Kelly Hougen (b. 1958)
Kelly Hougen was born in Whitehorse to parents Rolf and Margaret Hougen. He worked as a young guide alongside the renowned Yukon outfitter and guide Alex Van Bibber in the 1970s. Hougen purchased Arctic Red River Outfitters Ltd. in 1990. Hougen is a Whitehorse resident and his outfitting concession is in the NWT, but borders on the Yukon across the mountains from the Snake River. His hunting business is focussed on Dall sheep and it is all backpack hunting on foot.1)
Kelly Hougen was presented with the Frank Golata Award for outstanding outfitter of the year in North America at the February 2006 convention in Reno, Nevada. The annual award is presented by the Foundation for North American Wild Sheep. He said most of the success of Arctic Red River Outfitters must go to his big game guides. Kelly places a strong emphasis on raising awareness about conservation and is actively involved in the foundation's youth program. Every year he helps to promote by donating a caribou hunt to someone eighteen years old and under. Hougen was chosen from over 1,000 outfitters on the continent.2)
In 2020, Kelly and Heather Hougen have been guiding for over thirty years. Their outfitting business is called Timberline Wilderness Adventures Ltd.3)