Montana Woods N Water August 2016 Print Edition

James Woody with his first pike! Next on James’s list is a Tiger Musky.

James wants to be a game warden when he grows up.

I also hear him and Ledger Fortner are old fishing buddies.

Brandi thanks for sharing James’s first pike. Keep those kids on the water and in the woods...make some memories!

Publisher’s Notes Say a prayer for our firefighters, first responders and those that have lost their homes and possessions during these latest fires.

What’s Inside

Hunting Fishing In less than thirty days we will be taking our bows for a Trapping walk and grouse will start hitting the oven/skillet. For Contest some, elk tenderloin is on the menu. For those that Patriot were drawn for those coveted tags…congratulations you Montana Dan lucky dogs.

Sportsman’s Meditation Huckleberries are starting to wain but there are still plenty to be found, so get out there and Outdoor Politics pick yourself a few for later this winter. Gardens are giving up their bounty and canning/ Shooting freezing is in full swing. August is also time for fairs, rodeos, demolition derbies, cookouts, Tony Rebo Unleashed camping, tailgating, etc. It will be gone before you know it, so make hay while the sun shines.

Fly Fishing Ad sales fell this month and that is not a good sign. Businesses and families are struggling to Next Gen/Local Celebs keep food on the table and the monthly bills paid. I feel this fall could be some tough times Outdoor Tech for the United States.

Recipe Kids are headed back to school soon, so please slow down around school zones. Shop locally Mountain Memories when you can to support your local businesses, they depend on you as we depend on them.

Snagging season for Salmon is next month so start thinking about that as well. Get those bows out if you haven’t already. Don’t wait until the last minute to make sure everything is working properly and safely. The bow shops will be getting very busy so don’t expect a fast turn around the week before opening day. Stay hydrated if you are out scouting. Make sure you are physically ready for the checks you are writing with your body.

As you can see this month’s issue is a little thinner as advertising sales fell a little this month. I have had several inquiries about doing subscriptions and I would love to do it. However, if ad sales continue to fall I don’t want to be on the hook to refund subscriptions. Advertising drives the boat every month and often times I have to go into my pocket to make Montana Woods N Water happen.

Get out there and enjoy the summer, fishing is still good and the water is just right for a swim. Cook up those last year venison and elk steaks, it’s about time refill the freezer. Just be safe out there whether in the woods or on the water. Watch those sparks and flames, our poor fire fighters have enough on their plate already.

Raf Viniard ~ Publisher Guest Writers This Month: Judy Woolley, Green Decoys, Page 10 Quotes on bottom of pages 22 & 28 were provided by Rita Huebschman Cover Photo: He’s Getting Ready Are You? Buck In Velvet by Robin K Ha’o - Is she getting good or what? Follow Robin on Face book @ https://www.facebook.com/jagerbunny?fref=ts

To Contact Us: Montana Woods N Water 171 Clark Creek Loop Plains, Montana 59859 406-407-0612 Email: raf@montanawoodsnwater.com www.montanawoodsnwater.com

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Seen On Blog Only Bobber Boy and Fly Man www.montanawoodsnwater.com/Blog

Staff Publisher/Editor/Layout/Sales: Raf - 406-407-0612 Photographer Robin K Ha’o

Pro Staff Writers This Month: Chuck Stranahan Pastor Jim Sinclair Dan Helterline Tony Rebo Carol Cady Nathan Albertson Lori Goodman

Editorial Policy: Montana Woods N Water (MWW) reserves the right to refuse to publish any form of content that does not include the author’s name, complete mailing address, and/or valid phone number or e-mail address.

Anonymous submissions will not be addressed or published. MWW reserves the right not to publish anything we feel is not in good taste or appropriate. All content, material and graphics designed by Montana Woods N Water are copyrighted.

HUNTING

Unreasonable Expectations by Nathan Albertson I was once told the number one issue that causes problems and consternation within an interpersonal relationship is unreasonable expectations. Perhaps, Person A expects Person B to behave in a way or manner that is completely contrary to the very nature of Person B. We could then say, Person A has an unreasonable expectation and we could even further state, there is a very high likelihood this will cause Person A to be disappointed in some form or fashion.

Since I heard this enlightening news, regarding unreasonable expectations, I began examining my own life and discovering that seems to be true. Not only is it applicable to interpersonal relationships, but I also have discovered, it holds true even on a personal level, especially when it comes to my passion for being outdoors.

The most recent occurrence was this past spring turkey season. Try as I might, no matter how much I wished it so, two adults and two children tromping through the turkey woods does not lend well to sneaking in on gobbling turkeys! Even when we managed to stop and get set up before we were too close, tucking in the children behind a tree seemed to invariably lead to an over eager tom busting me while I was still in the open! The first day I had expected to kill a turkey, that was, frankly, unreasonable. Every day after that, I simply hoped to kill a turkey. It did not change our success much. Nevertheless, we sure enjoyed laughing at ourselves and the rookie mistakes, which were made by both the rookies and those of us who were old hands.

What expectations do you have for this hunting season?

My unreasonable expectations had an early start in my hunting career. I can still remember lying awake the night before opening day, conjuring up every possible way a Midwest monster whitetail, blissfully ignorant of my presence, would skulk into view on a sunny, cold, and frosty morning. Lying in bed, I could literally close my eyes and watch the sun shimmer off the weeds and tree limbs as the air warmed. Then, quietly, I would watch, as this mass of muscle and exposed bone would carefully place his hoof upon the trail coming straight to me, trailing a hot doe that had passed by unseen in the predawn hours. The steam would rise from his wet black nostrils, and his shoulders would ripple with the heavy muscle and hide of a mature white tail. Again, unreasonable expectations for a young feller who had never even seen a whitetail buck much wider than his ears in real life!

Youngsters are not the only ones prone to such foolishness. As I gained some hunting experience in the Midwest, I thought all whitetails were created equal. The first year I hunted whitetails in Montana, my expectations were very high and I can remember telling an acquaintance about a nice four-by-four I had passed up on opening day. When he asked why I did not shoot it, I gave some foolish excuse about only wanting to shoot whitetails with at least five points on one side. Looking back, I have to groan and laugh simultaneously; as I think of some deer, I passed on and the tag soup which resulted. I had arbitrarily chosen a “trophy status� based upon a single standard, instead of understanding the genetics, food sources, minerals, and hunting pressure of Western public land whitetails versus Midwestern private land whitetails; once more, unreasonable expectations.

