Arctic Manhunt: Hunt for the Mad Trapper

In 1931, a stranger in the Canadian Arctic went on a murder and theft spree. His manhunt was a media circus.

[@user-eh3zv1ex5o]

The Mad Trapper would be considered a 1% er, even amongst Elite Force Russian/Siberian soldiers. To stay ahead of fully-provisioned local trackers, their dogs and the Cops and then...to climb over the Ice Mountain after all that. Even the local-born trackers could not follow him. That's God-level stuff. ( remembering that he had just about nothing to eat.) ==== Truly incredible, knowing that fully-equipped modern-day mountaineers STILL cannot do it. And he did it during an Arctic Storm. Absolutely mind-blowing.....1 man in 2 million stuff. No way, he was a city boy. The expensive dental work makes me think that he was a hard-core miner that struck it big, in his past and spent a lot of money on his mouth. Which leaves the last intriguing question..... WHAT scared this Superman enough to make him flee to Alaska ???? He certainly wasn't someone who seemed scared of anything, judging by his actions.

[@ccrider3435]

+1 Sisu (2022) doesnt seem like fantasy-fiction after watching The Hunt For The Mad Trapper!

[@dantepearl4186]

WWI vet?

[@richardhenry1969]

That is my thoughts as well. He had enough money to dissappear anywhere. Only someone with extreme outdoor experience could do what he did. More then likely a WW1 veteran. I believe your ideas about him being a miner are on point. Makes more sense then other opinions ive heard. He definitely had amazing skills and drive. The stuff of legends.

[@LessTalkingMoreWalking]

"Mad Trapper" he wasn't until they "pestered" him. He just wanted to live alone they started the fight.

[@billfarley9167]

Apparently he was accused of stealing furs from other local Dene trappers. That's what initiated the search warrant.

[@elitschetter208]

I know native people their grandparents knew Albert Johnson he was kind to the children in town it all started about a girl she was a nurse he loved her but a cop wanted her so he made hell for Albert

[@mikewilson5063]

@@elitschetter208 Wild💣

[@davidlenzi3551]

@@billfarley9167 Gwitchin and Western Arctic Inuit, the Dene are several hundred miles further south. Hay River Enterprise and Fort Providence would represent the latitudes where the Dene were found to live.

[@marcpedneault3362]

Typical cops

[@pedenmk]

This is the best documentary I've seen in a while. Thanks for sharing.

[@tazman8271]

Outstanding production. Been following this story for many years. I hope they do the "Familial DNA" and work it that way.

[@PlatinumIrishrose]

Of course they will. That's how it is done now.❤

[@Watson1]

Why spoil a good documentary with the loud music, making it hard to understand what is being said. So many videos are doing the same thing. Very annoying.

[@pj2123]

I fully agree I often give up on videos. The loud background noise is totally unnecessary.

[@PlatinumIrishrose]

These are illegally posted because it's taken from an original poster who uploaded it, not the channel you are watching it on. KZbin would take it down if it wasn't altered in some way. That's why it's got loud music.

[@tamisullivan8548]

Exactly 🤦🏻‍♀️

[@daleslover2771]

So thats why they got the music crank up...​ now how do you get rid of those asinine commercials? @PlatinumIrishrose

[@annazaman9657]

As of 2021 they have found ancestors in Sweden. Only a matter of time when he's identified

[@mikewilson5063]

Agree DNA banks.

[@Mcleodp]

No they didn't.. don't make up shit you know nothing about...

[@elizabetherne556]

I’ve got a mystery great uncle that family lore is he was killed rustling cattle over the Canadian border and was killed by the Mounties. They came from Norway though. But last name is something I’ve been told by people from Norway isn’t a Norwegian surname. Immigration records say Norway. But we all know those aren’t necessarily the case. He grew up in Minnesota. So diet would be correct. I do have an ancestry DNA test sitting around. More than likely, not a relative. But I really should get that done and place my DNA out in the database and see what comes up. On another branch of the family tree I have a mystery great grandfather. Came on an orphan train from New York to Iowa. There are certain features he had that indicated he may possibly have been white passing. He lived a very sheltered away from everybody life and let nobody know a thing about him.

