The Viewfinder Sessions | S1:E3 | Into the Forest

What happens when your life is shaped by the forest?

In this episode of The Viewfinder Sessions, I sit down with Tegan Legge from Halliburton Forest and Wolf Centre to talk about nature, wildlife, photography, conservation, mental health, and finding purpose outdoors.

Raised in Northern Ontario, Tegan grew up exploring creeks, catching frogs, camping, and paddling until dark. That childhood connection to the wild turned into a career in outdoor adventure tourism and more than 16 years working in one of Canada’s most iconic wilderness spaces.

But this isn’t just about a job. It’s about identity.

We talk about life at Halliburton Forest, working around wolves, breaking common misconceptions about wildlife, and how photography helps capture and share meaningful moments. When COVID slowed everything down, Tegan chose to paddle a new lake each week, eventually exploring over 50. What started as a challenge became something deeper: more presence, more time with family, and a renewed sense of clarity.

This conversation dives into the healing power of nature, setting boundaries, balancing work and life, and why shared outdoor experiences matter more than we think.

If you love wildlife, travel, photography, or simply need a reminder to step outside and breathe, this episode is for you.

Key takeaways:
• Nature heals
• Wolves aren’t what we fear
• Photography preserves stories
• Boundaries protect balance
• Shared adventures matter

Transcript

0:14

Okay. Great. Okay, I think we're good to go. Awesome. Well, hello everybody. Shaun here with the viewfinder sessions and today I have Teagan with me. How you doing Teagan? I'm doing great, thanks Sean. It's a it's one of those snowy wintery days here in Southwestern Ontario and Teagan comes from Halliburton and I always say if I could live somewhere outside of where my family's from in Newfoundland, it would be up in the Halliburton region because you guys get so much snow and it stays all year long almost. It feels that way, right? So. But yeah, we're gonna dive into some things here today and I get to know Tegan a little bit and I'll let her introduce herself here in a second. we met, I think it was 20, 23, either 22 going into 23 or 23 going into 24. I can't remember which one, but I had partnered with some folks not too far from you guys. and uh we ended up going to the Halliburton Wolf Center, which was incredible because one of my favorite animals on planet Earth is wolves. So uh for me, that was an incredible experience. So we're going to briefly chat about that, but also about your adventures and kind of dive right into that. um Why don't you let the folks know kind of who you are, what you do, and we'll go from there. Yeah, so yeah, I'm Tegan. I'm probably most known for working at Halliburne Forest, uh kind of the face of the forest, if you uh check out our Instagram, uh Facebook, TikTok accounts, that kind of thing. But first and foremost, I am a mother, so I have two amazing, amazing children that I love going on adventures with. I have an incredible husband and a beautiful family that helps and supports us. My mom and dad are in the area. sister visits a lot and we have lots of great uncles and aunts and everything so a big big family person um but Halliburton Forest itself has become part of our lives. I got married here, I almost had a baby here. um We were getting ready for a camping trip and I went into labour uh so yeah so Halliburton Forest you know I live and breathe it it's not it's It is a job, but it's not a job for me. It's part of my family's culture and who we are and our identity. But we go on lots of adventures outside of the forest as well. ah That's so cool. uh I absolutely love, when I first kind of came across Halliburton uh Forest and the Wolf Center, was kind of like, holy smokes, that is such a cool, I couldn't imagine working in that kind of a place. uh Especially, and it's funny because my wife, Tara, she, when, I forget the name of the one wolf that was pregnant. ah Luna, yes. So she was like watching every single thing waiting for the pup to be born and then what are they gonna name it and all of that kind of stuff. So it's a really cool, really cool experience. Also, uh have a dog that just walked into the studio. So there he is. Well, you can't see him on this one, but you can see him on the other one. Hey, Nashi. So he's gonna be on the podcast, I think, quite often as well. So yeah, let's dive into kind of your, um for lack of terminology, kind of your path into the wild. um Kind of where you grew up and your kind of early connection to nature. it's funny you said, you know, some people will see you as the face of uh Halliburton. Forest and the Wolf Center. um But it's because we are friends on social media, uh I see you always going and I'm like, she doesn't stop. Whether it's doing on the trails or the I see the ice climbing stuff and um so kind of what got you into uh this path of spending every day in the wild. Yeah, um so I grew up in a little town just outside of Sudbury, Ontario. So I'm actually more a northern girl. I'm a miner's daughter. uh The little town was called Garson and everything was outdoors. Everything was outdoors. know, we're from the generation where like we got kicked outside and come home when it's dark, right? And I had my boundaries. We weren't allowed past the Trestle Bridge and we weren't allowed past here and there. But like my parents had no clue where I was at any time. And we were playing hide and go seek and we were ah biking down the railway tracks and going and picking blueberries and going on adventures all the time. so between my parents and my grandparents bringing us on camping trips, hiking, paddling, that's what we did all summer. And then you I had a really fun group of friends, my buddy Ryan, who I still connect with. You probably saw we went on a canoe trip this past June. You know, he and I were out climbing trees and playing hide and go seek tag with, you know, a whole bunch of other friends. And we'd go through this one creek. It was so fun. We'd go through this one creek called Junction Creek in Sudbury. uh we had buckets and we would have a traveling zoo. So we would collect frogs and white water striders and, you know, water boatmen and, um, and we'd walk around the neighborhood and then nobody would care, but we loved it. And, and, you know, that, that is just continued. And I knew going through school, I loved the outdoors. I wanted to work with animals, being the outdoors. I really actually thought I was probably going to start working in the Ontario park system. Mm-hmm. I grew up going to Algonquin Park for at least one week every summer, halfway Lake Grundy, all these different places. We toured around all the different provincial parks and I had the opportunity of going on guided hikes with people like Michael Runs and Ron Tozer and ah George Fritz and Chuck and just all these incredible people in Algonquin Park that really influenced my path, right? you know, growing up in Sudbury, you either work in the mines or you work in insurance, you know, that kind of stuff. And then I got into high school and I had this incredible out dread teacher, actually ended up taking out dread twice because I loved it so much. But Mr. Shepherd brought us on canoe trips and I had never been on a canoe trip before. My parents were car campers, my grandparents were as well. And I went on my first canoe trips. ah and it was incredible and you know talking to him and talking to past graduates from my high school there was a path that led you into nature. ah So I thought again I thought I was on a path for provincial parks or some sort of guiding. I went to Cambrian College in Sudbury for nature-based adventure tourism and that wasn't enough for me. I needed more. I needed more knowledge, more certifications and everything so I found myself in Halliburton. for the Eco-Tourism and Adventure Tourism program at Fleming College. ah Yeah, so