Paul Antczak

Five years ago, Paul Antczak and his son, Chance, made a lifelong dream come true by settling in the mountains of Northwest Montana. For decades, Paul lived in the Cumberland Mountains of Tennessee and was making a living as a predator animal trapper in the winter and a stone mason in the summer. But a desire to put his skills to the test and achieve the ultimate freedom of living off the land led him to one of the last places in the Lower 48 where true wilderness can be found. A master trapper, Paul already has the reputation of being one of the best in Montana, even earning the respect and friendship of veteran “mountain man,” Tom Oar. While selling furs is an important part of his income, Paul also makes money protecting ranches from predators, selling firewood, and making trapping bait and lure. Since they moved to Montana, Paul and Chance rent a cabin, but Paul’s dream is to acquire his own property and this season he’s getting close. If Paul can make enough money this winter, he’ll be able to buy a nearby parcel where he can finally put down roots of his own.