It pains me to admit this, but my physical ability has suffered over the past twenty years. I cannot, realistically, expect to cover a subsix-minute mile as I once could. This too must be kept in mind when planning on packing in an elk or sheep camp or hunting a high ridge. If I grossly underestimate the time it will take me to hump up a hill early in the morning, I may find my plans have significantly gone awry by mid-day. I would like to think I now hunt smarter instead of harder like I once did, but if I were to be honest with you, that too would be an unreasonable expectation! Continued on page 9.

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FISHING

Halfway House Bar & Grill Bull Lake Fishing Derby Report

By Raf Viniard Aug 6 & 7th thirty -seven anglers merged on Bull Lake to take the prize money. By looking at the leader board to the left looks like we have some winners!

Josh Powell

Pictured Left: Logan Lindsey with a whopper 8.2 pound Pike!

That fish took second place money! Now is that a smile or what? Congrats Logan! Pictured right is Logan’s brother Timothy Lindsey with the same fish. That was very nice of you Logan to share your success with your brother.

Logan Lindsey

Dean Web

James Little

Ellis Stewart

Remington Little w/two envelopes of money!

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TRAPPING

It’s Bad for Wildlife, Bad for Ranchers, and Bad for Montana

by Paul C Fielder Remember that title if it’s the only thing you remember from this article. Animal Rights activists have an initiative on the fall election ballot that would ban all trapping on all public lands in Montana. This is the first step towards whittling down our hunting opportunities and our other uses of our public lands. Vote No on Initiative 177. If you don’t vote, this ought to be good enough reason to get to the county courthouse and register to vote.

Montana’s rich constitutionally protected heritage of hunting, fishing and trapping, is also the most effective means for controlling dangerous predators, preventing the spread of disease and protecting wildlife and livestock from an exploding wolf population. Animal rights activists want to use I-177 to take these decisions away from Montana’s wildlife experts.

Here’s why I-177 is bad for Montana: I-177 is bad for wildlife, costly for cattle and sheep ranchers, bad for taxpayers, and even dangerous for pets and people too!

I-177 would ban one of the most effective methods for controlling wolves, coyotes, and other predators to protect Montana’s elk, moose and deer populations, as well as livestock.

Roughly 40% of all wolves harvested in Montana were taken by trapping with nearly half taken on public lands. Without trapping on public lands, wolf numbers will skyrocket causing damage to other wildlife, livestock, and even posing a safety risk to pets and people.

I-177 would pose a significant public health and disease risk such as rabies, plague and attacks on pets and people, especially young children.

I-177 is being pushed by the animal rights and anti-hunting lobby whose real agenda is to ban all trapping and all hunting. Montana’s expert wildlife biologists need regulated trapping to continue to protect wildlife, livestock, pets and people.

That is why I-177 is opposed by Montana’s major sportsmen’s organizations, cattle and sheep ranchers, wildlife management professionals, and more.

I-177 will cost at least $422,000 in taxpayer money every year for the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks to do the same things that trappers currently buy a license to do.

I-177 would not allow any trapping until after damage or even a tragedy has occurred, and even then, not until non-lethal methods have been tried and documented to be unsuccessful. Meanwhile, dangerous predator populations will continue to grow unchecked.

Regulated trapping under existing laws is an essential tool for Montana’s wildlife experts, and dates back to the time of Lewis and Clark. It is a cherished family tradition like hunting, fishing, and camping. Let’s keep it that way.

Vote No on I-177 so Animal Rights activists can’t restrict our use of public lands for any reason! Montana’s public lands belong to everyone, are big enough for everyone to enjoy.

Even current Governor Bullock declared that “Recreational trapping is important to many Montanans and is also a recognized tool for wildlife management”. Governor candidate Greg Gianforte agrees I-177 would be a horrible mistake for Montana. Greg is a lifetime member of the Montana Trappers Association and backed up his words with a $10,000 donation to help defeat I-177 and protect good wildlife management and sportsmen opportunities in Montana.

If I-177 passes, wolf numbers will skyrocket and big game populations will suffer. The extremely limited trapping allowed under I-177 can only be done at increased tax payer expense by government employees, and then only AFTER damage to livestock and property has occurred. That is crazy! By the way, under current law, trapping is already prohibited within National Parks and Wildlife Refuges, in many recreational areas, and near high use public trails. But that’s not enough for activists who want to eliminate sportsmen’s use on ALL public lands. Continued on page 6.

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TRAPPING CONTINUED Finally, the animal rights activists that support I-177 cunningly quote an old trapper who used methods 50 years ago that are illegal under today’s existing laws. Plus, they quote activists in Europe to justify public land restrictions in Montana. Animal rights leader Wayne Pacelle declared "We are going to use the ballot box and the democratic process to stop all hunting in the United States”.

Do not believe that I-177 won’t affect hunting in Montana. Vote NO on I-177. It is bad for wildlife, bad for ranchers, and bad for Montana.

Your kids and grandkids will thank you.

Wolf Trapper Class MFWP will host a wolf trapper certification class on Saturday, August 27 from 9:00AM until 3:00PM at the FWP Region 2 Office.

3201 Spurgin Road, Missoula, MT Classes are free. If interested register online at fwp.mt.gov. Follow the links to “Hunter Education”. There is another class in Bozeman Aug 13 and in Kalispell December 10th.

Publisher Note: I took this class last year and it was very informative and worth the sit. To really hone your wolf trapping skills or trapping skills in general seek out a local wolf trapper in your area to mentor under.

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CONTEST

New Contest - Engraved Log Bed Giveaway Montana Woods N Water has teamed up with George Nass of Baldy Mountain Log Furniture and Mike & Kristin Maxwell of New Life Carving to give away a handmade queen size log bed with a mountain lion engraved on the footboard. The bed does not come with a box spring or mattress and must be picked up in Plains or you are responsible for paying for the shipping and handling if you win it. Retails for $1,000.00+

So how do you win this bed?

In 200 words or less tells us why you love to read/follow Montana Woods N Water. Your entry has to be emailed to: Raf@montanawoodsnwater.com no later than 30 September 2016.

Legible hand written letters will be accepted and should be mailed to MWNW, 171 Clark Creek Loop, Plains, MT 59859.

Contest ends 1 October 2016 and the winner will be announced on Facebook and in the October issue. Mike, Kristin and George will judge all entries and decide the winner.

If you have any questions or would like to order matching night stands, dressers, chesters, coffee table, end tables, etc. contact George Nass at Baldy Mountain Log Furniture, see ad to right for his number. For your wood carving needs call Mike or Kristen at New Life Carving, see ad to left for number. Many different engravings styles available.

