Publisher’s Notes By Raf Viniard It is hard to believe we are already in November. I don’t even want to think about hunting season ending here in a few days. Work keeps getting in the way of play time. Thanksgiving is around the corner and Christmas just a few weeks from that. As I move about Northwest Montana meeting outdoor men and women doing what they love to do, I am amazed at the amount of kids I have seen this year with their parents out hunting. Good job Mom and Dads. Thank all of you for your support! Don’t forget to thank a veteran this month for making the life we have here in the United States possible, especially here in Montana. This world is a mess. We as Montanans are so blessed. Raf Viniard, Publisher Don’t forget to support our advertisers and tell them you saw their ad in Montana Woods N Water. Without them this publication will not continue to exist. We need their business for us to stay in business and keep you informed, entertained and educated. Thank you advertisers!
Guest Writers This Month: Robert Pierson Page 6—Patriots Brian Gilmore Page 13– Campfire Talk Tara Drake Page 21— Bird Hunting Front Cover Photo Provided By: Bob Hosea aka “The Bob Factor” Bob is hunting Larch Land, Lincoln County Montana www.thebobfactor.com and Facebook To Contact Us: Montana Woods N Water 171 Clark Creek Loop Plains, Montana 59859 406-407-0612 Email: raf@montanawoodsnwater.com www.montanawoodsnwater.com
What’s Inside A Packed Issue! Hunting 2-3 Tony Rebo 4 Patriots 6 Family & Friends 7 Fishing 9 Trapping 10 Montana Dan 11 Camp Fire Talk 13 Sportsman’s Meditation 15 Next Generation 16, 22 Local Celebrities 17,18,23,25,27 Fly Fishing 19 Bird Hunting 21 Community 25 Veterans Day Tribute 26 Making Memories 27
Staff Publisher/Editor/Layout/Sales: Raf - 406-407-0612 Field Editor, Lincoln County Kori - 406-293-1478 Director of Social Media Misty - 406-250-4191 Pro Staff Writers This Month: Pastor Jim Sinclair Paul Fielder Dan Helterline Tony Rebo Chuck Stranahan
Editorial Policy: Montana Woods N Water (MWW) reserves the right to refuse to publish any form of content that does not include the author’s name, complete mailing address, and/or valid phone number or e-mail address. Anonymous submissions will not be addressed or published. MWW reserves the right not to publish anything we feel is not in good taste or appropriate. All content, material and graphics designed by Montana Woods N Water are copyrighted.
HUNTING—THE NEXT GENERATION
By Raf Viniard As the publisher of Montana Woods N Water I get the opportunity to talk to many men and women about their outdoor hunting, fishing and trapping adventures. Each story is unique and I love to hear them all. Some make it to print and some don’t. However, this story will be one I will never forget. While I was up in Libby, Montana doing some marketing I heard a rumor about two kids ages 9 and 12 killing a big bull elk with a bow. Assuming that Dad or Mom was probably a key player in this harvest I was still interested in hearing about their accomplishment and the role of Mom or Dad in making this happen. I tracked Mom (Xannie Riddel) down first and the more I heard the story, the more interesting the story was. It was time to hear it from the kids. The jest of the story was the 9 year old called it in and the 12 year old shot it. This is a difficult task for seasoned elk hunters let alone two young boys. Mom called me so I could do a phone interview with Jay. Usually when dealing with kids it is like pulling teeth to get information and their knowledge and the use of hunting lingo and terminology is limited. Most of the time I have to have the parent fill in the missing parts. Not with this interview…this boy is a pro! Jay, the 12 year old started telling his story and I could not write fast enough. After about two minutes into his storytelling it was very evident this boy knew his elk hunting. I was so impressed with his knowledge and ability to tell the story so technically accurate that it was hard to focus on my note taking…I was taken back by this young man’s elk hunting knowledge. Somebody had taught him well and this boy was eat up with elk hunting. Delivering under pressure is not a problem for this young man. So here is how two young Montana boys made the smack down on a nice 6X6 bull elk according to 12 year old Jay Ridell of Libby, Montana. The official score is 315 and 4/8 " “We had been hunting all morning with our Dad (Ben Riddel), stopping and calling trying to locate a bull. Finally we heard one bugle. Trent got the bull going with a bugle. We started working in his direction and it was obvious this bull was with a herd of cows. As we worked our way down to the bull we were busted by a satellite bull. We almost jumped out of our boots when he barked at us. Trent called for