Montana Woods N Water May 2017 edition

Issue 35 | May 2017

Beards & Bears Life Around Montana Timbersports Hiking The Montana Grocery

Our 3 year Anniversary Covering Montana outdoor lifestyles

For more information, please call toll free

1-855-891-CARD (2273) or visit us online at www.libbyasbestos.org

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With Spring comes Change By Raf Viniard

pring is slowly showing its colors…finally! Turkeys are gobbling, bears are awakening, the fish are biting, the trees are budding and the birds are singing.

Montana Woods N Water is celebrating its three-year anniversary this month.

Through a lot of hard work, and thousands of miles we finally made it. However, I cannot take all the credit. Without our advertisers, writers, photographers and other support staff over the last three years, we are finally clawing our way across Montana.

If you will notice my title has changed. Some of you have heard (the small-town rumor mill has been in full swing) that I had sold Montana Woods N Water! Yes, that is true. I am now the Director of Sales & Marketing and Kristin is now the Editor in Chief for Montana Woods N Water, a division of Big Sky Networks.

Big Sky Networks located in Plains, MT keeps Montana Woods N Water grounded in its rural setting and lifestyle. Big Sky Networks has acquired the publication and is now the Publisher. Matt Jaramillo the new owner, has created a division under Big Sky Networks to move Montana Woods N Water to the next level. He brings new funding, ideas, energy and creativity to the table.

As you can see from this issue, he has stepped up the publication to glossy covers, glossy interior pages, more content, and he is just getting started. Matt’s goal is to take Montana Woods N Water to the next level. We will now be covering all of Montana, not just the Northwest part of Montana. Please continue to support him as you have me over the years. Matt has me doing all the same things as before, except Kristin takes the lead role in layout, editing and getting the publication to print and digitalization. You may see a new face or two delivering the publications instead of me jumping in and out of the Jeep.

Speaking of print! We will no longer will be a monthly but a quarterly print publication. During the two months in between our quarterly print issue we will have a digital issue for each month. One reason was the cost to produce a monthly print publication was very expensive but mainly there is not enough time in the month to produce this level of print publication each month. It is just a fact, the world is moving to a digital platform and for us to stay in business we must compete with the other big dogs on the block. Every month you can go to www.montanawoodsnwater.com and read Montana Woods N Water online just as before.

Matt loves the Montana Woods N Water flavor and style so we will stay true to the course covering the same topics, events, and Montana at play as we always have.

As we stretch across Montana to the east, the only thing that is different between us is our topography. The lifestyle we lead here in Montana is what everyone wants to read about. You will start to see more pictures and story lines from across Montana and we are even adding additional topics such as hiking, biking, ranching, etc.

Also, we are now offering subscriptions-finally. Go to page 9 to learn more and reserve your copy of Montana Woods N Water. We will mail it right to your mailbox.

For our Sponsors that we picked up during the months of February and March, you will be receiving a one year subscription as well. Thank you for the sponsorships, your support was not forgotten.

The best part is that maybe I can finally get some time off to hunt, fish, and trapthe main reason I moved out here and let my poor little Jeep rest. Working 50-60 hours a week is sure better than 70+ hours a week. After four years, I finally had time to fill my Montana turkey tag opening morning with a nice Montana Merriam.

The bear hunting season has started off good, we saw two bears opening weekend, I think it is going to be a great spring bear season. Continued on page 6.

Director of Sales & Marketing (406) 407-0612 Raf Viniard raf@montanawoodsnwater.com

Publisher

Matt Jaramillo Big Sky Networks

Editor in Chief (406) 540-3550

Kristin Maxwell kristin@montanawoodsnwater.com

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 to not publish anything we feel is not in good taste or appropriate.

All content, material and graphics designed by Montana Woods N Water are copyrighted.

To Contact Us: Montana Woods N Water P.O. Box 1475 Plains, Montana 59859 (406) 407-0612 www.montanawoodsnwater.com Only seen on our blog: “Mercury Marquis Mom Saves the Day” www.montanawoodsnwater.com/blog

Letter from the Editor in Chief

Contents

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elcome to our 35th Issue of Montana Woods N Water and our 3 Year Anniversary of being in print!

Montana Dan Tony Rebo Unleashed Sportsman’s Meditation Subscription Beards & Bears The Sojourn Trail Nature Lesson Tea Party My Favorite Gun Hunter Education Be Tick Aware Photo Contest/ Local Celebs/Next Generation Fun Page!

Morel Hunting The Montana Grocery Angel Wings Interview with a Hunter Bountiful Banquet Classifieds Philanthropy Files Spotlight Story Got Controversy?

Jack Frost

05 07 08 09 11 15 17 19 21 42 43 44

We are the same magazine with some new upgrades. We have expanded our coverage from northwest Montana, to across the whole state.

This means new topics, new writers added to our list of awesome Pro Staff writers, and new event coverage.

Not too long ago in May of 2014, a little publication came into this world catching the eyes of not only the locals whom it was about, but the eyes of those who only get to dream about a life in Montana. As news spread about this tiny magazine that wrote about real people with real passions for hunting, fishing, and trapping, presented with a blunt flare and meaty 45 honesty as welcoming as a kind family opening their home to a guest; it 48 wasn’t long before fans started asking, “Where is my copy of Montana 50 Woods N Water?”

51 Free to its readers across all of northwest Montana, this gem was 52 picked up as fast as they were distributed. It became more popular 55 and you could hear people saying, “Did you see my hunting picture in 57 Montana Woods N Water this month?” Or, “Did you see what that Tony 59 Rebo-guy wrote about last month? Was that hilarious or what?”

60 I discovered the magazine in 2016 and became one of those readers. My 61 husband and I had just started a new business called New Life Carving, and thought we should be advertising in this magazine. That is how we 64 first met Raf Viniard. Genuine as his magazine, Raf helped us put together Life Around MT by REgion our first ad because we had no idea what we were doing. From there, 23 Western Region/ Bowhunter Ed. we advertised off and on in the publication until I heard Raf was looking 26 Timbersports for some help with the magazine. I asked him what he needed and 28 NWTF auditioned my skills. The rest is history. Yes he is as fun to work with as 30 Mountain Memories you think-this is a question I get asked often. A special thank you goes out 31 A Clip of the Past to Raf for creating this magazine and being a one-man show- always with a smile on his face. I’m glad you get to make up for some missed hunting 33 Hiking Highlights 35 North Central Region/ Canyon Ferry trips now.

As a reader, I loved seeing the stories, and seeing outdoor people’s Lake trophy pictures. As the Editor in Chief, I love the stories, photography, 36 South Central Region/ Damage Control pictures, and getting to know the businesses that support Montana 37 Eastern Region/ The Wide Open Woods N Water.

40 Ranch and Spring Our May issue is jam-packed with bear and turkey season, fishing Pro Staff Writers Guest Writers trips, food for your soul, a featured gun, politics, Life by region featuring timbersports, hiking, and ranching, plus good information Dan Helterline Jack Bodnar about ticks, morels, dandelions, a photo contest, and our Local Celebs/ Tony Rebo Sonja Bodnar Next Generation picture page. Be sure to check out our fun page for a Pastor Jim Sinclair Shannon Strawn crossword and sudoku puzzle to work your brain muscles.

Nathan Albertson Kate Page Be sure to thank all the businesses that put Montana Woods N Water in your hand. Also thank our writers. Some of them have been writing for us Bob Pierson Brian Baxter as long as the publication has been in print. We can’t do it without you.

Paul Fielder Elzhon Anderson I hope you enjoy Montana Woods N Water. Thanks to Big Sky Networks, Carol Cady Elizabeth Shipstead Matt provided me with a new computer and new software to layout our Jerry Berry Celeste Lindsay publication. Please be patient with me, as I become more proficient with it. My job is to honor the content from our writers by putting it in a form John Lemro Cartoonist that you, the reader will enjoy reading.

Revelation Jonny Hawkins Lastly, congratulations to the Class of 2017! Now make us proud. Most Photographers importantly, stay safe as we make our way into spring and summer.

Robin K Ha’o & Bob Hosea Sincerely, Kristin, Editor in Chief, Montana Woods N Water

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Contents

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of wolves and walleye

By Dan Helterline Paul Rossignol with a walleye from the Clark Fork River.

It

appears winter has at long last relinquished its grip on Montana and maybe spring has finally sprung. So far spring has followed this past winter's lead, wet and cold. We have yet to have a stretch of pleasant weather and I can easily count the nice sunny days on one hand. That is quite a difference from this time last year. Last year was one of the warmest winters I can remember.

This winter was quite the opposite, but don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. The cold weather this winter made for fabulous trapping conditions and my catch at the end of the season echoed that. Dan and a walleye on his Clark Fork I’ve been busy rehabbing and repairing my traps, getting a jump on things and making sure I will be home turf. ready for next year. Certain long fur is in demand, with cat and coyote prices remaining strong and showing slight increases over last season. This is plenty of motivation to keep me focused and optimistic about the next trapping season.

The continuous cold weather we had this winter eliminated the constant freeze thaw cycle that have occurred the last previous winters. The constant cold made for ideal ground trapping conditions along with the steady addition of almost daily fresh snow.

The first part of the wolf trapping season was extremely productive. Alexis and I had steady action almost every check. She was even lucky enough to harvest her second wolf on Christmas Day, now if that isn’t enough to make you believe in Santa Claus I don't know what is! I finally caught a black wolf after catching well over a dozen gray wolves in the past several seasons. The black wolf was a very exciting accomplishment. With wolf trapping season finally over, it is time to focus my efforts on the other somewhat controversial introduced predator to Sanders County, the walleye!

Fishing for walleye in Western Montana is similar to wolf trapping.

It is somewhat of a fledgling sport providing a learning curve to overcome before you can start to enjoy success. I had a pretty good time pursuing walleyes last season and was definitely looking forward to this spring. The weather this April has kept the water temperatures below average for this time of year and the fishing has been slow but steady. I did have the good fortune to accompany Paul Rossignol to the Upper Columbia in late March to fish for walleyes around Grand Coulee, Washington. Not only did I learn a great deal from Paul about catching spring pre-spawn walleyes, we also had some great fishing success.

Banks Lake, Lake Roosevelt and the main Columbia below Grand Coulee Dam are all within easy striking distance from several of the small communities where accommodations are available. The Grand Coulee area has an abundant amount of water to fish in several directions from surrounding towns. Paul and I stayed at Coulee Playland, a developed campground on Banks Lake in Electric City, complete with a full-service tackle shop and marina; it was a perfect spot to camp and hit the surrounding waters to fish for walleye.

The first day of fishing on Banks Lake was pretty slow due to the steady wind and rough lake conditions. Paul thought we should try downstream from Grand Coulee. This proved to be a good move.

The main Columbia is down in a protected canyon and the fishing definitely was much better once we got out of the wind that was hampering the fishing on Banks Lake.

Continued on page 6.

montanawoodsnwater.com

Montana Dan Fishing

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On our last evening in camp we were comparing notes with one of the local guides that was camped next to us. He was telling us about the tremendous kokanee fishing that is above Grand Coulee Dam in Lake Roosevelt. He claimed Kokanees up to 4 pounds could be caught trolling in the lake above the dam, and that's where he was headed in the morning. We left before we could talk to him again to see how well he had done, but as soon as I got home I had to confirm his stories of these giant Kokanees on good old YouTube. He wasn't telling too big of a fish tale. It is possible to catch the tastiest of these landlocked salmon up to 24 inches in Lake Roosevelt, but I guess I’ll have to save that for another trip and another story!

On my mini adventure to the Upper Columbia, I picked up some new tricks and techniques that I was eager to try out on the local walleyes in the Clark Fork River. Using jigs and blade baits worked well on the Washington walleyes. I am hoping to test them out locally. Slowly trolling bottom bouncers with Lady Bird soaking up the walleye spinners and nightcrawlers or crankbaits are still proven and productive sun. techniques. But having multiple tools in your toolbox always increases your chances of success. I am just hoping for some nice weather and a little jump in water temps that will hopefully give the local fishing a little boost.

On a separate but similar note, the Dan’s perch treasure perch fishing in East Bay on Flathead Lake chest. has been red hot. While waiting for the Clark Fork to warm up a few degrees, I took a run to Flathead and had no problem getting my fill of perch fishing. The perch are kegged up in seven feet of water in East Bay and all you have to do is look for the cluster of anchored boats to tell you where to fish. There isn’t a bunch of skill or tackle needed to load up with a cooler of 9-10 inch perch. Just a bare hook and a bit of nightcrawler dropped to the bottom is all you need. It’s a great time if you have some kids that are eager to get out and do some fast paced “perch jerking” as it is affectionately called; this would be hard to beat.

Another walleye from the I guess if the walleye fishing isn’t great this year, there is always turkey hunting to fall back on, and Clark Fork. morel picking is just around the corner. I am confident the mushroom picking will be “off the hook” this spring in the area affected by the Copper King fire that burned in the Thompson River area last summer. It’s only a matter of time and nice spring weather will arrive so everyone can get out and enjoy life under the Big Sky! WITH SPRING COMES CHANGE CONTINUED: My little Jeep is feeling pretty lonely sitting in the garage but she is going to have to get used to resting, as we have covered over 60K miles in the last two years alone. However, she is only getting a small break as I am scheduling trips across central and eastern Montana searching out additional advertisers, writers, distribution points and photographers to help us expand our coverage.

The friendships and business relationships that I have obtained over the last three years have just been amazing. Being raised in the south I can assure you, they no longer have a lock on hospitality and genuine hard working country folks. In June, we will have lived here four years. I have traveled all over the U.S. and there is no prettier country or nicer people than right here in Montana.

Special thank you goes out to the businesses and my friends in my home town of Plains, MT for helping me get started three years ago and continue to support Montana Woods N Water today. I also must reach out to the towns of Troy & Libby and the many fine businesses there that allowed me to grow the business and gave me a chance. Most of all I want to thank the man upstairs for the blessings and success I was given while running Montana Woods N Water. Did I mention how much I love the people of NW Montana?

Sincerely, Raf Viniard, Director of Sales & Marketing,

Montana Woods N Water

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Montana Dan Fishing Continued

montanawoodsnwater.com

Gobble, Gobble!

I

By Tony Rebo

am excited. With the expansion of Montana Woods N Water, readers will have more opportunities to be in the know of what is going on around the entire state. I can’t wait to see the fishing pictures and the new waters that anglers are fishing.

However, with the good comes the bad. I have been sharing stories in the magazine for 3 years now. With that comes the responsibility of sharing information about the magazine and also about Montana. I have had many a phone call asking about where to fish, how to fish, and when to fish. I enjoy each interaction. I have also been the target of those who protest our heritage and belief. On occasion, I will get a phone call from some group who is protesting some belief; like anti hunting and fishing. I was completely unaware that fish have feelings and I am now targeted as an assassin of fish. I personally take that as a compliment. However the phone calls have gotten to be a bit much. I try very hard not to get angry, but focus my attention on getting even.

My latest call came just last week, days before the opening weekend of spring turkey hunting. I have posted pictures of myself for the past few seasons of turkey hunting in the magazine. Apparently, some of our protest readers like to be informed as to whom to target for their cause, hence the phone call from a young lady who said she was calling from the headquarters of the NFSTWT. I was a little worried as to who this group was and I just had to ask, who is the NFSTWT? This well recognized group is the National Federation of Save the Wild Turkey. One of its founding fathers was none other than Ben Franklin. Did you know that the turkey was almost declared the national bird instead of the bald eagle? Google it, that is true. Can you just imagine if that had happened, instead of soaring with the eagles we would be gobbling with the turkeys? OK, now it is my turn!

I interrupted the young lady on the line with yet another question; “Excuse me, but who are you calling for?”

She was quick to answer with, “Tony Rebo, one of the writers for Montana Woods N Water.”

“Well Miss, this is Sheriff Buford from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department. What is the nature of your call? Hang on a minute Miss; deputy please outline the body and dust for prints; also get pictures of those tracks. Sorry Miss, now what is the nature of your call?”

“Uhmmm, I was just calling to talk to Tony, it’s not important I can call back later.”

“Oh, wait just a moment Miss; deputy, do we have a trace on this call? We got it? Good. Miss what is your name?”

“Shirley.” Came the response.

“Shirley what?”

“Shirley Shaw.”

“Wow now that is a mouthful. Were you teased as a kid about that name?”

“Wait a minute, I don’t have to take this I was just calling Tony on behalf of the NFSTWT.” She exclaimed.

“Well Shirley you need to stay on the line as you have called into a crime scene.”

Continued on page 10.

montanawoodsnwater.com

Tony Rebo Unleashed

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I

Do You Know Who You Are Talking To?

By Pastor Jim Sinclair

ran into this story and found it enlightening. Sometimes a person never knows who they are talking to. In this case, it’s who you’re not talking to.

One Sunday morning, an old cowboy entered a church just before services were to begin.

He was wearing jeans, a denim shirt, and boots that were very worn and ragged, yet clean and spotless. In his hand, he carried a worn out old hat and an equally worn out bible.

The church he entered was in a very upscale and exclusive part of the city. This was the largest, most beautiful church the old cowboy had ever seen. The people of the congregation were dressed in expensive clothes and accessories. As the cowboy took a seat, the others moved away from him. No one greeted, spoke to, or welcomed him.

They were all appalled at his appearance and did not attempt to hide it. The preacher gave a long sermon filled with fire and brimstone and a stern lecture on how much money the church needed to do God’s work.

As the old cowboy was leaving the church, the preacher approached him and asked the cowboy to do him a favor. "Before you come back in here again, have a talk with God and ask him what He thinks would be appropriate attire for worship."

The old cowboy assured the preacher he would.

The next Sunday, he arrived for church service wearing the same ragged jeans, shirt, boots, and hat. Once again, he was completely shunned and ignored.

The preacher approached the man and said, "I thought I asked you to speak to God about what you should wear before you came back to our church."

"I did." Replied the old cowboy.

"If you spoke to God, what did he tell you the proper attire should be for worshiping in here?" Asked the preacher.

"Well sir, God told me that He didn’t have a clue what I should wear. He says He’s never been here before."

Then I was reminded of a story from the bible in Luke 24:13-21 (KJV) about The Road to Emmaus: 13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.

14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.

15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.

16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.

17 And he said unto them, what manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?

18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?

19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: 20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.

21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, today is the third day since these things were done. (For a literal translation of these verses, see bottom of page 9.)

As these two are walking back to Emmaus a stranger shows up and is suddenly walking with them. Talk about one of the most incredible walks in history! We know from scripture, that it was the risen Jesus but somehow, Cleopas and his friend, didn’t recognize him. In fact, Luke tells us "THEY WERE KEPT FROM RECOGNIZING HIM.” So, these guys are on their way home to Emmaus and they start telling Jesus about Jesus. Isn't that Amazing? They have no idea who they are talking to. It would be wise for us to be careful because we too, never know who we might be talking to. 2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares (Hebrews 13:2-KJV). Just a reminder to all of us, we never know who we might

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Sportsman’s Meditation

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Montana Woods N Water Goes Postal Tired of going to the store to get your FREE copy of Montana Woods N Water and they are all gone? Thousands of publications are placed across Montana and most of them are picked up within a week or two at best. We might pickup 100 left overs each month but very rarely.

They are very popular and not your typical hunting and fishing publication as you know.

Good news...you no longer have to drive around town and find your FREE copy or read it online. We can now have it delivered right to your postal mailbox every quarter. We offer a one and two year postal subscription. The publication is still FREE, you are just paying for postage and handling. Postage is not cheap and the time it takes to bag, label and mail them is very time consuming. Reserve your FREE copy today.

With each postal subscription we send you a little something extra because we appreciate your business and followership. Here is the pricing for one and two year subscriptions: One Year (4 Issues) - $29.95 With a one year subscription you will receive a quarterly printed copy of Montana Woods N Water. With your subscription order we give you a FREE window decal that is numerically numbered. Each quarter we will announce a winner using the decal number(s) in circulation at that time. You will also be able to access our FREE digital issue we publish on the in between months that we don’t go to print.