everything is kind of, my jobs before that, I worked at a fishing camp way up north of Sioux Lookout. ah I did housekeeping, which funny enough also gets you into the outdoors, ah in a strange way. I was a dog catcher at one point. So like, I had all these weird skills on my resume that when I applied for Halliburton Forests, You know, we have housekeeping, we have dog sledding, you know, like I had all this stuff. I did school outside of school. I worked for um a organization called Trails and Tours, which was in charge of a lot of trails within Halliburton County. And I worked for ah Boat Works, which was transitioning to Algonquin Outfitters. And then through those connections, I found myself at Halliburton Forest. And I've been here for 16 years now. And it's, you know, there's a lot of blood, sweat and tears and stress and, you know, people don't see that on your socials, but that's all made up for the dream job. I didn't even know existed. So ah it's pretty awesome. there too, like, I mean, it's, that's one of the things that I've started to try to focus on, like in my own, um whether it's adventuring, traveling, or photography itself is when people see socials, they see this like perfect kind of life. I mean, don't get me wrong, it's incredible, right? What you get to do every day and what I get to do every day. uh is incredible, but it doesn't come without a lot of blood, sweat and tears through it, right. um And that's, that's the thing that is often kind of left to the wayside, because we want people to see ah sort of the the incredible aspects of nature, wilderness, wildlife. um But there's a lot that goes behind that behind the scenes when it comes to building that, that aspect of life. um One of the things I kind of like to talk about is, The moment when it stopped sort of being kind of an interest and became a purpose for your life. um Like I can, I I can kind of, I've been shooting for almost 30 years now. I had a 15 year career in financial services and whatnot. um And I can remember the moment where photography stopped becoming just that interest. um So when kind of was that for you? Like, when did you feel, ah know, I love wildlife, I love nature, I love the wilderness. When do you feel, if it ever did, if there was a pivotal moment where it became your purpose, this is who I am, and this is what I'm doing, and this is what I need to do. Mm-hmm. I'm sure there's like a lot of micro-pivots, but my biggest, biggest one was during COVID. ah You know, we were stuck up here and we were so lucky and so blessed to be able to get out on the property and on the land. And at that point, I actually... rejigged my entire life because previous to that I felt the need to go to every single event that was happening in Halliburton County. ah I felt the need to go to as many concerts and as many ah you know social things as possible because I felt it was my duty and it still is to an extent um to represent Halliburton Forest and and be out in our community and everything and when COVID hit, it made me really realize that I love those things, but I don't drink beer and I was going to beer fest. Why am I doing this? So I reclaimed my life to an extent. uh My kids were at an age that they were really starting to be independent and fun and adventurous with me. uh And we really took a step back. And that summer, I pledged to paddle one new lake a week um in the forest. And I continued that for probably two summers, very religiously, like it happened. And I've paddled over 50 lakes here in the forest now because of that. And uh it was at that moment where I was just like, you know what? I mean... not to be cliche, but like life's too short. I only have so much time that my kids wanna hang out with me and do fun things. And, uh you know, now our weekends are full of camping and fishing and hiking and paddling and almost too much to an extent. uh Right? But I think that's the point. And like, I've always had a camera in my hand. I've never considered myself a photographer. Not once in my life do I consider myself a photographer, but I've always had a camera in hand. It's the only way I remember my memories, the way my brain works. I have to be able to go back and look at it. And, you know, since then, it's hard for me to not share the beauty. You know, when I have a beaver bridging the surface right next to my kayak or otters tumbling through, you know, the forest, it's hard to not share that. beauty, it's an addiction, which is also not a great thing sometimes. Well, and it's funny because I was chatting with uh John from the last episode and, um you know, we were, we kind of just kind of scratched the surface a little bit when it comes to addiction. And it's funny because it is an addiction and I think there's obviously healthy addictions and there's obviously non-healthy addictions. um But you're right. mean, one of the reasons that I feel And it's neat to hear it because I know you're not a photographer first. um And I think that's what we so often forget that photography isn't, I mean, there's guys like me who do it professionally, but the real reason we take photographs is to go back and look at those experiences and look at. um those moments, I don't know for you, but like for me, there's certain photographs that I'll go back and look at and it will induce some type of ah emotion, anger, happiness, frustration, ah sadness. And I think that is what's incredible about, you when you live a life of purpose, ah you want to record those special moments because you know that later on in life, you're gonna come back to something and you brought up kind of squirrel moment, but ties in with COVID for me. COVID would have been, I seriously started shooting and taking this passion seriously, probably back in 09 when we moved back from out West to Southwestern Ontario. Um, but COVID was a similar thing for me. And I think that's gonna kind of be, it's going to be broached a lot on this, on this podcast, you know, talking about photography, mental health, travel, adventure, nature, wildlife. Um, I think COVID is going to come up quite often for a lot of people because, uh, you're right. We all kind of got stuck in this, in this spot and, and I'm jealous of the folks like yourself who live in an area where, uh, you can get outside and even though I don't live in an area where it's similar to that. um I still had the ability to with photography to get out and see the beauty and things that most folks would be like, I'm not going to Dow wetlands or can I tear a park and starting it like, whoopty diddle where someone like myself who I mean, I'll shoot a a snail walking across a leaf like it's especially here because y'all got bears and moose and I'm down here it's like I saw a raccoon today. um But it's it's it really is uh it really is interesting that um you know when you look at you mentioned to like you during COVID you kind of made it made it a goal to to paddle as many lakes as you could. And I kind of wonder, I have my own inclinations, but what made you kind of make that decision? Like I want to paddle as many lakes as I can. What was the kind of pull behind that? And um now you look back, which is crazy to think. I mean, it's been five, six years now, almost in March since COVID hit, but like, What has that done for you in kind of setting that goal and doing it and kind of looking back? What has that kind of has it shifted perspective? it has it um been a part of a healing process? Has it been? What has it done for you and why? Yeah, yeah. So originally, funny enough, was business. I had just kind of recently been promoted to general manager. I wanted to understand our 100,000 acres better, that kind of thing. ah But it was also needing space. It was needing to get out of the house where we've been cooped up all together for so long. ah I love my family. It was getting away from work. It was everything, right? And the advantage for me is a lot of the property doesn't have cell phone service. um So the intention was to