two hours and he would not leave his cows. Finally as we was working our way down the trail we saw him splashing and crossing the river with the cows and he was really beautiful. He would not answer my Dad but when my brother Trent would call he would answer. He crossed the river and the bull was really close. I saw a big tree leaned over to the ground and he was raking it. He smelled really bad and we were right on him. I saw him at five yards and he was quartering towards me a little. He moved his head around and was coming and wasn’t stopping. I drew my bow back when his head went behind a tree and put the pin right where I wanted the arrow to go. I was breathing so hard I almost passed out. After I shot he turned and threw dirt on me. We went over to see if we could find blood and there was not much blood. I looked over and seen the horns sticking up above the brush. He was dead as a doornail. I had hit him right in the heart and lungs. My brother and I stayed with the bull while Dad hiked back to the truck. He was gone for about 45 minutes. We took a little nap. Dad came back with friends to help us pack it out.” After the conversation with Jay I got a chance to speak with Dad (Ben Riddel). I could not tell who was more excited but rest assured Jay has raised the bar for Dad since Dad has never killed a bull this big. Continued on page 25. 2
HUNTING
Road Warriors By Raf Viniard Usually I am the first one out in the morning and the last one in at night. Each year as I get older I don’t have that eagerness to jump out of bed at 4:30AM and speed across miles of mountain roads and walk 2-3 miles all before daylight. Couple that with another 2-3 miles of walking and it is a long day. What is happening to me? This year I caught myself staying in bed longer getting to the gate by daylight and slipping in...this aging thing is putting a damper on my passion and obsession. I used to walk 10-15 miles a day and be ready to go again the next day. Now I walk 10 miles in a day and it takes me 2-3 days to recover and a bottle of Bengay and a half dozen Advil. This road hunting thing is starting to sound more like my speed. Last weekend I was headed to my locked gate of choice and when I got there another gentlemen a little older than me was sitting in his truck waiting for daybreak...ah, it was good to know I was not the only one. However, on the way up I had a truck trying to crawl up my tail pipe...they were in a fired up hurry. Of course me being me, I just maintained my poky speed enjoying the blessing that I am still able to get out and enjoy my passion. When we both arrived at the gate two young boys jumped out of their truck and was already sliding on their back packs. I guess they thought this was a foot race. No threat from this old boy, I am eating my banana and drinking my Monster and watch the daylight break. The gentleman that was there first had the same idea...ease into the morning hunt! With age comes wisdom right? However, upon my return that night to the truck...my truck was the only one left. Where were those two young lads? As I get older the idea of driving the roads and hunting is starting to sound more appealing. As I came back across the mountains the other day from Libby I thought I had missed a plane crash or something. It was a steady stream of trucks and cars on every back road I traveled. Orange vest filled truck seats and rifles laying on dashes, leaned against the door frames, sitting in the seats...they were ready and loaded for bear. You could tell some were on a mission as they slid around the corner like a Montana Mountain NASCAR race. Here I am in my honey’s little Jeep Cherokee driving an average of 6 mile an hour checking every little nook and cranny for fur, ears, eyes, antler, legs, etc. By 4:00PM the traffic had got so I bad I tried tuning into a radio station looking for a traffic report, you know like the big cities have. I decided to call it quits and head home. On the drive home I pondered the idea of being a road warrior verses a walker. Outside of the fuel expense, road hunting has its advantages. For instance... I can cover several more miles in a day and the mountains just don’t seem as steep., the air temp is just right by a twist of knob and dry. I get to meet other evasive lying hunters about what they have or have not seen. I can eat and drink all day, pee when and wherever I want. The extra weight of a shopping cart full of groceries doesn’t hurt my back. I can explore new roads that no other hunter had been down...well in the last thirty minutes. I can take my honey along...which requires multiple stops to tinkle, giving me more time to glass not to mention she brings a real meal along instead of a Cliff Bar or a can of sardines. I can check my phone occasionally when I find a signal