Two Years (8 Issues) - $49.95 With a two year subscription you will receive a printed copy of Montana Woods N Water each quarter. With your order we give you two FREE window decals that are numerically numbered and your choice of an embroidered hat or a silk screened T-Shirt. Each quarter we will announce a winner using the decal number(s) in circulation at that time. Get your decals, hat or T-shirt by simply filling out the subscription form today. You will also be able to access our FREE digital issue we publish on the in between months that we don’t go to print. If you provide an email address we will send you digital coupons, other important information and breaking news.

So what kind of gifts will we be giving out each quarter? Gifts can range from a gun to gift certificates and all possibilities in between. Follow us on your favorite social media platform such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and of course our website at www.montanawoodsnwater.com to see if your decal number has been drawn each quarter.

During the digital only months (months between each print issue) we will be giving away prizes as well that are based on the window decals in circulation. We are always running some type of fun contest.

We DO NOT sell or share our customer information with other companies.

Note: Gun winners must be Montana residents. All gun winners must meet all local, state and federal guidelines before taking possession.

be talking to. Keep living the life, Pastor Jim. Literal Translation Comparison Luke 24:13-21Young's Literal Translation (YLT) 13 And, lo, two of them were going on during that day to a village, distant sixty furlongs from Jerusalem, the name of which [is] Emmaus, 14 and they were conversing with one another about all these things that have happened.

15 And it came to pass in their conversing and reasoning together, that Jesus himself, having come nigh, was going on with them, 16 and their eyes were holden so as not to know him, 17 and he said unto them, `What [are] these words that ye exchange with one another, walking, and ye are sad?'

18 And the one, whose name was Cleopas, answering, said unto him, `Art thou alone such a stranger in Jerusalem, that thou hast not known the things that came to pass in it in these days?'

19 And he said to them, `What things?' And they said to him, `The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who became a man -- a prophet -- powerful in deed and word, before God and all the people, 20 how also the chief priests and our rulers did deliver him up to a judgment of death, and crucified him; 21 and we were hoping that he it is who is about to redeem Israel, and also with all these things, this third day is passing to-day, since these things happened.

Hebrews 13:2 Young's Literal Translation (YLT) 2 of the hospitality be not forgetful, for through this unawares certain did entertain messengers…

montanawoodsnwater.com

Sportsman’s Meditation Continued

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“Your Mr. Tony Rebo is dead, yep dead as a doornail lying on the floor right in front of me. It seems as though he may have been murdered. Now Shirley what was your relationship to Mr. Rebo?”

“What? I didn’t even know him,” said Shirley.

“Well then why are you calling? Shirley let me ask you; where are you at right now? If I was to send you a letter and wanted it placed right in your hand what would be that address?”

“I am at work in Denver at our main office,” said Shirley.

“Well Shirley I need the address of your office.”

“1620 Regent Street Suite A,” Shirley replied.

“Hang on a minute Shirley. Hey Earl, do you still have that cousin on the Denver police force? Yeah, the one with the limp from shooting himself. Great, get a call into dispatch and give them this address and have your cousin look up this Shirley Shaw.”

Now the young lady on the other end of the phone wasn’t quite sure what to do or say, and she became angry. She said she was going to hang up.

“Oh, hold on there Shirley don’t you hang up or I could have you arrested for tampering with my investigation.”

“What! I have nothing to do with this-this is crazy. I was calling to protest his pictures and hunting of the wild turkey. I have nothing to do with him being murdered.”

“Well now just let me be the judge of that. So what is your relationship to Tony?”

“I don’t have a relationship with Tony! I told you that!”

Said Shirley.

“Well now, why would you want him dead?”

“I don’t want him dead. I didn’t even know him.”

“Shirley, didn’t you say you were the head of some gang called the wild turkeys?”

“What!? I didn’t say that! I said I was with the National Federation of Save the Wild Turkey. We are not a gang, this is crazy.”

“Shirley, didn’t you say you were the head of some gang called the wild turkeys?”

“Well now wait just a minute Shirley. Your organization is known to bother and protest against those who hunt the wild turkey is that not true? Did I mention to you just how Mr. Rebo met his end? Mr. Rebo is lying here on the floor in a pool of blood and in that blood, looks to be tracks, yes Shirley, tracks made by a turkey. It seems to me that this is more than a coincidence. That a gang of protesters killed this man and then tried to leave some calling sign with turkey tracks. Not to mention all the feathers that are about him. It may have been that our Mr. Rebo went out with a pretty good fight with the so-called turkey assassin. Hey Earl is your cousin at the address in Denver yet?”

Now you could have heard a pin drop as the silence on the phone was scary. Finally, a very shaky voice responded. “Sheriff I don’t know anything about this murder. I am just a student who is working after school so I can buy a car. My dad told me that this job was going to cause me trouble and that I shouldn’t take it. I swear I don’t know, and have never met this Tony before. I haven’t even seen a wild turkey before.”

“Well now Shirley, maybe you truly understand now why they are hunted. And to think you wanted the turkey as the national bird. I should think not.”

Through her sobs, Shirley apologized and told me that she was going to be looking for another job and that as a protestor she just didn’t have what it would take to save the turkey. As we said goodbye and good luck for Shirley’s career move and I on my murder investigation, I said, “Hey there is just one more thing.”

“What is that?” Shirley asked.

I responded only with, “Gobble, gobble.”

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Tony Rebo Unleashed Continued

montanawoodsnwater.com

Long Beards & Bears vs. the Old Gray Beard

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Photo courtesy of Nancy Dykstra

By Raf Viniard

ith cat season behind us the next logical thing is to chase a spring turkey. It is a pass and excuse to get back in the woods after a long winter, just like shed and bear hunting.

Unlike other parts of the country we don’t have a lot of hard core turkey hunters. In some parts of the country there are many die hard long beard chasers that take vacation and spend large sums of money to chase the old gobble heads.

Here in NW Montana we don’t have the turkey population that other states have. However, we do have the Merriam, and the Merriam is on every obsessed turkey hunters list of accomplishments. We also have the Eastern, making it possible to tag two different species in Montana.

The tactics used to chase an Eastern or other species of long beards is pretty much the same. Talk sweet and hope you can grab the Tom’s attention and pull him into either gun or bow range. Some days it is like they are on a string and other days I believe someone has wired their beaks shut and no amount of calling can get him to gobble and swagger over to you.

Another problem is they will gobble but will hide out of sight, gun-sight that is.

When I first started turkey hunting many moons ago I had a routine. I would go to a spot late in the afternoon that I knew held turkeys. I would glass and listen for the birds to go roost.

They can be heard a long way off flying up into the trees for the night. They are very noisy moving from branch to branch until they find just the perfect comfortable branch to sit on.

Often the old boss gobbler would sound off with a single gobble once he has just about settled in for the night, letting

the girls know where he was. Sometimes I would coach him with a hoot owl call or woodpecker scream. The next Turkeys have excellent eye sight. morning, I would Remember to move slow and quietly drive as close as I when getting closer. could but not close enough to spook the birds. I have driven down many old roads with only my parking lights on so as not to spook the birds.

I would sit in my truck with the dome light on to put on my face paint. This was to conceal my skin tone, and next I would throw on my “turkey hunting vest”, loaded with calls and enough gear for a full-frontal assault. I wore camouflaged leafy wear from head to toe, looking like a sniper slipping through the woods. I would tippy toe to a place I could sit down with my back to a tree or other large object. I always wanted to get within a couple hundred yards from the old boy I heard the night before. You learn by the sound of the gobble which bird is the old boss hog of the area, but I have been fooled by more than one young bird. Just at or a little before daybreak I would break out the hoot owl call and get him to shock gobble and reveal his roosting location.

As the daylight split the sky he became more vocal causing other birds in the area to gobble. Ah, what a sweet sound to hear five or six Toms gobbling at daylight, often cutting each other off as the excitement builds, all vying for the affection of

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Beards & Bears

11

the local girls and staking their turf. So many choices! Before long I was purring and putting with a diaphragm or slate call.

Just when I knew I had their Photo courtesy of Nancy Dykstra undivided attention and I could hear the hens getting ready to come off the roost I would break out my turkey wing to simulate Listen to what the turkeys are doing and the hens flying mimic them. Overcalling is a dead giveaway down. If you you are not a turkey. ever listen to a barn yard chicken coop in the morning they become very vocal, the hens are talking to each other and old rooster is tuning up the vocal cords.

After I had everyone’s attention the next thing was to figure out if I was between the hens and the Tom or were they all together. The killer solution was to be in between the hens and the Tom. The hens often hate competition and will try to out call you, they are wanting the Tom for themselves and you are trying to steal their lover boy. I love getting into a good argument with an old hen cackling. Most of the time she won the contest and stole my Tom but it gave me good practice. I would take my turkey wing from one of last year’s victims that got a little too close to the end of my barrel, thinking I was a sweet old hen. I would beat the wing on the bushes beside me and my leg to simulate hens coming off the roost and move the leaves around with my hand. This often resulted in the old Tom getting off his branch to come and investigate his future harem of new girlfriends.

Once the hens hit the ground and started with their daily routine, it was all hands-on deck trying to maneuver closer and hopefully get in between the Tom and the local girls without being seen. If the Tom flew down with his harem already at his side- good luck trying to pull him away from his girls. He would gobble and gobble and gobble, but if you wanted to see him you had to go to him; he was busy!

By 9 or 10 o’clock most of the fast pace of gobbling, calling, running and gunning was slowing down. It always came back to the common question, “Now where did he go and why ain’t he talking?” The fact was he was with the hens and breeding them. While he was frolicking with the girls I would slip back to the truck and get some breakfast. As I walked back to the truck I would gently call from time to time just in case there was a lonesome satellite Tom that was looking for some loving.

Sometimes these birds are wary, they are worried about getting their butt kicked by old Boss Gobbler.

Once I had my breakfast and maybe a little siesta I was refreshed and ready to pursue the old boy again. By noon I wanted to be back in the woods calling and glassing. Most of the hens had been bred by now and headed to the nesting area. After the Toms got their bellies full they would be looking for love again.

Now let’s fast forward to present day. This old gray beard now gets up at regular time and flies off his roost around 9:00 am, slips to town to fuel up the old hunting truck and his

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Beards & Bears Continued

belly. From there he dittle dattles to an area he THINKS there might be a few birds. I no longer roost a bird or get up at o’dark thirty, or sit in my truck and put on camo face paint. My salt and pepper gray beard is my camo. I no longer slip through the woods in the wee hours of the morning taking a chance on poking my eye out on a limb in the dark. I wear simple Walmart camo pants and shirt. I hit the slate or mouth call with a few chirps and wait for a gobble. No gobble, no problem back in the truck, take a swig of Mountain Dew, another bite of my powdered donut and try again in about a half mile. If I get a gobble I grab my shotgun, put on my head net and gloves and find a perch to watch from as I speak softly to him like a single lonesome hen.

In short, this old gray bearded one has wised up, it is no longer work but a joy to go chase an old long beard. Over the years, I have learned that from about 10:00 AM to a few minutes before they go to roost is just as challenging and productive. In my youthful turkey hunting days, I was looking for love in all the wrong places at the wrong time. Now they come to me looking for love on my time! Step aside Johnny Lee (Country singer of my youth).

Other Turkey Tips: If it has been rainy and windy all night, the birds don’t get much sleep and sometimes just aren’t in the mood to talk to you.

On warm/hot sunny days look for birds moving in and out of shady areas. After a while the sun gets hot on their feathers.

Toms love open high ground or old road beds to strut their stuff. Watch for feathers, turkey droppings or strut marks where he has dragged the tips of his wing feathers putting on a little show for the girls.

Never wear the colors, red, white or blue while turkey hunting. If you see another hunter stalking you while you are calling, the hunt is over, speak in a very distinctive voice and tone as to your location, do not waive your arms, some dodo bird just might think you are a turkey moving.

If using decoys always setup your decoys off to the side, this is twofold, most Toms will approach another Tom head on looking for a confrontation. Also, if another hunter shoots at your decoy you are not sitting behind it.

Aggressive or over calling can educate the bird so tone it down and make him seek you out. Use different calls with different tones. Learn to be a tease!

Listen for a gobbler to shock gobble from another gun shot, train whistle or other loud noise like thunder or someone banging on something. I have had them gobble from just slamming my truck door.

Never trespass or shoot onto private property without permission. No shooting from main roads or highways.

When you sit down, make sure you are comfortable because you might be there for a while waiting on the bird to work his way to you. A single tiny rock under your butt will feel like a boulder within a few minutes. Their eye sight is very sharp, so be still and make slow methodical movements. Have your gun ready to shoot before he gets within eye sight.

Go to YouTube and learn the turkey talk. You don’t have to be a pro caller to kill a turkey, just learn the basic sounds and when to use them. It is hunting not turkey killing, some days are diamonds and some days are stones. Never give up and keep hunting. Continued on page 14.

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Halfway House Bar & Grill Event Calendar 2017 May

Kentucky Derby May 6th Memorial Day Music May 26-27th

Live Music with Kelly Hughes Band July 1st Live Music The Flathead V-8’s July 22nd

Labor Day Music Sept. 2nd Hootenanny Sept. 23rd

October

Homer’s 101st Birthday Celebration June 10th Pike Strike Fishing Derby June 24th

August

July

September

June

2nd Annual Bull Lake Fishing Derby August 5th 38th Annual Big Sky Rendezvous featuring: Area 56, Lloyds (Bryan, Mac and Ron (Last performance after 40 years of performing), Devon Wade, County Comfort and Rural 508.

Aug. 11-13th

December

Christmas Party December 16th

Halloween Party October 28th Please check our Facebook page for any updates

Live Music Fishing Derbiessummer and winter

(406)295-4358

Halfway House Bar & Grill 14891 Bull Lake Rd. Troy, MT 59935

Great Food Friendly Atmosphere

Find an old gray haired and bearded turkey hunter, or a member of your nearest National Wild Turkey Federation chapter in your area to learn more. Take a kid with you!

Spring Bears

When I first moved to NW Montana I was given some sage advice by a former guide, “Walk less, glass more!” I tried that technique but I got so bored and curiosity killed me to learn what was in the next drain or on the adjacent ridge. Instead of just sitting there I could be shed hunting at the same time I was bear hunting, I wore out a set of hiking boots the first spring and never saw a bear.

Like turkey hunting, I used to rise before the sun and beat feet to a drainage before daylight to walk and walk and walk.

All morning I was glassing and looking for bears or any bear sign such as scat, tracks or grass fit for a spring bear. By noon I was beat, tired and hungry and headed back to the truck to go get some lunch and rest. The intent was to go back out after going to town and getting some lunch and checking my phone and e-mail messages. Very seldom did I make it back out in the afternoon due to work issues.

As my age makes me more wise, it also continues to spread the gray in my beard, bringing thoughts of, “If I kill something back here I got to pack it out!” After packing a couple loads of elk out the last two years for some friends, I soon learned that it was not all it was cracked up to be. That was freaking work.

Maybe I needed to reinvestigate that old sage advice “Walk less glass more”.

The last two years I have been a student of a local guide. He took me under his wing and showed me the ropes, or I should say the bear scat. By the end of last spring bear season, I had passed on about 8 bears for various reasons. I am way past the shooter stage of my hunting career. I wanted a black bear with a brown nose and of course the bigger the better. Since spring bear season left me with eight sightings, going into fall was looking promising. I finally got a bear in the fall and guess how I killed it? Sitting on my butt, glassing while deer hunting and I had walked no more than 500 yards from the truck.

Okay I am convinced. This spring I have already seen two bears on opening weekend. Since getting my Honey a bear first was more important, I passed on the bigger bear. So how did we spot these bears? Sitting on the same stretch of mountain road glassing all afternoon (late).

So, what have I learned?

Go to work as normal and get your work done early if possible. Put all your bear hunting gear in the truck in advance so you are ready to go after work. The days are getting longer so you have more time. Don’t forget your binoculars, spotting scope, range finder, rifle, orange vest, shooting stick, GPS, regulations, tags, back pack, plenty of snack food and drink, etc. Sometime between 2:00 p.m. until last legal shooting light you need to be bear hunting. Most of the bears I see are after 2:00 p.m. Find a ridge, south slope or an area with fresh lush young spring grass. Walking is okay to determine if there are any bear sign in the area but no need to just walk to be walking, unless you just enjoy it and are looking for sheds or something.

If you find some fresh bear sign, look around and find a good high observation point, sit down and get comfortable. I cannot stress the importance of purchasing good glass (binoculars).

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Beards & Bears Continued

Whether it is binoculars, a spotting scope or your rifle scope; your eyes will tire faster with cheaper glass, so buy the best you can afford. Take a good sitting cushion/pad with you. You could be there a while.

When you see the bear don’t get excited, stay calm and figure out where the bear is headed and just keep him in your sight until you can close the gap and take a shot that is comfortable for you and your rifle/bow. Most spring bears are not in a hurry and don’t even know you are watching. They are hungry and that is all that is on their mind for now. Keep in mind what the wind is doing, or your afternoon bear hunt may be over. Their eye sight may be poor but their nose is very keen.

When glassing for bear whether from your truck seat or sitting on a ridge somewhere, be methodical and take your time looking at every shadow and stump. I have glassed an area for several minutes, turn to look at another area and look back and there is a bear. They just appear sometimes. Make sure it doesn’t have cubs tagging along.

Invest in a bi-pod for your rifle or good shooting stick, know your ballistics and your shooting capabilities. You may be shooting across a canyon and this is where a good range finder can help you in determining distance rather than guessing.

Once the shot is made watch the bears reaction and direction of travel. Quickly mark the bears last location with a landmark.

Check where you were sitting and find a landmark. Once you drop down or leave your shooting position, the view changes very quickly. Don’t run, be methodical in your approach and be mindful of a possible wounded bear. Approach the last known sighting area with extreme caution.

Once you find the bear, and verified it has expired; tag it and then determine how you are going to get it out. You might want to think about that before you pull the trigger. Know how to properly skin the bear for what you intend to do with your trophy. Get with any local taxidermist or guide for instructions.

If you have to quarter it to get it out, be prepared to protect the meat and get it cooled down as quickly as possible. Don’t drive around with it in the back of your truck showing it off.

Get it cooled down and the hide to your taxidermist as quickly as possible. Don’t forget to check the bear in as required by law.

Not every drain or ridge holds a bear today, but it might tomorrow. Last year we spotted a bear in an area that my buddy has never seen a bear in before and he was raised here.

So slow down, today might just be your lucky day.

Bears are seen in the mornings; however, I have seen more in the afternoon. If you go out in the mornings and plan to stay all day take a lunch; and when you find that bear sign, park it and see what happens.

Remember, “Less walking, more glassing!”

montanawoodsnwater.com

A Thank You to Mothers

By Nathan Albertson

D

ear Mothers, Sunday May 14 2017, is a day we set aside as a A thank you to all mothers, for keeping us under a watchful eye. Happy Mother’s nation to recognize the value we have been blessed Day! with in Mothers.

Those who know me well know how much I love and adore being in the outdoors, hunting, fishing, and generally recreating.

Aside from God, my family, and my friends, the outdoors occupies much of my thoughts.

Not long ago in April, I was in church with my family. Our daughters had invited some of their friends to attend the church service.

My lovely wife stood amongst the four of them, two children under each arm. She looked at me with a deep, rich, pleasing smile, then briefly turned her gaze back to the children.

During this month, my thoughts often turn to upcoming bear season. When our eldest was very small, we started referring to the children as bear cubs. It occurred to me, I was gazing upon a mama bear and her cubs. I smiled as this thought came to me, delighting me to no end.

Bear season is a delight to me and presents a quandary. For reasons I have no explanation for, I relate to bears more than any other game animal. I do not pretend to know why exactly, but have come to accept it. This is the reason I often pursue bears in the springtime, although I rarely fill a tag.

In the spring, some of my favorite bear hunting memories involve sows and their cubs. Watching how a mother bear cares for her young reminds me of so many mothers I have witnessed in the past. They watch them play and explore, giving them room to do so without interrupting, yet they are always near. They help them feed and clean themselves.

They protect them in times of danger. They cry for their young when they are lost. For the first few years of a young bear’s life, their mother is a constant presence and caregiver.