[@wandashields6182]

Very interesting

[@johnhenderson131]

41:12 What both impresses and confounds me is his arctic survival skills. You don’t learn those skills by trial and error. He had to have prior or a lifetime upbringing in winter conditions . He did not learn those skills as a Chicago gangster.

[@Rick-ve6yp]

There's 2 things I feel should have been included in the fantastic story of the "Mad Trapper". First is the way that Albert wore his snow shoes backward to confound the posse. The other is the contribution of Wop May and his flight from Edmonton to track the man.

[@billfarley9167]

Not to forget the contribution made by the Vittrekwa's, a Dene family from Fort MacPherson.

[@barryrobbie]

Yes they didn’t even mention Wop May or the fact that it was first time a plane had ever been used for man hunt. It was actually Wop May that spotted him crossing the river where he was killed

[@Alaskaman247]

In life, all he wanted was to be left alone and now, even in death, they can’t let him be!

[@johngray8606]

There was a movie made about this man. Starring Charles' Bronson and Lee Marvin. " Death Hunt "

[@Mcleodp]

Worse betrayal of Albert Johnson ever .. the movie sucked in the ratings.

[@user-wp7fm2xx1g]

yes i was trying to think of that show '' death hunt it's a great show

[@okamisan3642]

You wouldn’t know a good movie if it came along and bit you in the pecker. That movie had Lee Marvin and Carl Weathers as well.❤

[@ROBCAR30GMAIL]

If memory serves me, there are 2 movies on this before Bronson. But Marvin and Bronson... can't compete with that!

[@robertmayo4761]

if they are able to find his family... will the family recieve the $2400 dollars the trapper had on his person when killed ?

[@LQOTW]

Plus interest.

[@mikegibson3388]

A corn fed Scandavian able to survive extremely cold weather.

[@kevinhullinger8743]

Agree

[@katr8756]

The trapper was a crack shot!! Wow!! And hard tough man!

[@julimeryecla230]

My grandfather died for more than 3 decades already. When my grandmother died 16 years after he died, we exhumed my grandpa's remains to use his grave for his wife and all we get are fragments of his skull and the pair of his leg bones.

[@helenglos5744]

Thanks for sharing this. It's such an interesting documentary - well done 🙂

[@user-of9fh9gh3x]

When your back is against the wall and it's life or death you can do superhuman things he probably couldn't do it on a regular day but who am I

[@JBo77]

No mobster but definitely a military man.

[@LQOTW]

My first thought was mobster on the run - maybe it was a Beatles song.

[@ronbirchard5262]

im thinking WW1, the books said his cabin was a dug out. 2/3rd in the ground, and with the sniper holes. if he was age 20 at the end of ww1 that would fit his time line and doing prospecting work would get that kinda cash & bush experience.

[@TheWanderingFinnegan]

Why do you assume he was a government terrorist?

[@colinyandon6137]

This guy is my spirit animal!

[@johnnyloveful3818]

Thanks for that real life murder mystery production , I used to talk about this dude on coach tours on the dempster hiway back in the later eighties, have a eagles claw drink at Eagles Plains Lodge for the dishonourable conduct of the mighty evil Albert Johnson 👹🇨🇦

[@bobsaenz5840]

Lee Marvin and Charles Bronson were in a movie about the Mad Trapper. Marvin was the RCMP Sergeant and Bronson was the suspected trapper.

[@marcpedneault3362]

Should have left him alone.

[@lazarohernandez8399]

Life is so complicated and unpredictable. This man wanted be alone and keep a low profile but after 92 years of his death, people keep talking about him, he has inspire movies, books.

[@hixenP]

In Highschool I was a loser, but in World of Warcraft I call the shots!