go out, uh get exercise instead of just sitting on the couch, becoming a couch potato. I was not gaining the COVID-20. It wasn't happening. um And yeah, and kind of... Kind of getting out, so what it ended up being was my mental health break. And even to the point where my own team here would be like, okay, you're going for your paddle tonight, right? Because there's just a certain breaking point that we all have, right? uh Please, go for a I would get home and my husband would put my kayak on the car and just be like, Right? Talk about letting you know. Right? And but it was was fantastic. And, you know, for me, you know, there's certain special spots. I don't mind going over and over again. But but like you said, I am on the go all the time and I love new things and I need that for my brain and stimulation. And and, you know, it helps me work better. It helps me be a better mom. One of my biggest goals was to be a better mom and a better wife. And I had already been working on that. previous to COVID, ah you know, working through therapy, working through figuring out how my brain works, you know, we would all talk about neurodivergence and, ah you know, I turned 40, we were talking maybe perimenopause, you know, like all these different things, right? And I felt like I was getting frustrated a lot and I call it volcanoing and, you all these different things, but when I have that time to go out. Sometimes it's a hard paddle because it's a big lake and you know you're paddling and you're getting your exercise in and I stop and take some pictures of birds and stuff and other times it's a tiny little lake and you're literally just floating and you're waiting for the beavers to come in and you know the fishers to run across a beaver dam and look at you and uh so each experience is different and unique ah and I would even get out of the kayak. I might go to the other end of the lake and bushwhack. into another area or up a creek bed or you know I've been in areas where I'm like I actually feel like there's wolves watching me right now. know and it's like maybe I should have brought my radio and not my flip-flops you know through the woods so yeah so a lot of it is just grounding um wanting to wanting to be happy in my own skin wanting to to be able to be a you know a big a good boss a good mom a good wife um and be my happy self that I was growing up as a kid playing in the woods. You know, it's funny because just that statement right there, right? I always wonder, well, I know the answer to this, but like, what happens to us as we go through life? And you look back at photos as a kid and you're like, man, I was so happy. I had so much fun. You know, I was doing all these crazy things and now all of a sudden it feels like that's hard work to be happy. And you you touched on a couple of things that even for me, I'm working on myself and in therapy and... and reading self help books and whatnot, be a better dad, be a better husband, better person. um I wonder what what do you think it is that kind of gets us away from when we were kids to where we are now? Is it is it? um maturity thing, is it the fact that once we've grown up, we have careers, we have kids, we have a husband, we're being pulled in 5,000 different places. What are the aspects that sort of take us out of that happy place that we then have to relearn how to get back into those happy places? Mm-hmm, yeah. Yeah, I mean, I think you touched on quite a few of them, right? Is one we always joke about adulting. um But to be fair, the first half of my career here, I would have still considered myself quite happy. So part of that was uh pressure of a new job, promotion, having to actually manage people, not just show up and just do my own thing. um And then, and then part of that was, and is having that family. You know, I love them to bits, but when I'm working with people all day and managing, you know, an amazing team, I love my team, but you're still managing people, you're still interfacing with clients, you're still, you know, getting the occasional bad review, whatever it is that you're dealing with in the moment, emergencies that come up, and then to go home and try and help with homework and make dinner and do laundry. Yeah, and I have an incredible partner. He's very supportive. Again, I said my parents moved to the county and my children, we would either be living a very different lifestyle or my children wouldn't be able to have the opportunities that they do without their grandparents being here. and there's a level of guilt on that, that I've had to like work through and overcome that. You know, I really wanted to be a very involved mom. wanted to, at one point I even wanted to homeschool them. You know, like there's all these different things. So at some point, you know, have those pivotal conversations with your partner and with my parents. And, you know, my mom sat me down once and she was like, don't feel guilty. Like Monday to Thursday, they come to our house, we do homework with them, we read, we, you know, like they took on that role for us so that I could do. the job that I love doing, but then still be a mom and be able to go on trips and do fun things with them. So, ah yeah, so I think that's that. And then, you know, I've been doing a lot of reading about neurodivergence and masking, you know, all of that. you know, and it talks about how as you age and as different hormones come in and come out, and, you know, as you have children and there's more weight on it, it's harder and harder. to math. Like you didn't even realize you were masking until you can't do it anymore. And know and we, I was running into that. I was running into that. Another big pivotal moment was, I don't know if you've heard of it, but there's a book out there called The Five Love Languages. And you know my husband and I were struggling just like most couples do at you know a certain point in their marriage. And we became roommates and A friend of mine recommended listening to the audiobook because I struggle with reading and I listened to it and I made my husband listen to it and that was pivotal ah in our relationship and then it's just grown from there. So there's been a lot of, you know, self discovery and like when your relationships not working then other things aren't working and other things aren't working, right? So uh yeah, so it comes back to for me, a lot of it was just work. Like I was outdoors, was guiding a lot, was dog sledding, I was getting that dopamine hit, doing really physical things and then all of sudden it's like, nope, you're gonna be the general manager which requires you to be in the office a Yeah. sitting in the fluorescent lighted room. I do have a window at least. you hit something there too that I think is very important um that I try to hit when I'm giving presentations or speaking or what have you, um support. Having the support of your parents, having the support of your partner, having the support of your kids. m for me, right, my wife and my kids, if I didn't have their support, ah I wouldn't be where I am when it comes to photography, when it comes to, ah you know, what I'm trying to do with my life. And I think that is another very unspoken, not unspoken, but not focused on enough is how much support is needed to live your dreams to, ah not even just live your dreams, but just to live, just to live and to find that joy and happiness in life. Having a support circle like you've had and like I've had. uh We're not sitting in the chairs that we're sitting in doing the things that we love to do. And I think that's a very important distinction that often gets left in the wayside. And I often, I could. I don't want to compare it to what I think of folks who uh join the military, right? um Without support for each other, there's just, it becomes so much harder to live life. And I think that's a huge topic that goes left untalked about quite often. um But switching gears a little bit. So when we look at, uh So you work at Halliburton Forest and Halliburton uh Wolf Center. um Teagan's Adventures, what is that? What is that? And what is your kind of goal with that? what um kind of give me maybe like your perfect. Forget work, right? Work doesn't exist for either of us. What is Teagate's Adventures? What does that look like for you, both now, but in the future? Yeah, that's amazing. So uh it all started because my sister said to me once, you take incredible photos and you have so much to share with people. So you should start an account. uh So I did. uh I did. um I don't really have a goal with it. she and I were actually talking about it over Christmas. And, you know, some people scrapbook, some people journal. I like where you're going with this. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. exactly, if you pay attention to my account or not, I'd like to say I don't care, I do. I like interactions, I like when people laugh at my content, I like when people message me. But overall, I really don't get that much attention. Like I very rarely even get hearts on my stories, right? uh But it's a creative outlet for me. to look back on. And you were talking about earlier about looking back on pictures and which give you emotions and everything. And that's exactly what it is for me. Like I find that I actually go back to my own account and I scroll back to that trip I did with the kids. ah I scroll back to that time I was on the trapline with Caleb from Canadian Bushcraft. know, like there's so many incredible memories and I tend to rumorate and we all tend to, you know, think of like, we're programmed to think negatively and be in survival mode all the time. um So I go back and I look at those memories and I am like, yeah, you know, I live a really incredible life that a lot of people don't get the opportunity to do these things. So I think that's my goal in life. um I touched on the addiction thing and it's got into the point where like, I think in posts. which is not always great, right? Like I'm hiking through the woods instead of being like fully connected and immersed in, you know, the trekking tower, hike in Algonquin Park. I'm thinking, man, that would make a great story. man, you know, like this is a great post. And so I've kind of somewhat come to peace with that, but I also create myself ah boundaries. So, ah you know, recently I didn't do anything on my socials for like six or seven days and... And did anybody notice? No. Did I notice a little bit, but I need to create that space. And that's why when I go on my adventures, like with my kids, I actually purposely try and find places where we don't have cell phone reception. So I don't even feel tempted to look at things. ah So yeah, so. I like what you said there too, that it's funny because my presence on socials is like, I need to be there as a photographer. I need to be there. And it's funny, I always give it, and I'm going to give a big shout out right now to the photographer mindset, Seth and Aaron. um They are one of the reasons why I'm doing this right now. um I listen to their podcast and absolutely love it. Um, but it's, they, they were talking the other day just about how, um, how difficult it is in our world where you, you're constantly feeling like you've got to be present on social media. You've got to, you've got to put out, uh, they had Dave Sanford on. He's like one of my idols for photography. And he, he said, you know, like, we're just so programmed. to put content out there versus taking some time and looking at, like as a photographer, looking at the images and making sure I'm putting out quality, not quantity. um But where I see the connection of that conversation and this is just how that programming that happens where we... I totally know what you're saying when you're walking in the woods, you're like, oh, this is a great, this is a great reel. Oh, this would be great for a story. Oh, I got to take this picture. And then you realize that this thing that again, using myself, I can't speak for you, but like when I go out to kind of hike or to a local park or something, and I'm going out there because I always give the example, you know, my wife and I just had an argument. Instead of saying things, I'm going to regret and grab the camera. I get in the truck and head to the nearest park. And within five minutes I'm laughing and I'll realize I'm laughing because I'm like, I'm going after one of those stupid little Kinglets who flop around like in it's like, uh, you're trying to find them. And, and then I'm laughing at myself. And then I think 15 minutes ago, I was so angry. Um, That's kind of the reason why I'm out in nature. When you get into, you know, Taken's Adventures or Halliburton Forest or Ominar's Photography, and you start sometimes almost losing that connection that drew you out there, and you hit on a major word there, which is boundaries, is learning to set boundaries. um personally, professionally, just and inwardly where it's not bad. It's not a problem that, you know, when you're out on the trail or when I'm out in a park that we have programmed ourselves to be always looking and considering and thinking about what we want to share and what we need to share. That's not a bad thing. Where it becomes a bad thing. is when that is all we seem to be doing and not just kind of splitting your time. so I've tried to purposely, I'll go out sometimes and I'll purposely take one battery. when that, because unfortunately I know, like my camera goes everywhere, I know. I can say that I'm not gonna shoot, but I'm going to shoot. And so, understanding that, then where I where I can kind of reprogram myself is I only bring one battery when that battery is gone. Your SOL so it's either head home or continue that walk continue that hike or continue that that kayak or canoe or or whatever it is um just because you're there and be present with it. And so I think that's a key keyword is setting boundaries and You know, sort of boundaries have worked for you when it comes to that work versus Teagan's adventures versus Teagan the mom and the wife? Yeah, so some of the tools that I use is like if we're going on a family hike, one of two things might happen is I might leave my cell phone in, because I don't have a camera. I literally don't have camera. I just have a cell phone. So I'll leave my cell phone in the car and we just rely on my husband's then we can still get some family photos and know, certain things, but then I'm at least not constantly doing it. ah When I go on my paddles, I catch myself now. So what I do is I might bury it in my dry sack. So it's not readily available because otherwise I'm just going to be on it the whole time. um The boundaries between the Halliburton Forest account, which has 24,000 followers and my Teague's Adventures at 1500 are hard sometimes. They're really hard because like I found myself at Christmas. We came for a Christmas day hike with my sister and my aunt and the kids and everything. And right away I'm in marketing mode, right? Like, oh, we got a dog. We have, you know, different demographics here. We have a family walking through the woods. um so I guess what I try to do instead is instead of getting in that like hyper focus of like, I just took all these photos. I have to use them right away or I'll forget that I have them. is that now it's like, nope, you're gonna create that reel on your next work day. Right? So like, and I might even email myself and just be like, remember, you took all these photos, create a beautiful reel on your next work day, instead of getting home, sitting in the washroom, ignoring everybody for the next 45 minutes, getting angry when they come and knock on the door because you're trying to get that reel done, right? And... uh And then the other boundaries is like actually as much as I love the property here is going somewhere else. Going somewhere else then I don't have the same obligations and feeling that I need to take photos. I still do because I do represent uh you know our county, I