Mountains, Campfires and Memories

Monika Rohlmann is an environmental consultant in Victoria, B.C.

Born in 1933 and raised in northern British Columbia, Boudreau worked in
forestry, spending much of his spare time hunting, guiding, fishing, and
generally hanging out in the bush. For decades he collected stories
about the trappers, loggers, hunting guides, and law-enforcement staff
who frequented the Prince George area. He heard firsthand accounts of
hunts gone awry, followed details of thievery and murder in the blotters
of police and game wardens, and collected the news of gossip columns.
These sources are the basis of his third book, a historical
retrospective of bush life in the years after the Second World War.

Nine chapters organize the snippets of information Boudreau has
gathered about the land, the woodsmen, the law-enforcement staff, and
the wildlife. There are numerous stories about trappers and the
senseless murders and stealing that resulted from boundary disputes.
Game wardens and police officers ventured into the backcountry for weeks
and even months at a time in order to investigate reports of
lawlessness. Inevitably, there are many stories of wildlife encounters,
including those with wolves, cougars, and bears. For many woodsmen,
hardship provided ample fodder for their unique sense of humor.
Black-and-white photos depict the people who once formed a large part of
British Columbia’s economy.

Boudreau’s investigation of murder and mayhem in that province’s
north country is a colorful take on the pioneering life.