to see how my other road warrior buddies are fairing. I can actually be home an hour or sooner after last shooting light vs. just starting my 3-4 mile uphill tract back to the truck in the dark. I will be fully recovered from a day of hunting by the next morning….I feel refreshed. In fact, I could even go again the next morning and don’t smell like Bengay and can save the Advil for the days I have to cut firewood. Give me another year and I am sure I will come up with more justification to switch from a walker to a fellow Montana Road Warrior. Laugh you young whipper snappers ...your day is coming! Until then I shall march on exploring the mountains by foot where few dare to go and stock up on Bengay and Advil. See ya back at the truck at dark. Tip: It is not a race, slow down take in the beauty and the opportunity to be outdoors. Glass those little openings, you might be surprised what you are missing. Rest homes are full of old timers that would love to experience it just one more time...count your blessings! 3
TONY REBO THE BURNING STUMP PILE By Tony Rebo There is nothing like October weather. The bitter cold mornings followed by sixty degree afternoons. Each day you wait as the fog slowly burns off to expose the sun filled sky. The fall colors are in full bloom, and the sheer beauty of our wonderful state is breathtaking. Last week marked the opening day of pheasant and antelope hunting. I was lucky and was able to take the week off and enjoy both hunting adventures. I started off the week hunting up near Fairfield Montana for pheasant. I am very lucky as I was able to hunt private land and had an abundance of birds at my feet. Harley did her job as well as many of the other dogs and by the end of each day we had our bag limit. I left Fairfield on Tuesday and traveled 250 miles south to Dillon, Montana. I was lucky and drew an antelope tag for area 321. I had never been antelope hunting before and I was looking forward to my first hunt. I reached my destination early enough to get in an early evening scouting trip. I spotted several antelope and had a plan for Wednesday morning. By 8:30 AM, I was loading a nice buck into my truck. Harley and I spotted a buck and nine doe, and after about a fifteen minute stalk I was within 450 yards of my target. Balancing my 243 on a shooting stick I adjusted my scope to the distance and one shot later I had my antelope. My week couldn’t have been better; I enjoyed the company of friends while bird hunting and the solitude hunt I had for antelope. The east side hospitality couldn’t have been more delightful. We were welcomed into homes for dinner, and spent the afternoons swapping stories. This was the perfect lead into the opening weekend of elk hunting. I haven’t missed an opening weekend in over 40 years. My wife claims opening day to be more important than any other day of the year, and I can’t argue with her logic. This brings me around to my story. Most of my friends know that I am not available from opening day of rifle season until I have my tags filled, and even then I may be out helping friends find that once in a life time buck or bull. This is where the burning stump story begins. My two youngest girls were just 13 and 14 and were excited as much as I about opening day. Many of our friends are hunters, and as we would swap stories about where we planned to hunt opening day a challenge was given by some very dear friends. It seems that my buddy Earl and his family were challenging me and the girls to a hunt off. The challenge went something like this; Points would be awarded to each team member based on what was shot by each hunter. At the time a doe could be shot and tagged, so a doe was worth 1 point. A buck was worth 2 points with bonus points awarded per every point. A cow elk was worth 5 points and a bull elk was 10 points with each point added as a bonus as well. Of course it was decided that our teams should have names, and my youngest daughter claimed our name to be team one, and of course it only made sense that Earl’s team be called team two. After a much heated debate we decided we would go with the names for now but the names would change at the end of the season and the team with the most points would have the privilege to be called team one, of course leaving the losing team to be called team two. My team consisted of myself and my two daughters. Team two declared that I could not add my son as he killed a bull every year, and that I had an unfair advantage. Earl’s team consisted of himself, his wife Lucy and of course Earl junior. Earl’s daughter wasn’t quite old enough to hunt yet and so she sat this one out. Opening day we all traveled to an area to hunt together. Earl and his family were new to Montana and had only lived in Libby for a year. Continued on page 5.