represent our region. You know I go to international trade shows for tourism and I do have a lot of travel agents that follow me from Germany from um Yeah, just from all over the world. So even then with my own account, sometimes I feel like I have to have that presence because they all follow me and, you know, they're seeing what other adventures there are that they can put on their itineraries. But I am getting better at that. When I go to friends houses, for instance, over Christmas, we had a dinner with one of one of my girlfriends and her family and we had a game tonight and stuff. I left my phone in the car, left my phone in the car. I don't need to take a picture of like Cards Against Humanity and post that in my stories. Like, right? I always say that game is like, it is so wrong because it, it, but it's so needed because it allows us to get out the things that we want to say, but we can't say. Exactly, exactly. And the privacy of somebody's house, not on social media. Yeah. hilarious. That's hilarious. You know, it's, it's, boundaries are something that I am learning a lot about myself. And it is just when to set them, how to set them, what they look like. ah And I think the biggest thing that I'm learning is, again, it's cliche, but it's okay to not be okay, right? It's okay to not know what that boundary is. And so like, I don't know if you've experienced this, but you know, I'll try and set a boundary. And it's like, everyone around you thinks you've just gone absolutely bonkers. And it's like, okay, you and you start thinking, was I wrong? And then I have to tell myself, no, you're not wrong. You set a boundary, maybe it wasn't. a good boundary, maybe it was too much, maybe it was too little. um But constantly changing things up and being okay with making mistakes, both good or bad, and really trying to focus down on circling back to the very beginning of our conversation, right? And that's finding that joy and that happiness of what that looks like and the pursuit of enjoying life because although it's cliche, as you said, life is too short. um I put a video out there a couple weeks ago. A good friend of mine um lost his life to mental health. And it's it's one of those things where we have to talk more about the things that are, you know, people just don't want to put their finger on it. um And we have to be okay with not being okay. And we have to be okay with making those mistakes to try to find our way on that path through the forest, through this journey of life in... being able to reflect and see that things could always be worse, things could always be better. And I think that's the hardest thing for me. And what I'm trying to focus on and learn is being content, being content with where I'm at, um because there's always, I always tell my kids um when they don't want to eat their dinner, I'm like, you know, there's a kid in Africa that would take your scraps. And they they they they've got to that point now where they roll their eyes at it. But I hope I've kind of instilled a little bit of that. We have it better than a lot of folks, and so we've always got to focus on that. And um I'm enjoying this podcast journey for myself and meeting, connecting with other people. And even in the the three or four people that I've already spoken with is is we're not alone. We're all going through very similar things, um very similar stories, completely different ah storylines, but similar stories. And I think that's gonna be my favorite thing with talking with folks is reminding myself and reminding you and anybody who watches and anybody who listens. um We're not alone. We're all going through it. and how we deal with it and how we handle it is what matters most. um For yourself, you get to be out in nature a lot. You get to do things that maybe ease your mind or take your mind off of, even though it might be work related, it's still giving you that opportunity to get out there. um And the same for me. And so I think that's what's I think that's what we need to as human beings focus on more when you look around at the news, when you look around at what's happening in the world today, um which I think is very important to talk about. It's not for this podcast. I'm seriously considering another podcast, which we'll dive into that stuff. um But it's just trying to find that common ground with each other and to share it with the world. so I think that's what's important. And uh yeah. And there's a reason that we're all going through it. And it's because, you know, like you said, this is for a different podcast, but it's because of the way civilization has evolved. It's taken us away from nature. It's taken us, you know, and put us in these little boxes. ah you know, I've had this conversation with a couple of people where like colonialism didn't just affect Indigenous people. It actually took, you know, many cultures away from. ah nature and everything. And like, I have girlfriends that like, I've always been in nature and they always thought I was crazy and everything. now they're like, Teagan, why are we craving wanting to be outdoors? Why are we birdwatching now? Why are we, you know, wanting to go camping and like, and they had never had interest in any of that before. Um, and their bodies know what's right for them and their bodies are trying to tell them what they need. Um, So yeah, so it's not surprising, know, the more and more I read, the more you do your research, you know, like it's, we are all connected in that one thing. And that one thing is, is that we were ripped out of nature, right? Like, yeah. Yeah, it's that primal kind of call um is always in us and it's always there. And I feel that the folks who allow it to come out are the ones that you see maybe living a little bit more fulfilled lives or happy lives are the ones who allow that primalness to come forth. uh yeah, I want to ask you a bunch of kind of rapid fire questions. And ah that way, I, listeners, viewers, get to know a bit more about Tegan. And I always think it's fun. I love watching these and I'm it. I've always said, know, people always say, you know, how does one become successful? And I am a uh staunch believer that you steal. You steal what's successful. use, don't reinvent the wheel. So I love this stuff. ah Forrest at dawn or Forrest at dusk. dusk. Silence or sound? Silence. wolves or people. Oh, wolves. Love people, love people. Wolves. Cold winter mornings or a hot summer day? cold winter mornings. uh Camera in hand or hands in pockets? Oh, hands in pockets. watch from a distance or be right in it. Watch from a distance. solitude or shared experience. shared experience. I've learned a lot in the last few years. Yeah. You know, it's funny because for me, um in the photography world, a lot of photographers, especially the professional side of photography in nature and wildlife, um oftentimes people prefer solo. And I am always like, almost to my detriment, begging people to come with me because I love that. I love that shared experience because It's great to have solitude and I think everybody needs it. But when you have an experience, I always use the example. It was in Algonquin on my 40th birthday, uh four years ago now. um My wife surprised me with a canoe, backcountry canoe trip. And we went to Tom Thompson and we got up in the morning and we paddled over to a little inlet and uh Mrs. Moose came out. And I mean, I lost my mind. And then five minutes later, Mr. Moose came out big 21 point bull. And uh if I had done that solo. Amazing, amazing experience. Try and explain that to anybody. they're like. Cool. Where like, like when my wife and I talk about it and we were actually we she did it kind of with a. a tour company out of there. So we had a guide and and there was I think two other people plus the guide. And so we all had that collective shared experience and it's like, nobody understands it. Unless you're there and I love that. I love that. I'm totally shared experience as well. Solitude is great, but it needs