Spending three weeks in the backcountry of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho had me wondering, where are all the men?! It turned out that my husband and four sons made up the majority of men wherever we went. This country is definitely made for strong women.
This is not the first time that I have written about the strong matriarchs of the Northwestern United States. In June of 2022 I wrote, “Matriarchs Run Montana: Two Women Living in the Wild” and in June 2025, “Matriarchs of the Mountains: The Next Generation” In 2024 the question was circulating around the internet: “Would you rather be alone in the woods with a bear or a man?” After my frequent travels to this region, the answer is clear: Choose a strong woman from the northwestern United States.
If I really wanted to feel safe in the woods, I would choose Tammy Bredy. I met Tammy on one of my trips to the “Lake of Hazards” that I described in my article titled, The Hazards of Fishing a Small Mountain Lake. She was kayaking, working the shoreline for unsuspecting trout with her fly rod. After a brief conversation, it did not take me long to recognize that Tammy Bredy encompasses the true spirit an NRA Woman. Tammy is a well-rounded individual who balances her family, career, community involvement and hobbies.
Family
On the surface, Tammy’s family seems like a typical family. It is not until you have a conversation with her that you find out the unique family dynamic. She grew up in a family where her father was an avid bird hunter and made a living as a big-game hunting guide. She was raised in a home full of guns and surrounded by hunters. “I never knew life without guns!” she said.
With an exciting life of guns, hunting and immersion into the outdoors, Tammy wanted to continue that lifestyle into adulthood. This included finding a husband and starting a family who was willing to join in her outdoor pursuits.
Tammy was off to a good start when she met her future husband, Jim, a pilot and biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (now for 39 years). Tammy knew that the adventure was going to continue. She often was able to join Jim on the job, which took them flying throughout North America, including Canada and Mexico, conducting wildlife surveys, captures and being involved in various biological missions. Fortunately for Tammy, she was allowed to accompany Jim on some of his exciting adventures.
Tammy’s family continued the adventurous lifestyle with this remarkable NRA Woman. She taught each of her kids—two sons and a daughter—how to hunt, fish, backpack, ski, horseback ride, as well as how to survive in the backcountry beginning as young as 5 years old.
If you are thinking, “That’s no big deal, I taught my kids how to do all those things at an early age as well,” just do not try to “one-up” this lady. Her daughter, Holly Holm, is a champion UFC fighter and a Mixed Martial Artist (MMA). She holds 19 world title belts in boxing and is in the Boxing Hall of Fame! When she’s not competing, Holly finds time to spend with her mom in the outdoors shooting and fishing.
When Tammy and Jim’s three granddaughters were born, Tammy was already planning to turn them into independent and strong outdoor women—like she did with her own kids. Tammy introduced these young ladies to outdoor sports. Because her granddaughters were taught to love the outdoors at an early age, her oldest granddaughter, Aspen, is a wild land firefighter in New Mexico.
Career
Tammy keeps busy with several jobs. Currently she works at the Mariposa Ranch on the Southfork near Cody. This job is what many of us would call a “dream job.” Her duties include being the shotgun, rifle and handgun instructor, conducting “shoots” at the ranch, and overseeing the safety and success of all shooting activities. She is also an archery instructor and a fly-fishing instructor for the ranch.
She is also responsible for certifying guests in various disciplines, including Hunter Education as well as Bow Hunter Education. It gets better. On top of these certifications that she teaches, this woman of many talents is a Certified Snow Ski Instructor. Tammy instructs new skiers on the Telemark (“heel-first”) and Alpine (“regular”) ski styles.
Tammy said she enjoys mentoring new shooters in the different disciplines on the rifle, pistol, shotgun and archery ranges, and has made a name for herself on the range, like she does everywhere she gets involved. She routinely conducts a “Gun Safety Talk” that is affectionately known as “Tammy Talks.”
Community Involvement
Tammy is a member of the “Rocky Mountain Big Game Recovery” organization. This organization is made up of volunteers who have trained and experienced Tracking Dogs, to assist hunters to ethically and lawfully recover big game animals. If a hunter is sure or thinks that they hit their animal and cannot locate it, this is when Tammy and her black lab Meg are called upon and spring into action by request of the hunter.
Tammy is also an “Becoming an Outdoors-Woman” (BOW) Instructor. Since I was the BOW Coordinator for Texas for almost 30 years, I know how time-consuming this can be. Tammy is a BOW firearms instructor as well as a hunting mentor. She is particularly proud when she gets to mentor first-time lady hunters on their first hunt, especially when they are successful.
In addition to being a BOW Instructor, Tammy is certified in the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP), introducing kids to archery. She also belongs to the National Field Archery Association (NFAA) and is a decorated competitor.
Once again this very busy lady does not stop there with her community involvement. She is also a coach for the Junior Olympic Archery Development (JOAD) Program. Tammy helped all three of her granddaughters through their archery journey with this organization.
Hobbies
Believe it or not, with all Tammy has going, she still finds time to enjoy some hobbies. She still loves to hunt and fish whenever she gets a chance. Her favorite hobby is upland game hunting for pheasant, chukar, grouse and quail.
Tammy also has taken some large wild turkey. As far as big game goes, she has taken Alaskan Caribou and a Roosevelt Elk that made it into the Boone and Crockett (B&C) magazine. On top of that, she is also a competitive archer and has won several national medals.
Tammy recognizes the importance of staying fit and exercising. “If I did not stay fit, I could not enjoy the things I love to do!” she said. It is not uncommon for this busy lady to grab her gear, hook up her mini camper at the drop of a hat, and tackle a new adventure whenever the opportunity arises to get outdoors and hit the field, lake, mountain trail or shooting range.
After meeting this remarkable NRA Woman, all I could think was, “Wow, I thought I was busy!” I do not hold a “patch” to this woman. I am very proud that I got to meet an individual like Tammy that emboldens what it means to be an NRA Woman.
When you are traveling or on vacation, take the time to meet others and have a conversation with them. You never know who you will meet along the way. You just might meet a new friend—someone like Tammy Bredy who might inspire you to be a better person by learning how to enjoy life as another outdoor enthusiast and likeminded NRA Woman.