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HUNTING CONTINUED Those unreasonable expectations can sneak up and bite you too. Sometimes it is due to a communication problem with an outfitter. Then there is that opportunity to go on a long DIY hunt with a fellow you do not know very well, only to find out that person is not now, nor will they ever be the person you would choose to hunt with again. How about the “bombproof packhorse” you bought that really was not either one? Consider the newest Gee Whizz Golly Be Gobsmack’em Magnum you bought, was it really THAT much better than your trusty .300 Winchester Magnum? And how many of us have put those “bargain mudders” on our trusty four-wheel drive, only to find out too late and six miles past the point you should have turned around when your spouse warned you, that they pack up with mud instead of shedding it and biting in like they should? Our unreasonable expectations can take on many forms.

Oh sure, many, many years down the road, those unreasonable expectations can make the best stories to tell around the campfire. However, more often than not they cause frustration, which causes quarreling, cussing, irritation, and sometimes, unfortunately, broken relationships and friendships. It is the way we are wired, we sure hope and want the absolute best, the storybook ending, only to find out life is real and there are trials all along the way. Rarely are those trials insurmountable, but they are usually inconvenient and occasionally they tax our strength, finances, and especially patience.

I have found if I am wholly trusting upon myself or another person to meet a benchmark or achieve a goal, I will usually be disappointed by a fallible human being who plays an integral part in the plan. Instead of trying to be the center of my own universe (and failing multiple ways, multiple times) I must concentrate on my Almighty Creator. At times though, we can have had unreasonable expectations of who He is. For many years, I treated Him more like a genie in a bottle, available at my beck and call in an emergency, but conveniently “stuffed in a Bible” when life was going well and wasn’t catastrophic. Some have asked Him to save the lives of loved ones, unrealistically expecting Him to allow them to live forever, despite the very sinful nature of all humanity, which resulted after the fall in the Garden of Eden. Still others have even asked Him to bring back friends and loved ones from the dead, like Lazarus, forgetting even he too eventually died a permanent death.

Unrealistic expectations, they can be the bane of many well-laid plans and

Some days, unreasonable expectations evolve into good intentions. Perhaps we would do well to understand the people in our hopeful adventure! lives are not perfect, we must extend grace and forgiveness to them at all times, but especially in times of trials and errors. We ourselves must be willing to admit our own personal limitations and retire those superhero capes we wore as children into our adolescent youth and young adulthood. Most importantly, we should not insist in leaning upon our own understanding, but always remember to, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6).

As you prepare for the hunting season this fall, I hope you are able to avoid those unreasonable expectations, which plague us from time to time. Often times, one of the greatest ways to improve our chances of reducing those unreasonable expectations is to improve our communication and educate ourselves and increase our knowledge upon the subject to which we endeavor. I have found, time and again, these are two very effective tools at combatting unreasonable expectations, be it with interpersonal relationships with fellow human beings or with the Almighty Himself. Happy hunting and may God bless you and yours.

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PATRIOT

Beware the Green Decoys

By Judy Woolley As sportsmen and hunters, what comes to mind when we think of decoys? Big, plastic geese? Small, wooden ducks? Trophy-size bull elk and buck deer that Fish & Game has used to catch unscrupulous, after-hours hunters? Sure, there are more kinds but allow me to write about another type of decoy – the Green Decoy.

Liberal progressives have perfected a means of fooling a lot of people by infiltrating various sportsmen’s and angler’s groups; and the media then uses the quotes coming from these groups as solid, “reasonable” statements as if they represent hunters’ and anglers’ views.

For example, have you ever heard of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership? Doesn’t that have a nice ring to it? We all know Teddy loved hunting and the outdoors. Well, this is a group that is heavily funded by Chicago-based Joyce Foundation which has spent millions on anti-gun, anti-energy and pro-labor union policies. President Obama used to serve on its board. Additionally, labor bosses gave TRCP $1.2 million to “lure gun owning union members away from the National Rifle Association”.

Then there’s the Izaak Walton League which was started in 1922 by 54 anglers. In more recent years, the League has taken millions of dollars to promote anti-gun causes; and it supports limited world population numbers, amongst other non-fishing issues such as attacking coal power plants in the United States, and promoting alternative “clean” energy while pushing for a trading system of renewable energy credits. They received over $4 million from San Francisco-based Energy Foundation for a variety of anti-coal, pro-wind energy campaigns in the Midwest.

Doesn’t the name Backcountry Hunters and Anglers sound like an organization many of us could join with a clean conscience? Think again. The executive director is a man named Land Tawney who has helped raise and spend over a million dollars to help defeat Denny Rehberg in his last run for office while he publically supported the re-election of Obama. His group claims to represent hunters but gets most of its funding from three liberal foundations and he supports massive federal land grabs.

Trout Unlimited. We’ve all heard about that organization, right? Isn’t it wonderful that fly fishermen were committed to preserving American’s trout streams and keeping the trout population healthy? Yeah, well, that’s not their focus today.

As with many of the Green Decoy organizations, TU has morphed into a radical environmentalist movement with campaigns against energy production, even opposing the Keystone XL pipeline. Money has poured in from foundations headed by familiar names – Ted Turner, (Teresa) Heinz, and others. Its leadership is liberal and its president, Christopher Wood, was a member of Obama’s 2008 Transition Team.

There’s more information available at GreenDecoys.com if you can stomach it. It is incumbent that we outdoor sportsmen know what’s what in the world of these old or pleasantsounding organizations. Please research an organization before becoming a member, delve more deeply in their current causes and board members if you are considering a membership. Be cautious who you support as many organizations have done a 180 on their causes and are out to destroy our very way of life and choice of recreation.

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MONTANA DAN

Tuna Time

by Dan Helterline

Last month I mentioned I was going on a tuna fishing trip with my brother Nick on my 50th birthday.

Well I'm officially half a century old and I got another trip checked off my bucket list. I have wanted to go on a Albacore Tuna trip off the Washington coast for quite some time but working as a smokejumper and spending my summers on fires doesn't exactly lend itself to fishing trips in July and August, especially ones that require a time commitment and a non-refundable deposit to reserve the trip. For many years I would listen to several retired smokejumpers tell me about the tuna trips they would take out of Westport Washington every other year and the coolers of Albacore Tuna fillets they would always bring home. I promised myself that this would be one of the first trips I would take once I joined the ranks of the retired and had my summers to do as I pleased and not what Uncle Sam dictated.

That long awaited summer has finally arrived and I kept my promise to myself to make the trip to Westport and try my hand at Albacore fishing. The retired smokejumpers that I spoke of earlier always booked with the same boat and captain every time they went and for good reason, Dave Gowan has been fishing out of Westport for over 35 years and his 50 foot boat the Ms Magoo is arguably one of the most successful boats in the Westport fleet, so successful in fact it difficult to book a spot. When I checked his website in January there was only a couple of openings, two of which fell on my birthday. I made two quick phone calls, the first to Ms Magoo's office to secure the last two openings on July 18 and the second to call my brother and tell him we were going tuna fishing!