As we were expecting our first child, our family doctor gave me wonderful man to man advice. He explained that when our child was born, I should not be overly concerned if it takes a while to develop an emotional attachment. In theory they are yours, ideally, you love them in concept, and you value and wish to protect your young. However, that emotional attachment takes several weeks to develop. He was right. When your child looks at you with recognition and a smile, that is when your heart gets full.

However, he cautioned me not to be upset with my wife’s seemingly immediate attachment upon birth.

Continued on page 16.

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The Sojourn Trail

15

He reminded me that she had a nine-month head start on her parent-child attachment. I have passed along this sage advice to many fathers-to-be.

It takes a man and a woman to create life, as part of God’s design. Last year (April 2016), scientists announced via multiple media outlets, that a previously unknown phenomenon occurs at conception. When an egg is fertilized and a child conceived, a release of calcium causes an explosion of zinc. This explosion of zinc is actually visible as light and can be seen by special cameras as it catches the fluorescent glow that occurs for up to several hours! All throughout scripture, we read light refers to God and His presence. I cannot help but think of the following passage in Psalm 139: “For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them.” (Psalms 139:13-16 NASB) What a privilege to be a mother! What a blessing we have to benefit from them. Ladies, our God blesses the Mother to have a very instrumental role in the development of that child as they are fearfully and wonderfully made. From the very beginning, even before birth, our Mothers are a necessity in our lives and a gift from our Lord! They provide our protection, our nourishment, and love and care for us with not just an idealistic attachment but also an emotional one. Even after birth, our formative years are blessed by the presence of Mother.

From this experience, love develops and with love comes admiration. A recognition, that without your cooperation, care and the acceptance of a personal responsibility for another human life, our lives would not be possible. Without you, we would not exist. And our lives would not have been as rich and blessed without you and your efforts to care, clothe, bathe, and provide for our wellbeing.

On this day, I wish you to know how valued you are. Not just by your children, but by your God who loves you, who blessed you with the gift of motherhood. I pray this day is joyous for you as you contemplate what it is to be a mother and remember the fun and laughable moments of your child’s early years. Take the time to close your eyes and remember those moments you will never forget, first steps, first words, first haircuts, etc. Please, do not forget to give thanks for those treasured memories and even more importantly, those treasured children, no matter how old they may now be.

I wish to thank all the mothers in my life: my lovely wife, my own mother, my grandmothers, my adopted mothers, my sisters in Christ who are mothers, and the mothers of my friends and my children’s friends, for all their work, the self-sacrifice, and the unbelievably generous gift of their time and the love they have shown to their children. With motherhood blossoms wisdom and love visible to all and this becomes a gift to those blessed to be a part of your lives.

Mothers, yours is a blessed and wonderful ministry, one that we as men cannot do. Your abilities and gifts are unique and a gift from the Almighty. May this day and all that follow be a wonderful blessing to you and yours and may our wonderful and merciful God in Heaven always bless you.

With my sincerest love and thanks, Nathan Literal Translation Comparison:

Psalm 139:13-16 Young's Literal Translation (YLT) 13 For Thou hast possessed my reins, Thou dost cover me in my mother's belly.

14 I confess Thee, because that [with] wonders I have been distinguished. Wonderful [are] Thy works, And my soul is knowing [it] well.

15 My substance was not hid from Thee, When I was made in secret, Curiously wrought in the lower part of earth.

16 Mine unformed substance Thine eyes saw, And on Thy book all of them are written, The days they were formed -- And not one among them.

Nathan came up with a new name for his column. Read the poem he wrote (to the right). Then read the suggested bible verses to explain why.

Matthew 7:13-14 Matthew 11:25-30 John 3:16-21

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The Sojourn Trail Continued

The Sojourn Trail The shadows loom dark against the inky night, As the hunter dons the old, burdensome pack.

And begins the long journey all hunters seek, Entering the wide path and rarely looking back.

Darkness slowly fades to varying shades of grey, With the wide path fading into a narrow way.

Every step taken forward increases the weight, The hunter stops to rest, as the legs begin to sway.

Day dawns, revealing ahead two trees as a gate, ‘Twixt which the pack won’t fit, to the hunters ail.

As light begins to shine, the hunter slips the pack, Setting the hunter’s course, upon “The Sojourn Trail”.

montanawoodsnwater.com

By Nathan Albertson

Nature’s Lesson, A Winter Deer Tragedy

By Jack Bodnar & Granddaughter Sonja Bodnar

T

hose of us who are fortunate enough to live in this part of Montana are surrounded by the beauty and power of nature we see everywhere. The landscape, waters, changes in seasons, and wildlife are constant reminders of this.

And as most of us who have spent any time in the outdoors hunting, fishing, or just observing nature are aware, the wonders we see around us are balanced in what we refer to as “the circle of life.”

Drought and flood, summer and winter, predator and prey, life and death are all natural parts of this cycle.

As adults we have learned through maturity to accept this and take for granted things that young people may not as yet have been exposed to. These experiences form impressions which remain with a child throughout their lifetime and hopefully teach them valuable lessons.

The following narrative describes an event that occurred last month along the Clark Fork River north of St. Regis as my wife and I were headed to our place with our granddaughter, who was so moved by what she had witnessed that

A tragedy can be hard to witness, can help a child learn a valuable lesson earlier in life.

she wrote the following in her journal.

Please keep in mind that this account is through the eyes of a nine-year-old girl, in her own words:

I

A Winter Deer Tragedy

t started out as a happy afternoon. We were driving home from Lookout Pass along the Clark Fork River when we saw a doe and her fawn run out onto the ice along the river, which was flowing very quickly. The deer stopped suddenly at

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the edge of the river but the ice was so slick that the fawn slipped and slid into the river. It tried to swim to the edge of the ice, but because the river was so deep and fast the fawn couldn’t pull itself out of the water. We watched and gasped as the river kept pulling it down and swept it downstream.

Several times we thought it would make it but each time it fell back into the water. Where the river was narrow it was completely frozen over, making a wall of ice. The fawn bravely tried to pull itself up several times, but was exhausted and finally disappeared under the ice, losing its fight with the river. -By Sonja Bodnar I’m sure now that every time we drive by that spot on the river we will have a memory of what happened that winter afternoon. But even more important is the lesson a little girl learned about life and nature. JB

If you would like to submit the writing of your child or grandchild, please e-mail: kristin@montanawoodsnwater.com

Nature Lesson

17

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Office 800-929-9885 / 406-295-1314 Cell 406-291-2310 Email: lynn@nwmre.com Website: www.nwmre.com

T

Get Us Out of the United Nations

By Bob Pierson

he time is right for the United States to remove itself from the United Nations.

Reading the United Nations Charter quickly informs one that the whole idea from the beginning was to create a global government. Those in power throughout the world have been promoting this since the League of Nations was formed back in the early 1900’s, after the end of World War I. The proposal was that by starting small and getting everyone to join this League of Nations, we could create a world where there was no conflict, and the ruling class would be able to control it all. The League of Nations failed, mostly because the United States citizens saw through the smoke.

After World War II, the same proposal was brought forth, and the governments bought into it, based on the idea that it was a platform for the countries of the world to air their grievances. All well and good. The United States was given the ‘privilege’ of providing the building site and a majority of the funding for the operations of this world entity. We still fund a majority of the costs of operations and now have very little say in those operations.

It is now frequently called the Club of Dictators. United Nations ‘peacekeeping’ forces are located in many third world countries and have been exposed for rapes, murder, slavery and torture. That we are a part of this debauchery is not in our best interest.

The United Nations ‘Agenda 21’, is a non-binding voluntarily implemented action plan for the 21st century for those who have agreed to it including the United States. Agenda 21 calls for sustainable growth and the centralization of population centers within very specific zones of habitation here in the United States. It also prohibits humans into large portions of the country, so that wildlife corridors will exist that are undisturbed by anyone other than the government caretakers. President Ford signed this treaty at the end of his term, and implementation was pushed forward under President Clinton by his Commission on Sustainability. Agenda 21 calls for many environmental concessions from the United States, which would make us much less competitive on the world markets, and bring us back to a third world country.

The United Nations is presently pushing the United Nations Small Arms Treaty, which was signed by John Kerry, on behalf of President Barack Obama, but not ratified by the Senate. This would have a major impact on our 2nd Amendment rights, and the availability of guns in general. Taking away guns is the first step in subduing a population. It has been done in many, if not most of the countries of the World. We must not let it happen here.

The push for ‘One World Governance’ has a long history, which includes the European Union, and also includes the North American Union that was proposed under George W. Bush. It was stymied by the Texas citizens who would not allow the NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) Trans American Highway to be built in their state. Now we see a resurgence of sovereignty in the world. It is exemplified by the success of Brexit “Britain Exit” in England where citizens voted themselves out of the European Union and by the popularity of similar movements across Europe.

It is time for us to tell the United Nations players to take their toys and go home. We have supported it for 72 years, let some other country pay the bills if they want to continue. And take the building with you.

I say good riddance.

Be mindful of our kids around school zones. Kids will be getting out of school for their summer vacation so be on the lookout for skateboarders and bicyclists.

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Tea Party

19

I want to thank George, Carla, Beverly and Heath Don’t forget to put in for your Deer B, of Griffin Publishing out of Spokane, WA for the support they gave us in growing Montana Woods Elk B, Antelope & Antelope B Licenses N Water. Griffin Publishing handled the printing no later than June 1st. for us from June 2015 to March 2017. Their customer service and professionalism was just Nice work ladies, outstanding. congratulations on your essays!

Note: Due to us switching to a different type of paper and finish we had to switch companies unfortunately.

Brent Hanson is Daughters of the American our new print Revolution High School Senior Good Citizen’s Essay Award Ashley Shenyer customer service (left) from Charlo Sponsored by Clark Fork Valley Tea representative. Brent Party.

High School, Second This year we had three fantastic and Cheryl of the Megan McKenzie Place Winner and winners in our annual Good Midstates Group (right), Thompson Megan Wieder (right) Citizen’s Essay Contest. The staff has been so Falls High School, students work hard to prepare a from St. Ignatius Third Place Winner helpful transitioning High School, First resume showing their experiences, grades and references and then and presenter, Nancy us to our new layout Place Winner in the as a final – they have two hours Mehaffie (left) Regent software and print Daughters of the to type an extemporaneous essay of the Kuilix Chapter of platform. Brent is American Revolution on a topic just provided to them. the Daughters of the not just another business exec but a full-blown High School Senior This year’s topic was “How do the American Revolution, combined actions of many good outdoorsman himself so he can relate to our Good Citizen Essay citizens keep our nation moving St. Ignatius.

Contest work and our mission. We look forward to forward?” working with Brent and the Midstates Group in growing and expanding Montana Woods N The following poem was submitted anonymously to Raf’s Water. mailbox. Normally we don’t share anonymous writing, but we wanted to share this well written poem.

Do dogs have a heaven? – I’d like to know Or is it a place in the ground where we all go.

I’d like to think we have a place in God’s larger scheme Where we can go and dream a dog’s life dream.

Cars to chase and maybe catch Fences – yes – but all the gates without a latch.

Full moons to howl at every night And never a dog to have to fight.

Food would be just what we like Fleas and ticks would never bite.

Manure and dead fish to roll in by the ton And a bath – not even one.

All car windows would be down So I could stick my head out and look around.

Someone to scratch me where I cannot reach And run and run on a sandy beach.

There would be no leash on this heaven I see And someone to always throw a ball for me.

Cats to chase and never catch Cause you know I could be scratched.

But best of all I could honestly say My master would be with me every day.

~Author Unknown

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Tea Party

montanawoodsnwater.com

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My Favorite Gun By Jack Bodnar

n addition to a new format, this month's edition will be introducing a new column: "My Favorite Gun." These articles will focus on those firearms which are "special" for one reason or another to the author, and may include anything from BB guns to big bore hunting or target rifles, black powder, handguns, or shotguns. The important consideration is why they are "special" or a "favorite."

After examining my inventory, which my better half maintains is an unnecessary waste of living space (I'll say nothing here about her collection of shoes, which all look the same to me), my pick this month is a rifle which has assumed a completely different identity from when I acquired it forty years ago. I was working on a ranch up in northern Hard to believe this rifle was literally a British Columbia riding fence in some swampy meadows one afternoon when I noticed “stick in the mud� until discovered by the author. an odd shape sticking out of the mud along the fence line. Upon riding up to it, I discovered it was a rifle, stuck barrel down into the dirt with the stock broken off at the pistol grip. The metal was rusted and the scope was smashed beyond repair. With some effort, I pulled it out of the mud, tied it to my saddle, and continued my work.

Upon returning to the ranch, I looked at it more closely and discovered it was a Ruger M77 in .270 Winchester caliber. After liberally spraying it with WD-40, I managed to open the bolt and discovered a spent case in the chamber, but no other rounds in the magazine. The case was removed and examination of the bore revealed it was in pretty good shape, probably because it was sealed on both ends, protecting it from the elements. All indications pointed to a hunter some years previous probably missing an easy moose or bear, blaming it on the gun and throwing it away, using this as an excuse to get a new rifle or quit hunting altogether. But this is just conjecture.

At that time I had no use for the .270, considering it too "light" for my type of hunting, but after a few years, I decided I had too much time and money on my hands and looked to bringing it back to life as a project. After completely disassembling the rifle, I took it to my gunsmith, who checked the metal and gave it a clean bill of health. The corrosion was only superficial, so the barrel was turned and all the metal blasted to a matte finish. The only problem appeared to be a small dent on the crown of the muzzle, but this did not seem to affect how the gun shot.

I shipped the barreled action to Magnaport, and the .270 now shoots like a .223. The best optic I could afford at the time was a Burris 3x9 Compact, and to this day it has never failed me.

The Ruger is restocked in a nice piece of figured walnut with no checkering, shaped by Bob Banta of Coeur d'Alene, and fitted with a black Pachmayr 1" Decelerator pad. A blued steel pistol grip cap from Brownell's, Pachmayr flush-fit sling swivels, and Lawrence padded basket-weave sling round out the package. I'm a bluedsteel, walnut, and leather kind of guy.

Over the years this rifle has accounted for several moose, mountain goats, blacktail, mule, and whitetail deer, coyotes, black bears, lots of antelope, and a few elk. It has never let me down with a Nosler 130 grain Partition bullet over 55.5 grains of IMR 4350 powder.

The Ruger has been my "guide gun" in Canada, Idaho, and Montana. It is my "go to" rifle, which makes it my favorite. JB If you have a "favorite gun," let us know about it and why it is special to you.

E-mail: kristin@montanawoodsnwater.com

After bear season, it is time to get those game cameras out and start getting those bulls and bucks on screen!

montanawoodsnwater.com

My Favorite Gun

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Outdoor Politics

By Paul C. Fielder

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The Gutting of the Legislation That Would Have Protected Your Right to Hunt, Fish, and Trap

enate Bill #236 was gutted in the Montana House of Representatives on April 12th. SB 236, sponsored by Senator Jennifer Fielder of Thompson Falls, was a pretty simple 3-sentence bill to protect sportsmen’s RIGHTS. If it got a 2/3 approval in the Legislature, it would have by-passed the Governor’s desk and gone straight to the people in November 2018 to let them decide if they want to amend the language into the Montana Constitution.

SB 236 said: “The citizens of Montana have the right to hunt, fish, trap and harvest wild fish and wildlife, including the use of customary means and methods. Hunting, fishing, and trapping by citizens is the preferred manner of managing wild fish and wildlife and is subject to necessary and proper management and conservation statutes enacted by the legislature and regulatory authority delegated by the legislature to a designated public agency or commission. The right to harvest wild fish and wildlife is a heritage that shall forever be preserved to the individual citizens of the state and does not create a right to trespass on private property or diminution of other private rights.”

That language was amended by Representative Tom Jacobson (D) to rip out the first two sentences of the bill, and make some changes so the 3rd sentence would read: “The opportunity to harvest wild fish and wildlife through hunting, fishing, and trapping is a heritage that shall forever be preserved to the individual citizens of the state and does not create a right to trespass on private property or diminution of other private rights." Thirty-nine out of 40 democrats and 15 liberal-leaning republicans voted for that amendment. All of the democrats, plus republican Jeff Welborn, in the Senate also voted against SB 236. But, don’t blame those politicians for gutting efforts to protect your RIGHTS to hunt, fish, and trap. They didn’t elect themselves. Only blame the people that let those politicians get elected to represent you.

I don’t think that a “RIGHT to hunt, fish, trap, and harvest fish and wildlife by customary means and methods” is the same thing as “preserving a heritage for an opportunity” – whatever that means. Conservative legislators and the sportsmen groups that supported SB 236 didn’t think so either and the bill should go no further in the 2017 legislative session. So, the 3 ½ months of effort, hundreds of hours, and thousands of miles put into SB 236 by sportsmen groups such as: Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, MT Sportsmen for Fish & Wildlife, Big Game Forever, Safari Club International, MT Trapper Assoc., MT Guides and Outfitters Assoc., MT State Houndsmen Assoc., National Rifle Association, MT Woolgrowers Assoc., and others was all gutted in 60 seconds by Representative Jacobson’s amendment and the liberals that voted for that amendment. Next month, we’ll share more details about what we learned from the SB 236 effort, who opposed it, what they said, and where we go in the future with this idea. If YOU supported SB 236 and pressured legislators to also support it – THANK YOU. Senator Fielder on opening day of archery season from 2014.

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Life Around Montana: Western Region

Photo by: Robin K Ha’o

2017 Bowhunter Education From a Student’s Perspective

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By Shannon Strawn

ive years after graduating high school, I’m back walking the halls and recognizing my old senior year locker. As I answered a text while walking to class I hear a voice say, “You can’t see where your going if you text and walk at the same time.” It was my instructor, Wayne Crismore. I had reached the classroom so I shoved my cell phone back in my pocket.

23 years old and I still disobey the old “no phones in class” rule. But this wasn’t a class where I would go and fail another math test or have to do an essay on Romeo and Juliet, thank goodness. No, this was bow hunters safety, and class was about to begin.

When it comes to school, we all know that, if given the choice, we would rather be out doing anything else other than sitting in an old desk, that felt smaller than I remember, and listening to someone talk for two hours. We want to be able to just go out there and shoot our bows. After all, we’re hunters and we’ve been hunting for, “insert a lot of years here,” so we should know what were doing already. Right? Wrong. To be honest, this is kind of the mind set I had when I first entered the class. It’s a bow, you point and shoot and with some practice, it shouldn’t be hard at all! I really wasn’t thrilled of being back in a class room. I escaped school once; I didn’t want to go back. But I didn’t know a lot about it, and it’s required, so I went. As a result, I would like to share my experience with all of you.

Let me say this, if you are going into this with the thought that you shouldn’t have to take this class, think twice. I’ve been hunting ever since I was of legal age, and before that my father took me out and I got to watch and listen to everything he did.

However, it was always during rifle season. My dad had hunted with a bow before but he never took me bow hunting so the logical question is, how could I possibly know anything about the sport? The answer? I didn’t, not even a little! OK, I knew how to shoot one, kind of, and that’s about it. Let me tell you that my lack of knowledge about the sport became apparent within the first hour of the class. However, there are some similar things between the two such as ethics and simple logic.

Pop quiz! As a rifle hunter, would you shoot on a ridge where you couldn’t see what’s on the other side? Of course not! The same goes with a bow. But as a rifle hunter, if I shoot my rifle, aiming at the vitals of an animal, I know that even if I’m 100 or 200 yards away, I’m 99% sure that I’m going to put a good shot on that animal and that it’ll go down, hopefully right away. I know this because I know how my rifle shoots and I know that, as a rifle hunter, depending on how far away it is I may have to aim lower or higher. I know all of this because of my years of experience with rifle hunting and practice.

As for bow hunting, I didn’t know you only have, at the most, a 40 yard shot to make a good hit on an animal that is going to actually kill it and not just wound it.

That’s with a high poundage bow too. As for myself, I only have room to Isaac, Clayton, & Payton waiting for Bowhunter make a good 20 Education to begin. yard shot at the most because I only have a 30-pound bow. Curse my small arms.