to be shared experience. um Instincts. No, go ahead. I tried doing a solo. Well, I've done a couple of solo camping trips, but I did one and it was kind of my first one in my kayak and stuff. And I just texted my husband all night. Like, I just was like, man, I want you here. And that's why I do it with my children. Right. Like my husband loves being outdoors. He hunts with me. You know, we. We love doing all that stuff, but it's really hard on his back, the canoeing or kayaking. So he doesn't do a lot of interior with us. ah But, you know, and it's that exact thing. my solo paddles are for me to disconnect, but I always invite people. My entire team here knows at any point you are more than welcome to join me. And I've had people join me and I love it. And my only rule is like, I can't have somebody join me every week. The whole point is for me to like disassociate. yeah. Yeah, I know it's true. um Instinct or logic? instinct. Fear or respect? fear. Favorite wolf behavior to observe? Um I think what brings the biggest smile to my face is when the puppy is pulling on all the adults, either trying to nurse or trying to get them to regurgitate food. Because they're just like right in their faces. I think it's just relatable. Right? The next couple are about wolves and not just because you work at the Wolf Centre, but my favourite animal, which is it always was wolves. But as I, you know, growing up with a family like my dad's from Newfoundland, and you know, the joke I always say is mom and dad got married in 1981 and went over to Newfoundland for the honeymoon. when they came back, they found out they were pregnant with me. So I'm as new fee as they come. um And, and but but moose and wolves are like neck and neck for me. um But I also in in this this podcast, um I want to bring more awareness as well. So this isn't this isn't just because Tegan works at the Wolf Center. But because wolves are so highly, um people don't understand them. uh Still, ironically to this day, you just gotta look down at Yellowstone and Wyoming and watch what happens there. But um what is, in your opinion, the most misunderstood thing about wolves? ah So I hate to admit it, I'm not at the Wolf Centre often, so I wouldn't know what the answer would be like from our team at the Wolf Centre. I ah just think in general, uh predators in general, but it obviously applies to wolves, ah that people always think that they're scarier than they are, you know, that they're going to approach them, that they're going to eat them, they're going to attack them. I do a lot of coaching of people that are coming from the city or from overseas that you're gonna go into the forest and you're not gonna see one. You might see some tracks, you might see some scat. So I think from my perspective on a tourism end of things, uh that's the perception that you're always trying to. work. know, as much as our property is remote, there's roads everywhere, there is cell phone access here and there, you know, like so to tie it into the wolves is that, you know, like there isn't a pack of wolves waiting for you as soon as you get through that gate and they're not going to eat you. Yeah, it's it is funny though that that you know, it's similar to like, you know, sometimes how the world looks at Canadians like we live in igloos and just that that miss conceived idea of what what it really is. One thing the forest gives you that people don't. A sense of purpose. ah that's, people give that to me too though. Like my sense of purpose is to get people out into the forest and conservation and nature and everything. Like, so it's kind of tied together. But it, I've been doing a lot of reflecting on this. This is what I can give back to the world, to the community, to everything is to be able to manage and maintain. this forest for Time of Memorial, right? Like set it up really good that a bunch of developers are not gonna come in here and build a bunch of cottages and keep this place beautiful and untouched. Yeah, and bringing in our indigenous friends and partners and building those relations. And we've become Rainbow Registered in the last few years, meaning that we're a safe place for our queer community to come work. play and stay. So, you know, I've been able to do a lot of incredible, incredible things that way. So guess that's where I tie in like my sense of purpose is a lot of things I grew up with a lot of my beliefs. They didn't necessarily match what this forest was when I first started here. And we've been under new ownership and management since then. And it's all catching up. it makes me at the end of the day with all the ugliness that's happening in the world is at least I'm making somewhat of us even if it's small a change in the world. I love that. I love that. That's awesome. um One thing the forest takes from you. Um. It definitely, yeah, it's definitely the mental health piece, right? It does take away some time from my family, but that's where the healthy boundaries have come in over the last few years. um It has taken a piece of who I am. I am a people pleaser. I love making people happy and making dreams come true and pleasing everybody. But when you're managing, you know, a team of 20 people or more um and you have hundreds of thousands of clients coming in here, can't make everybody happy. um that's where the tears come from at the end of the day. 100%. um What's the hardest part of working so close to wildlife? trees. uh The wildlife is not a problem. uh And it's all part of the adventure. actually love this part. uh But you know, every time there's a storm, know, actors always talk about not working with children or animals don't work with trees because they just disappoint you all the time. You know, what the forest takes from you, I've always said, like, I love being out in the forest. I love being out in nature. ah But it takes my patience. And trees take my patience. you know, complete squirrel moment here for a second, because we've got time. Tara and I did, it was in March a few years back, we did the Mizzie Trail. And I was gonna pack uh crampons for our boots. But she always makes fun of me at how much stuff I pack. So I was like, I'm not bringing crampons because she's like, And so I didn't brought everything else. God, I wish I'd brought those crampons. And and halfway through that trail, she was like, why didn't you bring them? I was like, because you but I totally get it. totally get the trees and I totally get that aspect. A couple more. What is the most grounding moment you've ever had in the forest? And by forest, the actual forest this time. Mm-hmm. Ugh. You know, obviously there's multiple different ones, but this is going to be a crazy tangent for everything else we've talked about. But one of the most grounding moments that I have ever had at the forest was, I had the opportunity to be the race director for the world dog sledding championships in 2017. So two years in the making, um, to put on a sledding championships. had 800 dogs on site and then the athletes to boot from, I think it was something like 20, 15, 20 different countries come here. It was the Olympics of the dog sledding world. And, um you know, I'm a very... self, I'm always self-reflecting and you know and everything, but we nailed it. We nailed it and there were were multiple different moments during it but my my previous boss Peter Schleifenbaum who who previously owned The Forest and who I idolize and you know was a huge mentor of mine found me in the parking lot at one point and for the first time since I had worked here which was almost 10 years ah he hugged me. and was just like, you did it. And it, um you know, I was a new mom. I had two kids. My son wasn't even a year old while he was toddling. So he was not even two years old yet. And I pulled off this this huge event with multiple different people. We had an incredible team. And yeah, in that moment, it was just like, cool, I can do hard things and I can do incredible things. Yeah. Yeah. That's super