Powell River BC...

[ruger22]

Going to visit there next week.
I have got to thinking it may be an ideal retirement spot in 2 - 3 years too.

So hoping for a bit of info from any any outdoor guys, hunters or guys from the gun club...

I have heard you have great quading and an active quad club.
Friendly people.
How is the hunting?
How about the cost of living?

Send a PM.

Thanks...

[blackford]

My wife is from PR

You will love it

Quading , fishing an the people are great. Everyone moves real slow so I have to slow it down sometimes.

If your thinking of movin there drive to the mill and see if that smoke bugs you. Reason why I say this is if the wind changes directions and it blows towards you...... It can get pretty smell.

As for hunting.... Terrible... I have only shot a bear

Have seen no
Grouse
Deer in the bush
Elk that were legal
Bunnies.

Hunting is the not the best up there. Even the locals I know have given up on it

[Ruger4]

does the "Cranberry" still exist :confused::wink:

[Big Lew]

My Wife an I also were considering PR as a retirement option. On our visits, we noticed the houses and pricing quite attractive, and the people seemed laid back, and friendly. The town had stores covering most everything for everyday living. Our biggest concern is with the ferry cost to visit relatives etc. in the valley and up country while on a retirement income. (and the rain)

[islander338]

Its a very nice friendly town. I havent hunted but have done a lot of trout fishing. there is alot of trout lakes. tons and tons of bears in town when there is fruit on the trees. I saw a pair of spike elk and my buddy yelled out unicorn for.

[Coastfisher]

Salt and fresh water fishing is great, houses are cheap in comparison to the sunshine coast, from what i hear the hunting is terrible, quading exploring is good people are good, lots of stores etc.
Yes the cranberry is still there no strippers though

[Singleshotneeded]

:-D Yeah, I've heard the hunting is awful for anything but black bears in behind PR, but my dad and I went for three days to Texada Island off of PR, and came back with two little bucks each. You need at least two, they're the size of large dogs on Texada.

[N-W-Redneck]

Welcome to HBC ruger22, and possibly to Powell River too! I'm second gen. born & raised in PR.

There is a very active quad club in town (not a member, I don't have a quad.....yet!) and lots of roads and trails to ride. If you're into hiking there are lots of good trails for that too. Look into the BOMB squad (Bloody Old Men Brigade :D ) they do a lot of hiking/trailbuilding/maintenance.

Lots of great fishing, both salt and fresh water. Every other driveway (if not more) has a boat of some description in it.

As far as hunting goes, it's not as terrible as some seem to think. There are LOTS of deer around. It is however hard country to hunt with firearms. The bush is very thick and the terrain is usually quite steep. Keeping an eye out for tracks/sign while your riding around on your quad and finding spots to glass nearby slashes is your best bet. If you are into archery then you have a lot more options a lot closer to town, if not in someone's back yard! :D There are elk on LEH only, and lots of bears. There are ruffed and blue/spruce grouse around, and I've even seen ptarmigan back in the alpine areas. Again due to the dense bush, grouse can be a little harder to see and will hold until you almost step on them. Many times I've had to beat my chest to get my heart going again after one has exploded from under my feet! :eek: :D I have found a few rabbits as well, but they are few and far between.

Overall a great place to live if you love the outdoors. The only downside (which can also be considered a plus) is being isolated by ferries, making it more time-consuming and $pendy to leave town.

[ruger22]

Is there biting insects in PR and in the back country?

For the grouse and rabbit is it a down time in their cycle?
In just a bit of experience small game hunting says for every one I see there must be 15 more hidden. Hence a trained dog. Ideal retirement project.

[blackford]

Grouse....... Really?

I have hunted with a few different locals and also asked the 2 major sporting store and most agree that they are extremely rare..... Infact I have even gone on several hikes with a GSP that a friend owns up there and flushed out nothing....

I have seen the elk. And the very occasional deer BUT I am thinking 1 out of 10 trips and 95 percent of those times its been does.

Obviously bucks have to be somewhere but I must be missing them

[JCVD]

I grew up there. There are tons of deer. They are BT's though and in terrain most hunters are not used to hunting in Canada. Most people do not bag a BT very easily. There are also many grouse if you know where and when to go. Not to many bunnies down low but some up higher. Texada is the place to learn and make friends at for hunting deer though. The fishing in PR is awesome. Just about any pond ,slough or stream has fish in it. The ocean fishing is great too.

It is a small town so if you are a carouser be prepared for the rumour mills. Lots of drinking and redneckery. Tons of 4xing and hiking. Pretty great place to retire to if you don't have any bills.

[Geo.338]

Powell River is a great little town .For raising a family or retiring .There was quite an influx of people about 6 or 7 years ago .It has slowed a bit though .

You WILL be a hostage to the ferry system and the ever increasing fares .

The opportunities for outdoor recration are almost endless .Many lakes and trails for hiking ,biking and quading .

Houses used to be free here but prices have gone up .If you are coming from LML then you may think that they are affordable.For us locals though
they are a bit high.You may want to look into the property taxation as we are going through a bit of a transition here with the primary industry and emloyer downsizing there is a bit of a tax shift onto the residents.

It is a very friendly town with very little transient traffic moving through as it is at the end of the road so to speak .

Enjoy your visit !

[deer nut]

I lived in PR for 10 years. It is a great town, very scenic. Hunting is pretty tough though! Low deer densities, except in town where you can't hunt them! Under-utilised fresh water fisheries. Salt water fishing is sporadic. Miles of ATV trails, but some spots you should stay off of (i.e. Sunshine Coast trail) to avoid conflict with hikers. Overall, a great place to live, although you will learn to hate BC Ferries!

[pappy]

Is there any goat hunting around PR? I'm not sure that there is any grizzly leh for that area? or any grizzlies up in the alpine? I have only been there three times but it sure is a nice part of B.C.

[Spampy]

Want to buy a house with a view in the country?

[tristanmac]

Id be looking somewhere between Gibsons and Pender Harbour. Great fishing, good blacktail and grouse hunting. It doesnt stink like a pulp mill every day, and its only one ferry from the mainland. I have lived both in Powell river ,Halfmoon Bay and Sechelt. I wouldent move back to PR if you paid me. Just my two cents.

[SimilkameenSlayer]

cool friendly folk, used have a house in the old townsite. lots of great history!

[jonz]

Short ferry ride to good blacktail hunting on Texada or the Island. Good scuba diving, fishing and snorkelling around PR.