The Mad Trapper of Rat River
By: Fearghal Fitzgibbon
Tags: True Crime, Canada, History, Justice, Winter

The Mad Trapper of Rat River

A manhunt in the midst of a Canadian winter

Some of the RCMP involved in the manhunt. Source: Wikipedia.

One of the toughest manhunts in Canadian history occurred in 1932 in the depths of winter. It ranged across the Northwest Territories and Yukon in subzero temperatures and the near-perpetual darkness of the Arctic winter. The hunt was for Albert Johnson, later known as “The Mad Trapper of Rat River”. But what led him to flee into the frozen wilderness for over a month?

Arrival

The first record we have of Albert Johnson is when he arrived at Fort McPherson in July 1931. Johnson had been previously found by fur trappers. The RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) constable questioning him noted his foreign, Scandinavian sounding accent and that he had plenty of money for supplies. Johnson also had no trapping license which stood out as odd in the North.

Johnson gave little information to the policeman and soon departed by raft to build a cabin near Rat River. Complaints came in December from local First Nations trappers who believed Johnson was the one sabotaging their traps. It is unknown whether they resented an interloper on their territory or whether the unfriendly Johnson had had a few run-ins with them.

Two RCMP constables made the 60 miles (97km) trek to Johnson’s cabin on 26 December to question him. Johnson refused to open the door to them or even acknowledge their presence, staying inside his cabin. Rebuffed, the constables returned home to get a search warrant.

Returning several days later with two more constables, the RCMP were ignored until they attempted to force entry. Johnson waited until a constable was at the door before shooting through it, injuring the policeman. A gun battle ensued before the RCMP retreated, racing home to ensure medical attention for their colleague.

Northwest Territories in winter. Source: Heart and Sole.

Siege

The RCMP were shocked that Johnson would shoot a constable over a trapping violation. A posse of nine men was put together for the arrest, heavily armed with guns and dynamite. They reached the cabin on 9 January 1932.

Johnson rejected calls to surrender, responding with gunfire. He fought off several attempts to rush the cabin, firing at them with a shotgun and rifle. The RCMP eventually had to resort to blowing the cabin’s roof off with dynamite. The effect half-collapsed the cabin walls but amazingly, Johnson survived. He continued to fire from a dugout inside the ruins.

Enduring temperatures of -40 degrees Celsius (-40 F), the RCMP eventually had to retreat. They were running low on ammunition and food, not having expected such a tenacious adversary.

A blizzard delayed their return and they found the ruins deserted when they arrived on January 14. Johnson was on the run.

Remains of Johnson’s cabin. Source: Canadian Encyclopedia.

Manhunt

It took two weeks for the RCMP searchers to find Johnson again. Parties of local volunteers, RCMP, and First Nation guides combed the wilderness for him. They cornered Johnson on January 30 in a small canyon and a constable was killed in the ensuing firefight. Believing they had Johnson cornered, the posse was astounded to find out that he had somehow managed to scale an ice-covered cliff and escape.

The RCMP blocked off the only two passes over the Richardson Mountains but Johnson defied the odds again by climbing a 2,100m (7,000ft) peak in the middle of a storm and disappearing.

Even the native Gwich’in and Inuvialuit guides were in disbelief at his endurance. Experienced wilderness men and hunters, they scoured the backwoods for Johnson. He travelled in storm conditions when the search parties were confined to camp, the blizzards covering his tracks. He used caribou trails to confuse pursuers and lit fires only under the cover of snowbanks or thick brush.

May loads his aircraft. Source: PD Canada.

Showdown

The RCMP were forced to try alternative tactics. They enlisted the aid of a local bush pilot, World War One ace Wilfrid “Wop” May. The pilot quickly proved his worth by ferrying supplies and reinforcements to the beleaguered hunters. He was also able to follow Johnson’s false trails and determine which was the real one.

Aerial photograph of the chase. Source: Glenbow Archives.

May managed to catch sight of Johnson’s tracks on February 14 and guided the RCMP towards them. Three days later, a posse caught up with Johnson at a bend in the Eagle River. The above picture claims to show Johnson, on the ice at the centre while his pursuers are on the bank near trees on the right.

Johnson attempted to run for it but eventually dove onto the ground to fire at the RCMP. He hit a few constables but was killed in the gun battle after being shot several times.

The RCMP never found out Johnson’s true identity. He’d travelled over 85 miles (137km) in a month in subzero temperatures and hostile terrain. It’s estimated that he expended nearly 10,000 calories daily to survive. This is even more incredible considering that Johnson was forced to trap and hunt while on the run, never lingering for long in one place.

Johnson remains in folk memory. He was viewed by many at the time as something of a hero. Many identified with him in the wake of the Great Depression, seeing him as a man oppressed by the government.

Sign near Aklavik about Johnson. Source: Wikipedia.

Perhaps most perplexing of all for the Mounties, Johnson was never heard to utter a word throughout the whole manhunt. The only sound they said they ever heard was his laugh after first shooting a constable. To this day there are debates over his identity and whether he was the one interfering with the traps.