As a rifle hunter, I knew how shooting an animal with a bullet kills them with knock down power and damage. I did not know how an arrow kills an animal besides the basic idea that when they get pierced with an arrow, its going to kill them. This is not always true. An arrow is a clean slice that kills the animal by hemorrhaging. I didn’t know that it’s better to shoot lower than higher. I did not know that to be legal, your broad head on an arrow had to be at least 7/8 of an inch and have at least two cutting edges.

I could really go on and on about all the things I learned on this subject. My main point is I didn’t know any of this until I attended this class. I recommend this class to anyone who is even a little interested in hunting with a bow. For one, if you are and you pass the class, even if you don’t go out that next season, you’ll always have that license and be able to do it when you feel you are ready. On the other hand, if you walk in not sure if you want to become a bow hunter, learning about it can help you decide if you want to or not.

Finally, the instructors were fantastic. It wasn’t a boring, basic class. You could really tell that these people were passionate about bow hunting and they really wanted you to learn.

The instructors included Wayne Crismore, Kim Earhart, Pat Connelly, Zack Butcher, Lloyd Rice, Colette Morgan, and Gerald Powell. All the instructors were very engaging and each had a part in the class. Each one had their own way of doing things and gave us excellent tips. Their main goal was for all of us to succeed and make it fun.

They included personal stories which made the class even more interesting because they weren’t just simply putting the facts out there. Continued on page 24.

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West Region Bowhunter Ed.

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They were showing us how things worked, how you do things out in the field, and how actually using those skills and your knowledge can benefit you as a hunter. During the field course, we got to put those new-found skills to the test.

Kim Earhart taught us how to properly track an animal after you shot it. What to look for on the arrow and how to keep track of the blood trail after spotting The deer decoy for our it. How to tell which side the arrow came out and other things that I didn’t field test. know about. He told us stories of how his tracking skills came in handy trying to find game. It’s a difficult task but you can’t give up. He really made a point about telling us that once we hit that animal it is our responsibility to find it, no matter how long it takes. Many of the skills he taught us can be beneficial even during rifle season.

Wayne Crismore teaching what to pack with you during a bow hunt.

Wayne Crismore helped us put together a list of all the things you need to take with you out on a bow hunt. Including the necessities such as first aid items, food, water, and a game bag. He showed us his personal choices for what to bring, which contained a container of pepper to rub on the animals to keep insects and scavengers away. Wayne pointed out that bow season is during a warm time of the year so you really have two main focuses to worry about once that animal is down. First, finding it and getting it cooled off as quick as possible so the meat doesn’t spoil. Second, this is where the pepper comes in; there are bees and all sorts of creatures just waiting to get to that animal. Pepper keeps them off of the animal until you can properly field dress it and haul it out.

Zack Butcher taught us how to use a tree stand properly and the safety precautions to take while using one. He talked about the safety harnesses that come with the tree stand and explained how to put them on. We learned that all tree stands come with the harnesses but that it would be in our best interest to purchase more sturdy ones for our own safety. He made sure to tell us that since the trees tend to get smaller the further up they go, that we may need to put our stand at an upward angle. I’m grateful that I got to learn about this subject. I really thought you put them up and sat in them. Which, you could just do that if you wanted to fall.

Colette Morgan and Gerald Powell instructed on “Shoot, don’t shoot.” They had game targets set up in different areas and tested our opinion on if the animal we were looking at was in a good position to shoot or not shoot. To be honest a couple times I thought some angles were fine when I didn’t think about the fact that there were some bushes in the way.

This can deflect your arrow and cause it to go somewhere completely different which can cause other problems, like just wounding the animal.

Shooting a bow is definitely more than just point and shoot. When you put that bow in your hands with the intention of shooting an animal, it carries a whole new meaning. You must take it seriously but enjoy the experience. Remember to always hold respect for the animal, the outdoors, and other hunters as well as your own morals. To be able to truly appreciate the sport you must go through the bow hunters safety course. It will benefit you and the animal you are trying to harvest.

Shooting a bow is so much fun and I would always recommend it to anyone who is interested. We all have different reasons for why we want to hunt with a bow. I wanted to hunt with a bow because I knew it was going to be more challenging than shooting an animal with a rifle.

Now that I know how much of a challenge it’s really going to be, I’m even more excited. After my first successful bow hunt, I know for certain how much I will appreciate the hard work and knowledge that it took to be a successful bow hunter.

If you are interested, please take this class. Go through the motions you have to take to learn about the sport because I promise, it’ll all be worth it in the end. Oh, and remember, no cell phones in class.

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West Region Bowhunter Ed. Continued

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Author Kate Page, competing in single buck at her home show at Fort Missoula spring 2016.

The Road to Competition

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By Kate Page

all 2013, I’m sitting in an auditorium of 300+ students feeling out of place because that room could fill half my home town. A girl walks in to give a quick speech about the Forestry Club and Competing in Obstacle Pole (OP) at author’s home show at Fort Missoula spring 2016. the Woodsman Team. When I heard I could compete at throwing axes, I knew I had to join this club. I visited the training arena a week later and got to experience the exhilarating feeling of pulling a cross cut saw through wood, running on a log in water, and chopping a couple blocks in half with an axe head I had never seen before.

After a year of traveling and competing, the school year came to an end and it was time to elect new captains for the program.

The following two years I had the honor of running the Woodsman Team for the University. We hosted the 77th AWFC Conclave (Association of Western Forestry Clubs). This event is week long and hosted at a different college every year. Each college in the western United States attends. Though there are many events that take place at these shows, my favorite one to talk about is the single buck. “Timers ready, contestants ready, 1, 2, GO!” It’s almost like a moment of panic for me when the announcer yells go. You immediately start using your entire body to push and pull a beautiful 7-foot cross cut saw through a chunk of western larch. I often need to remind myself to breath. I can’t win if I pass out.

I have been competing in timbersports at the collegiate level for four years now. This is an event and a program that I love very much. This experience has created some very exciting opportunities in my future.

June 16th-18th I am going to be competing in the first women’s STIHL TIMBERSPORTS competition in Cherry Valley, New York.

I can’t decide if I’m too nervous to think of better words, or overflowing with excitement about this opportunity that lies ahead of me. I’ll spend about a week driving, seeing new country, a weekend competing, and a week coming back through different country. I get to explore parts of the states Great Rates. Call Now! I’ve never seen before and compete in an event, that to me, is a once in a lifetime.

Tiffani Weatherly Wish me luck as I will be training a lot from TWEATHERLY1@FARMERSAGENT.COM here on out. https://agents.farmers.com/tweatherly1

406.826.3111

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West Region: Timbersports

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By Kate Page

hen some folks think of Montanans, the image of bearded lumberjacks covered in timber glitter comes to mind. Although The Montana Woodsman Team celebrates the victory of the 77th Association there may be many other ways to describe of Western Forestry Clubs winner John Parcell, Senior from Condon, Montana this, the University of Montana has lumberjacks in the majoring in Forest Operations at our home show in Missoula, Montana. making. The University has been competing in competitive timbersports for over three quarters of a century. Seventy-eight years ago, the University of Montana and other colleges in the northwest decided to put teams together and have a competition which was held here in Missoula, Montana. Since then, more colleges in the northwest have constructed teams and have held out this tradition and plan on continuing this fun, intense sport for more years to come.

Timbersports is the practice of old logging skills turned into shear competition. Our events include everything from the pole climb, birling (running on a log in water), axe throw, chopping, and even pulling the old misery whip (cross-cut saw). Now, to some folks this may just seem crazy that people compete in this and they want to know what it is about this sport that attracts competitors. I went to the team and asked Emily Onderbeke, a junior double majoring in Wildlife Biology and Forest Management why she does it. Onderbeke says she enjoys this sport not only because the people you meet and work with are fun, but she enjoys how unique it is, “It’s an uncommon way to be active and show off your skills. Anyone can go outside for a jog but not everyone can do timber sports.” Onderbeke also appreciates the knowledge about different equipment and tools used in this sport that she would have never learned about outside of this activity. Not only does she value the uniqueness of the sport but she also says there is value in the educational opportunities as well.

The University of Montana is one of, if not the only, one of the colleges in the US that hosts a PRO/AM show, a professional show along-side with our amateur college athletes. The Montana Woodsman Team hosts this event the last weekend of every April at Fort Missoula. This event is truly one to experience, our show partners with Fort Missoula Day’s so it’s a full weekend to bring the family down and enjoy the saw mill, museum, and watch some lumberjacks be brutes in the arena. Our show even hosts a beer garden for those who like to partake in some cold beverages during an eventful weekend. Some years there is a $3 or $4 fee to enter for parking, some years it is free entry. This year’s event was held on April 28th and 29th at the southwest corner of Fort Missoula. On an average year, you can expect to see colleges from Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, other Montana schools, and sometimes our California and Canadian friends make it to the show. Pro’s from all over the US have been known to come back for our event and even put on demo’s afterword for one on one training with our college kids. Friday is primarily the college events with Saturday being the pro show with some 2nd flights of college events, such as vertical chop and Jack n’ Jill sawing.

Emily Onderbeke, junior with a double major in Wildlife Biology and Forest Management, from Granite This fall semester our team travelled to Oregon State University and Falls, Washington, competing Current captain and in Obstacle Pole during the some places in Canada. Our past shows from this year include: Morinville, fall graduate in Forest logger show in Orofino, Alberta, Canada March 25th, Moscow, ID April 1st, Kalispell, MT April 8th, Operations, Chad Hiett Idaho.

Flagstaff, AZ April 19th-21st, and Missoula, MT April 28th-29th. from Alger, Washington, competing in vertical The Montana Woodsmen Team also cuts, splits, and delivers firewood in the surrounding Missoula area speed chop at Caress to raise money for their program. A great way to keep in contact with current events and captains for Park in Missoula, fire wood orders is to follow them on Facebook. You can find them under Montana Woodsman Team.

Montana during the If you attended the PRO/AM show at Fort Missoula, thank you for your support. If this is the first time Montana Shred Fest.

hearing about the Montana Woodsmen Team, the team hopes to see you there next year.

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West Region: Timbersports

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Gathering of a Flock

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By Raf Viniard

he Clark Fork Valley Chapter held their 17th Annual National Wild Turkey (NWTF) Heritage Banquet. As soon as you walked in the door the smell of prime rib waffled across the room and hit you right in the nose. Each year the Plains Women’s Club (PWC) cooks up a meal that will make your tongue smack your nose.

To keep the natives from becoming restless before the event, the Cowgirls Kicking Cancer served cold libations. With a full glass of something to drink the attendees milled around scoping out what to place their bids on and what tickets were needed to maybe take home a prize or better yet a firearm.

The event began right on time and in short order food laden plates were being placed in front of each attendee. Prime Rib/ Tomato Basil Chicken, Salad, Roll, Green Beans and Twice Baked Tater capped off with a delicious cup cake. With over 100 attendees to feed, the PWC made it look easy.

As soon as the meal was over, Kevin Hill of Kevin Hill Auctions tried to pull the flock together and get the bidding started. No one was spared his entertainment, it was wise for bidders to pay attention as a little friendly ribbing was bound to find you for not doing so. As the price of each item climbed higher and higher Kevin continued to work the crowd to raise the most money possible for the NWTF chapter.

Small town America and the local sportsmen really showed their compassion as it was noted that Dale & Sue (Mielke) Dursma had sponsored a table and with that sponsorship came a shotgun. However, the Dursma’s were not in attendance as Dale was battling cancer. Kevin suggested raffling of the shotgun to raise money for the family. The shotgun was sold and resold nine times bringing in over $2,000.00. The shotgun was eventually donated back to Mr. & Mrs. Joel & Windy Collett, owner of Studs LLC for not having the winning bid once, but twice. The Cowgirls Kicking Cancer also donated their profits of over $250.00 to

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West Region: NWTF Banquet

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the cause. You got to love small town America, their hearts are always ready to give for those in need. It is with regret that Mr. Dursma lost his battle with cancer and has since passed away. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Sue and the Dursma family.

The Chapter also recognized all the veterans in attendance and gave each an NWTF label/hat pin, there were so many I lost count.

Montana Woods N Water wants to congratulate Greg Makinster & Cathy Sturmen of Spokane, WA (pictured right) on placing the winning bid on a one night Ladies of the Plains Women’s Club- man can they cook! This is a meal you don’t want to miss. stay to include breakfast and supper at the Venture Inn, Libby, MT. It was a fun night of socializing and raising money for two great causes. I can’t wait for next year’s banquet, so join NWTF today. Go www.nwtf.org to learn more about the organization or contact any of the committee members for an application. This year’s committee members were Tony Colombo, Dacy Holland, Mike and Sheryl Smith, Debbie Kircshbaum, Bud Milke, Sue and Dale Dursma.

Cowgirls Kicking Cancer line up left to right: Traci Salmi, Lindsey Herron, Rae Herman and Dalyn Fraizer. Learn more about Cowgirls Kicking Cancer on page 57.

•

Cancer in Montana*

An estimated 53,000 Montana residents are cancer survivors.

• Each year approx. 5,600 Montanans are newly diagnosed with cancer.

• 4 kinds of cancer- prostate, breast, lung, and colorectal- account for 48% of all cancer deaths in Montana.

• Single greatest cancer prevention measure: Quit smoking/avoid tobacco/ never start.

• Early detection is the key to fighting cancer and increasing odds of survival.

• Encourage friends and family members to get recommended cancer screenings. *Facts from Montana Cancer Coalition (MTCC)

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West Region: NWTF Banquet Continued

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Dome Mountain Hike By Carol Cady

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aving so many fond Montana memories can get overwhelming sometimes! They come flooding into my heart and mind so fast and furious that it is hard to pick just one to write about! The following is one hike I shall never forget. I must first mention that I live in the heart of the beautiful Cabinet Mountains in Libby, Montana. The three tallest peaks in the Cabinet Range are, Snowshoe Peak, A-Peak, and Bockman Peak. The Cabinet Mountain Wilderness are 35 miles long with glaciated peaks and valleys with two main ridges trending north and south. Elevations range from a low of 2,880 feet to 8,738 feet.

Dome Mountain is nestled in the Cabinet Range at 7,550 feet in elevation. In the late summer of 1962. My friend Larry James, Andrea Agather-Haugen, and myself were all home from college and decided to hike up Dome Mountain. We made some quick plans on Thursday and left on Friday, Sept.

21st at 7:00 a.m. The trail head starts out at Cedar Creek.

Hiking nearly 7 miles, we arrived at the Lower Cedar Lakes and then on to the Upper Cedar Lakes around noon. I specifically remember one major problem on this hiking trip.

I had bought some new leather hiking boots the day before. Everyone knows that you don’t go on a long hike wearing boots that are not “broke in.” At the time being a teenager, I knew I wasn’t “everyone.”

So, by the time we had arrived at the Upper Cedar Lakes, I had huge blisters on my feet. I wasn’t sure what to do. Luckily, Andrea being the good friend that she was, traded boots with me! That act of kindness saved the day!

With my newly acquired pair of broke-in boots, and a lunch break, we ascended Dome Mountain. By 3:00 in the afternoon we reached the summit. Climbing the face of Dome Mountain was somewhat terrifying. Rocks slipping and sliding under my blistered feet made progress slow. I would be okay if I didn’t end up where the rocks were falling. This youthful mentality means you can do anything. I proved that later because at the top, I shot a large blue grouse out of the three we saw with my .22 that I always carried with me in the woods. I put the grouse in my pack, and took in the top-of-the-world view that was before my eyes.

The view from the top of the Dome was magnificent. The scenic ranges of Norman, Treasure, Indian Head, Ibex, Snowshoe, and A Peak were breathtaking. Being young, we enjoyed the view and conquering the mountain for twenty minutes. By 4:40 p.m. we were back at the base of Dome Mountain. Before heading for the trailhead, we enjoyed lunch number two.

After food, and a break, we decided to take a different route by Parameter Creek; it was supposed to be shorter. Sometimes you just don’t know how wrong you are until you are stumbling along in the dark trying to stay on trail. Thankfully, by nine that evening, we arrived at the Teeple homestead. We called our parents and reassured them we were OK. The Teeples gave us some hot coffee to enjoy and satisfy our thirst. Sitting there exhausted, I’m not sure how long my pack had been scooting across the kitchen floor. Yes, the grouse I had shot was still alive! Don’t worry, we took care of him after we realized it.

If you are wondering, how I remembered all these details, I can only thank my journal and my boot-lending chum from my young-years Andrea Agather for being an avid journalist. There is not an untold story between the two of us. To this day, I still hike the wonderful Cabinet Mountains. Standing on a high mountain ledge, gazing at the valley below, always reminds my heart that this is what living in Montana is all about!

1962 Carol Cady enjoying the view from Dome Mountain

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West Region: Mountain Memories

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Big Sky Trap Shoot Results, hosted by the Thompson Falls Trap Club

Top Women shooters: 1st: Krys George of Hauser Lake, score of 322 2nd: Lisa Enyeart of Metaline Falls, score 321 Top Junior Shooting Teams: 3rd: Diane Koppel of Malden-Pine City, 1st: Plains 4/H The South Side Sparks, score 1016 score 305 2nd: Metaline Falls, score 766 3rd: Thompson 4th: Diane Luhr of Metaline Falls with a Falls, score 628 4th: Denton, score 378 294.

Top Male Shooters: Top Junior Shooters: 1st: Lydia French of Plains 4/H, score of 291 2nd: Ryan Bottles Thompson 1st: John Kingele, score 366 Falls, score 177 3rd: Dillon BoBerg Denton Gun 2nd: James Kingele, score 360 Club, score 131 4th: Logan Pierce of Denton, 3rd: Jason Kingele, score 359 (Top three score 126 from Yakima Valley Sports Assoc.)4th: Top Sub Junior shooters: 1st: Caroline Jeske Malden- Larry Ziegler of Hauser Lake, score 355.

Pine City, score 242 2nd: TJ Taylor of Metaline Falls, score274 3rd: Kory Enyeart of Metaline Falls, score 268 4th: Cody Hanson Plains 4/H, score 249.

Top Four Teams this year were: 1st: Yakima Valley Sports Assoc., score 1459 2nd: Hauser Lake, score 1414 3rd: Metaline Falls, score 1338 4th: Malden-Pine City, score 1334

A Clip of the Past with Jerry Berry Power Line Goes Hunting

The article (in its original wording) titled, “Downed Power Line Near Eureka Kills 13 Animals” was published on October 30, 2009 and appeared in: Tobacco Valley News, The Western News (Libby), the Billing Gazette, The Inter Lake, and the Missoulian.

Officials say a downed power line near Eureka in northwestern Montana electrocuted more than a dozen animals over a period of months, including a wolf that was "still warm" when it was found earlier this month.

Roger Pitman, operations superintendent at the Lincoln Electric Cooperative, said crews did not know about the situation until Oct. 10, when the dangling power line in the Pinkham Creek drainage south of Eureka was finally knocked out. The carcasses of five whitetail deer, four black bears, two wolves, one coyote and a turkey vulture were found in the area.

"We're just thankful there weren't any two-legged creatures up there, except for the turkey vulture," Pitman said.

Tim Thier, a biologist for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, said the whitetail deer probably walked into the line first and their carcasses attracted the predators, which were in turn electrocuted.

Thier said he's heard of similar cases of deer being hit by trains and their carcasses luring in predators.

"It's sort of a chain reaction," he said. "But I've never seen it relative to a power line before."

Officials believe a dry tree fell on the highvoltage power line during the summer.

All the animals were in varying stages of decomposition, and Pitman said utility crews Author Jerry found a large dead wolf that was "still warm" Berry and grandson. when they came upon the downed line.

Digger Powell, President of Thompson Falls Trap Club

Be Bear Aware Whatever your outdoor recreation is, be mindful of bears.

The FWP brings us the following reminders: • If you see a bear before it sees you, try to sneak away slowly while making sure the bear hasn’t noticed you. Do not turn your back.

• If a bear has seen you, stop moving, raise your arms overhead and slowly move them. Talk in a calm low voice letting the bear know you are a human. If the bear doesn’t move, slowly back away without turning your back. Have bear spray ready just in case.

• If riding a bike, stop, dismount, and hold the bike between you and the bear. Do not pedal away.

• Make sure to review your bear spray instructions.