July finally rolled around and I started to get excited about this long awaited trip, the morning of my first day being fifty, my truck was loaded with coolers, and I was headed to Westport and meet my brother. We had booked a two day trip, so we were supposed to leave the marina in the evening after loading up on the boat, we would then motor most of the night and arrive at the tuna grounds by morning.

We had a full day and half of the second day to fish before returning to the docks in Westport. I meet up with Nick a couple of hours before our scheduled departure time and had dinner and a few birthday beers before loading up and leaving the harbor that evening. Over half of the ten fisherman on board had fished on the Ms Magoo previously with several of them having multiple trips under their belt, so on the way out to the tuna grounds I had ample time to quiz these veterans what to expect when we got into the Albacore in the morning. We motored until about 1:00 am then the captain killed the diesel engines for the night, those of us still up settled into our bunks and tried to get a couple hours of sleep. The Eastern horizon was just starting to show a hint of light and the two deck hands were up starting the coffee pot and preparing the gear as Dave started the engines. We had only trolled what seemed like a short distance when the clicker on one of the reels started singing announcing we were into our first school of Albacore!

Our routine was we would troll with four rods out the back until a tuna hit one of the lures indicating we had located a school. One person would start fighting the freshly hooked tuna while the rest of the fisherman grabbed rods and hooked on live bait from the tank at the back of boat. With the boat out of gear everyone would let their lively hooked bait over the rail on the upwind side of the boat, you tried to get the liveliest possible out of the tank. A good bait would pull line off your reel while it was in free spool and it wasn't long before your line would start to accelerate off your reel indicating that a tuna had just grabbed your bait and was headed for Japan. It was then just a matter of pushing the lever drag forward to engage the reel and begin your battle. Continued on page 12.

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MONTANA DAN CONTINUED The tuna were in sizable schools and it wasn't uncommon to have five or six hooked up at once, it was the deckhands main job to manage the fisherman fighting tuna up and down the rail helping them avoid tangles. The only way I can describe it is semi controlled chaos, fisherman moving up and down the rail going over or under other fisherman until the got their quarry near the surface at which time you would yell “color� and hopefully a deckhand would come running with a gaf to get your tuna on board!

This mayhem would last up to what seemed like an hour and as soon as the bite slowed Dave would yell reel em up and we would be on the move to locate another school. The trolling rods would then go back out and the deckhands would feverishly work to get the tuna below on ice and hose the blood of the slippery deck. Most of the fisherman would head into the cabin to catch a little break until the clicker on one of the trolling rods sounded off and announced our next stop on the tuna tour. Not only were there tuna surrounding the boat but sharks had also joined the party to take advantage of the hooked Albacore and several tuna were landed missing their back half! At our fourth stop we were really sacking the fish and Dave had the deckhands count the fish the crew had landed so far, one of them said we were around 160, and after Dave did some math in his head he announced we were done. There is no numerical limit on Albacore in Washington so you fish until the boat is full and we had reached that point, the captain had to radio a commercial boat that was in the vicinity to bring us some ice so we could ice your catch and make it back to port with them in good condition.

I think it was about 11:30 the first morning and we were done and headed in, I could sense some relief in the crew, we had just caught 160 hard fighting tuna in five hours and everyone was whipped! What was supposed to be a two day trip was cut short because we were all such dam good fishermen! The deckhands spent the run back to Westport filleting everyone's fish so when we pulled into port we were ready to unload our catch into our personal coolers and hit the road. I made it home at 3:00 am the following morning and was up at 6:00 to start canning tuna. I never in a million years thought retirement would be this hard!

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SPORTSMAN’S MEDITATION

Balancing Knowledge and Wisdom

By Pastor Jim Sinclair

The bible teaches us that in the last days Knowledge will increase, Daniel 12: 4 But you, Daniel, keep this prophecy a secret; seal up the book until the time of the end, when many will rush here and there, and knowledge will increase." (NLTse) I’m not trying to predict when the end will be, but it’s safe to say that knowledge is increasing, things we buy today are outdated in a very short time. Technology is skyrocketing.

Knowledge is a wonderful thing, but applied knowledge which is called wisdom is a must.

Solomons Wise Judgement. 1 Kings 3:16-28 16 Some time later two prostitutes came to the king to have an argument settled. 17 "Please, my lord," one of them began, "this woman and I live in the same house. I gave birth to a baby while she was with me in the house. 18 Three days later this woman also had a baby. We were alone; there were only two of us in the house.

19 "But her baby died during the night when she rolled over on it. 20 Then she got up in the night and took my son from beside me while I was asleep. She laid her dead child in my arms and took mine to sleep beside her. 21 And in the morning when I tried to nurse my son, he was dead! But when I looked more closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn't my son at all."

22 Then the other woman interrupted, "It certainly was your son, and the living child is mine."

"No," the first woman said, "the living child is mine, and the dead one is yours." And so they argued back and forth before the king.

23 Then the king said, "Let's get the facts straight. Both of you claim the living child is yours, and each says that the dead one belongs to the other. 24 All right, bring me a sword." So a sword was brought to the king.

25 Then he said, "Cut the living child in two, and give half to one woman and half to the other!"

26 Then the woman who was the real mother of the living child, and who loved him very much, cried out, "Oh no, my lord!

Give her the child—please do not kill him!"

But the other woman said, "All right, he will be neither yours nor mine; divide him between us!"

27 Then the king said, "Do not kill the child, but give him to the woman who wants him to live, for she is his mother!"

28 When all Israel heard the king's decision, the people were in awe of the king, for they saw the wisdom God had given him for rendering justice. (NLTse) The Wise Old Man Richard was a wise old man, he had retired and had bought a modest home near a junior high school. He spent the first few weeks of his retirement in peace, quiet and contentment. Then a new school year began. The very next afternoon three young boys, full of youthful, after-school enthusiasm, came down his street, beating merrily on every trash can they encountered.

The crashing percussion continued day after day, until finally Richard decided it was time to take some action. The next afternoon, he walked out to meet the young 'percussionists' as they banged their way down the street. Stopping them, he said, 'You kids are pretty cool. I like to see you express your exuberance like that. In fact, I used to do the same thing when I was your age. Will you do me a favor? I'll give you each a dollar if you'll promise to come around every day and do your thing.'

The kids were elated and continued to do a bang-up job on the trashcans. After a few days, the old-timer greeted the kids again, but this time he had a sad smile on his face. 'This recession is really putting a big dent in my income,' he told them.

