Episode 5: A History of Poaching and Trapping in Early Algonquin Park

One of the downsides to the creation of Algonquin Park in 1893 was the fact that a significant number of folks in the local communities around Algonquin Park were now considered outlaws because they were running trap lines in what was now a protected area. They went overnight from being fine outstanding citizens trapping to supplement their farming and logging livelihoods to unenlightened, disreputable and heartless bandits. This first of two episodes on the topic of poaching in Algonquin covers the history of legal and illegal hunting of fur-bearing animals in Algonquin during its first 50 or so years of its existence. This episode focuses on the human history as seen from the perspectives of those who participated and those in authority and a few other passers-by. The next episode (No. 6) will focus on stories and tall tales recollected by both the poachers and the rangers who tried to track them down.

A special shout out to my friend and colleague Roderick (Rory) MacKay whose awesome book Algonquin Park, A Place Like no Other is a key reference for this narrative. His book is a ‘must-have’  for everyone who has a passion for Algonquin Park.