And remember, bear spray is for close proximity.

• Look out for bear signs like scat, diggings, torn-up logs and turned over rocks, and partly consumed animal carcasses.

• When out hiking, make your presence known by talking or singing, especially when near streams or in a thick forest. Most bears will avoid humans if they hear you coming.

• Keep your campsite clean of food and garbage to minimize attracting bears.

• If you do get attacked by a bear, lay face down on the ground and play dead with your hands placed over the back of your neck. Make sure to wait a while before getting up to give the bear time to leave.

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West Region: A Clip of the Past

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FIND YOUR FREEDOM

Hiking Highlights

By Brian Baxter

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hat started out as subtle pops in the ice and sketchy edges signaling spring has come around full bore as we enter May! After a great ice fishing season, we reluctantly dragged our sleds of equipment off the ice. We hung the crosscountry skis up again, as well as the downhill boards. Although Brian Baxter (left) with one of his hiking groups. the high country still may have some opportunities, we stick explore Poorman Mountain and Wolverine Lakes. The Pleasant the snowshoes back into the old wicker trapping basket and Valley area near Happy’s Inn has some great birding spots, and place it on its hook in the garage. the David Thompson Chain of Lakes is a fisher’s paradise. The Professionally, when one operates a natural resource Cabinet Mountain Wilderness is simply gorgeous, with Leigh information and outdoor education outfit, the metamorphosis Lake usually accessible by mid-June. Overnight backpacking of seasons calls for a change in programs. With fond and fresh trips that are somewhat remote but worth it include journeys memories of fun and productive animal tracking hikes and to Cedar, Sky, and St. Paul lakes. The southern Cabinets offer winter birding tours, we begin to move ahead. But not before sweet hikes into Bramlet, Geiger, Wanless and Bear Lakes. The reflecting on some of the highlights that brought smiles to the Scotchman Peaks proposed wilderness offers quality scenery hike participant’s faces. and wildlife viewing opportunities. Consider an excursion into Spotting wildlife is always cool! On our animal tracking and Scotchman Peaks, Little Spar Lake, or Billiard Table Mountain. sign interpretation outings we checked out elk, moose, coyotes, The intrepid hiker opens his or her mind, body, and soul to otters, beaver, muskrat, and big horn sheep. We scoped out the entire experience of hiking in the Big Sky State! We take tracks of the aforementioned, along with tracks and scat sign of in the scenic horizons, fish the lakes, observe the Northern mink, red fox, bobcat, wolf, and great blue herons. The winter Lights, identify wildflowers, and photograph wildlife from a birding hikes and tours produced some great finds with the safe distance. We also observe the cloud patterns, tracks, scat, help of Mother Nature, and there were several special treats. and birds of the air. We feel the wind, smell the smells, and We called and got a response from a barred owl, found owl give thanks for all the beauty surrounding us. The experience pellets, spotted a rough-legged hawk and watched bald eagles of hiking with others, builds friendships and strengthens bonds on a kill. We were privileged to witness a peregrine falcon between humans like nothing else. pirating a kill from red-tailed hawks, but not After all, whatever thrills and excites without a fight! As the icy grasp of winter us to get out and hike, is a matter of was forced to begin releasing its hold, ringindividual preference. Hunters, fishers, necked, bufflehead, and goldeneye ducks backpackers, natural science buffs, appeared, as well as hooded and common birders, wildflower lovers, geologists, and mergansers. We spotted about 60 great photographers all share our love for the blue herons, apparently looking to find a outdoors. And in essence, the spirit of site for a rookery, and found many bald being in wild country is the sap of what eagles on the nest. binds us together in our admiration and You never know what you might see With the coming of spring, our program on your hike- like this black bear spotted respect for the woods and water. in an elderberry tree. focus shifts into a variety of topics including There are some new resources spring birding, map and compass classes, flora and fauna, available if you are planning a trip up to the northwest forest health and fungi, old growth ecology, back country corner of the state. Visit Kootenai Country Montana’s website mountain hikes, and wetland wanderings among others. These (kootenaicountrymontana.com), and check out the Kootenai programs are often co-sponsored by outfitters, recreational Country Montana seasonal magazine. Also, give a listen to groups, and local colleges.

KVRZ 89.9 FM on Wednesday evenings from 7 to 8 p.m. for the Early spring is a great time to take casual walks along the new show, Kootenai Outdoors. Silver Cloud Associates LLC, is rivers and lowlands. The south and west facing aspects will a Libby based outfit focusing on forestry, wildlife, and outdoor usually lose the snow first, and are fine for antler hunting educational programs. To obtain a list of upcoming hikes, and plant identification strolls. Mid-summer begins to see e-mail: b_baxter53@yahoo.com or call 406-291-2154. access open up, making July and August rock to head to the After your outdoor excursion, it’s a beautiful thing to swing high country! In the beautiful northwest corner of the state, by Montana style places like the Riverbend Restaurant and there are many unique opportunities to explore. Think about Kootenai Angler Fly Shop. You can enjoy a beverage of choice, planning a trip up to the Yaak country and check out Hoskins meet with outdoorsy folks, and quite often be treated to a little and Burke Lakes. Or head up to The Ten Lakes Scenic Area, and music that is good for the soul of all Montana hikers!

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West Region: Hiking Highlights

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West Region

Montanans At Play... Join Them!

May What: 79th Annual NFMS Gem & Mineral Show

Where: Ravalli County Fairgrounds When: May 19-21 Contact: Steve Vieth, (406)-381-7597; e-mail: viethsteve88@ gmail.com What: 4th Annual Heroes @ Home BBQ and Music Festival Where: Historical Museum at Fort Missoula 3400 Captain Rawn Way Missoula, MT Contact: vetsuicideawareness.com

June What: Western Heritage Days

Where: Stevensville 42, Garryowen Rd. Miles City, MT 59301 When: June 16-17 Contact: (406) 777-3773 mainstreetstevensville.com What: NSPRA Rodeo Where: Darby When: June 20-21 Contact: (406) 544-5436, Cal Ruark

July What: Stevensville Bike and Brew Where: Main street Stevensville When: July 15 Contact: Call SMSA (406) 777-3773

What: Darby Logger Days Where: Darby When: July 21-22 Contact: loggers@darbyloggerdays.com

What: Hard Time Bluegrass Festival Where: Lick Creek

Campground in Hamilton, MT When: July 21-23 Cost: $15 for adult, 12 & under $7, whole weekend.

Contact: hardtimesbluegrass.com What: Wings & Wheels Air Show Where: Ravalli County Airport in Hamilton, MT. When: July 24th Cost: FREE! Contact: wingsandwheelsairshow.com Place your event here for only $25.00 a month. Go to www.montawoodsnwater.com/advertise and place your order. Send your information in the following format What, Where, When, Cost and Contact Info to: advertising@ montanawoodsnwater.com. You may send a check to Montana Woods N Water, P.O. Box 1475, Plains, MT 59859.

Your payment must reach us by the publishing cut off date.

No graphics please. Use of any graphics will require the purchase of ad space. We will publish your event on our Facebook page, web page, and in both the print and digital issues each month. Let us help you share your event.

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West Region: Events

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Life Around Montana: North Central Region North Central Region Montanans At Play...

Join Them!

Fishing Canyon Ferry Lake

Y

By Kristin Maxwell

ou really need to try trout fishing at Canyon Ferry Lake. Timing it just right after the ice melts off the lake is key for some fun rainbow trout catching. It is worth the drive. We leave early in the morning, arrive to our destination in time to fish the afternoon away. We stay at Chinamen Camp and eat trout for dinner. After some rest, we get up early before dawn and lure the fish in as the sun comes up. This time, we left late in the afternoon with 13 fish that were 18” or more. As with any fishing, there is no guarantee of catching, but it seems we have timed it right two years in a row.

May What: Don’t Fence Me In Trail Run 30k, 12k, 5k, or 5k dog walk Where: Pioneer Park, Helena, MT When: May 13 Costs: $30-75.00 depending on run.

Contact: pricklypearlt.org

What: Show and Shine Bike and Car Show Where: Downtown Billings, MT When: May 13 Cost: free admission Contact: billings365.com/events

My husband is hooked, so we make an annual trip around the time we think the ice may be melting. This year it melted off in the end of March, the day before we got there!

June

The sun was out, but it was still plenty cold at the waterline.

We fished from the shore with nightcrawlers and jigs.

What: Renaissance Fair and Yellowstone Highland Games Where: ZooMontana When: June 3,4 Contact: zoomontana.org

The campground is nice this time of year, as most people don’t want to put up with the cold winds, leaving it a quiet peaceful place, compared to the busy summer months. We have a cargo trailer outfitted as our camping and hunting trailer that we took along to park at camp.

Overall, Canyon Ferry is very pretty. The lake is at 4,000 ft. surrounded by snow capped mountains, while you wait for those fish to bite, take in the scenery.

If you are fishing by boat, remember to stop for inspection and decontamination at the cleaning stations. Canyon Ferry did test positive for mussel “remnants” just last year. Canyon Ferry boat inspections started back in April. Make sure to do your part to prevent mussel species from spreading.

Enjoy this fishing season!

What: Race MT Obstacle Race Where: Wadsworth Park, Great Falls, MT When: June 18 Cost: $15-35 to register Contact info: racemt.com/events

What: Billings Biggest Gargae sale Where: Metrapark, Upper Parking Lot, Billings, MT When: June 24 Cost: $3 admission to shop Contact: metraparkevents.com

July What: Brews & BBQs Where: Metrapark Event Center, Billings, MT When: July 15 Cost: Free admission Contact: metrapark.com/events

What: Montana State Fair Where: Montana Expo Park, Great Falls, MT When: July 28th - August 25 Contact: (406) 727-8900 goexpopark.com/events

If you are out playing on the water please remember to use good Boating Safety. Take a Boater Safety course this summer. Wear floatation devices as and when required.

Get those boats inspected and make sure they are safe and are not transporting any aquatic species.

Help keep our waters clean.

Place your event here for only $25.00 a month. Go to www.montawoodsnwater.com/advertise and place your order. Send your information in the following format What, Where, When, Cost and Contact Info to: advertising@montanawoodsnwater.com. You may send a check to Montana Woods N Water, P.O. Box 1475, Plains, MT 59859. Your payment must reach us by the publishing cut off date. No graphics please. Use of any graphics will require the purchase of ad space. We will publish your event on our Facebook page, web page, and in both the print and digital issues each month. Let us help you share your event.

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North Central Region

35

Life Around Montana: South Central Region

South Central Region

Montanans At Play...

Join Them!

May What: Bozeman Gem & Mineral Show Where: Gallatin

County Fairgrounds, Building #1 When: May 13-14 Cost: $3.00, under 12 free with an adult What: Bozeman Memorial Day Parade Where: Downtown Bozeman, MT When: May 29

Elk Damage Control in Dillon

June

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What: Red Lodge Music Festival Where: Red Lodge Civic Center When: June 3-11 Contact: redlodgechamber.org

What: Pig Roast & 5k Run Where: Willie’s Distillery Ennis, MT When: June 3 Contact: (406) 682-4117 What: Red Lodge Songwriter Festival Where: Main street, Read Lodge MT When: June 22-24 Contact: redlodgechamber.orguly

July What: Wildlife Jamboree-family fun Where: Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary When: July 1 Cost: FREE! Contact: redlodgechamber.org What: 23rd Annual Beartooth Motorcycle Rally Where: Main street Red Lodge, MT When: July 14-16 Contact: redlodgechamber.org What: Cowboy Poetry Night Where: Bear Creek School House 636 Bear Creek Loop Cameron, MT When: July 22 Contact: (406) 682-3950

Place your event here for only $25.00 a month. Go to www.montawoodsnwater.com/advertise and place your order. Send your information in the following format What, Where, When, Cost and Contact Info to: advertising@montanawoodsnwater.com. You may send a check to Montana Woods N Water, P.O. Box 1475, Plains, MT 59859. Your payment must reach us by the publishing cut off date. No graphics please. Use of any graphics will require the purchase of ad space. We will publish your event on our Facebook page, web page, and in both the print and digital issues each month. Let us help you share your event.

36

South Central Region: Damage Control

Skye with her well earned elk.

By Elzhon Anderson

ive weeks after the regular hunting season ended, the call my 14-year-old daughter Skye and I had been waiting for, finally came in. Skye was #1 on the damage hunt in SW Montana and it was finally her turn to pack up and go! The next day we were headed from Libby, MT to Dillon, MT to meet at the ranch where the hunt would take place.

We got up early the next morning and started our hunt. We came up on a herd of about 100 elk but could only get as close as 300 yards. Skye took her first shot. She missed and shot two more times, neither one connecting. By now the elk were running off; however, we were surprised when one cow was holding back seemingly wounded. Were we certain she missed all shots? Skye and I made it to where the herd was so we could look for blood or any other indication she was hit and could track her, but we found nothing. Skye and I set out walking while the ranch manager hurried back to the ranch to get his 3 seat ATV and meet up with us.

Temperatures were dropping quickly and the wind was howling viciously. We made our way to the top of the mountain. Frozen, tired, hungry and discouraged, we never did catch up to the herd on foot. When the ATV arrived, we kept searching and after about a mile, we spotted the elk around 600-700 yards away. (The ranch manager had made a phone call earlier to the ranch owner and it was confirmed that the cow had been seen wounded for several days). The elk started moving toward federal ground and acting uneasy so we decided to turn back and continue hunting.

The wind continued to blow creating huge snow drifts that we were continually getting stuck in. We were spending so much time digging out that we came up with the bright idea that we would just gas it and go as fast as we could to bust through the giant snow drifts! Fun at first-then it happened. We hit a drift moving about 30 mph went sideways and flipped the ATV. Life flashed before our eyes for a quick moment and then we landed. I was on the bottom of the pile with my shoulder pressed into the roll bar and everyone else on top of me! I instantly knew I was badly hurt and was concerned for the others as well, but they instantly got up and were fine as they had a nice soft landing.

Continued on page 43.

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Life Around Montana: Eastern Region

There is Just Something About the Wide-Open Summer storm rolling in from the west.

Plains in Montana By Elizabeth Shipstead "I’m in love with Montana. For other states I have admiration, respect, recognition, even some affection. But with Montana it is love. And it’s difficult to analyze love when you’re in it."

-John Steinbeck I can't remember when I first fell in love with Montana but I think it was around my 12th birthday. I had visions of huge mountains and wide open prairies that I would ride my horse across for miles and miles.

It wasn't until after college that I finally got to visit Montana. Much to my family's surprise, I never left.

I spent 6 months in the Kalispell and Missoula areas. I loved the beauty of the mountains and it reminded me of home. When I took my first job in Great Falls, I found that the mountains could feel very far away.

A few years later I met my future farmer husband, who was from the far northeastern side of the state, I began hearing about this different world. Once while I was expressing my love and yearning to see mountains again, he said something like "I hate the mountains. You can't see anything!" My response was "What do you mean? There is so much to see."

As we made our first visit together, to northeastern Montana, it finally made sense to me. He was talking about the distance one could see and I was talking about the detail of one's view.

In fact, I told him that the eastern side of the state with its flat prairies would be a "hard sell" for this mountain-loving girl. But love triumphs and not only did I fall in love with my farmer, I also fell in love with the vast prairie, stark winters, and enormous storms that come rolling across the vast "big sky" of the eastern side of the state.

Now if you visit during the "wrong time" of the year you'll probably never come again, and most folks around here would say that's OK. But there is so much beauty in this landscape. There are wild crocus that grow and bloom on the South facing side of coolies in the spring, moose that are moving in, acres filled with sky blue flax, hundreds upon hundreds of acres of "golden waves of grain," thousands of black cows with their romping calves dotting the pastures, and the most intriguing landscape where you suddenly come upon a coolie and it's detail and depth, leaves you wondering what's over the next small rise. Continued on page 38.

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Eastern Region: The Wide Open

37

Putting pairs out to pasture.

The area is dotted with small homey towns, where people are family oriented.

The closest "neighbors" are miles away. The best news is spread over coffee at the elevator. Family heritage is respected, traditional values and hard work are valued, and kids take on more responsibilities than most, and learn to drive and navigate gravel roads much earlier than most.

Living here redefines rural living. Need to be rushed to the ER? You're likely to get there more quickly if you drive yourself, rather than wait for an ambulance.

Walmart? Closest one is hours away and that's in a neighboring state. Home Depot, Billings, or Great Falls? At least 5 hours away.

Life on the farm. Waiting on Daddy to Cell phone service? That's come over the hill in the combine. greatly improved, but there are still "holes" in coverage.

Farming and ranching are the main occupations here and they are not for the weak of heart. Often times only the largest of family operations survive. It takes thousands of farm acres and 15-20 acres per head of cattle to make ends meet. Success is dependent upon the uncontrollable task masters of weather and the commodity market. The equipment is large and so is the bank note, but the heart of the farmer and his or her family is the biggest.

I have grown to love and believe that this relatively flat, intriguing, miles from everywhere, resolve challenging part of the state is as amazing and unique as the part of the state that most envision when they think of Montana.

Elizabeth, is a Farm wife, Momma, Pediatric Occupational Therapist, and Blogger. She loves being a part of the day to day workings of the farm and can be found combining, swathing, checking cows, working alongside her husband, and picking up parts in town depending on the season!

She also loves to offer support, encouragement, and community to other Rural Women in Agriculture through her blog www. theruralsisterhood.com If you are, or love, a Rural Woman in Agriculture you can follow Elizabeth and The Rural Sisterhood on Facebook at www. facebook.com/TheRuralSisterhood Thank you for writing for us Elizabeth!

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Eastern Region: The Wide Open Continued

East Region

Montanans At Play...

Join Them!

May What: Bucking Horse Sale Where: Eastern Montana Fairgrounds, 42, Garryowen Rd. Miles City, MT 59301 When: May 18-21 Costs: $15.00 General Admission Contact: buckinghorsesale.com June What: Miles City Ranch Rodeo Where: Eastern Montana Fairgrounds 42, Garryowen Rd. Miles City, MT 59301 When: June 16-17 Contact: milescitychamber.com What: Whacker Agency Golf Tournament Benefit for Relay for Life Where: Miles City Town and Country Club S 4th St. & Eagle Ave. Miles City, MT 59301 When: June 17 Contact info: Call 234-1600 for t-times and registration.

July What: Miles City Monster Truck Show Where: Eastern MT 42 Garryown Rd. Miles City, MT 59301 When: July 4 Contact: milescitychamber.com What: Rosebud/Treasure County Fair Where: 513 N 16th Ave. Forsyth, MT 59327 When: July 20-23 Contact: (406) 346-2144 rosebudcounty fair.com What: Glendive Grill & Chill BBQ and Golf Outing benefiting Glendive Medical Center Where: Glendive Medical Center 202 Prospect Dr. Glendive, MT 59330 When: 28,29 Contact: Carol Condon (406) 345-8996 Place your event here for only $25.00 a month. Go to www.montawoodsnwater.com/advertise and place your order. Send your information in the following format What, Where, When, Cost and Contact Info to: advertising@montanawoodsnwater.com. You may send a check to Montana Woods N Water, P.O. Box 1475, Plains, MT 59859. Your payment must reach us by the publishing cut off date. No graphics please. Use of any graphics will require the purchase of ad space. We will publish your event on our Facebook page, web page, and in both the print and digital issues each month. Let us help you share your event.

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Spring on the Ranch

By Celeste Lindsay

S

pring really has sprung in our tiny corner of northeastern Montana…only the memories of snowdrifts remain. Meadowlarks are singing their sweet songs, grass is starting to show that gorgeous shade of green and most importantly, for our familywe have lots of beautiful bouncy calves on the ground! We farm and ranch near Scobey, which I describe to our far-flung friends and family as “the farthest north and east you can go in Montana, without being in North Dakota or Canada.” It’s a beautiful part of our state, although not well-known, or well-travelled. The winters are long, and often times bitterly cold, so I think that makes us treasure springtime just a little more than the average person and seeing those new babies just adds to the joy.