[@ncnovembergrl2009]

Did they ever prove he was stealing from traps? The bunker he built was impressive. Did he know something was going to happen? I think it's sad that he wanted to be left alone but was hunted and shot. By God he gave them a run for their money!

[@stevewheatley243]

Very good video. Kudos.

[@gsullivan3262]

fascinating mystery!

[@ronbirchard5262]

book titles of this have been The Mad Trapper of Rat river, The Death of Albert Johnson and The Mad Trapper. There is also a movie about this too. one thing this doc did not include was that WW1 flying ace Wop May was part of this story. it was the 1st time a airplane was used to search in a man hunt. Wop May would radio sightings locations and also drop messages and also bring in supplies for the ground search. the kill zone for the trapper was on a river bend and the RCMP had him in a cross fire zone. during his chase he lost the posse by hiding his tracks in with a heard of Caribou. if Wop May was not part of the posse i dont think they would have found him. in the books they suggest the has Scandinavia roots.

[@MrMoosekiller31]

If im correct he bangs his rifle on the door an gun misfires thinking he shot at them

[@j.sargent9172]

​@imfree62 facts, scared people don't make good police

[@billyedwards6101]

Incredible

[@user-mi8hk2tt8v]

Amazing

[@AlMount]

Excellent

[@PlatinumIrishrose]

For your information: the loud music or backwards pictures or gibberish spoken at the end of these videos iis because these are stolen videos reposted for free FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT. KZbin would remove and ban these posts if these videos were posted like Original Poster uploaded them. If you can't handle the noise, please don't watch. Just let the rest of us enjoy them and go watch a PBS documentary or Who Do You Think You Are episode. Thanks.🎉

[@jl2831]

One of my favorite stories. They should have included the fact thar they used an airplane to track him as well. Which is historicaly the first time aircraft was used in a man hunt. And how they caught him in the open for the final shoot out.

[@coreencasey5109]

When your in any stressful, life threatening situation you have superhuman strength you didnt know you had. May explain how he scaled the ice wall.

[@kitfortney9207]

death hunt was a great movie

[@Mcleodp]

No it wasn't, there's stuff in it that didn't happen, worse movie ever.

[@LQOTW]

@@Mcleodp Worst movie ever, you say? I beg to differ. Have you ever seen Sheena, Queen of the Jungle? Worst movie evar! 😁

[@subdawg1331]

awesome awesome awesome

[@WorldGoneKrazy]

This inspired the movie Death Hunt with Bronson, Marvin, Dickinson and Carl Weathers.

[@ENDED796]

not even 1 criminal is legendary. so a fugitive is neither but a criminal.

[@user-xf2tw4yj2h]

Wait a minute, people really were out to get him!

[@randalljames1]

Well the finally found Jimmy Hoffa however, I did find this "We now know the Trapper is linked to multiple descendants of Gustaf Magnusson (1776 - 1853) and Britta Svensdotter (1781 - 1846). Further analysis suggests that the Mad Trapper is their descendant, or he is the descendant of one of their close relatives." the towns of Hånger, Kävsjö, and Kulltorp in Sweden.

[@Mcleodp]

They should not have dug him up, now people coming out of the woodwork claiming to be his relatives hoping to earn some $$$ , yup should have left him where he was layed to rest , the man was almost super human.

[@notfoolediknowthetruth3101]

1. Pilot Wop May was used to find the track with an airplane. 2. Johnson had just "J" Hooked; a trick to throw off trackers. His plan was to circle back behind the posse, but ran smack into them on the river as he mis calculated his and their timing.

[@wyoprospector]

He was Charles Bronson!

[@harrysweeten9417]

The photographs didn't look like Charles Bronson at all.

[@michaelbryant2071]

In an article dated in July 2021 14 years after the original video. DNA testing not available at the time had identified the Mad Trapper being of Swedish descent. He is known to be descended from Gustav Magnusson 1776-1853 and Bretta Svensdotter 1781-1846 . He is their direct descendent or one of their close relatives.

