Canadian Land Access Systems Inc

As the snow melts, wildlife activity surges across Canada.

Spring is one of the most active seasons for:
● Deer
● Moose
● Waterfowl
● Small game

The cougar (Puma concolor), also known as the mountain lion or puma, is the largest wild cat found in Canada. These elusive predators are mainly found in western Canada, especially in British Columbia and Alberta, where they inhabit forests, mountains, foothills, and rugged wilderness areas.

● Cougars are incredibly stealthy animals and are rarely seen in the wild, even in areas where they are relatively common.
● They are powerful jumpers and can leap up to 12 metres (40 feet) horizontally in a single bound.
● Unlike lions or wolves, cougars are solitary animals and usually hunt alone.
● Deer are their primary prey, but they may also hunt elk, sheep, smaller mammals, and occasionally livestock.
● Cougars are excellent climbers and swimmers, helping them move through difficult terrain while searching for food or avoiding danger.
● A cougar’s tail can grow nearly as long as its body and helps with balance when running, climbing, or making sharp turns.

In Canada, cougars are most commonly found in British Columbia, western Alberta, and parts of Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Small populations have occasionally been reported in Ontario and eastern Canada, although sightings are much rarer there.

Cougars play an important role in maintaining healthy ecosystems by helping control deer populations. Despite their size and strength, they generally avoid humans whenever possible and prefer remote habitats with plenty of cover and prey.

Wildfire season has already begun. If you see smoke or a wildfire:

Report it immediately. Early reporting saves land, wildlife, and lives. Call 911 or your local fire authorities right away. Don’t assume someone else has already done it.

With CLAS, landowners can also support prevention by updating fire ban status, sending real-time alerts, and managing access when conditions become high risk.

One call made early can stop a fire from becoming a disaster.

The great horned owl (Bubo virginianus) is one of Canada’s most recognizable and powerful birds of prey. Found across nearly every province and territory, these owls live in forests, grasslands, deserts, wetlands, and even near towns and farms.

● Great horned owls are named for the large feather tufts on their heads, which look like horns but are actually called “plumicorns.”
● They are incredible hunters with extremely strong talons that can exert crushing pressure powerful enough to kill prey instantly.
● Their hearing is highly advanced, allowing them to locate animals under snow, leaves, or dense vegetation in near-total darkness.
● Unlike many birds, they do not build their own nests. Instead, they often take over abandoned nests made by hawks, ravens, or squirrels.

Great horned owls are found throughout Canada, from southern farmland to northern forests. They are highly adaptable and can survive in many different environments as long as food is available.

Their silent flight is made possible by specialized feathers that reduce noise and turbulence while flying. Combined with excellent night vision and stealth, this makes the great horned owl one of the most effective nighttime predators in North America.

Spring weather changes everything across rural properties, especially when the thaw hits.

Soft ground, flooded trails, and unpredictable melt patterns can quickly turn accessible land into restricted or high-risk areas. What was drivable last week might be impassable today, and low-lying routes can change overnight.

With CLAS, landowners stay ahead of those conditions. Access rules can be updated instantly, guest activity can be managed in real-time, and you maintain full control over who enters your property as conditions shift.

It’s a simple way to protect your land during the spring thaw, when the landscape is changing fastest.

The walleye (Sander vitreus) is one of Canada’s most popular freshwater sport fish, known for its excellent eyesight, strong fighting ability, and great taste. They are found in lakes, reservoirs, and rivers across much of Canada, especially in the Prairie provinces, Ontario, Quebec, and parts of the North.

● Walleye have a unique reflective layer in their eyes called the tapetum lucidum, which helps them see extremely well in low-light conditions and gives their eyes a glowing appearance at night.
● They are most active during dawn, dusk, and cloudy days, often feeding in shallow water when light levels are lower.
● Walleye are opportunistic predators and mainly feed on smaller fish such as perch, minnows, and young whitefish, but they will also eat insects and leeches.
● Their colouring helps them blend into rocky or murky water, making them highly effective ambush hunters.
● Walleye can grow surprisingly large, with trophy fish reaching over 13 kg (30 lbs), although most caught by anglers are much smaller.
● Spawning usually takes place in spring, shortly after ice-out, when walleye move into shallow rocky areas or rivers to lay their eggs.

Walleye are commonly found in cool, shallow lakes and slow-moving rivers with rocky bottoms or w**d beds. Some of the best-known Canadian walleye fisheries are located in northern Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and Alberta.

Found something old while hiking or exploring?

In Yukon, removing historical or archaeological artifacts from a site without a permit is illegal—even if the item looks abandoned or “just sitting there.” Under the Yukon Historic Resources Act and Archaeological Sites Regulation, artifacts (generally objects over 45 years old with historical or cultural significance) are legally protected and considered part of the territory’s heritage. This means they must be left in place unless a government-issued permit allows recovery or excavation.

These rules exist to protect the context of the find (where it was, how it was deposited, and what it can tell us about Yukon’s past. Disturbing or removing items without authorization can damage or erase important historical information that can’t be recovered later.

In short: if you come across something that looks like a historical artifact, the safest and often required action is to leave it undisturbed and report it to the Yukon Archaeology Program.

Government of Yukon – “What to do if you find an archaeological site”
https://yukon.ca/en/report-archaeological-sites

The wood bison (Bison bison athabascae) is the largest land mammal in North America and a subspecies of the American bison. They are primarily found in the boreal regions of northern Canada, where they roam remote forests, wetlands, and grasslands.

● Wood bison are larger and heavier than plains bison, with bulls often weighing over 900 kg (2,000 lbs) and standing up to 2 metres tall at the shoulder.
● They have darker, shaggier coats and a more pronounced shoulder hump, adaptations that help them survive harsh northern winters.
● Unlike many wildlife species, wood bison are not strictly grassland animals. They thrive in forested and marshy areas where they feed on sedges, grasses, and aquatic plants.
● They are strong swimmers and can cross rivers and wetlands while moving between seasonal feeding areas.
● Wood bison were once nearly driven to extinction due to overhunting and disease transmission from plains bison, but conservation efforts have helped their populations slowly recover.

Wood bison are mainly found in northern Alberta, the Northwest Territories, and parts of British Columbia and Yukon. Notable populations exist in and around Wood Buffalo National Park, one of the largest protected areas in the world.
These animals play an important ecological role by shaping vegetation patterns in boreal ecosystems. Their grazing creates open areas in dense habitats, which benefits other wildlife species and helps maintain biodiversity.

Early mornings.
Fresh air.
The quiet before sunrise.

Access to land is what makes these moments possible.

CLAS helps keep that access respectful and sustainable.

The muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) is a small semi-aquatic mammal found in wetlands, ponds, and slow-moving rivers across Canada. Despite its name, it is not a rat, but a type of rodent closely related to voles and lemmings.

● Muskrats are excellent diggers and can create burrows with underwater entrances to avoid predators.
● They build dome-shaped lodges out of vegetation and mud, similar to beavers but much smaller.
● Muskrats are active year-round and do not hibernate, even during harsh Canadian winters.
● They primarily feed on aquatic plants such as cattails, reeds, and roots, but will occasionally eat mussels or frogs.
● Muskrats are territorial, and males often defend their lodges during breeding season.

Muskrats are strong swimmers and can stay underwater for up to 15 minutes. They have partially webbed hind feet that help them move easily through water, and their long, scaly tail acts as a rudder, helping them steer while swimming.