranch with the horses and at hunting camps absorbing the skills that have created an exceptional guide/packer/horse trainer/ as well a successful bookkeeper in the “real” world. As one hunter commented: “She knows more about living in the wild than I will ever think about.”
Patrick Cohen is part of the extended family and a guide extraordinaire as well as our farrier and colt breaker. He has been hunting since his childhood days on a remote trapline in the coast range, and knows his way around the bush as only someone who has grown up in it can. His hunters always marvel at his skill that was summed up by a hunter this year: “I thought I knew how to hunt until I followed Patrick!” Needless to say you are in good hands in this outfit.
David, Leslie and Joyce Dorsey
I highly recommend Rainbow Mountain Outfitters if you want great hospitality and a FUN, EXCITING AND PROFESSIONAL hunt. Mike Tusow, Port Orchard Washington |
My
hunting buddy Don and I went
on a wonderful moose hunt
with Rainbow Mountain Outfitters
in October 2011. I found the outfitter and
guide to be very professional; they really
know the area and how to
hunt moose. Our guide, Patrick, has super-human
eyesight and hearing and was essential to our
success. We were on horseback every day and
the horses are gentle and sure footed. The
hunt is in swamp meadows and in my opinion
can't be hunted without horses.
Our hunt was in early October
and bugs were not an issue. David
the outfitter and Patrick
the guide worked very hard
to make the hunt successful
and we saw moose every day.
Joyce, our hostess, is a wonderful woman and
an exceptional cook and she fed us well. Our
hunt was based out of their cabin site and
the two hunter wall tents are what you would
expect for a wilderness hunt. The wood stove
in our tent heated the tent in minutes flat
and we were never cold.
You may also be interested in our
SUMMER WILDERNESS HORSE PACKING ADVENTURES
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HUNTING PAGE HUNTING DIARY