'From now on, I'll only be able to pay you 50 cents to beat on the cans.' The noisemakers were obviously displeased, but they accepted his offer and they continued their afternoon ruckus. Continued on page 22.

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OUTDOOR POLITICS

Greg Gianforte For Governor...

A Candidate Sportsmen Can Get Behind?

By Raf Viniard In November we get the chance to vote to either keep the existing governor or make a change. Since I had already seen Governor Bullock in action or lack thereof I wanted to personally check out Greg Gianforte who is running to be our next Governor. I arranged a one on one interview up in Kalispell with Greg to see if he fit the mold of a typical politician or really was the Montana sportsman he claimed to be.

Montana Governor candidate Greg Gianforte and Senator I had my list of questions all made out covering a Daines out doing a little wolf hunting. wide array of topics and spoke with some local sportsmen about issues that they felt needed to be addressed before the meeting. Anytime you sit down with a politician or a candidate you expect the run around or vague answers when asking them a question. Not with Greg!

Greg is very intelligent and a very successful businessman but to speak with him you would think you are talking to just another community member or a fellow sportsman. He fully understands the challenges ahead of him to make the changes needed. Greg is an outsider funding his own campaign and he and his family are avid outdoorsmen.

Greg knows we need new leadership at the top to address issues with the Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks and other job creating initiatives and opportunities that are holding the fine people of Montana back. Montana has an abundance of resources that need to be tapped to keep locals working and provide a future for the next generation of Montanan’s so they don’t have to leave Montana to find good paying jobs.

Greg is a life member of the Montana Trappers Association and has a avid passion for the outdoors. He is very pro-second Amendment and swears to uphold the Constitution. Greg is tired of our current leadership pandering to out of state interest and believes only Montana residents should have a say over our resources and our way of life. He wants to bring common sense back and develop our resources that we have right here in Montana. His Christian values is his guide and a sincere desire to help his fellow Montanans.

If you are a sportsman and tired of the same old “BS” coming out of Helena then you may need to look at Greg more closely to be your next governor of Montana. Greg says he will fight for all Montanans and especially hard for the timber, mining, ranching industries. Do your own research on Greg or call Greg yourself if you have any questions. Call Greg at 406-270-3287 or email him at Greg@gregformontana.com. Since he is on the road campaigning a lot you can also call Ron Catlett his Deputy Communication Director (Press Secretary) @ 406 -270-3287 or email him at Ron@gregformontana.com with your questions/comments. You can also visit his webpage at www.gregformontnana.com. Ron was very helpful in addressing any follow-up questions I had.

With 15 elk under his belt, killed a bear with a bow, harvested a mountain lion, a passion for fly fishing, an avid waterfowler and trapper just to name a few. I don’t think anyone can say he is not for the sports men and women of Montana. By the way, he loves to hunt wolves but has not connected yet…but he is still trying and looking forward to making the connection.

Greg with his daughter Rachel, who I hear is a good trapper as well.

I was going to do this big write up covering all the things he stands for and what he wants to change. However, this is a hunting, fishing and trapping publication so I wanted to stay on topic. Words are great but sometimes pictures are worth a thousand words, you decide. Most importantly get out and vote. If Greg is your man then show him you aren’t all talk or just a whiner, fill out that ballot or head to the polls this November 8th and vote.

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SHOOTING SPORTS

Gunner Swanson Takes the 2016 Big Sky I-Net Award

By Raf Viniard Gunner Swanson wins the Top Sub – JR Shooter Award. He competed against other shooters in his age bracket from Montana, Wyoming, Idaho and Washington.

I asked Gunner what makes shooting trap so much fun and he stated, “ As a trap shooter I get to shoot stuff and a lot of it!” During the Thompson Falls shoot on 17 July at the Thompson Falls Range, Digger Powell had Gunner step forward in front of his peers to accept the award. Gunner went on to say, I learned from the best (as he points to Digger) and wherever Digger goes I go.” Gunner also plays football, basketball and baseball. I asked him did he like trap shooting or the one of the other sports better. Coaches you might want to stop reading here. Gunner is hooked on Trap Shooting. I believe we will see this young man’s name in marquee again soon and his future is looking bright not only as a shooter but as a team player in whatever he does in life. His Dad Lars Swanson was one proud Dad as the award was presented.

The day’s shoot started off with a bang, so to speak and after the awards presentation, a break for lunch and the hulls started hitting the ground again. I noticed more women are getting into this sport as I travel from one shoot to another. Guys don’t think for a second these ladies can’t handle a 12 gauge. If they tell you to stop or they will shoot I highly advise you to freeze, after all they can hit a little orange disk as it flies through the air.

Top Left Going Counter Clockwise: Judy Taylor gets ready to yell “Pull”. Yep and another one bits the dust! Helen Durgin bears down on the target and turns it into little pieces. Becky Oxford lines it all up, takes aim and gets another mark for a dead bird. Georgia Owneby from Idaho putting the smack down on a clay bird.

Georgia is a regular at most of these shoots I attend.

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SHOOTING SPORTS CONTINUED

6th Annual 2016 Safari Rifle Challenge, Libby, MT

By Raf Viniard What did you say? Yeah I still have the ringing in my ears from the boom of big bore rifles. When I say big I mean big. Shooters from Canada, Montana, Idaho, Texas, Alaska, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Washington, Oregon and Colorado all signed up for the punishment of big bore shooting.

Contest such as Shooting Gallery, Charging Lion, Fast Blast, Fleeing Buffalo and many other shooting games tested each of their skills. Several shooters used open sights rather than optics to acquire their target more quickly. Shooting these big bore rifles i.e., 458 Win Mags, 450 Nitors, 416’s, 375’s one time would be too much for most, how about shooting these big guns up to five times in a row as fast as you can get the shot off, accurately of course. These big bores are pushing a 4 to 500 grain piece of lead down range.

Oh and don’t even think this is just a man’s sport, the Montana ladies stepped right up and pulled the trigger on these big guns just like the men. Pictured left is Jennifer Ginn of Stevensville, MT and Lori Ginn of Hamilton, MT. The youth shooting club members acted as runners, scoring targets, changing out targets and other tasks at hand to move the shoot along.

These young men stayed on the move! Pictured left is runners Issac O’Rourke and Nate Pomeroy both of Libby, MT The pressure was on but Joe Tusick of Havre, MT (pictured below) with his 375 Mauser nailed the Fleeing Buffalo almost dead center after he had already shot a 10” 50 yard metal gong. He made it look easy.