It’s our fourth year on our small family farm since moving back from western Montana. We are the 3rd generation, but my husband’s family has been in this vicinity for much longer. Previously, we raised wheat, but last year we raised lentils for the first time. We plan to raise more lentils this year and complete our transition into a 3-year crop rotation. We also raise beef cattle, and have been working hard to improve the size of the herd and the herd genetics. When we started in 2013, the herd size was down to about 55. We’ve been building it up, but as with everything in farming and ranching it takes time-lots of time and hard work. This year we should have about 90 calves. We’ll retain the best 20 heifers for ourselves, and sell the rest to a cattle buyer where they’ll go to a feed lot and eventually be the fantastic beef on your dinner plate! Experience has shown us that our home raised cows have better dispositions. Believe me, the last thing we need around here are cows that want to crawl fences or drive people up into the feed racks! One of our cows had an ear tag numbered “00-8,” and the joke around the ranch was that it was because she was the James Bond cow and had a license to kill.

My husband, Corey, is crazy busy at this time of year. Checking cows about every 4 hours, more often if “something” is happening, feeding, planning for the year’s crop and all of the other things that just seem to come up on a farm-for instance a pickup that has an unusual ignition sensor that leaves you broke down and stranded when you least expect it.

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Eastern Region: Spring on the Ranch

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Our view.

Thankfully though, since we lease from my father-in-law and his wife who live right by the corrals, Corey doesn’t have to do the night check. That really is a blessing since we live about 6 miles away.

However, if one of the cows is having trouble, regardless of the time or the weather, Corey will be there. A good rancher is a lot like a good mail-carrier; neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night, will keep them away from a cow in need. So far this year, all of our cows have been able to calve unassisted except one, and we’re about 2/3 of the way done. Unlike our friends out west, we don’t start calving until the end of March-remember those long winters I mentioned? Occasionally we get a mild winter, but most times it’s just too cold to calve in February-a few years ago our kids were sledding on Easter! It can get complicated if you have late calving cows, because you’re still calving when it’s time to start seeding your crop. Hopefully, all of our girls will be on time with nice healthy calves!

I enjoy farm and ranch life in general, but calving season is the best-well the end of harvest is pretty high up on the list too!

Why? Just like every 10 year-old girl out there, those baby calves are so darn cute! We raise black and red Angus, and are moving to a more predominantly red Angus herd. As a matter of fact, our two new red Angus bulls were delivered today! My favorite calves, are the black or red baldy calves, which means they have a white face; or the brockle-face, which are calves that have black (or red) patches on their white faces-but they’re all pretty wonderful. Calves, as darling as they are, play an integral part of our small family farm, providing an additional income stream to what remains a very tight bottom line. We went out tonight and drove through the herd, checking on the new babies. And as I watched them chase each other around out in the pasture, with their heads and tails high, like they were having the best game of schoolyard tag ever, it occurred to me, how many lessons we A new calf with her mother from this spring. can take to heart from ranching. Watching that newborn little calf attempt to get up-over and over again, wobbling around on its unsteady legs-it’s okay to struggle and keep trying, and have a few wobbly steps while you’re learning. Our calves running in the pasture are a reminder that the long winter is over, spring has come again, and it’ll be back next year. Of course so will winter, but that’s another story!

Celeste and her husband Corey, farm and ranch south of Scobey Montana.

They raise lentils, hay, barley, cattle and really cute kids along with 3 cats, a giant dog and a rabbit for good measure!

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Eastern Region: Spring on the Ranch

41

We

Hunter Educators

By Raf Viniard

often think of educators as primary/secondary school teachers or college professors. As an educator, you are usually paid for that responsibility and your time. Here in Montana we have educators known as Hunter Education Instructors with years of outdoor hunting and firearms experience and they are all volunteers with no pay or compensation. Whether in the classroom or in the field training, they pass onto the next generation an education that goes way beyond a text book and can be lifesaving.

Recently I visited a Hunter Education Field Day in progress. I watched each volunteer instructor teach with passion their love of the outdoors. This included the trap range, rifle range and teaching them how to blood trail or what should go into their survival pack. Each instructor taught the students with enthusiasm, not to mention this was on a weekend. These men and women volunteer their time, fuel and often out of pocket expenses to teach the Montana Hunter Education Program.

For those of us that had to take it many years ago, we can still remember it better than most Christmas’s. Every state has some form of the program in varying degrees.

As a former Hunter Education Instructor, I have taught in many states. The quality and experience of the instructors has always been very high. Before you can teach you must have a background check and be tutored under more seasoned instructors for a period, regardless of your life/hunting experience. To become a certified instructor/educator requires many volunteer hours often on weekends, late in the afternoon or at night. They love what they do. They get to talk about firearms, hunting and things they are very experienced and passionate about while at the same time teaching the next generation of sportsmen about things like ethics and gun handling safety.

Hunter education instructors are passing on the traditions and heritage so many take for granted.

Recently many instructors have decided to hang up the towel due to additional requirements to maintain their status as an instructor; such as taking a test every year and banning the physical touching of a handgun in the classroom or in the field training portion. The issue has been down played by some in the upper echelon but I recently noticed the Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks were advertising for instructors so there must be some truth to it. Are we headed for an instructor shortage as the seasoned instructors bow out?

Often the only chance a child gets to learn anything about hunting, outdoors or firearms safety to include a handgun is in a hunter education course. Upon my last check of the hunting regulations you can hunt with a handgun. Have we gone so PC (politically correct) that we can no longer have a real handgun in the classroom full of instructors. Anyone that has a handgun in a home should have some instruction on it. Because of the length of the barrel compared to a long gun (rifle/shotgun) muzzle control and firearms safety is very important.

For Montana, the Hunter Education program celebrates its 60th year of teaching new hunters and thanks to millions of man hours of volunteer instructors with no compensation. Will there be another 60 years? Maybe it’s time we all made some calls to our local legislators. Our volunteer instructors play just as much of a role in the next generation sportsman as any educator. As of this writing, I hear there is a meeting scheduled, but due to our print schedule for the May issue I will not know the results of that meeting. We will follow-up on this story next month.

We are following this story very closely and have video that we are editing of a recent interview we compiled with some local volunteer instructors. But in fairness, we want to get with the state program coordinator and get their take on the changes causing so many instructors/educators to resign. Stay tuned!

During the Hunter Education Field Day in Plains, MT, the Plains Trap Club also had volunteers to help with the event. The volunteer Hunter Education Instructors want to thank, the Plains Trap Club for use of their facility and grounds. Special thanks goes out to Mike Smith, Tony Colombo, Ty Colombo, Doc Lulack, Mike Blake, Don Kunzer and Dave Paske for helping them out with over 60 students.

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Hunter Education

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Damage Control continued.

We got the ATV back on all fours. By this time, I was in EXTREME pain from my head to my toes and couldn’t breathe; despite the accident the hunt had to go on!

And There is Another One!

By Raf Viniard

W

hen turkey and bear season rolls around I know it is time for ticks. Some ticks start looking for a host any Thankfully, within 20 minutes of the crash we were back on time the temperatures are over 45 degrees Fahrenheit, so another herd. This time the elk were 100 yards away with the don’t think it’s too cold or too early for ticks. They are not lack of wind in our favor. Skye steadied her rifle and made a just in the woods but can be in your backyard as well. Me perfect shot! We were so excited to end the day with her tag personally, ticks don’t bother filled! Even though we had a long tough day of hunting and an me, but a tick in the house ATV accident, it was still a great day in Montana doing what can send my Honey into a full we love to do together. I ended up with some torn ligaments, decontamination red alert thankfully nothing was broken. I hope the next time one of us mode, especially if she finds is up for a damage hunt, I minimize my own damage! Despite one in the bed. injuries, this hunting adventure is often cherished as I’m These little blood sucking thankful to share these memories with my daughter! hitch hikers will cling to your clothing and your pets which in turn brings them inside your home or vehicle. I know I should be more careful and mindful of the little disease carrying demons. I have friends that have Lyme Disease and it is serious stuff and can ruin your life as you know it. As for your pets, a common disease in this area, especially in small dogs, is tick paralysis.

Contact your local vet for more information, symptoms and tick treatments for your pets/livestock.

We all know, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. There are several products on the market that are effective for killing or repelling ticks. Tick collars for pets that contain Amitraz or Delmethrin are often good for controlling ticks, as are some monthly topical products that contain Fipronil or Permethrin. If I bring another tick in the house my Honey just may have me wearing a tick collar until tick season is past. Regardless of the product used, it is important to follow the product guidelines and directions.

I like to use Permethrin, for me it kills them instead of repelling them. I love a dead tick! There are several Permethrin labeled products on the market so do your research wisely and again follow the directions. You can find it online or at most local feed stores. Do not apply it directly to your skin.

I lay my clothes outside on a table, in the shade and spray them liberally with a spray bottle filled with my Permethrin solution. I buy the concentrate and mix up my own solution.

Once the clothes/items are air dried I turn them inside out and spray them again. Once they are completely dry you are ready to put on your tick armor. I spray my boots, socks, hat, truck seats, back pack, etc. Is it 100% tick proof? NO! However, I have seen ticks crawling up my pants leg and literally die about knee level.

After a day in the field/woods take your clothes off outside (watch for peeping toms) and place your clothes in a garbage bag. I spray the bag first and then again once the clothes are in it. Seal it up and let set overnight. Next place clothes in washing machine as you usually would. Believe it or not the permethrin will not completely wash out and can last for 2-3 washings.

However, I always spray them down again after washing. I want as much protection as I can get from ticks.

I wear camo clothing a lot because I may be shifting between mushroom, shed hunting and bear hunting or doing all three at once. If you are not hunting, wear lightly colored clothes to better detect the crawling blood sucking vermin. You hear the “Be Bear Aware” tag line a lot, well I am adding “Be Tick Aware”. Lyme Disease is very serious!

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Be Tick Aware

43

Get those bear and turkey pictures in...Somebody is going to win that rifle, so you might as well throw in your picture! Submitted Contestants below. More contestants on page 47!

8 yr. old Tyler Aaker of Kalispell, MT found his first sheds and a matching set to boot!

Emily Weisgram found her first shed ever- and an elk shed at that. Way to go Emily!

Toby Bridges bagged this Tom in the Trout Creek area. The Tom Ryan and Jason Miller finding came running right at him. Toby stopped some bone on the south him in his tracks at 30 slopes. Way to go guys... yards!

Congratulations!

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Photo Contest /Local Celebrities

Rick Sanders and Mitch Waritz with their giant Lake Trout from the Fort Peck area.

Scott Palmer with a beautiful Thompson Falls, MT bear that he took opening day. Scott said the bear was 4-5 years old and just over 5 feet. Nice job Scott!

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Cody James, two birds in one day. He and Ricky Brossman called em in.

Great teamwork!

Donnie Madden of Billings, MT with a nice Merriam. Can’t wait to see your bear picture!

Ricky Allen Brossman Jr. of Libby, MT with a beautiful Tom. If you are still chasing “Old Long Beard” he might have some tips for you.

Thomas Rourke- nice Spread! I’d be smiling like that too with a turkey like that!

1

Fun in the Outdoors

Across 6. The day we celebrate our independence.

10. Which hunting season started on April 15th!

12. Easter is the celebration of Christ's ________.

13. Flat-topped rock or hill formation with steep sides.

14. Which bird has a wingspan of nine feet, and migrates every spring from the Gulf of Mexico to Medicine Lake in northeastern Montana.

17. Ancient cartilaginous fish, also referred to as a spoonbill.

20. Artificial fishing lure.

22. Slogan for reducing spread of invasive mussel species.

24. June 20th is the first day of what season?

25. A wide, relatively flat area of land that has grasses and only a few trees.

30. Where a river meets the sea or ocean.

31. A mushroom that grows in burned areas.

32. A day of remembrance in May. Down 1. A long, narrow sea inlet that is bordered by steep cliffs.

2. Your secret picking patch.

3. This holiday became recognized as a holiday in the US in 1914.

4. Eat outside with friends and family.

5. Your favorite magazine of all time!

7. Flinging motion when going fishing.

8. A narrow body of water that connects two larger bodies of water.

9. Known as the Cowboy Capitol 11. First national park in the nation.

15. Name for Adult Male Turkey.

16. Name for a female turkey.

18. A dropped antler.

19. What you use to tempt fish 21. A natural hot spring that occasionally sprays water and steam above the ground.

23. The angle that a line makes with a meridian (a line of longitude), going clockwise from north.

26. A chain of mountains and/or high elevations.

27. Keeps your food cool while travelling.

28. The most popular nonchocolate Easter candy.

29. Which hunting season started on April 8th?

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EclipseCrossword.com

Sudoku-Easy Puzzle How to play: Each line, and 3x3 block should contain all the numbers 1-9. The entire Sudoku is complete when all boxes are filled with numbers.

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Fun Page

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46

Business Card Directory

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More Local Celebrities/Next Generation entered into the Beards, Bears, Anglers, & Antlers Photo Contest

Local Celebrities Next Generation

John Dalke of Plains, MT with a hoss of a pike. This hoss weighed in at 18.1 pounds and measured 39 inches. John is known for his love of fishing and catching big fish. After three years I finally got him (really his wife) to send me a picture! Congrats John!

Ben McCann of Troy, MT puts the smack down on a longbeard with his H&R Single shot 12 gauge.

Congrats!

Get your photos in.

You only have until May 31st- After that, we pick the winner!

Great job everybody! It will be hard for the judges to decide!

Kaylee Tunison is our first lady turkey slayer to send in her picture. She dropped this Easter Turkey and makes it look easy. Now go get your bear!

Bill and Patty Alde tore the fish up on the Canyon Ferry Res last week. Bill said, “I love seeing Patty smile. She had doubts whether or not she could reel these fish in after two surgeries on her left hand.” Bill, did you really think that would keep Patty from fishing? Glad to hear you have recovered and kicking Bill’s butt fishing! Patty...That sure looks bigger than Bill’s-just saying!

Jonas Steward and buddy Skyler doubled up opening morning. Which bird is bigger? Are we gonna see double bear pictures?

Mike Gergen with a Sanders County 6’ 10” black bear.

Mike killed a bear only an inch shorter than this one a few years back. You are the man!

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Local Celebrities/ Next Generation

47

The Incredible Edible Morel

By Raf Viniard

our area, we had a big forest fire last year so morel mushroom hunters will be all In over us this year like stink on a June bug. As if I didn’t already have enough outdoor addictions I am now addicted to seeking out and eating the much sought after morel mushroom. “Hello everyone, I am Raf Viniard and I have another addiction.”

How hard can it be to find a mushroom sticking up out of the ground 2-3 inches or more? Well let me tell you, it is easier to walk over them than you might think. Picking in a burned area is one thing but finding them in a forest can be another. Morel honey holes are classified “Top Secret—Eyes Only” type stuff. You know, like your favorite elk hunting hole and they are where they are.

After finding my first morel 2 years ago I look forward to morel hunting as I do turkey, bear and shed hunting every spring. I warned you, I have a few addictions. If you are an avid outdoorsman, after you find your first one you will be asking yourself, “How many of these darn things have I seen over the years out hunting, scouting, fishing, etc. and just marked them up as raccoon, deer or bear food?” You have literally stepped on or over thousands of them.

Once you get your eyes trained as to what you are looking for, they stand out. However, rest assured you will still miss some. At 6’ 3” it is a long way down to the forest floor for me - I think shorter people have an advantage. With the little brownish/grey nuggets hiding next to rotten logs, stumps, under plants etc. it is easy to miss them. When the soil temperature has reached 47 to 55 degrees F. they will start popping up. When temperatures climb into the 60’s during the day and the nights are no colder than the 40’s - START LOOKING! Right after a rain is when I like to go hunting for morels. I will not dare jump into trying to explain to you the best places to look for them or the federal and state laws governing picking mushrooms on public lands, instead I have provided you some links to read: http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/08/31/490940744/banned-from-national-forest-for-profitmushroom-pickers-go-underground http://mtstandard.com/special-section/local/magnificent-morels-fires-stimulate-mushroom-season-inmontana/article_657836d9-bc5a-5d30-8acb-ef8507dc02dd.html http://www.montanamushrooms.com/mushrooms/morels/ http://fwp.mt.gov/mtoutdoors/HTML/articles/2004/Morels.htm http://www.outdoorhub.com/how-to/2016/03/18/50-tips-spot-morels/

I carry a walking stick and use it to lift or push forest vegetation back to look under plants. I like to cut my mushrooms off so as not pull it up by the roots. Cutting them off leaves some mushroom spores behind (sorta like seeds). The best thing to do is place them in an old onion sack so the spores can fall out back into the forest as you walk along. However, most mushroom pickers just carry a plastic grocery bag or a plastic bucket to put them in. When hunting I keep a plastic grocery bag in my back pack just for this purpose.

Last year while mushroom hunting in a burned area over near Bull Lake I found a cell phone so you never know what else you might find. My Honey will go with me to pick them but she can’t eat them because she is allergic to them, darn!

How do they taste? If you like mushrooms you are going to love these ground-edibles. To me they have more of a nutty taste than an earthy taste like a regular mushroom. I am not sure I would eat them raw because of the bugs, sand and dirt that may be hiding in them.

As soon as you get home place them in a pan of salt water and let them soak overnight. This will flush out any bugs and release any sand. The next day gently rinse them off and let drain. You can fry them up after dunking them in an egg wash and then rolling them in a seasoned flour mixture. Season the flour with the herbs and spices that you like. Me personally, I like them sautéed in some garlic butter. With the remaining mushrooms, dehydrate them for later use. They will taste great this winter.

However, don’t be disappointed when you open the lid to the dehydrator and see they are now about a quarter of the size of when they started. I want to try canning them and making cream of mushroom soup. Has anyone done this before? If you are not sure if you are allergic to morel mushrooms try just a very small piece to see if you have an allergic reaction to them before making a pig of yourself. If you are allergic to them feel free to pick them for your friends, family, neighbors, etc. They will love you for it!

What kind of information can this addicted morel hunter impart with? Here are a couple things I learned.

Read about them online and learn as much as you can to make sure you don’t kill yourself or your family by picking the wrong mushrooms.

Find someone that knows what they are looking for and where to look. If you are not sure, leave it alone.

When you find one, just stop moving and start examining the area very closely around where you are standing, more than likely there is more than one staring back at you. Have fun and enjoy these beautiful Montana spring days with friends, family or the neighbors. Remember to never trespass on private property. This outing can be a “threefer”, bears, antlers and mushrooms...

Sounds like the perfect spring recipe to me! Oh and be sure and read the tick article on page 43.

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Morel Hunting

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The Montana Grocery W

By John Lemro

hat a beautiful area here in Montana that we are blessed with being able to live. We are surrounded by the Rocky Mountains, the rolling plains east of the continental divide, big blue skies, Author’s son, Sean welcoming sunrises and breathtaking Lemro, helping his dad sunsets. Every issue I will highlight collect dandelions. and show examples from our great wilderness and bring them back to life to enlighten your senses and quite possibly, heal your body and soul if you so choose to investigate further.

Montana is home to many species of life. From the smallest of beneficial microbes, to the massive populations of wildlife, and don’t forget the plants. In Montana, plants range from the most beautiful Picasso's that mother nature can bless us with to the most, sometimes overlooked beneficial ones that we have perhaps forgotten about.

To welcome back spring, I’ll start with a plant that is sometimes mistaken as a weed, a nuisance, and a bother. Most of us spend many dollars and hours trying to rid, or perhaps try to tame these yellow pests from our lawns.

Common Dandelions have graced the prairies and landscape for what some would say as forever, and originated in Eurasia.

With the stroke of mother nature's brush and the light from our sun, we are blessed with a plant that is full of very beneficial qualities. Dandelions are rich in vitamin A, C, fiber, potassium, iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, B-complex, and organic sodium. For thousands of years, dandelions have been used as a medicine to help with digestion disorders, kidney

maintenance, proper liver function.

It is also known to us humans as a powerful antioxidant that is very rich in vitamin A and C. Believe it or Photos Courtesy of not, antioxidants and phytonutrients Kassie Mathers are thought to help slow cancerous growths. Dandelions can help some diabetics regulate blood sugar and insulin levels. Our immune system can truly benefit as well from those antioxidants and phytonutrients.