cool. I love that aspect of finding out what you are capable of doing is amazing. A sound you'll never forget. There's so many ways I can do that one. ah A sound I will never forget. I think a sound that makes a huge impact in my life, oh, I know what it is, okay. But it's all tied together. So a sound that makes a huge impact in my life all the time is barred owls. um Barred owls follow me everywhere. Everywhere I go, there are barred owls. And I have been doing owl surveys since I was probably eight years old with my father. We used to go down the Killarney Highway and I have so many different stories. But we used to go down the Clarny Highway and do our ALS survey there. Now I do another one um up here in this area. But I've had two very memorable core memory memories. One was from when I was a kid. My dad and I actually brought a CBC reporter out with us on the ALS survey. That's cool. the mating pair was calling back and forth and at that time you had a cassette tape, you didn't have CDs, didn't have, know, like we had a cassette tape and we're trying, it was the only owls we heard all night and we were all excited and we wanted to be able to get them to record it. And at some point, you know, my 14 year old self or whatever was like, screw this, I'm just gonna call to them. So I'm calling back and forth to the owls and this all gets recorded. I go to high school, like to my science class like a week later and my teacher just scolds me for saying screw this on like national radio. ah So that's my funniest story. But most recently my kids and I were out on one of our paddling adventures. We were doing a one night overnight uh in Clear Lake in the water trail system here. We got there late, we set up and we were making dinner and stuff and we heard two bar dolls across the way. A few hours later, there's a third one and they were kind of just surrounding us on this lake. And all of a sudden, this is the sound I will never forget. There's this like thing screeching, screeching in our campsite. It is 11 o'clock at night. It is pitch black. There's no moon, there's no stars. It's overcast. And this thing is like, losing its mind. And the first thing I thought of was like foxes make really horrible or raccoons make really horrible sounds like they're dying. So the kids are all like getting their paddles and this is an adventure and we're stoking the fire and like we're protecting ourselves and then knowing like my first instinct, my first instinct was Bart Owl. ah But I was like it's kind of weird it sounds low to the ground anyway it turns out it was a Bart Owl but like I'll never forget that moment with my kids because we rallied together, we were ready to fend off whatever was coming for us. you know, we wouldn't, the kids wouldn't go to the bathroom by themselves. We all had to like huddle together and go to the thunderbox. And so I'll never forget that because it sounded like something out of a horror movie and you know, like solo mom with two kids. oh one we were camping. were RV camping and it was a pack of coyotes where they had to have been like literally right there and we couldn't see them but it was just like in your head and it's just it's one of those sounds that you're like yep I know what sound that is. A smell that instantly brings you back. I am, I'm very nose driven. So this is a really interesting question. ah I don't like the coffee. I don't like the smell of coffee. I don't like the smell of bacon. I don't like smelling greasy. Like I have so many sensory issues with smells, but what I can say is I love the smell of like vanilla. ah recently I just did, and this is something new for me, I didn't realize this, but recently I just did a pipe ceremony and participated in uh a ceremonial feast for the ancestors. And at one point during the ceremony, had to hold tobacco. So just pure tobacco in our hands and then we smoke. the tobacco after everybody puts their intentions in and thinks of their ancestors. And I love that smell. It was so interesting to me that, you know, being so driven by different smells and like having this weird quirk that that was the smell that really grounded me and like I went home and I was just like my husband's like what are you doing and I'm like I smell amazing like I just want this smell on me all the time and it wasn't you know it's not a cigarette smell it's it's like pure pure sweet tobacco yeah. When I when I went up to uh Churchill, ah when was it? I think it was my first time. um And I brought up tobacco from our local Amjahnong community. And so I gifted that to one of the knowledge keepers up there. And she did after her presentation, she did a smudging. And everybody kind of partook in it. And I don't know why I didn't partake in it at that time. um But a few minutes after all that people had left and someone introduced me to her. Because I had I said to the folks that I was working with there, I've got a gift. And so I give her the tobacco and she was just like, wow, that's amazing. and then, and then I was like, you know what I'm gonna ask? And I'm like, I've never had a smudging before. Like I've never done it. And I don't know why I didn't just partake in that one. I don't know why. Like it wasn't that I didn't want to or wasn't asked or didn't have the opportunity. It just, I think I was thinking my brain was somewhere else. And so it was really cool because she, she took the sage and their tobacco and then she opened the tobacco that I brought and she took that tobacco and put it in and mixed it all together. And then did my first smudging and I was like, that was and I can remember that smell. mean, my first smell that comes to my, have multiple ones. See, I'm like you, I'm sensory driven as well, but in the opposite direction where like, I love the smell of bacon. I love the smell of coffee. But for me, it's like, I love the smell of fire. I love the smell of like, we'll be walking in a neighborhood and I'd be like, somebody's got a, somebody's got a wood fire place. I'd love it. And I top of that. Right. think a lot of that has to do with Newfoundland for me. uh That's a lot of what we had. Like there is a lot of how they heat their homes still is through the wood. And then obviously the smell of cedar itself. I just, I love that smell so good. um Last question. eh And I've talked about this with people before. I can't believe I didn't remember this, but I do not mind the smell of roadkill skunk, but it's because it invokes a lot of joy and remembering of a lot of fun family trips. That is hilarious. like I would never want to be sprayed. would never, but like when you drive through that like waft, it's just like this flooding of like family trips that comes back to me, right? you take world's craziest smell for for the wind. That is funny. That is hilarious. I hate that smell. God, I hate that smell. This is us when we see a skunk a mile up the road. I'm like, I'm driving. Windows go up over covering our faces. It's like, oh, that's hilarious, though. But and that's what I love about, you know, put together different questions like this is is it really is. I mean, it it's funny how one thing does something for you and does a complete different thing for me. And I think that's what's important in today's world is understanding that um whether it's nature, wildlife, photography, um doesn't matter what we're talking about. um What is good for you may not be good for someone else. What works for you may not work for someone else. um But at the end of the day, everybody's collective lived experience matters. And I think that's the message we'll kind of end on here is just, you know, at the end of the day, it's it life is about experience is good and bad. um Life is about recognizing what works for you, what doesn't work for you. And I think it's incredible to spend time with folks like yourself learning about more than just, and for me, this is kind of a, this is more of a selfish moment for me because it's neat to meet, get to know you beyond um