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The Mad Trapper of Rat River - Albert Johnson - has been fascinating me ever since I saw the movie "Death Hunt" with Charles Bronson as Johnson and Lee Marvin as Constable Edgar Millen. Dick North thought he had figured out who Johnson was but this has been dis-proven, as have all other theoretical identities, by DNA testing.
Now, the movie has some great scenery including guns. I suppose the best of these is Johnson's rifle, a Savage 99. In reality, Johnson had a straight grip 99 chambered for the .30-30. The rifle is at the RCMP museum.
The story and the movie generate a lot of talk on the various gun forums. I guess I'm not the only one who was fascinated. However, this summer I actually got to go to the area in which this took place. I know have an idea of the terrain Johnson and his pursuers had to cover, in -50* weather, Johnson on foot and the Mounties with dog teams and sleds from Dec 26, 1931 to Feb 17, 1932. An airplane was used but that must have been an adventure too!
Sincerely,
Hobie
"We are all travelers in the wilderness of this world, and the best that we find in our travels is an honest friend." Robert Louis Stevenson
aka John Kort
aka Jack Christian SASS 11993 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13
aka w44wcf (black powder)
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.22 WCF, .30 WCF, .44 WCF Cartridge Historian
Yep, Death Hunt is on our classic list here. We watch it every few months.
I fo;;owed you link to your blog Hobie. Robert service is one of my favorite poets. A few years ago Jr. bought me the complete works of Robert Service. If anyone has any leanings toward him at all, the book is well worth the asking price.
If you're gonna be stupid ya gotta be tough-
Isiah 55:8&9
It's easier to fool people than it is to convince them they have been fooled.
Probably not. The Mounties got their man.
The real story and facts do not fit the story line from the movie, but that's the silver screen.
A. Johnson was of Scandinavian descent and may have left the US due to the Depression.
He was obviously conditioned to the cold as a trapper, and carried an 1899 Savage in 30 WCF/30-30 Winchester.
Making his own snowshoes and staying ahead of his pursuers indicates a great level of endurance.
The RCAF plane definitely tipped the scale in tracking him as did the sharp pilot, Wop May.
It did cost the life of Constable Edgar Millen, a well-liked younger RCMP officer.
Bill in Oregon wrote: ↑Fri Aug 22, 2025 7:52 am
Dick North's book, "The Mad Trapper of Rat River" is well worth the read.
Thanks Bill. I have read quite a few articles about him. Ordered the book. I also read the report of how they dug up his body and did DNA testing .. photos of the corpse and all. THAT was interesting.
I always liked this story too. Saw the movie first, back in the day. The movie is really good, but has little to do with the actual events. I have it on disk, and watch it about once a year.
I have the book, also. It was a really good read if you are interested in these events. One thing is certain....Albert Johnson, whoever he was, was one tough monkey. Charles Bronson did an excellent job conveying this in the movie version, I thought.
"Oh bother", said Pooh, as he chambered another round.
Loved this movie since I saw it when first came out, when? But them two where the ultimate to play the characters they portrayed, and probably my two favorite actors ever, considering the men they really where!
Bronson raised in coal mining camp in Pennsylvania, a tail gunner on i believe B25. Marvin in 4th Marine Div landed on Saipan Day 1, my dad in 2nd Marine Div landed same morning, there thru all that!
Ive looked for this movie all thru years, when I go somewhere it's possible, but had forgotten. Guess I'm just gonna have order it and look for the book also!
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life"
"Better drawdown Alvin!"
"If you gotta shoot, shoot don't talk"
Conservative since day one and until the last!
I like the real story and have read up on it quite a bit.
The only new news about it, was that the guys name wasn't Albert Johnson, and recent DNA testing proves that he is not related to any of the people put forward in the past. He is almost certainly Scandinavian probably Norwegian (and the police said he spoke with an accent) and current thinking is that he was on the run from the law quite probably because he was a draft dodger in WW1.
But he was quick to violence, did not like Indians, was an experienced trapper, was carrying an amount of money that was common for a man who had just sold up all his furs, and his actions show he was clever, motivated and hard.
And out of interest, the man who flew the Gypsy moth biplane who found 'Albert Johnson" from the air was Willy "Wop" May, a bush pilot, who when he was much younger was the man who was flying the plane that Manfred Von Richthoven was trying to chase and shoot down when the Red Baron was himself killed in WW1.
A person who carries a cat home by the tail, will receive information that will always be useful to them.
Mark Twain
I had read he was believed to be Scandinavian also. They thought he may have entered Canada from the U.S., where there were areas of large Scandinavian populations.
I always thought being from that part of the world was quite plausible. Surviving and moving in extreme cold through rugged country was obviously hard wired into this man.
"Oh bother", said Pooh, as he chambered another round.
