North to Cree Lake: The Rugged Lives of the Trappers Who Leave Civilization Behind

David M. Quiring teaches history at the University of Saskatchewan. He
is the author of CCF Colonialism in Northern Saskatchewan: Battling
Parish Priests, Bootleggers, and Fur Sharks.

North to Cree Lake, which was first published in 1970, is a fascinating
first-hand account of life during the Depression in northern
Saskatchewan. Like many young men who faced difficult times in the
drought-ravaged prairie region, Karras and his brother, Ab, went north
in search of fortune and adventure. They learned survival and trapping
skills near Big River, then ventured hundreds of miles farther north
into the remote Cree Lake area.

In addition to its spellbinding stories, North to Cree Lake serves as a
unique primary source that details the experiences of non-Aboriginal
trappers during the 1930s. Karras offers a candid explanation of why
populations of fur-bearing animals in northern Saskatchewan suffered a
dramatic decline. He also relates—seemingly unaware of how critics
might view his actions and those of the other young trappers—countless
details of how they exploited the northern region and its resources,
efficiently and skilfully killing large numbers of animals. Apparently
local trappers experienced such difficulty competing with Karras and his
friends that the province subsequently enacted strict new legislation
meant to protect the northern animals and Aboriginal economy from the
activities of non-resident trappers.