Halliburton Forest and Halliburton Wolf Center um and what drives you as a person. uh it puts so much, meat and potatoes behind the account that I follow and understanding that. And so, yeah, I am super stoked. I am super grateful that you were able to carve out some time and chat. I am super grateful that oh the Halliburton Forest and Wolf Centre exist um and the work that you guys do there as well as what you provide Canadians. Because that's the other part of this podcast is I want people to discover um places that they've never heard about and experience things that they've never heard about in. And that's what COVID did for me. COVID for me made the decision of I hit my 30th country, I think in 2019, and my wife and I, love traveling. And with COVID, it was like, can't go anywhere. So we're just, we're going to go wherever we can right here. And that sort of continued into, well, when I partnered with the cabin that I had partnered with up in Mayo Lake, and we went from there to see you guys, because I was looking for things to do in the area. That's how I that's why we're sitting here today um is that and so I really want people who watch or listen ah to take whatever they can take from these podcasts. But ah part of it is is opening up. My audience to other aspects and places and people and things and experiences that maybe they didn't know existed. And I'm to tell you all right now, looking at all of the cameras. Hahaha that's, uh, Halliburton forest and Halliburton Wolf Center are incredible place to go. I have, I can't even say that I've been there because we went to the Wolf Center, right? Like, that was, that was it. And, that was super cool. Um, and thank you for that experience, by the way. It, it's, uh, it was an incredible one, but, uh, I keep saying to my wife every year, I'm like, we gotta go back there and like actually get to see. the forest itself and like the different things that are available. let's end here and I'll let you kind of just say whatever you want to say to finish up with but also maybe let folks know kind of where they can find you personally on social media and ah the forest and the Wolf Center and anything you want to say about that about where folks can find you and uh come out and get to see it. Because if you haven't been, you need to go. ah It's incredible. Yeah, yeah, no, that's great. And thank you. This has been fun. You know, you and I have been interacting for a couple years now. So uh it's great to actually chat. And a lot of times we only know people through social media now, right? And like, and when you get together, sometimes it's really awkward and sometimes it's incredible. And it's been incredible. So, but yeah, I know, like Halliburton Forest itself. very quickly is a four season destination. And you know, we've talked a lot about the Wolf Centre, but in the summer we have camping, we have a canopy tour, we do clay target shooting. ah then it is a hundred thousand acres. It's massive. It's bigger than some small countries. ah We have a hundred lakes on the property so that people go fishing and we stock 15 of them with brook trout and rainbow trout. There's a lot of really cool things going on. a lot like a provincial park. So think kind of like camping and biking and hiking and everything, but privately owned. And then in the winter we do ice climbing. are like a top 10 destination for snowmobiling in North America. We do snowmobile rentals, guided programs. And then we have a lot of like off the cuff things like medieval Mondays. We do wolf howls. We have painting with wolves. We do dinner with wolves. We have guided fishing, mineral collecting. There's just, there's so much going on. So, ah you know, the best place for Helleburden for us to follow is our Instagram or our Facebook page. There's a lot of content on there. I do a weekly update of the things that are coming up, events, everything like that. ah I've been doing them for over 10 years now. It's insane. Like before people even started doing reels and videos and stuff, all it was, was I was trying to convince people that we had snow. that we're looking at grass in Toronto. That's what it was. My hair was disheveled. I was wearing a helmet. Like it was fantastic. But yeah, so Instagram is Halliburton underscore forest. Facebook is just at Halliburton forest. We even have a TikTok account. I try and do some stuff up there. I'm too old for TikTok. uh But we do, we upload some stuff on there and then uh just Halliburton forest.com. uh We have a website where We have an online booking system. We're actually going to have an even better online booking system come March, April. We're switching over. So you'll be able to like build packages. So if you stay at a campsite, you can rent a canoe, you can rent a bike. It'll be all really easy. But we're also old school. So you can always just phone us ah and talk to somebody like an actual human that lives in the office. ah And then for me personally, uh Follow me or don't, no, just joking. My handle is just at Tiggs Adventures on Instagram. I do a little bit on Facebook, but I don't find that it's not as appealing anymore. And like you said, I mean, for you, it's more just, just that scrapbook, but it's still cool. um I love following you because again, is insignificant as you may think you are or feel you are like, I'm constantly inspired because I'm like, God, I got to get out and do more. Like I want to get out. I haven't I haven't been on a snowmobile in like two or three decades. Like gotta get you out. time, right? So like, I look at that and I just go, that'd be so cool. And so it really is, it really is uh neat what you're doing. I hope people do follow you. more people follow you and not just because you similar to me, always tell folks, I don't give a shit about likes and follows. I do because the algorithm says I have to. Yeah, exactly. If I didn't have to doing what I'm doing, I really wouldn't care. um But I think just following people for the reason you and I follow each other is seeing what you're up to and seeing where you're going and what you're doing. And also what I could be doing in that area as well, I think is really cool. um And just a distinction too, for folks that the Halliburton Forest and the Halliburton Wolf Center are in the same location, right? But they're two different You can find both on Facebook and you can find both on Instagram. Yeah, yeah, sorry. Very, very, no, that's a really good distinction because I don't actually do the socials for Wolf Centre. So sometimes it like slips my mind. So, uh yeah, so they also have a TikTok account and Marina has a lot of fun on that. So those accounts are great. We also have another account that a lot of people don't know about, but we have a clay target shooting one. So it's h.f.claytargetshooting. And then when visitors come in the summer and they do their thing, like, know, like people like seeing their videos and I make reels and stuff. ah I do that account as well. And then there's lots of different groups and stuff that we mediate, but those are the main accounts to kind of follow to see what's going on. Yeah. Yeah. folks, this has been a fun conversation and I'm sure we'll chat again sometime about other things. I am super grateful to Tegan for coming on and sharing with us a little bit about herself, a little bit about the Wolf Center, a little bit about the forest, Halliburton forest. And uh yeah, we'll see you on the next episode. I don't know what that's gonna be or when it's gonna be. I'm booking people left, right and center and just having these conversations. So it'll be fun and I look forward to the next one. Thank you so much, Tegan. I appreciate it. Thank you. That was awesome. Cool beans. Hit record on all of the records. Yeah. That one's done. That one's done. And I don't know if this is going to kick you off. So I'm going to say, why? don't think it's going to kick you off, we'll. Cool. All right. Well, do whatever you want. Awesome. Perfect. me hit stop and see.