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TONY REBO CONTINUED I agreed for it to be fair we would take them with us. Lucy had her parents visiting and so they tagged along as well. We all ended up in an area that had plenty of deer and always a chance to spot elk. We developed a plan for team two to travel the road and watch the clear cuts and openings. Team one would go cross country and travel across the ridge and make our way around the back of the mountain, and then we would travel back towards team two meeting up with them somewhere along the gated road. After about fifteen minutes of trash talk we parted ways and the hunt was on. My girls had already made a plan to only shoot big bucks; they were counting their bonus points in their heads. I remember having to stop and quiet them down on the trash talking as everything could hear them talking smack. Earl and his family also had a plan; Lucy’s family took Earl junior and made a stand on the end of a logging unit. They would wait there while Lucy worked her way around the unit hoping to jump something to shoot. Earl on the other hand took off down the road trying to get to the back side before us as he was convinced he would find animals there. I mean why else would team one be heading there unless all the animals were on the back side. The girls and I made our way over the ridge in the knee deep snow. We spotted several doe, and keeping to their word they passed on the opportunity to fill a tag hoping to shoot at a buck. It was a great morning and the cold air was followed by that late morning sunshine which warmed the soul. We had a great hunt with many learning activities along the way. It was about mid day when we ran into Earl, who sitting along the snow covered road panting like he had just ran a marathon. Earl could barely talk as he was exhausted and out of breath. This is what I remember him saying. “Oh my word, ELK” as he pointed off in the distance. Now I can tell you he had my attention and I was holding onto each word as he told me the story. It seemed that Earl had rounded a corner when he spotted the heard of elk. Earl wasn’t sure the number of elk, but was positive that a big bull was in the group. The elk were bedded down about 200 yards off the road on the edge of a new clear cut and he could see the elk breath as it rose into the air. Earl dropped to the ground as he first spotted the elk hoping not to be seen. As Earl laid face down in the snow I can only image what he was thinking. Earl has never shot an elk, and holy cow he would be a hero and would now claim the right to be called team one. Earl knew what he had to do, and what sacrifices he would need to make. The plan would be to belly crawl through the snow, until he was within shooting distance of the elk. Earl began the long crawl on his belly and at about 25 feet into the knee deep snow came to the realization that he was going to be wet. The thought left his mind as he would still be the ultimate hunter and he could always build a fire to get dry, which is after he shot the bedded bull elk. Earl continued to make his way across the opening and now found himself into muddy spots where the snow was melted away. Earl remained true to his plan and continued on through the mud. Earl finally reached his spot of attack and would now be able to rise up and shoot a bull elk. I couldn’t take this story any longer, “did you kill an elk”? I asked. I don’t remember any gun shots, but who knows I might not have been able to hear it. I couldn’t see any blood on Earl, so I figured he must have missed or maybe wounded the animal. “Earl hurry it up and finish the story”. Well old Earl was stationed behind a large dirt mound and he claimed the elk were just on the other side of the pile. Earl told me he could see the elk’s breath rising into the air as the warm sun reflected off the snow. Earl claimed to be so close to the elk that he could hear them breathing. Now keep this in mind; Earl was now soaked to the bone crawling through the snow and covered in mud as well. He lost a hat and a glove on the way as he crawled to his current location. Earl was beside himself knowing that in a moment he would be standing and taking down a bull elk. Earl peeked up one last time to get the exact location of the heavy breaths coming from the elk as they lay not knowing that a killer was behind the dirt pile just inches away. The air was still and everything went silent. The birds stopped singing, squirrels stopped chattering, and I even think that the airplanes in the sky paused as Earl made his move. Gun in hand, Earl gave a commando scream and jumped to his feet to fill the afternoon air with lead. Visions of dead elk filled his head, and the stories that he would be able to tell Earl Junior. Continued on page 28.
