​Years of attempting to find this wild cat ended up fruitless. My favorite animal on this planet. It's elusiveness ignited a drive for discovery, and every time I crossed beyond Great Plains - no matter what else I was there for - my mission was to cross paths with the Ghost Cat.​

 

These photos represent the first time I came face to face with this magnificent predator in the wild. They were taken while the cats were treed by dogs training for future DNR collaring missions in western Montana.

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Unfortunately, they don't showcase the mystical moment of pure serendipity that I had always imagined. One day, perhaps, I'll catch a tail slipping into the brush on a cold Rocky Mountain evening, feeling as though the wind of the wild brought our paths together. But for now, I'll appreciate this brief pocket of time I got to spend with the most beautiful creature in North America.​

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