Welcome to RFMA 2472
at Chip Lake, Alberta, Canada.
Our exclusive 25,000-hectare trapline in the boreal forest of Alberta is a unique area of lakes, valleys and foothills covered by intact forests and pastures.
It is the land of moose and bear, elk and wolf as well as many wild furbearers like lynx, beaver, fox fisher and wolverine!
Here as trappers and hunters we live our traditional life on the land, travelling the same trails our forefathers did centuries ago.
Travel on the trapline is by snow machine in the winter and boat or All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) in the fall and spring. The northwest end of Chip Lake makes up the southern boundary of the trapline. It is characterized by islands covered in old growth forest, deep water bays and creek mouths.
Here the dominant species is the beaver whose lodges can be found over the entire area. Other species such as muskrat, mink, otter and ermine are common. In the fall and spring bears forage the shorelines and
cow moose raise their calves on the islands in relative safety from predators.
North of Chip Lake lies a series of hills and valleys that support large numbers of moose, elk and deer. Here the wolf is the main predator, hunting in packs numbering up to 12 animals. These boreal uplands are excellent habitat for lynx, sable, fisher, fox and wolverine.
The main staging area into the trapline is from our cabin at Poison Creek Ranch on the southwest edge of the trapline. From there we can head to Chip Lake where we maintain a spike camp on Big Island, or head north into the hills where we have two more camps we use as stop overs, as we hunt and check our traps and scout for sign.
As professional trappers we have dedicated ourselves to sustainable use of the resources nature provides us.
We treat the land and all creatures with dignity, compassion and respect. We use only “certified humane” trapping systems. Every year starting prior to the trapping and hunting season we carefully assess wildlife populations and the condition of the habitat to make sure we take only what is manageable being careful not to over harvest.
Each animal is fully processed and utilized with nothing wasted. Any parts we cannot use are returned to the ecosystem for the use of the remaining animals to help them get through the tough winter.