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PATRIOTS
A Short History of Money in America By Robert Pierson Money is a medium of exchange. Our first ancestors found that money was of no value, because the Native Americans they traded with put no value on coinage. Soon enough, villages, then cities arose, and the craftsmen couldn't deal on the barter system effectively. (It is messy. You have what I need, but I don't have what you desire.) Various foreign coins or tokens were used. They were made of copper, brass, pewter or tin. The king of England eventually dictated that all coins in America should be made in England. In 1652, England's king lost his head (literally) and was not replaced until 1660. As a result, a Boston mint replicated 1652 schillings illegally until 1682, avoiding discovery. During the Revolution, paper 'Continentals' were authorized and printed. Soon the States printed them, the British counterfeited them and the market was flooded with them. This monetary system crashed and no paper money was printed for 80 years. That explains why Article 1, Sec. 8, Clause 5 of the U.S. Constitution was created, disallowing paper money ([The Congress shall have Power] To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof . . .). During the Civil War paper money showed up again as 'greenbacks'. They were printed, lost value and trust, until Congress promised to back them with gold. This created enough confidence that paper gold certificates and a gold standard began. It lasted until 1933, and provided monetary stability worldwide until President Roosevelt, using executive orders, made private ownership of gold illegal, exchanged physical gold for silver certificates, then immediately reset gold value from $20.67 to $35.00/oz., devaluing the silver certificates by 40%, overnight. In 1965, President Johnson removed all silver from US nickels, dimes and quarters and decreased the silver content of silver Eisenhower dollars and Kennedy half-dollars to 40% coin. In 1968, Johnson outlawed the redemption of silver certificates for silver, allowed 'sandwiched' silver dollars and half-dollars and the words, Federal Reserve Notes appeared on the bills. In 1973, gold prices were again reset, this time to $42.23/oz., further devaluing the dollar. Later in 1973, Congress 'floated' the dollar. This 'floating' disconnected the dollar from anything of value. It became a truly 'fiat currency'. (not redeemable for anything). Gold prices soared from $42.23/oz to around $800/oz, then resettled to around $300/oz. The government authorized the Federal Reserve bank (FED), which is a private bank, and has the authority in order to balance the financial markets to print money. The FED has now printed so much money, the system is on the verge of collapsing. An example is Germany. In 1919, a loaf of bread cost 1 mark. By 1923 a loaf of bread cost 100 billion marks. This hyperinflation is usually caused by overprinting. In this country, in 1933 a loaf of bread cost 8 cents. Today it costs $1.59. All this MANIPULATION has had a devastating effect on purchasing power, savings accounts, retirement funds and fixed incomes. Our monetary system now operates totally outside the U.S. Constitution. Learn more next month. “It is clear truth that those who every day barter away other men’s liberty will soon care little for their own.� ~James Otis~
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FAMILY & FRIENDS
Sportsman Never Die…They Just Move To Higher Ground By Raf Viniard Kim and Margaret McNeil of Plains, Montana have heavy hearts this hunting season. Their son Kimo was an avid fly fisherman and moved to higher ground June 24th, 2015. Kimo loved living in Montana and fly fishing with his friend Bill Hoskins also of Plains, MT. Kimo’s heart was as big as his passion for Montana and the great outdoors. Kimo also loved to hunt. Last fall Kimo killed a beautiful black bear over near Steve Pardee’s place east of Plains, Montana. Steve was another great sportsman that stepped up to higher ground last year. Parents should never outlive their children but as we all know we never know when we will be called to step up to the higher ground. When our creator calls us home that means we are finished with this part of our earthly adventures. Kimo peacefully passed away in his front yard looking down the beautiful Clark Fork River valley. As beautiful as Montana is I can only imagine what beauty Kimo is witnessing and I am sure he and Steve Pardee are talking about the one that got away and their Montana hunting forays. Spend time with those you love this hunting season, but most importantly love your creator...you will meet him face to face one day, might as well get to know him personally now if you don’t already. Diego, Kimo’s side kick that has also been laid to rest!
