We can give you the chance to see and
photograph the Ghost of the Rockies, i.e. a mountain lion,
Felis Concolor. The only reliable way to accomplish this feat
is with some well trained hounds. The cougar is not harmed in any way.
The way it works is this: we will search for fresh lion tracks in the
snow early in the morning. If tracks are found the dogs will be
released and we will begin our walk.
To me, this is the most
interesting part. As we walk step for step where the lion chose to walk
as it went through its daily routine, we will see
how it hunted, where it paused to enjoy a particularly scenic vista,
and often, the remains of its last meal. When the hounds catch up with
the big cat it will quickly, instinctively, climb a tree.
It will
patiently wait there until our turtle's pace finally puts us under the
tree. Most lions remain very calm and are perfect subjects for the
photographer. When we're through taking pictures and enjoying the
awesome sight we will leash up the dogs and return to the truck.
Mountain lions are amazing animals.
They are the largest pure predator found in North America. They
routinely prey on deer, elk and even moose 2 to 8 times their own weight.
I have spent the better part of my life pursuing and studying these
animals and would enjoy sharing what I've learned with you.
In conjunction with the lion pursuit, we will customize your trip to your interests. Possible areas of interest include wildlife photography, track identification, winter tree and shrub identification, wildlife viewing, searching for shed antlers (white-tail deer, mule deer, elk and moose), cross-country skiing, downhill skiing (nearby Schweitzer Resort), and if you wish, just plain relaxing in a beautiful, quiet setting.
Accommodations will consist of a bunkhouse in a beautiful setting near huge
Lake Pend'Oreille. We are about 60 miles north of Couer d'Alene, near
Sandpoint, Idaho. You will be served 3 great meals every day and enjoy
all the comforts of home. Length of stay is flexible, but I would
suggest a stay of at least 4 days to have a reasonable chance of seeing
a lion. Rates depend upon group size and length of stay. We are able
to pursue lions from 12/2 to 3/15. Please call, write or e-mail for
more information.
In January 2006 Swedish photographer Jan Fleischmann joined us for a 4-day trip. He enjoyed several different opportunities to photograph treed lions, including some young kittens. Throughout the trip he also capitalized on other incidental wildlife opportunities. Below is a sample of a few of the images he recorded while with us. To see more of Jan's work, including some jaguar photos he shot in the Pantanal, you can visit his website at http://home.swipnet.se/jannephoto.