Here's the truth: all of the dandelion can be consumed. From the beautiful flower to the leaves, and especially the roots. For a moment, consider adding a native plant that could possibly help you live better. This plant can be dried, made into teas, added to salads, baked and cooked with. Think of it as a leafy vegetable that is and can be used in place or added to most anything we eat. I prefer the tea; it's bitter so sweeten as necessary if you so choose.

We are blessed to be graced with the dandelion. Most of its form and function in our immediate lives has been to kill it by toxic chemicals that in themselves have higher risks attached.

Now, I'm not saying raise the dandelion flag and grow the hair out. What I'm saying is Montanans are quite lucky to have the brightest yellow gold in real life form right here in front of us.

Take another look and just like me, you'll be amazed.

Everything we eat, absorb, or come into contact with can possibly overwhelm our bodies system. You should always investigate anything accordingly before introducing something new to your lifestyle.

Fun Page Answer Key Important dates to remember for May: Sunday 14th Mother’s Day, Saturday 20th Armed Forces Day, Monday 29th Memorial Day.

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The Montana Grocery

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T

Angel Wings

By Raf Viniard

he best part of my job is the people I meet. Over the last three years I got to know a real sweet lady by the name of Laura Cooper. Laura and her husband Dave are half owners of the Halfway House Bar & Grill located on Bull Lake near Troy, MT. Laura was one of those people that when you came in, she greeted you with a big smile and a big warm hug. She was always so cheerful whether she was cooking, serving or socializing with hundreds of customers. Her smile was so radiant and inviting, she was a people person and her heart was as big as Montana. Laura was also one heck of a cook. I loved her burgers.

She and I worked on many advertising projects together and we became very good friends as with the rest of the very friendly Halfway House staff. When I learned from Dave that she had been taken from us due to a car accident I was just floored and in shock, not Laura!

Laura, I know you got your angel wings and I will so miss your smiling face and big hugs for now, but when I get to the pearly gates I hope you are waiting to meet me with that big beautiful smile and a big hug. We are so going to miss you girl, but we will never forget you.

Don’t worry about your family, Montanans knows how to take care of each other and especially the Bull Lake Community family.

Every time I turn on the cooking channel I will think about you and the many conversations we had about cooking and your twist on your California dishes. Dave, our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family, we love you brother!

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Angel Wings

51

Not Just Another Hunter Interviewed by Kristin Maxwell

Sari MacArthur shares with Montana Woods N Water why she loves hunting. Sari is a mother of two children, a two-year old boy and a four-year old girl. She also teaches music K-12 for the Noxon Public School.

MWnW: Where did you grow up? SM: Montana MWnW: Did you grow up hunting?

SM: Yes, my dad has taken me along with him long before I was old enough to hunt myself.

MWnW: Who did you primarily hunt with as a youngster?

SM: My dad, his hunting buddy and sister.

MWnW: Who do you hunt with now? SM: My husband, dad, and father in law.

Music teachers hunt too!

MWnW: Which animal do you enjoy hunting the most and why?

Sari, with one of her many SM: I’ve done some seasons of antelope hunting when I was lucky enough to draw a tag. That successful hunts. has been really fun but elk hunting is probably my favorite. They are interesting, majestic beautiful creatures. I have an appreciation and respect for these large animals. It’s healthy and they also taste good.

MWnW: What would be your dream hunt?

SM: I've applied for a moose tag for years now. I'm hoping that I'll get to do that at some point.

MWnW: Favorite camping meal? SM: Does hot chocolate and schnapps count as a meal? (Just kidding) I love pancakes, eggs, and bacon made on the camping stove.

MWnW: What caliber or bow do you hunt with and why?

SM: My 270 is what I prefer to rifle hunt with. It's light yet powerful. This is my first-year archery hunting. I still hunt with a rifle but find archery season exciting because I get to go out earlier and get in closer proximity to the animal. It makes archery hunting exciting. I didn’t expect to hear more noises in the forest compared to modern rifle season. That month prior to rifle season, the forest is still transitioning into fall. I like that it is warmer, and more intense/demanding than hunting with a rifle.

MWnW: The area you hunt, what style of hunting is it? SM: Where we live, there is a lot of tree stand hunting but I prefer to hike out to where the deer or elk are. Having to go look for them is part of the fun.

MWnW: Have you ever hunted on a game ranch or used an outfitter? SM: No. MWnW: Do you mainly hunt on public or private land? SM: A combination of both. I hunt on my own land, and then on public land. A benefit of living in Heron, is that the elk and deer pass through our property. Throughout the year, Elk herds hang out around our house. We have a tall fence around our garden to keep the elk and deer out. We enjoy watching the animals when they pass through.

MWnW: Do you use a GPS unit? SM: Yes, we use the Rhino radios with GPS, and we have another GPS unit with the Montana map on it. It is very helpful.

MWnW: Do you ever hunt by yourself? SM: Sometimes. We have a two-year-old son, and four-year-old daughter. One of us will stay home with the kids, while the other gets their turn at hunting. If we have a babysitter, then we go out together.

Momma and baby fishing together.

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MWnW: What do you do to get in shape for hunting season, both physically and technique wise? SM: This year for archery season, I wanted to increase my draw. I lifted weights at the school’s gym a lot to increase my upper body strength. I do yoga on a regular basis to stay limber.

I got in a lot of target practice with my bow at home; which is a good workout of itself. Continued on page 54.

Hunting Interview

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Bath time while camping.

MWnW: Do you fish or participate in any other outdoor activities?

SM: Yes, hiking, fishing, camping, clam digging, snowmobiling, snowboarding and huckleberry picking.

MWnW: What topics would you like to see written about in MWnW? SM: I like the idea of interviewing moms who hunt with their kids and not treating it like it is taboo. Raising kids to be involved with hunting and exposing our kids to the whole process creates opportunities Family time and spouse time-Sari calls these hunting and to learn a lot, and spend time with them. I think it is important for fishing dates! people to understand the hunting lifestyle or just gun ownership in general. We had a foreign exchange student from Germany come to stay with us. She had her own stereotype about Americans and owning guns. Over the course of the year, her perspective of our way of life, the purpose of owning guns, the point of hunting, and food on the table changed drastically.

MWnW: What is the most important thing that you want your children to remember from hunting with you? SM: The value of where their food comes from. I want them to appreciate what is on their dinner plate and understand that food doesn’t just come from the grocery store. To appreciate the experience and be grateful for the life that was harvested to provide a healthy meal for our family.

MWnW: When do you plan on taking your kids hunting? SM: We have already taken our kids hunting with us when we can’t get a babysitter. We do road hunting with the kids. They have their own binoculars to help us glass the hillsides. We also bring books to entertain them so they don’t get bored. I started out hunting with my dad at an early age, and plan on doing the same with my children. For non-road hunting trips, we get a baby sitter and have a “hunting date.” It is a great way to spend time with my husband.

MWnW: Who does most of the cooking when you are out hunting? What is your favorite meal to make at hunting camp? SM: Living in Heron, we live where the hunting is so we can go home and don’t have to camp out anywhere. It is nice because we can take care of our farm and still fit our hunting in. Our camping mainly happens in the summer time. My husband enjoys cooking the meals when we camp. We make the food together. He also makes breakfast every morning.

MWnW: How do you feel about the hunter pink option? SM: I think it is funny. It sounds like a fashion statement. It is hunting, so who cares. Hunter orange works just fine.

MWnW: What is something that people would be surprised to find out about you? SM: I don’t know. Let me ask my husband. Response of her husband: It is surprising that she is such an outdoorsy person that can rough it, because she doesn’t look like it. Especially when she is in her work attire and teaching kids about music.

MWnW: Tell me about your most favorite hunting story.

SM: I was little and hunting with my dad. There was a moose spooking an elk herd that started to run towards us. My dad told me to get down. I hid behind a huge rock. I still remember how loud it was to have an elk herd running by you. The elk had no idea we were there and how close we were to them. It was kind of like that scene in Jurassic Park, where the herd of dinosaurs ran over the log that the people were hiding behind. I will never forget that.

MWnW: Thank you very much for your interview. Good luck with getting your first elk this archery season!

Montana Woods N Water is looking for more women hunters to interview. If you or someone you know should be interviewed e-mail, kristin@montanawoodsnwater.com

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Hunting Interview

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Manna From Above

By Raf Viniard

B

eing raised an old Southern Baptist, I was excited to join my fellow brothers in Christ last month for a good old fashion Wild Game Dinner. Pastor Kim Earhart of the Clark Fork Baptist Church in Plains, MT caught me at the local gas pump and wanted to know if I wanted to attend. He used the word “FREE” in the same sentence as Wild Game Dinner. As soon as I stepped inside the church the table was adorned with wild game fixins. His lovely wife Denise was getting it all laid out as the vultures perched near the church front door.

With a quick glance, I saw little signs in front of each dish identifying what each dish held. Elk, Venison, Goose, Bear, Turkey, Mule Deer Mulligan and Sage Brush Stew just to name a few. What really caught my attention was the gallon of SWEET tea sitting on the table.

Pastor Kim herded the soon to be grazers into the church and a blessing was given for the food that we were about to scarf down. The little church was getting noisy with approximately 20 attendees, but things quickly quieted down as everyone began to graze.

Several guest speakers were present, not to mention a table full of door prizes to be had. Several heartfelt testimonies and words of encouragement were given. Here are some the quotes I took note of during some of the speaker’s presentations.

“Don’t let the devil fool you into believing that you cannot be used no matter what has happened in your life.

Know where you are going when you die!” ~Scott Whatley “Whatever goes through your mind is not anointed” and “Be a door keeper.” Read Psalms 84:10 ~Pastor Mizer Even the local game warden Troy Hinck was there to partake in the fine dining and give an update on various local Guest speaker, Scott wildlife issues. He reminded everyone of the mushroom pickers about to swarm the area and to make sure you have Whatley. a recreational/commercial permit to pick mushrooms as required.

Mr. Ron Nail, owner of Cottonwood Ridge Brain Tan located in Whitefish, MT brought in a deer hide he had tanned using the Native American method of brain tanning. He gave us a quick version of the process as the lightly smoked hide aroma filled the room. If you are thinking about trying this on your own, get ready for some serious elbow grease. Look up bible verse Genesis 3:21; this verse just might enlighten you as to how Adam and Eve got their first clothes.

After shoving down some big old cookies and refilling my glass with sweet tea and waiting for my door prize ticket to be pulled everyone mingled and just had a fun time. A closing prayer was offered and the grazers filed out the door with full bellies of manna from above. What a fun evening of fellowship and sharing. Thanks for the invite Pastor Kim. P.S. Kelly Moore of Plains, MT had some bear sausage that should have been a sin to bring into the church, wow were those things good.

VFW Post 3596

Open Mic Nights Every Other Thursday May 18 & June 1 2017 Veterans get FREE haircuts on 1st & 3rd Thursday of each month from 3-5 pm

Happy Hour: Mon—Sat 5-7PM Membership $45.00 per year - Bring your DD Form 214 Monthly Montana VFW Gun Raffle—Tickets $10.00 each or 3 for $20. Visit any local Montana VFW for list of guns and tickets. ● Rent our banquet hall - 250 seating capacity

(full kitchen available) Contact Frank Cooney at the VFW for more info.

● Come bowl with us! Eight (8) lanes open!

201 West Lynch ● Plains, MT ● (406) 826-5960

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Bountiful Banquet

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The Sawmill Cabin

Have you ever slept in a log bed? Have you ever had a meal at a table with your family, sharing your thoughts instead of having the TV blaring in the background? Have you ever just sat in a room that is absent of TV, radio, phone or electric lights and read a book by kerosene lamp light? Have you ever seen horse drawn equipment and know how it was used?

Join the Borntreger’s for an experience and a trip down memory lane and ask yourself would you have had the fortitude to survive and raise a family in a cabin this size.

Could you do it today if you had too?

Guest Testimonial: This cabin is so well done with very unique antiques throughout. It really takes you back to a more simple time when life wasn't so fast paced. Merv B.

Take A Step Back In Time Come spend a few nights at the Sawmill Cabin and let Mr. and Mrs. Chris Borntreger take you back in time. Have you ever wondered what it was like to live in a one room cabin like families going through the depression and before? This will give you a little taste of depression era living. Take a shower, or soak your troubles away in the claw foot tub. Sit outside on the porch and fire up the fire pit and cook your supper in a cast iron pot.

Chris will walk you down the road of days gone by from his experiences living a simple life as an Amish lad.

This cabin was once his shop and office for his sawmill and by today’s standards it is modern because it has electricity and hot running water.

Experience using a modernized outhouse and think how cold and dark it would be without those conveniences.

So, what does it cost to spend the night in this cabin?

A night in this type of cabin goes for around $250-300 a night but does not come with the education and life experiences that Chris will share with you, your family or your friends. The information you glean from Chris may come in handy one day. Chris believes you should pay what you can afford, call Chris to discuss pricing.

If you just have to have modern conveniences, a microwave, hot plate and a small refrigerator are in the cabin for your use. The outhouse is connected to the cabin so you don’t have to trek through the spooky forest and fight off bears.

Want to bring guests…no problem the loft can sleep four to six and the couch pulls out to a bed. This is one experience you, your children or your friends will not forget and gain a history lesson at the same time.

How many of the tools in the pictures do you recognize and know how they were used? Life may have been hard but it was simple…care to take a step back in time?

Some of you may recognize the period pieces in the cabin from your childhood or your grandparent’s home. Have you ever washed dishes in a dry Contact Chris Borntreger for more details and booking information: sink? Have you ever hand 406-242-0628 /BorntregerChris@gmail.com pumped your own water? Have you ever used a wood stove?

Plains, Montana Have you ever fixed your coffee in a percolator pot?

Got Something to Sell? Advertise Here!

Business Space Available for Rent! Perfect for an office or small store: 612 Sq. Ft. (17x36) for $550/month.

Another 272 Sq. Ft. (17x16) available for an additional $150/month.

Location: 213 Main St. Plains, MT 59859 right on the main street of town!

Contact: Chris at (406) 210-1101 AVAILABLE: June 15th, CALL NOW TO RESERVE!!

Gooseneck Dump Trailer For Sale:

George Nass, owner of Baldy Mountain Outfitter with a trophy of his own. This 6 foot, 150 pound field dressed black boar was busy chomping on some young tender spring grass.

Way to go George! Now that is off your wish list you can focus on shed and mushroom hunting AND finding a bear for all your friends on your waiting lists! For all you non-residents, call George today and book your spring bear hunt, it is just getting good! www.baldymtnoutfitter.com Baldy Mountain Outfitter offers high quality guided big game hunts.

2008 Load Trail Gooseneck Dump Trailer Gross weight of 14,000 lbs.

Condition: used, good condition, newer tires, new battery, good working order.

Dimensions: 14’ L x 6’ 11” W Price: $7,500.00 FIRM Call Mike (253) 720-6653 Location: Plains, MT

SELL YOUR STUFF HERE! List your items here for $50 a month. Ad space is for this square. For larger ads, contact us for additional information at: advertising@montanawoodsnwater.com.

June 2017 Summer Events in Hot Springs, MT Performances at the Symes Hotel unless otherwise indicated.

Fri 2nd- Bases Covered-Familiar & Favorites from 50’s & 60’s.

Sat 3rd-Mark Chase-Americana Fri 9th- Ocelet Wizard- Acoustic Rock Sat 10th- Andrea Harsell- Roots n Rock Fri 9th, 10th, 11th- Homesteader Days: Rodeo-Parades-Car Show-Fun RunVendors-Flathead V8s-Street Dance 9:00PM–1:00AM Fri 16th—Sat 17th- Private party no music Sun 18th- Fathers Day Dinner 5:00PM-8:00 PM- John Kelley playing Blues Fri 23rd- Pamela Van Kirk- Coffee House Folk Sat 24th- Black Mountain Band-Bluegrass Fri 30th- Wayo & Keiko- Originals

May 2017 Summer Events in Hot Springs, MT Performances at the Symes Hotel unless otherwise indicated.

July 2017 Summer Events in Hot Springs, MT

Fri 5th- John Kelley- Blues Sat 6th- Lori & Pam – Bluegrass Fri 12th- Pamela Van Kirk-Coffee House Folk Sat 13th- JimnI- Folk, Rock Sat 13th-HSAS Photography reception-Wall Street-6:00-9:00PM Sun 14th- Hot Mother’s Day Brunch-Braveheart Playing 8:00AM-Noon Fri 19thst- Alex Boey-Contemporary Rock Sat 20th- Kathy Colton & the Reluctants-Rock, Blues & Percussion Sun 21st- HSAS Annual meeting, election of Officers, cake & coffee, 3:00PM Fri 26th- Jerry Fletcher-Folk, Blues, Americana Sat 27th- Shenanigans Acoustic, Blues, Folk, Americana Sun 28th- Memorial Weekend BBQ 4:00-8:00PM -Flatgrass will be playing Bluegrass 5:00-&7:00PM

Performances at the Symes Hotel unless otherwise indicated.

Sat 1st- Euphonium Spaceship-Folk Tues 4th of July BBQ- Live Music-Fireworks 4:00 – 6:00 PM Fri 7th- Shiloh Rising- Acoustic Folk, Blues, Rock n Roll, Originals Sat 8th- John Kelley-Blues Fri 14th- Wayo & Keiko-Originals Sat 15th- Mark Chase-Americana Fri 21st- Kevin Ray- Upbeat Contemporary Sat 22nd- Out on Bail-Rock Fri 28th- Symes Hot Springs Blues Festival- Opener Sat 29th- Hot Springs Blues Festival- Mike Bader Band, Mudslide Charley, and more, BBQ, Beer, Camping, Vendors, 2 day fun festival

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Classifieds

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To learn more about the properties listed below visit me at:

www.debwarren.com Deb Warren GRI, ABR Realtor, Broker

Call me (406) 544-5971

Deb@replains.com

Looking to move or relocate to beautiful Northwest Montana? I would love to help!

88 High Country Road: 95 Swamp Creek Road: Charming Montana cabin in the Downsize to Northwest woods. Come and enjoy this Montana. This 10.39 acre 1 bedroom, 1 bath home that parcel is located in the is nestled in the pines. Sit on heart of the Clark Fork River the covered front porch, drink Valley and right along Lynch your coffee, and watch the The 1 bedroom, 1 deer. Throw some steak on the $239,000 Creek. bath home is all on one barbecue on the covered back level with a large open floor porch, sit back and relax. All of $167,500 plan. The pasture by the creek is lush and the small hay shed this is located on +/-3.4 acres, and round pen are perfect for a couple horses. What more do right off a country maintained road. MLS# - 21703145 Plains, MT you need. MLS# - 21606524 Plains, MT

Affordable Montana Rural Living Awaits You!

14 S. Wanless Lane: Affordable Hunting Cabin!

This is a nice 1 room cabin located on 1.31 $80,000 acres. Located in the heart of hunting, hiking, and fishing country. Located off of a county maintained road, adjoining a large piece of State lands. Short drive to the boat launch and all the fishing you want. Perfect spot to run away to! $454,000 MLS# - 21606374 Trout Creek, MT 39 Rogers Court: Rugged 2013 E. Main Street: The 0.58 acre parcel offers Montana Beauty! Privacy is the 145 feet of main feature of this property.

Highway This amazing +/-3210 sq. ft.

200 frontage custom built log home sits on with an over 7.3 acres (two tax lots). An 5400 sq. ft. additional 70 acres adjacent are building. In available. The 2 large bedrooms, addition, 3 full bathrooms, plus a giant is a 2 bunkroom in the walk-out $105,000 there car detached basement offers plenty of room storage garage on the property. The future use for everyone. of this building is limitless. Perfect location for MLS# 21609864 Plains, MT your new business venture.

MLS# - 20146194 Thompson Falls, MT

3 Jackalope Lane: Room for Everything! Bring your large family and check out this 7 bedroom, +/4946 sq. ft. home. This manufactured home sits on a full finished daylight basement with +/-2.37 acres. Enjoy the beautiful views of the Clark Fork $235,000 River and Pat’s Knob.

MLS# - 21701966 Plains, MT

36 Helterline Lane: 21 acres with a ranch house, $349,999 historic barn, shop, chicken coop and several other out buildings.