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Business Card Directrory
E-mail: peregrineemb@plainsmt.net
8
FISHING
Next-Gen Spoon Fishing By Sam Martin Humble, inexpensive yet remarkably effective; the spoon has been a staple of tackle boxes for over a century and continues to be so even to this day. Its simple shape and wobble is responsible for more fish catches than any artificial lure ever made, and with a no brains fishing retrieve it can make any angler a star. But what happens when the magic wears off? What can be done when fish begin to wise up and become wary of such a commonplace lure? Well, lucky for the rest of us, a few dedicated fishermen and fisher ladies have developed innovative methods to fool our aquatic quarry into falling for the spoon all over again. Jigging: It is hard now-a-days to find a fisherman who doesn’t know what jigging is. It is even harder to come across any breed of fisherman (except for those dastardly fly fisherman) who hasn’t used the technique either on the water or on ice. Lucky it is then, for our fishing community, that when it comes to spoon jigging, the idea is almost the exact same. Save for the necessary change or two of course. Vertical Jigging: So when most anglers jig they drop their lure straight down to the bottom and then begin their lifts and falls. With spoons, the concept is the same except that instead of lowering the lure all the way to the bottom, it is dropped down to the depth that the fish are hovering at and then given the characteristic action. The reason for this is because this is a precision technique designed to target suspended fish in summer or winter. Most species, during the muggy hot and the frigid cold, enjoy the stability of open water for both hunting and resting. Many schooling bait fish, such as perch and cisco also enjoy this same environment creating a nice forage source. Remember though, that despite the simple allure of the spoon, you still need to match the hatch in order to get bit. The best recipe to remember is that gold spoons mimic the flash of a perch. Silver covers most everything else. Diagonal Jigging: Essentially the same as before but with more power into the cast and retrieved at a forty five degree angle. This retrieve is designed to cover the whole of the water column and is typically best used when exploring vertical cover like cliffs and drop-offs. Combine this with a rounder spoon to achieve the desired gliding movement and you’ve got money, err… fish. Lateral Jigging: Combat fishing at its finest. Long casts and a rip, rip, rip retrieve that would make a body builder’s forearms burn. All this is meant to do is to elicit the most vicious of reaction strikes from feeding bass, pike or trout in submerged weeds and river runs. This is the kind of retrieve the good old Dare Devil spoon was made for with its oblong shape and sturdy construction. Throw this when the bite is on. Flasher/Attractor Substitute: Lake locked trout and salmon fishermen have been using flashers since before this writer was born. Now while that may not be all that long ago to some, it is long enough for habits to form. But, if for one minute, we were to break from the down riggers and plastic flashers, one might see that there is a unique chance for innovation. Ditch the lead core line and use a big, heavy spoon to substitute for the flasher and you have action that is unlike anything else. This could even work for bottombouncers to add more action to a worm harness. Truly, if you can troll it, you can throw a spoon in front of it to make it even better. 9
TRAPPING
John Hughes inspecting furs, 2011 MTA Fur Sale
Trapping Issues by Paul C Fielder Two issues should concern trappers right now: (1) projected low fur prices and (2) politics that could ban trapping on all public lands in Montana. To do something about these issues, we need to understand them. A few years ago we saw some record high fur prices. If you go back about 75 years and factor in the inflation of the dollar, fur might have had more actual value then than just number of dollars now. But, during the last several decades, fur prices were highest around 2012 and 2013. There was high demand for fur in Russia, China, and other European and Asian countries. The higher prices of raw fur made the prices of fur garments rise. Then the Chinese government started paying more attention to some of the taxes that their fur dealers were not paying and clamped down on the dealers a bit. That change in profit margin caused China fur dealers to back off at international fur sales a bit. Gas prices came down this year. That allows trappers to cover more ground and run longer trap lines, but the lower oil prices also hurt the Russian economy that relies heavily on oil exports. The Russian ruble is worth about half of what it was two years ago. The military conflict between Russia and areas to its south added more uncertainty to the Russian economy. Lots of people live in Russia and China. Many of them wear garments because of their real cold winters and most people know that fur keeps people warm. Last winter’s weather was warmer than normal in Russia and China. So, fur garment makers and sellers had all those high priced fur coats (because of our previously high priced raw fur prices) that they couldn’t sell because of depressed economies and warmer weather. They’re not buying a lot more furs until they can sell what they already have. We can’t do much about foreign economies and weather, but we can do something else. Two years ago muskrat pelts averaged more than $11. This past spring they were $3. Pound for pound, beaver castor may be worth more this year than finished beaver pelts. Cont. on page 12. 10
