Life in the fur trade could be hard work. Not only did voyageurs have to travel far in a short period of time, they also had to cope with insects, bad weather, and sometimes boring food.

Voyageurs gathered in Montreal and formed the spring brigades. From there they had just eight weeks to get from Montreal to the distant fur posts. To do this they had to paddle more than 12 hours a day, taking a rest every hour. At night they would sleep on the shore, under their canoes or under the stars.

It was easier for men traveling to HBC posts because most of their voyage was downriver and required less portaging. Still, all fur traders had some problems in common. Insects could be a plague in summer. Local First Nations insect repellants included everything from bloodroot and bay leaves to animal fat and fish oil.

Nor did they have the choice of food that people in Canada have today. In the wilderness the traders hunted ate what they could catch, as well as berries and other foods. As they could not always rely on a steady supply of wild animals to hunt some foods were brought along. Pemmican, made from dried and pounded buffalo meat and fat, was one such food.