Fall of 2015, my husband, Ty, and I attended our local SCI banquet. We walked around and looked at all of the amazing hunting adventures up for auction. While walking around, we saw a bobcat hunt for auction with Selkirk Outfitters in Idaho, and I happened to mention that I thought it would be fun to go on a hound hunt for a cat. Apparently, that was all I had to say to get my amazing husband to take me on a guided hunt.
When the bobcat hunt came up for auction, Ty started bidding and eventually won. After it was all said and done, a friend of his mentioned that he had gone with the same outfitter for a cougar hunt and had a great time. I was so excited. Unfortunately, with our work schedules and previous family trips, the timing did not work out for winter of 2015/2016. Ty spoke with Rick, the owner of Selkirk Outfitters, and he was very understanding and willing to work with us for the next winter. Ty told Rick, since he was willing to work with us, we would upgrade our hunt to a cougar for winter 2016/2017.
Throughout the year, we discussed the hunt. We were very excited about it, but we really wanted our daughter, Teegan Hunter (perfect middle name), to experience it with us. She has been coming on hunts with us since she was 3 months old. She loves being out in the woods, scouting, and even packing out animals. Ty pitched the idea to Rick about bringing our 6-year-old daughter with us on the hunt. He thought it would be fine as long as she could get around with us on the snowmobiles and hiking. Neither would be a problem, so it turned from a “Mommy hunt” to a “family hunt.”
Winter came, and it was time to hunt. We were scheduled for four days in December; however, guides weren’t available and the snow was not cooperating, so we had to postpone the hunt until January. Not a problem as Priest Lake, Idaho was only a five to six-hour drive from home. January turned out to be an extremely cold month. We finally made it to hunting camp, but the snow was not ideal and the -15 degree weather prevented us from letting the hounds hunt. It was too cold and ended up being a bust. We would have to try it again in winter 2017/2018.
It was that time again. Ty and Rick communicated and figured out a time that would work for all of us, hoping that we could put it together this time. In January, we arrived, once again, at Selkirk Outfitters the evening before the hunt. We were greeted by Tonia, Rick’s wife, as the guides were already in bed for the night. They would be up at 4:00 running roads, looking for tracks.
Day one was a bit slow. The guides came across a bobcat track pretty early in the day but not much else. We came back to the house for dinner and to make plans for the next day. Rick had entertained Teegan with a game of UNO the first time we were at camp and she was ready for a rematch. The guides had played many games of cards with clients but never UNO. We had five grown men, three grown women, and a 7-year-old at hunting camp playing UNO and laughing hysterically. It turned out to be more competitive than I thought it would be. Between grown men not wanting to lose and a little girl with a lot of sarcasm and sass, it was hands down the best games of UNO I have ever played.
Day two was very exciting. We got a call on the radio at around 7 a.m. while we were eating breakfast. Chris and Faith, a couple of our guides, had come across a female and sub-adult track. They radioed back to base to let us know that it was not a shooter but asked if we wanted to run the cats just to take pictures and for the dogs to have a successful chase. We got our snow gear on and headed out for the day. We met up with James and his hounds and got on the snowmobiles to make our way to the track. Teegan and I waited excitedly while they got the collars on the dogs and got things ready. My daughter is an animal lover, and the one thing she really wanted to do was hear the hounds work. They let the dogs go, and the race was on.
We watched the hounds on the radios and listened quietly while they worked. It wasn’t long until all three dogs showed treed. However, two were at one tree and the other was a little off at a different spot. We put on our snowshoes, and up the hill we went. We followed Chris and Faith, and James split off to follow his solo dog. A short hike up the hill, and we could hear the dogs again. I was in the back of the pack with Teegan, but we kept up pretty well. As soon as Teegan heard the dogs again, she was practically running to see the action. They had run the cub up the tree. That was the first cougar Teegan and I had seen in the wild, and it was so beautiful. We took pictures and then pulled the dogs back so the little guy could jump down and go find its mama. As soon as the cub jumped out of the tree, we set off toward James. His beautiful hound had treed the female cougar. She was just as beautiful as her cub. We praised the dogs for their successful hunt and headed back down the hill to the snowmobiles. That was an amazing experience, and I am so thankful Teegan got to see that with us. The rest of the day was less eventful, but it ended with another epic game of UNO.
The guys were up bright and early again running roads on day three. It had snowed a little overnight, so conditions were ideal for tracks. Chris called again from the radio that he had found a track. It was fresh and one they needed to run. It was time to get serious. Again, we got on our snow gear and met up with the crew. The entire group of guides were here for this one. I was getting excited and nervous. This was it!
We rode the snowmobiles to the spot where the track was spotted. Looking around, we noticed that the cougar had been roaming around the same area for some time. We figured he must have a kill somewhere close. The track was pretty cool because this cougar walked with its claws out, which is not common. It was time to set the dogs out and listen and watch. Fingers crossed that after two years it was all coming together.
The dogs set out down the hill toward the lake and then came back up the hill and crossed the road we were standing on. We watched the radios and listened anxiously. It seemed like eternity, but finally, the dogs showed treed. They were about a mile and a half away, so it was time to start hiking. Chris, Faith, James, and Conner were in the lead, and Ty, Teegan, and I were following closely. Rick was bringing up the rear of the pack. The hike was pretty tough, especially for a 7-year-old who didn’t have snowshoes, but we all eventually made it to the tree.
There he was, a beautiful tom 20 feet up a tree. We rested a bit from the hike, and I tried to calm my nerves. I had planned to shoot the cougar with my bow, but I brought a rifle with me just in case. The cougar was resting on a few branches, so my bow shot was not ideal. I discussed with my husband and Rick, and I decided that I would rather kill him for sure than risk missing or wounding him with my bow. I put my bow down and picked up my Winchester Model 88 in .243. Teegan stood back with Ty as everyone got set for the shot. I dug out a little bench in the snow to get stable and comfortable. Conner was right beside me, talking me through the shot. I was ready! Conner yelled to everyone that it was time. I set my crosshairs right behind the shoulder, took a breath in, let it halfway out, and slowly squeezed the trigger. The cougar jolted from the shot but looked as if it might stay up in the tree. “Shoot again!” Conner yelled. I reloaded and shot again, just as the cougar fell from the tree, slamming into the snow. Rick rushed over to make sure it was a kill shot. As he was pulling the cougar from the hole, Teegan sprinted toward him. “Teegan, stop!” Everyone yelled.
Rick pulled the cougar up and out of the hole and let us all know it was a success. I had shot my first cougar, and it felt great! Teegan and I couldn’t wait to get our hands on him and see him up close and personal. He was so beautiful. After taking a few pictures and admiring my amazing hunting trophy, we let the dogs get their reward and get close to the cat they had worked so hard to chase.
After pictures with the whole group, it was time to skin and quarter the cougar. After this exciting and unforgettable day, we hiked downthe hill and headed back to celebrate and, of course, play UNO. All of the guides expressed amazement that our little girl had hiked all the way to the cat like a champ. I was not only proud of my success, but I was extremely proud of our little girl who took part in the whole hunt with us.
I couldn’t have asked for a better outfitter, guides, or hounds than at Selkirk Outfitters. They run a top notch organization and are great people. Not only did they accommodate my whole family, but they bent over backwards to make sure we had a great time and a successful hunt.
I want to thank my amazing husband for always being there with me for my hunting adventures and purchasing this great hunt for me. I want to thank Selkirk and all of their guides for a phenomenal time. I am so grateful that they allowed my whole family to experience this adventure. I cannot wait for our next family hunting adventure.