[@kenneth-uc9vg]

Why do facial recognition I think they have a good picture

[@stevemccoy8138]

He was mysterious and already accused, and don't forget that he wanted to be left alone. SO LET'S GO GET HIM !😮

[@Matlacha_Painter]

Music too loud. Couldn’t listen to it.

[@rodglen7071]

They should have had that tented with propane heaters for several days before the phys anths arrived. No way permafrost should have been a surprise.

[@markthomas3730]

INTERESTING, BUT PROBABLY TOTALLY ILLEGAL TO DISTURB AND EXHUME THIS DUDES REMAINS...WHAT GIVES THEM THE RIGHT ? AND AFTER THEY STEAL SOME OF HIS TEETH, CUT UP HIS FEMUR, AND GET HIS DNA, THEY STILL COME UP EMPTY.

[@LQOTW]

Wow, that was interesting! Certainly, the man was tough. I'm not sure I can agree that he was a great outdoorsman, though, because it appears he got by stealing from his neighbors. I wouldn't be surprised to learn he came from the Dakotas with their mining interests and 'huge tracts of land'.

[@Sid-gu5qk]

$2400 in his pocket at a time when $4 would have paid for all his food for the winter.

[@macalister8881]

The quality of this documetary and the way it was put together was perhaps the worst way to watch something so informative

[@jimfoust5152]

There was a movie with Charles Bronson and Lee Marvin about this story. Don't remember the name of the movie.

[@theamericanwonder]

Death Hunt

[@andrewmacaulay1585]

They were not allowed to remove the remains or take it with them to a proper lab?

[@acidheadzzz]

44:40 I really like her way, I like the way she speaks and the way she looks is very intriguing…..lovely lady.

[@petertuckergoettler5720]

I Read The Book, merci.

[@wonaegun7143]

if they would have dropped off a hind quarter of caribou at his door they may have been able to settle this a different way

[@Sirshackleton]

Some of the dentistry could have been done by dental students. They do nice work and it’s cheap.

[@MrMoosekiller31]

This must be based off that movie challenge to be free great film and if the story was accurate then good for him for evading capture over bullshit crooked clown who call themselves trappers he just wanted to be left alone i admire him anyway

[@regholwill8476]

Interesting but please next time you make a video please tone down the background music, at times it was hard to know what was being said.

[@cinnamongirl5410]

Figures. When you just want to be alone, the government is all in your business. But try and get the government to fix anything then where'd they go smh

[@cdfdesantis699]

Maybe the DNA could be run through criminal DNA databases, as a starting point.

[@Dontwlookatthis]

My best guess is that he was a member of a mob and maybe even the mafia who for a time thrived in perhaps Chicago, and then was accused of being a snitch. Knowing what the mob did to snitches, he headed for a place they would never find him and his fear of being caught and returned to where the mob could get to him, even in prison, led him to fight to the death.

[@JBo77]

Lol a mobster knowing how to survive the artic. That's funny. Maybe a Greenland mobster lolol

[@Dontwlookatthis]

@@JBo77 Sort of a mobster lobster.

[@wonaegun7143]

typical cop cant leave well enough alone, well he got his just deserts!

[@korosuchimu1479]

DB cooper

[@bammersmith5993]

Who buried him?.Can't find his identity says to me we haven't came as far as we think.Just like hair from big foot they say unconfirmed like it doesn't exist.I bet our military knows they are here but hasn't hurt no one .If it had I believe the military would get involved.

[@richardhenry1969]

Let's not forget he planned that people were out to get him. Then by a strange coincidence they were. We only know the story coming from the people tracking him. We know just because someone says they work for the law doesn't mean they are Good. Im more likely to believe people knew he had money and they wanted a cut. Maybe im jaded but i like a story were a guy gets over on government agents.

[@marcpedneault3362]

This one is on the cops. They should have parked their egos.

