Meet Aspen Stalls | Wildlife Guide & Canid Educator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Aspen Stalls and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Aspen, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I have always wanted to be my boss, but have wanted to contribute to wildlife conservation in some way. Wildlife guiding is a great chance for me to do that.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
At the forefront of my wildlife guides are ethics and education. Beyond anything I want to educate people about endangered red wolves- about which most people have no idea- and teach them how to ethically view and photograph wildlife.

Starting a wildlife guiding business isn’t easy. There are so many costs that go into it, which drives up prices and of course that can leave out some folks. I’ve also had to figure out how to balance the ethics of wildlife viewing with making sure my clients are satisfied with their guides. I pay attention to animal behavior- if I think the animals may be stressed or we are interfering with their movements or actions, we move on. I have clients sign an ethics waiver to help with this.

I want people to know that I can offer a unique experience in Eastern North Carolina that can teach them about what these wetlands have to offer. I also want them to experience seeing a wild red wolf, something so rare and precious, and take the knowledge they learn about these endangered animals and share with the world.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge is closely located to the Outerbanks, a strip of isolated islands off the coast of North Carolina. There’s so much to see! I ALWAYS take clients and visiting friends to Poor Richard’s Sandwich Shop in Manteo- they have the best sandwiches around. I often also take people to the NC Aquarium and local coffee stores, as well as the Christmas Shoppe. The Christmas Shoppe seemingly never ends with little trinkets, ornaments, and gifts… and even a Halloween section! Of course we’re also close to the beach, and can explore strips of the Atlantic Ocean, the marsh, birding, hiking, and so much more.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d love to dedicate my shoutout to my husband Michael who has always supported my dreams and supported me gallivanting off to the woods and wetlands at any given time.

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