Pictured left are James and Steve Schnackenberg of Libby, MT. James shoots a 375 H & H and Dad shoots a 375 Ruger. Nothing like a day on the range shooting with your kids. Pictured right is Rod Harma and from what I hear this man lives for big bore rifles.

Rod was shooting a 416 Ruger.

Pictured left is Teddy Burford of McGrath, AK 458 Wing Mag with a 500 grain bullet and a 450 Nitro express with a 400 grain bullet. And I thought my 300 Win Mag was big.

This article continued on page 17.

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David Hartley of Libby, MT was on hand to sell his hand made knives. The handles were made from local antlers and all the leather sheaths were hand stitched. David uses 440 stainless for his blades. To purchase a handmade knife call him at 305-401-0346.

SHOOTING SPORTS CONTINUED Thompson Falls Shoot Continued: Just because you might have a disability or physical limitations doesn’t mean you can’t join in on the fun. Cliff Ownbey cannot stand for long periods of time and drags his stool from one station to another. He made those little orange clay birds evaporate from that stool so you can’t say it is too hard to do.

I want to thank the Thompson Falls Trap Club for an awesome lunch and Digger for inviting me to join them in celebrating Gunner’s big win. As always I have a great time watching and taking pictures of the shooters. Go to our web page to see more pictures I took at the event.

Feel free to download and use them at no charge. Congrats Gunner and a job well done!

Safari Challenge Continued: Walking around looking at some the vendors, Andy Larsson (pictured left) of Skinner Sights has something that every parishioner and traveler could use.

He had a “Concealed Carry Bible Cover” with a tag line of “Don’t let your “Parish”~ ”Perish. Now is that neat or what? Look up II Timothy 2:15.

Next was “the Skinner “HTF” Tactical “Garment Bag. I mean who steals clothes! To see all of their products go to www.skinnersights.com.

Andy’s son Dan Larsson won the event this year with a score of 197 out of 200 with his 375 H&H BRNO. Dan and his Dad are from St. Ignatius, MT. Pictured below are the last three years winners of the Libby Safari World Championship. Andy took the 2014 Notice Dan is shooting a right handed rifle, win, his good friend Sam Shaw won in 2015 and his son Dan took the 2016 win. Andy but he is left handed and still took the win! was proud of his son. Congrats Dan on your win.

A special thanks goes out to Jay and Kathleen Sheffield for their hospitality during the event. Jay and his associates worked very hard to make this event a success. If you would like to know more about this annual event call Jay at 406293-1188. A special thanks also goes out to the Knights of Columbus for catering this Dan Sam Andy event.

Another Local Celebrity

Justin Ryan of Plains, MT with a “Hoss” of a Pike. Looks like he was getting a little heavy to hold for this picture...right Justin?

Justin brought a piece of this fish over after he had cooked it...let me tell you, I was in heaven. Thanks for sharing your catch with us Justin, it was delicious!

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TONY REBO UNLEASHED

“How High Is The Water Momma?”

By Tony Rebo An old tune from Johnny Cash reminded me of an experience I had two weeks ago on the Clark Fork River. I am willing to share my experience in order to save someone else from beaching their boat. Oh yeah that caught your attention! I didn’t actually beach the boat, but ended up with my boat sitting on the shore line beached. The Clark Fork will fluctuate through the day and will drop up to 6 feet in a short time period.

We were camping down at Finley Flats and I was out fishing in the heat of the day. I returned to the shore about 4:30 wanting to take a break and have some supper before I returned to the river for an evening fishing trip. I had landed in the boat 6 pike that afternoon as the heat seemed to have no effect on the feeding fish. I was anxious to get back on the river thinking that the cooling evening temperature would be welcoming. I enjoyed a nice BBQ and a cold refreshing drink as I shared my earlier fishing adventure. At 6:00 I returned to my boat and was surprised to find it sitting on bare ground.

The river had dropped and left several boats sitting high and dry. Panic spread through the campground and soon there were several fishermen standing on the bank surveying the situation.

Now the site of several boats valued at several thousands of dollars sitting on the ground was just more than some could take. At first I thought I was surrounded by a group of intoxicated sailors. I am pretty sure I heard words that were just made up, but then again I heard things that would make a sailor blush. It seemed this display of cursing was contagious and it spread up and down the shoreline with each person trying to out curse the other. I felt obligated to join in and sounded off with my own cursing fit. Within seconds I felt the blow to the back of my head as my wife appeared from the shadows. As I was falling to the ground in slow motion I remember thinking “how did I miss the she lion lying in the tall grass waiting for me to screw up”.

Thank goodness for my wife and her ability to keep me from doing or saying something that I would later regret. She has the ability to always catch me just before I say something I shouldn’t. A perfect example of this is when I get the paw to the side of the head before I even say something. As my eyes are watering and I am trying to regain the feeling back to my face, she will have stated “I know what you were thinking and you better not say it”.

I am amazed at her mind reading ability, and there are times when I haven’t even thought of the bad thought when I receive the blow and the stern warning not to think the bad thought. I know mind blowing.

Anyway as I regained consciousness on the bank of the river, I noticed several of the cursing fishermen move away from my position and the cursing stopped. Now the focus was on getting the boats back into the water. Several guys would grab a boat and pull it from the shore line back to the water, and that worked well with all the small boats.

Several boats were much too large to muscle back to the water and would remain beached until the water came back up. This was the case with my boat. I stood on the bank and paced back and forth trying to come up with a solution to getting it back into the water so I could resume the great fishing that was before me. To no avail could I get that boat back in the water. I would just have to wait for the river to come back up, and that was all there was to it. I of course chose to wait in the boat so I would be the first one out on the water and fishing. The she lion shook her head as if that was a dumb idea and walked back into the tall grass. Good thing to as I was just about to let her know who the king of the jungle was. Continued on page 19.

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TONY REBO UNLEASHED CONTINUED My first night in the boat was a little uncomfortable, besides not having a sleeping bag and the darn mosquito’s I didn’t mind it that much. Now the next day with all the rain and lightning, I was a tad bit uncomfortable. Several times I had to bail from the boat as I feared from being struck by lightning. My sleeping bag was now wet from the rain and my back hurt from bailing water, but the bright side was I didn’t have any fear of sinking.

Finally on day three the river rose and my boat was back in water and I was ready to resume fishing. I was so proud of myself for sticking it out and now I would reap the rewards. Just as I was pulling out from the shore line, the she lion appeared on the bank and asked if I was going to load the boat so we could head home. Apparently the weekend was over and she was ready to head back to civilization. I opened my mouth to speak and BAM the paw to the back of the head, “Don’t even say it” came from the she lion.