[@theamerican7131]

always a cop hater in comments section. today it's you. hey loser

[@TedRobinson-cc9od]

Some have speculated that he was a WW 1 veteran

[@lisaharris7549]

Background is so much louder than the peoples

[@westernlegacyadventures4464]

Why don’t they exhume Billy the Kid’s body to see if it was really him…or not?

[@rayshowalter3531]

Maybe you need to look at all major crimes in the world during that time period

[@user-qm5tq5pg7k]

Wasn't he also called the Rat River trapper?

[@CanadaTrapper1]

The mad trapper of Rat River

[@michaelpcooksey5096]

With all the DNA family profile companies around, matching could be a lot easier if they would get interested in the case. ???

[@michaelpcooksey5096]

@imfree62 I love that idea. It is obvious that the man EXPECTED to be hunted down ... by someone ... and likely the authorities ... for some reason. The mystery is intriguing.

[@michaelpcooksey5096]

@imfree62 Hay ... just watched a different take on same story and some DNA research has been done: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z6fScqRtqrF8ga8 What do you think?

[@unsafe_at_any_speed]

Just wanted to be left alone...

[@frankcastle2045]

You know the RCMP won't allow that they love to start shit

[@stevefaulkner6689]

That was my cousin i could tell by dental work and that skull

[@MrGsxr10001]

Why does anyone care about this so many years later ?

[@ixlr825]

It’s called history…some people think it’s so important that they even teach a class in school about it

[@williamrainville5794]

well since the story is over right from the beginning I skipped ahead to the end and the story ends the same way it begins.

[@jaratoll8739]

Viking blood

[@reginaldlucas1917]

Lee Marvin and Charles Bronson movie ?????????????!

[@rogereagles3491]

Visited his grave in 1980

[@rogereagles3491]

Albert Johnson?

[@loneranger5349]

And they still don't know who brought the cocaine into the Whitehouse 😊

[@rogermellie8068]

Typical police escalating a situation. "Cops return 7 days later with 2 more officers and a warrant to search the cabin" Leave people be and you dont get shot.

[@davelea8919]

too much back ground music and sounds it blots out the narration

[@rysgrzes4018]

Alle site history

[@oldodger]

The "music" in the background makes it very difficult to hear the narrator. In future, TONE IT DOWN.

[@myers0062]

alien.....lol

[@LQOTW]

What is this Bu//$#i+?

[@rayshowalter3531]

And now Familia DNA can be done on fingernails and hair

[@stevefaulkner6689]

Grave robbers that is terrible

[@kennethclaar922]

He was to tough to be a Canadian .

[@bagoataman]

Can you explain this remark to the Canadians reading this uneducated dribble.How many Canadians have you interacted with for your case study on such matters?

[@loneranger5349]

All those geniuses digging in a cemetery and can't find a grave 😒

[@MichaelWillcox-qz9ol]

Check his DNA with chuck norris

[@loneranger5349]

So much detail put into one corpse while thousands of innocent children being murdered in Palestine

[@erents1]

Two different eyes. I watch a lot and of true crime and it appears common in the worst of the worst people, two different eyes, like trump.

[@theamerican7131]

your so right about trump

[@bustedford]

I bet The canadian taxpayer funded this for about a million dollars or more

[@stevemchale9775]

Sicky's lol

[@danielmckay3458]

One of the greatest survival escapes onr tuff some bitch amazing really

[@Bob1956Canada]

He was Kabloona.

[@LQOTW]

I do not know of this Kabloona.

[@Bob1956Canada]

@@LQOTW Kabloona is an Inuit word.

[@LQOTW]

@@Bob1956Canada What does this Inuit word mean?

[@Sirshackleton]

I can’t believe they are touching that dead body without wearing gloves

[@Bob1956Canada]

@@LQOTW Kabloona is an Inuktitut term or name given by Inuit to non-Inuit who are long- or short-term residents in northern communities. The Kabloona include missionaries, teachers, police, government personnel and their spouses or companions.