MONTANA DAN
Fall at Full Throttle By Dan Helterline Fall is always my favorite time of year for many reasons, the problem is there is never enough time to get everything done that you would like to do. I have found that you must pick your battles and focus on what you are most passionate about. This year I spent about three weeks salmon fishing on the Columbia.. There was another heathy return of Chinooks that made it up to the Priest Rapids area which made for some great fishing. I don't think I caught as many fish as last year, but I definitely caught some larger fish. I was able to boat two twenty six pounders and several around twenty pounds. There is always a learning curve when you go to somewhere new and fishing the Columbia River is no different, I am slowly unlocking its secrets and starting to consistently be successful on the Hanford Reach below Vernita Bridge. After wrapping up with salmon fishing I was able to sneak in a weekend of pheasant hunting with some friends over at Conrad. Bird numbers are up after a good hatch this spring and upon finding the right field to hunt we got some good rooster shooting in. I did learn a valuable lesson on that hunt, never hunt more dogs than you have working E-collars for. I have two Puddel Pointers that love to hunt pheasants but they need the help of an E-collar to remind them how close to the person carrying the shotgun they should hunt. Unfortunately only one of my collars was working that weekend so the dog that had the inoperable collar on spent their time out of shotgun range flushing roosters ahead of the hunters despite my commands, so yea I was that guy! I spent most of my extra time this summer preparing my traps and equipment for trapping this fall. I had several land owners contact me over the course of the summer with coyote complaints, requesting me to remove them, and since trapping coyotes is one of my passions, I was happy to oblige. Coyotes usually are prime about the week before Halloween so it was finally time to load the truck, hit the road and start laying steel! I had to retire my old trapping Toyota this spring so I bought a newer Tacoma that was a flatbed and had it modified to my liking at a local fabrication shop. It turned out better than I imagined so I was naturally anxious to get in the woods and test it out. Looking at some of the fur market Double Dog Catch predictions for this trapping season, coyote pelts are one of the few furs that shouldn't suffer from the softening fur market, as the market for trim on garments using coyote fur remains strong. When trapping for coyotes I like to use a combination of dirt hole and flat sets, Bridger #3 in a four coiled modified offset jaw is my go to coyote trap. I anchor all my traps with cable stakes that I build myself, they are easy to make, light, fast to drive into the ground and hold incredibly well. Continued on page 12. 11
MONTANA DAN CONTINUED I will use commercial bait and lure as well as some that I have made myself. Ground beaver and bobcat meat make great bait when allowed to slightly taint and then fix with bait solution. I like to put my sets along trails and natural crossings that coyotes are using during their travels. When I trap on cattle ranches most ranchers have “dead pits” where they put livestock that has died but can't be salvaged, these locations are coyote magnets. I will always put multiple sets at these locations depending on sign and double catches on coyotes are quite common, there is nothing better than walking up to a gang set location and having not one but two coyotes! When trapping coyotes I usually catch a few fox along the way, with the declining market for fox fur, I intend to have my fox tanned and market them myself or make my daughter a garment out of them. I have never been able to understand why coyote pelts bring more money, when in my opinion, fox fur is far more luxurious and beautiful. Fox are also a lot faster to skin and easier to put up than coyotes. By the time the ground freezes and the snow flies my fur shed will hopefully be full of drying coyote and fox pelts; it will then be time to break out the Bridger #5’s and go after Mr. Wolf! Pictured Left: Dan has already started his 2015 fur collection.