On our way home my lovely wife told me that she had a wonderful relaxing weekend, and we should think about coming back next weekend.

Fellas here is my safety tip; Watch the water, it will drop within hours and could leave you in a bad spot and unable to fish. Most importantly though, keep an eye on the tall grass and watch for the she lion.

Have a great month enjoying the water and remember to keep your tip up!!!

Samanatha Johnson and her Dad Shon Johnson with a little Father-Daughter fishing action by Thompson Falls. Shon I think Samantha’s is bigger than yours...well at least she learned from the best! Thanks for sharing Cathy!

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FLY FISHING

Playing Big Fish

By Chuck Stranahan When I was just learning this game, an older, wiser angler told me, “Chuck, you’ll lose more big fish than you land. Don’t expect to land the first one you hook. The odds will creep up in your favor as you get the hang of it”. The odds have gone up, over the years, but still, the chance of losing that big fish, once he’s on, keeps the adrenaline flowing. The uncertainty is a big part of the thrill. I still lose my share.

Time the strike The first trick, with any big fish, is to get it on the hook.

Streamers are a good way to do that, any time of the season.

During the “dog days” of August, get out early. Comb the flats adjacent to deep holding water where big trout might be foraging for baitfish. This isn’t exotic fishing for experts only; big fish eat little fish all the time. The trick is to hook them when the strike occurs.

Reacting to the solid ta-tap or dull thud of a big trout hitting a streamer amounts to one thing: you have to be sudden, solid, Tony, grinning Jan and big Blackfoot Trout and sure, without overstriking. Separate your hands when your retrieve is interrupted. Move the rod to the right (assuming you’re right-handed) and your line hand to the left to make immediate solid contact. The sunken line responds to a direct pull better than an overhead lift, and the over-the-shoulder weak-and-too-late strike is eliminated.

A big fish will take a drifting nymph much as a smaller one will and the response from the angler is the same: lift quick until contact is made; you’ll find out soon whether you hooked a big one or not.

Later in the day, floating flies on the water present a different batch of problems to the dry fly angler. A couple of weeks ago my wife Jan and I celebrated our anniversary by floating the Blackfoot Canyon with Tony Reinhardt. Tony handles the outfitting chores for my fly shop in Hamilton and is one of the finest in the business.

By the time we were halfway through the canyon Jan had landed several nice fish on dry flies. I was genuinely happy for her.

My cheerleading and praises from the back of the boat had been sincere, but eventually I wanted to get in on it. My first opportunity came when a good-sized trout came out of the darkness beneath a mid-river ledge, slowly ascending toward my fly. It took – almost in slow motion – and I responded immediately. A big miss.

Too much adrenaline. Too quick a response. That big fish hadn’t even closed its mouth on the fly. When they come up slow and deliberate, as that one did, they close their mouths on the descent.

The rule: Time the strike to the rhythm of the rise. Quick splashy rise, quick response. Slower sipping rise, wait a nanosecond longer. Slow deliberate roll, slow deliberate strike. Easier said than done, sometimes, especially when anticipation is high and reflexes are rusty. A couple of fish later I managed to remember my own advice: I didn’t strike until even Tony was afraid I had waited too long; the fish was clearly headed for the bottom when I came up. This time I was hooked up – solid.

“Get ‘em on the reel!” This piece of bad advice, imbedded in our angling folklore, has cost countless anglers a lot of big fish. Continued on page 21.

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FLY FISHING CONTINUED My counsel is this: If a big fish wants you on the reel, he’ll put you on the reel. Trying to frantically wrap up all your slack line at the outset will more than likely get you into trouble. Usually the line is frozen under the index finger of the rod hand, and there is no way to react to sudden violence on the other end.

The rod tip shakes the line uncontrollably with each turn of the reel handle – a good way to shake the fish off.

Steady pressure is the requirement – not rapid-fire jerking on a taut line. When you strip, keep the pressure steady – and don’t step on your line.

Watch your rod angle Keep the rod at about a 45-degree angle to the fish. The rule is this: the fish gets the tip as a shock absorber; you get leverage with the butt. When the fish runs or jumps, salute him with the rod. Lift the rod again as the run or jump ends. And don’t go fiddling with the drag on the reel. Set it initially for easy stripping of line with no overrun. When needed, add to that moderate amount of drag by gingerly and gradually applying finger pressure to the spool. Practice this on dry land with a friend before trying it on the stream: you’ll be surprised at how very little finger pressure on the rim seems to compound itself by the time it reaches the fish. The object here is to add just enough resistance to slow the fish down – not give it a whiplash. If the fish is headed away from you it has the advantage, and overreaction on your part will likely end in a breakoff.

Side pressure eventually tires this big fish

Side pressure My big fish on the Blackfoot turned out to be a battle-scarred veteran of the angling wars. He did everything he could to get rid of me: he swam upstream under the ledge came up from, he ran downstream toward rocks that would surely saw off the leader, he dogged it on the bottom, at the end he tried to run under the boat. Continued on page 22 21

FLY FISHING CONTINUED Every time, my response was the same: side pressure with the rod, applied in the opposite direction to his movement.

A trout that is glued to the bottom is relying on its planed pectoral fins for leverage. Side pressure neutralizes that advantage, and ends the fight quicker.

There is nothing sporting about playing a big fish to exhaustion. These days, when water temperatures alone can stress a big fish, getting them in quickly is a big part of being able to release them safely and humanely so they can reproduce their magnificent kind and thrive as a magnificent part of our wildlife heritage – like those trout Jan landed on the Blackfoot.

Finally, when the fish gets to the net, don’t panic.

The rule, close to the net, if you really want to land the fish, is this: If it wants to leave, let it. The runs away from the net will get shorter, and you just might eventually land it if you can keep your cool up close.

Two grizzled old veterans...of the angling wars.

Like everything else I’ve said thus far, easier said than done. That’s why it’s fun. All photos supplied by Chuck Stranahan

Sportsman’s Meditation Continued From Page 13: A few days later, Richard, the wily retiree, approached them again as they drummed their way down the street. 'Look,' he said, 'I haven't received my Social Security check yet, so I'm not going to be able to give you more than 25 cents. Will that be okay?' 'Only a lousy quarter?' the drum leader exclaimed. 'If you think we're going to waste our time, beating these cans around for a quarter, you're nuts! No way, mister. We quit!' Richard, the wise old man, enjoyed peace and tranquility for the rest of his days. Wisdom brought peace!

Wisdom and knowledge, are related but not synonymous. The dictionary defines wisdom as “the ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting.” Knowledge, on the other hand, is “information gained through experience, reasoning, or acquaintance.” Knowledge can exist without wisdom, but not the other way around. One can be knowledgeable without being wise. Knowledge is knowing how to use a gun; wisdom is knowing when to use it and when to keep it holstered.