The home has oak floors, fireplace and has been partially updated. Land is level with good soil and currently seeded in grass. Good well, fruit trees and garden area. Easy walk to town. MLS# - 21608856 Plains, MT 200 Hubbard Street: Well maintained Investment Property.

The main level of this property is handicap accessible. are $110,000 There 4 offices and a large waiting room on the main floor.

The basement is a three bedroom, 1 bath apartment. Bring your business and put it in the open space. Plenty of off street parking.

MLS# - 21700675 Plains, MT

507 Boyer Street: Clark Fork River Frontage and City Services. There are two homes, +/- 0.471 acres, 4 car shop and a separate single garage. One home is a 3 bedroom, 1 bath home with 832 sq. ft. 2nd home is a 1 bedroom, 1 bath home with +/- 912 sq. ft. with a 4 car attached garage/shop. MLS# - 21611425 Plains, MT

$155,000

Mission: Cowgirls Kickin’ Cancer’s primary mission is to inform all woman regardless of age, the importance of early detection.

Who/where: CKC provides support for all women undergoing cancer treatment in Sanders County, Montana. The cowgirls that donate their time to this wonderful organization have been affected by cancer in some way, either personally, or have a friend or family member who has been diagnosed with cancer.

Cowgirls Kickin’ Cancer P.O. Box 676 Hot Springs , MT 59845 406-849-5752

What: CKC has done a variety of fundraisers to raise the funds necessary to support their efforts in Sanders Country. Raised money helps provide free mammograms at Clark Fork Valley Hospital, donated gifts to individual groups, money for loved ones going through cancer treatment, and donations to the Cancer Network of Sanders County. Since 2011, CKC has donated $36,000 to the Sanders County community.

Events: Booths at O’moksee Fun Days (June 4), the Huckleberry Festival (Aug. 12), car shows, Homesteaders Days, and more throughout the county. Their biggest event of the year is the Chicks N Chaps event held at the Sanders County Fair annually (Sep. 1). The Chicks N Chaps event is a women’s rodeo clinic followed by a silent auction, live auction, and dinner.

How you can help: Donations are always needed. Items for the live and silent auction at the Chick N Chaps event are always appreciated . CKC is always looking for volunteers to help at events and booths. Help Cowgirls Kickin’ Cancer do their part in getting a rope around cancer.

Philanthropy Files: F

or every ad purchased, Montana Woods N Water will donate one dollar to a selected Montana charity. Every quarter we choose two organizations to support. This quarter we support: Cowgirls Kickin’ Cancer (Sanders County) and Camp Patriot (Libby). We appreciate what organizations like these are doing for our communities and want to show them our support.

Join Camp Patriot’s Fourth of July 4th Fun Run. Go to:

CAMP PATRIOT PO Box 627 Phone: (406) 293-4376 (hero) Libby, MT 59923 camppatriot.org

camppatriotfunrun.org

Mission: To empower and thank wounded and disabled military veterans of all generations though our outdoor programs.

Who: The task is monumental, today, there are over 2.3 million wounded and disabled military veterans in the United States. We thank our veterans by empowering them with the right relationships and assistance so that they can once again enjoy the great outdoors.

Where: 90 acre Ranch in NW Montana offering outdoor recreational therapy programs.

What: Camp Patriot offers many outdoor programs. At their ranch location they offer, fishing, back country horse and mule adventures, hiking, gardening, animal husbandry, canning, ATV experiences, snowshoe and cross country skiing adventures, trail running and hiking, and archery. Away from the ranch they offer hunting adventures, fishing adventures, dog sled adventures, Grand Canyon adventures, and even attend a Camp Patriot Hockey game!

How you can help: Camp Patriot is funded solely by "A Grateful Nation", individuals, families and corporations.

90% of your investment is donated directly into their veterans programs. Currently, the biggest need is for flight donations and airline partnerships. Volunteers and donations are always needed.

montanawoodsnwater.com

Philanthropy Files

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Sp

ight Sto ry

o tl

From a MWnW Reader Patrick Horn sent us this photo along with the tale of how his son Roger Horn got his first bull elk. First time out with me in 2016 was enough for him to get this guy. It seems Roger hit the ridge top and heard a low bugle as the Bull came from the steep backside of no mans land. Once he figured it wouldn’t kick back over ridge, the 264 magnum heirloom from his Grandfather hit the neck 4 times. I told him once you shoot a Bull “with no snow, poke holes in him until he is down”. Roger shot the 5 point bull at 9 AM and it was hanging in the shop by 7 PM. Roger, his wife Melissa along with 8 year old Gage and 4 year old McKayla spent several hours cutting the trail open. We dragged the 2 halves 3/4 mile downhill and game carted another mile. My wife was a very welcome sight when she brought the water up and met us at the trailhead.

Congratulations Roger and thank you for sharing Patrick !

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Spotlight Story

Sale ends May 31st or until the door closes!

montanawoodsnwater.com

Got Controversy?

A Chemtrail By Any Other Name

M

By Revelation

Bernard A. Silverman from The Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratories in Bedford, Mass. in 1972. The research documentation was created during experiments performed to determine the best methods for cloud seeding. During their research they found that the best way to seed clouds was through microencapsulated particles. After developing microencapsulated salt particles and seeing the effect, they thought they had great results. Later they concluded that salt would cause too much damage to vehicles and metal, due to its corrosive nature so they set out on a new journey to find the best alternative. What they found was that by using Carbamide, they could breathe new life into cloud-seeding by encapsulating the particles and reduce the risk of metal What is a chemical? corrosion.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a chemical as a We have the piss, but still, no wind… Yeah I’m getting there. substance with a distinct molecular composition that is Enter, Weather Modification, Incorporated. produced by or used in a chemical Since I prefer not making bad process. What does that really introductions, I’d rather them mean? Well, it simply means that introduce themselves. I went to anything that has a compound their website About Us page and makeup, such as NaCl – Sodium dredged up some good info.

Chloride (salt), or something even “Weather Modification Inc., was more complex like C-H4-N2-O – founded in 1961, in the small Carbamide (urea) is considered a town of Bowman, ND. Bowman chemical. The word chemical has is located in an area of the state been in use since around the year where the average rainfall is 1739 to describe a substance that near desert amounts and hail is is made from two or more different common. In order to preserve molecules from the periodic table If you have looked up in the sky and seen this, you have the livelihood of the agricultural of elements. community, two pilots/farmers seen a chemtrail.

What is a trail? decided to enter the forefront The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a trail as a trace or of weather modification. Our tradition of leadership and mark left by something that has passed or been drawn along. innovation continues to direct our future. What started as Hmmm. Sounds like this definition would probably suit our two aircraft and two pilots has grown to nearly 40 aircraft explanation the best. and more than 80 team members. We continue to expand Moving right along, let’s discover more. our services and products to meet emerging client needs.

“Pissing in the wind”: A whole new meaning.

Over the last fifteen years, WMI has broadened its service We all know what salt is by now, but what was that other offerings to include environmental monitoring and expanded thing you mentioned above? Oh, you mean Carbamide… atmospheric assessment and evaluation.” also known as urea? Yeah, great stuff, that urea. When we In a blurb just above this info they mention a service of do a little research on the term urea, we find that the NIH cloud seeding… “But chem-trails aren’t real, are they”? We (National Institutes of Health) and other dictionaries define performed a little more research on their site to find out urea (or Carbamide) as a water-soluble compound that is the exactly what they mean by that statement. What we found major nitrogenous end product of protein metabolism and is out was that they do in fact fly planes to deploy hygroscopic the chief nitrogenous component of the urine in mammals agents (Carbamide and other similar chemicals) into our and other organisms. atmosphere via laying trails of said chemical above or below Well what does this have to do with “pissing in the wind”, certain cloud formations. That being said, they also develop you might ask? It all starts with a document developed by a nozzles and other deployment tools for this very thing, for couple of researchers by the name of Loren D. Nelson and other organizations. Continued on page 62. any have argued, “Geo-Engineering is fake; it’s just a good story”. While that may seem true to some, for those who have been researching for years, know the truth. An apple is still an apple no matter how you cut it and try to rename it. Same goes for “Chem-Trails”, “GeoEngineering”, or the least frequently rejected terms “Cloud Seeding or Weather Modification”.

We’ve been told time and time again that there is no such thing as a “chem-trail”, and “you’re a conspiracy theorist who believes garbage”. Some of us simply chuckle at the ignorance of the individuals who make these claims. You should, because in reality, a chem-trail is just as it sounds; a chemical trail. So let’s talk semantics.

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Got Controversy?

61

Weather Modification: A sleight of hand

Weather modification, commonly known as cloud seeding, is the application of scientific technology that can enhance a cloud’s ability to produce precipitation. Weather Modification, Inc. is one organization that uses scientific technology to regulate weather patterns worldwide.

Application of scientific concepts and extensive scientific experimentation has been performed over and over to “prove” that cloud seeding (or chem-trails) increases the amount of precipitation.

They claim that the most common application of cloud seeding is to increase precipitation, and is possible with both warm and cold clouds. There are two primary methods employed to stimulate precipitation. One, hygroscopic seeding, affects warm cloud processes. The other, glaciogenic seeding, initiates cold cloud processes. Though occasionally both techniques may be helpful, in most cases one can be utilized more effectively than the other. In addition, either technology can be applied from the surface (ground-based) or from an aircraft. Weather Modification Inc. claims that they can do both.

Well, that’s only one organization claiming they currently create “chem-trails” and have been contracted by the Department of Defense, NOAA and a few other notable agencies just in the United States. They’re pretty well-known

•

Ronan

406.676.5000

Libby

406.293.7500

Hamilton

406.375.9903

in the industry and have done the same throughout the world for other countries as well. They’re “pissing in OUR wind” and we’re forced to accept it as if it were a good thing!

The Weather Modification Association was asked for a toxicity report on questions regarding the environmental effects of silver iodide aerosols used in cloud seeding, which include silver iodide aerosol complexes such as silver iodide-silver chloride. Their research indicated there were no environmentally harmful effects and even claim “the WMA finds that silver iodide is environmentally safe as it is currently being dispensed during cloud seeding programs”.

Yes, you read that correctly; “currently being dispensed”.

What’s more, they go on to admit it several times throughout this very same research paper saying, and “…silver iodide is being used annually for cloud seeding activities in the U.S. and Canada today. Cloud seeding activities release silver iodide to the atmosphere over specific areas of the western states of the U.S., Canada and some other areas around the globe to augment rainfall, augment snowfall or reduce hail damage.” Based on a document submitted to the World Health Organization, cloud seeding residuals regularly fall outside of the seeding area. http://www.weathermodification.org/images/AGI_toxicity.pdf http://www.inchem.org/documents/cicads/cicads/cicad44. htm#2.0 Silver iodide is used because of its hexagonal crystalline structure, but as reported in Nature Materials (March 2009) scientists led by researchers at the London Centre for Nanotechnology (LCN) at UCL have discovered a novel one dimensional ice chain structure built from pentagons showing that ice can build an extended one dimensional chain structure entirely from pentagons and not hexagons.

“This discovery leads to fundamental new understanding about the nature of hydrogen bonding at interfaces (there is no rule that hexagons should form) and suggests that when people are searching for new ice nucleating agents which can be used to seed clouds and cause rain, they do not necessarily need to focus on materials that have hexagonal surfaces – other types of surfaces may be good too,” says Dr. Michaelides. “It is important to understand the structure of ice on the nanoscale, and in particular up against solid surfaces because this is how ice crystals form,” explains the paper’s first author Dr. Javier Carrasco. “We need to understand the structure of ice crystals in the upper atmosphere because they play an important role in the formation of clouds and precipitation.” And cloud seeding is not the only area to be affected by the discovery. The formation of nanoscale ice crystals (i.e. nucleation) plays a key role in fields as diverse as atmospheric chemistry and biology.

The team’s discovery that ice chain structures can be made from pentagons offers the possibility of replacing silver iodide as a seeding agent, which has also raised

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Got Controversy?

montanawoodsnwater.com

some (small) concerns from some quarters regarding the uptake of silver in the environment.

The Weather Modification Association owns up to this on their FAQ page:

What seeding materials and methods are used in cloud seeding?

Two different types of seeding agents are used, depending on the temperature of the cloud volume to be treated. The agents used to seed a cloud (cloud seeding agents) drive the technology used for cloud seeding. The terms “cold rain” (developing through a process that involves ice particles) and “warm rain” (developing through a process that is entirely liquid) are often used to describe the two primary cloud microphysical processes that produce precipitation naturally.

The most common agents used in “cold rain” or snowpack augmentation cloud seeding projects are silver iodide and dry ice (frozen carbon dioxide). Other agents like liquefied gases (liquid nitrogen for example) can be used to seed clouds, the means of generating seeding agents in “cold rain” snowpack augmentation projects include pyrotechnic flares (similar to emergency highway flares),a solution of chemicals…” …Wait a minute, what is this ‘SOLUTION OF CHEMICALS’? No one really knows.

When asked, “Is there any link between cloud seeding and chemtrails?” Their response is:

“No. The WMA is unaware of any connection between cloud seeding as is practiced by its members and to what some refer to as “chemtrails” (chemical trails). Atmospheric scientists even dispute the existence of “chemtrails”. What some chose to call chemtrails are actually “contrails” (condensed engine exhaust trails), which are well-understood atmospheric phenomena. Contrails are defined as “streaks of condensed water vapor created by an airplane or rocket at high altitudes.” These condensation trails are the result of normal emissions of water vapor, carbon dioxide, and some carbon-containing particulates from piston engines and jet engines at high altitudes in which, given the right atmospheric conditions, the water vapor condenses into a visible cloud. Actually, due to the very cold temperatures at high altitudes, the water droplets that initially form this cloud rapidly freeze, forming an ice cloud similar to naturally occurring cirrus clouds. Under certain conditions contrails can merge or contribute to the development of a larger area of cirrus clouds. Contrails are normally observed on otherwise clear days, when cloud seeding would not be conducted. The cloud seeding nuclei from round or airborne sources do not produce such visible clouds.”

So are we back to the drawing board?

Not even close. Let’s review, shall we?

– A chemical was defined as two or more molecules to compose one particulate.

– A trail was defined as a mark left behind.

– Weather modification uses various methods involving

leaving trails of chemicals behind in upper or lower atmosphere.

– Clouds can be seeded by a time equation utilizing a rate of fall, meets density, speed of wind, arrival of clouds and other atmospheric pressures to calculate when a chem-trail will affect a given area.

– In the FAQ answer above, they indicate that contrails create cirrus clouds, right? Well, let’s say there happen to be 5 condensation trails that merge into a large ‘cirrus cloud’ (we’ve all seen it happen). Would that cloud be available for seeding, and wouldn’t seeding man-created clouds be a way to change the weather from nil to grand? I’d say we have a decent starting point wouldn’t you agree?

You couldn’t possibly believe that an organization based solely on creating and mitigating weather conditions wouldn’t also be involved in manipulating those weather patterns from scratch could you? Of course not, you’re smarter than that. Eventually, the Weather Modification Association, its affiliates, another entity or our governments will own up to the fact that there’s a term classification that should be reconsidered; that Cloud Seeding, Bio-Engineering, Weather Modification, Chem-Trails, etc. are indeed one in the same.

What Can YOU Do???

Tell someone, dig for information on your own, start a campaign, sign petitions and begin class-action lawsuits to expose and end the control of YOUR skies by people who think that they own the air that you breathe, the rain that you receive and who paint the sky white. We want our blue skies back!

Here is one instance of someone who stood up for themselves and spoke out: http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/1370980?uid=37 39776&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=4&uid=3739256&s id=21101590059647 References:

1.) http://www.weathermodification.com/cloud-seeding.php 2.) http://docs.lib.noaa.gov/rescue/mwr/100/mwr-100-02-0153.pdf 3.)http://chem.sis.nlm.nih.gov/chemidplus/ProxyServlet?objectHan dle=Search&actionHandle=getAll3DMViewFiles&nextPage=jsp%2Fco mmon%2FChemFull.jsp%3FcalledFrom%3Dlite&chemid=000005713 6&formatType=_3D 4.) http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trail 5.) http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chemical 6.) http://www.weathermodification.com/about-us.php 7.) http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=10829&page=89 8.) http://www.idwr.idaho.gov/WaterBoard/WaterPlanning/CAMP/ TV_CAMP/PDF/2010/09-29-2010_Weather_Mod.pdf 9.)http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/1370980?uid=3739776&ui d=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=4&uid=3739256&sid=21101590059647 10.) http://www.weathermodification.org/images/AGI_toxicity.pdf 11.) http://www.inchem.org/documents/cicads/cicads/cicad44. htm#2.0 12.) http://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/pdf/10.1175/15200450%281965%29004%3C0560%3ATDOSIR%3E2.0.CO%3B2 13.) http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid=c9b66fadf4991 a64acd6a2c723821399&rgn=div8&view=text&node=15:3.1.2.1.5.0.1 7.3&idno=15 (very interesting read)

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63

Jack Frost & Baldy When I moved to Plains in early June 2013, I was so excited to be in Montana.

By Raf Viniard Being from the south I was way behind getting a garden in the ground. The Montana weather was beautiful, not hot and humid like Georgia. As soon as we got all our stuff moved in the cabin and things were functional, I rushed down to my local garden center and bought some beautiful tomato and pepper plants that were already blooming. Since I live on the side of a rocky mountain I also grabbed 10-20 bags of good soil. I rushed back home glancing up at Baldy Mountain on the way back, the snow was almost gone.

I grabbed my tools, built my raised bed, dumped the bags of soil in, laid out my rows, pulled the plants from their pots, gave the hole a sprinkle of Miracle Grow and a drink of water for good measure. Slid the plant down the hole and firmly packed the coal black dirt around them. If all went well I would have fresh tomatoes and peppers by late July or early August. I was raised living off the land and was really excited about doing what other Montanans do this time of the year, planting a garden! I had heard the locals talk about how you should never plant anything outside until all the snow melts on Baldy’s heart on Baldy Mountain. Baldy Mountain is visible from the Town of Plains and has a spot shaped like a heart that is covered in rocks in the summer and covered in snow through winter and even into spring. From my point of view very little snow left on the heart, meant winter was over. Here I was in a short sleeve shirt, digging in the dirt and the temps were in the 50-60’s during the day and low 40’s at night. So, I should be good to go, the hard frost was over, I thought.

I got up the next morning and as I stepped out the cabin door I noticed my plants had a really dark green wilted look.

Uh oh…the temps had dipped down to the low 30’s and white glistening frost covered the tin roof of the cabin. Note to self, listen more closely to local legends. Back to my local garden

center and this time the plants stayed in the house until that freaking snow was gone completely off the heart.

If I would have had a Deluxe Greenhouse from Montana Structures to keep my plants in until the snow was off the heart, I would have done better on our first Montana growing season.

These greenhouses are constructed of cedar which helps resist rot from rain and snow. The Twin Wall Poly-Carbonate walls will keep Old Man Frost’s bite away from your young plants. The automatic or manually opening vents can be used to control the temperature inside the Deluxe Greenhouse. Montana does have a few Georgia type summer days minus the humidity.

These vents would allow me to regulate the heat in the Deluxe Greenhouse. There are plenty of shelves. The shelves line the two side walls and the back end of the greenhouse. Plus, the exterior wood comes with a Natural Cedar Stain, giving your Deluxe Greenhouse the finishing touches it deserves and makes for a nice-looking structure. The 2’ x 3’ window on the door makes it easy to glance in and check your thermometer.

So, take it from me, who learned the lesson the hard way, get a Deluxe Greenhouse from Montana Structures today to extend your growing season and keep Jack Frost and the hot summer sun at bay. You can choose from 8’x10’ small, 10’x12’ medium, or a 10’x16’ large Deluxe Greenhouse. They all have a Heavy Duty Treated Walkway in the center. Need a custom size? No problem, they can make that happen. To learn more about Montana Structures Deluxe Greenhouses, contact Jon at (406) 552-4205. Check out Montana Structures online at www. montanastructures.com for all your other structure needs including horse barns, chicken coups, sheds, cabins and garages.

Let’s start the summer season off by staying safe!

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