How can I get Wisdom! Just Ask! James 1:5, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

It’s not the situation but our lack of Wisdom that creates our instability. Knowledge understands the light has turned red; wisdom applies the brakes. Knowledge sees the quicksand; wisdom walks around it. Knowledge memorizes the Ten Commandments; wisdom obeys them. Knowledge learns of God; wisdom loves Him. Knowledge knows of “Montana Woods and Water” Wisdom reads it. Ask for it. He will give it!!!! Keep livin the life. Pastor Jim. Adapted from a sermon by Chuck Standeford.

"The power to tax involves the power to destroy" Supreme Court Justice, John Marshall (1755-1835)

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NEXT GENERATION & LOCAL CELBRITIES Jon & Tony Hoscsteler of Plains, MT with supper! I’ll bring the cole slaw!

Darby’s fish!

Tim Patton of Plains, MT with a nice stringer! I’ll bring the tarter sauce!

Cade & Seth Stinnett of Plains, MT making it happen! I’ll bring the hushpuppies!

Pictured above: Shon Johnson manager of S & S Sports in Thompson Falls, MT with a nice Clark Fork River Bass and Pike. I got Shon to fess up with his favorite lure, it’s a KVD square bill. However, I couldn’t get him to fess up to his favorite Mule Deer spot. Go into the show room to see what Shon calls a big Mule Deer!

Pictured left submitted by Dad (John Roark): Thomas Roark Kokanee fishing. Thomas has won several Kokanee tournaments over the last three years and was wanting something bigger than a 18" inch Kokanee. 18" inch Kokanee are very respectful in the fishing world! So Thomas and I decided to take a road tip in pursuit of big Kokanee, loaded up are gear and off we went. Drove all night across three states and finally got to the fishing grounds, boat loaded up, poles tied up and on the water. After twenty minutes or so he had put his first four pound Kokanee in the boat, a couple minutes later he's got another one. Nothing better than spending quality time with your son on the water. Take your kids fishing!

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OUTDOOR TECH

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RECIPE

Bacon Bird By Raf Viniard With Grouse season opening 1 September Grouse is on the menu. Get those kids out and let them enjoy a day out grouse hunting with you...they make great retrievers. This recipe is great for older tougher birds as well.

Ingredients: 1 Cup of chicken stock per grouse 2 Tablespoon melted butter per grouse 1 Teaspoon of thyme per grouse Salt and pepper 4-6 six slices of thin cut smoked bacon per grouse Directions: Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.

Bring the chicken stock to a boil. Next turn it down to low and gently lower the bird(s) into the stock.

After about 10 minutes pull them out and let them cool enough you can handle it.

Gently fry your bacon in a cast iron skillet leaving bacon grease in skillet when done. Do not overcook the bacon you want it to be flexible and almost done.

Brush your grouse with melted butter, season well with salt and pepper, and sprinkle your thyme into the body cavity.

Next wrap the grouse in bacon and secure with wooden toothpicks. Place them in a cast iron skillet and place in the pre-heated oven for 10-12 minutes to finish cooking the bacon. Remove from oven and let them rest for five minutes before carving.

Adrian Nass holding a limit of Grouse from 2015.

Photo by Raf Viniard

Grab some fresh collard/turnip greens and drizzle a little of the drippings on the greens for a meal fit for a king or queen.

Click Here For Virtual Tour

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MOUNTAIN MEMORIES

Huckleberry Mania

By Carol Cady

Huckleberry season is upon us and it brings back many memories spent in the mountains as a child and with my children.

It is that time of year when the “buzz” around town is all about Huckleberries. Questions range from , “Are there any this year at all?

Where are the patches? Are they prolific? Are the berries big…little…or in between?”

And we must not forget, “The cost?”. What are they selling for this year?

And then, of course the passing of recipes between friends.

I always look forward to the stories of the “hunt” for these elusive little purple berries that make people go nuts. I might add here, when someone comes in Mountain Meadows Gifts to buy a jar of Huckleberry Jam, for five or six dollars and whines about the cost, I definitely jump in and in short order give them an itemized cost of a trip to the back country, where one risks life and limb to get some huckleberries.

The story that follows was one where all the elements came into play. My friend Michelle Lamey (yes, I am going to name my accomplices) and her daughter Jolene were going Huckleberry picking. I really didn’t want to tag along. In this particular place, and I quote “They are as big as grapes”! I thought “As big as grapes!” Absolutely “No Way!”, but what ‘if’… and I didn’t go? Well that statement sucked me in, so off we went. We drove and drove the backroads for about an hour when Jolene says “Carol….its pretty rugged country!” I’m thinking, “oh yeah? I know what rugged country is like.” Well, I’ve got to say Jolene was right, after hiking straight down a steep hill through Devil’s Club thinking all the way down that this was the only way back out of there. I gave Jolene a few of my tips on what to do when encountering a bear before she settled down in a patch of berries. Michelle took me up the creek a distance and I started picking and she continued on up the creek so we were all pretty much a ways from each other.

Oh yeah, the berries were big, but, as big as grapes? Well, I guess it is all in the eye of the beholder!

After about 45 minutes, I hear a blood curdling scream coming from where Jolene had been. Then, I see a blonde ponytail bouncing up and down flying through the air coming straight for me. It didn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out that it was a bear and Jolene was heading directly for me. She landed right on top of me and the bear veered off and disappeared.

She had lost her pail along with her berries. The three of us still get a chuckle especially every huckleberry season.

6Continued on page 28.

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MOUNTAIN MEMORIES CONTINUED I am going to share one of my tried and true Huckleberry recipes that my kids absolutely loved….with all of you out there!!!

Huckleberry Juice 1975 Put 1 cup Huckleberries and 2/3 cups sugar into a sterile 1 quart jar. Add water to neck of jar. Put lids on. Process 5 minutes – 5 lb. pressure. Let set 2 weeks before drinking Huckleberry Bars 1977 Mix: 1 ¼ C. Oatmeal 1 ¾ C. Flour 1 C. Brown Sugar ½ tsp. Salt 1 ½ tsp. Soda ¾ C. Crisco (Do not use margarine or butter) Place ½ of mixture in greased 9 X 13 cake pan. Press. Then 2 C. Huckleberries layered. Sprinkle with ¼ C. Sugar. Place remaining mixture on top of berries.

Press. Cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

If you have any questions about these recipes call me at the store, see my ad on page 28 for number.

“To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors, is sinful and tyrannical. “ Thomas Jefferson

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