Trapping Issues By Paul Fielder Continued Some fur items such as good pale coyotes and well spotted bobcats will have good value. But, buyers are warning that only the best, well handled furs will bring top value and poorly handled and off quality furs will see rock bottom prices. You’ll do best if you harvest your fur when it is prime (not too early or too late) and spend time handling the fur correctly to produce top quality pelts. Study fur handling information and take a course if you can. You can’t turn a $5 muskrat into a $10 bill, but you can sure turn it into a buck and a half. A ban on trapping on all public lands in Montana will hurt trappers far more than low fur prices will. Animal Rights Groups (ARG) are gathering signatures to put a trapping ban initiative on the 2016 ballot. They’ve tried this three times since 2008. BUT - they only need to succeed once. Their arguments are based on emotion, not sound wildlife management. Such groups got trapping bans put into law in California, Arizona, Colorado, Washington, and Massachusetts. Many unanticipated problems resulted. Montana, a state rich in the history of mountain men like John Colter and the fur trade era, could be next. During the 2015 legislative session, two bills tried to protect Montana from future trapping ban initiatives. HB 212 defined the word “harvest” in our state Constitution as “legal take by means of angling, hunting, and trapping”. It was supported by almost all Republicans and opposed by almost all Democrats. The Governor did not sign the bill, but it passed into law without his signature. SB 334 would have defined the term “game animals” in our state Constitution to include “big game animals, upland game birds, migratory game birds, and furbearers”. The bill was supported by almost all Republicans and opposed by almost all Democrats. When SB 334 finally reached the Governor’s desk he vetoed it at the urging of Animal Rights Groups. Within two months, Animal Rights Groups filed their trapping ban ballot initiative. Don’t sign their petition!!! One political group is working for the benefits of trapping in Montana and one is working against trapping. As voters, we can be part of the solution or part of the problem. What’s your choice?
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CAMPFIRE TALK
Winterize That Boat By Brian Gilmore For many, autumn marks the end of boating season. It is important to take certain, specific steps now to insure a smooth, trouble free launch next spring. There are basically two types of propulsion for boats: Outboards and inboards. Inboards will include true inboards, I/Os or stern drives and direct drives as in the popular “tournament” ski and wakeboard boats. This article will discuss only outboards. The purpose of the following maintenance measures is to protect against corrosion, destruction caused by water freezing inside your system and the mess and frustration caused by letting the fuel in your boat deteriorate while not in use. First thing is the fuel. I put stabilizer in every tank of fuel. I do this because I never know how long my boat might sit between uses. Today’s fuels do not last like they once did. Sitting around for 3-4 weeks can turn fuel bad. By stabilizing every tank I don’t have to worry about the unexpected expense of a complete fuel system tear down to purge the bad gas. If you do not treat every tank, then now is the time to add a good marine grade stabilizer to your tank. Add plenty. You cannot add too much. If it does not say MARINE on it, don’t use it. The boating environment is much different than that of a lawn mower or string trimmer. Run the motor long enough to get this treated fuel into every component exposed to fuel. This is true whether your tank has gas with or without ethanol added to it. Despite what anyone says, once the fuel is bad, there is no additive that restores bad gas. If you like, you may run the motor dry of fuel after the winterization is complete, but I have seen no advantage to doing this if the fuel has been properly treated. Now while the motor is warmed up, it’s time to check and/or change the other fluids. All outboards with the exception of jet propelled outboards will have a lower gear case. If you have a jet motor, skip this next step. If you have only used the motor a few hours since the last fluid change, then you may just need to check to make sure it is full and free of water. In this case remove the “vent” screw at the forward end of the gear case and just below the large flat fin above the propeller. This should be done just after the motor has been run and warmed up. Give the fluids a minute to settle and then stick something thin and flexible in the hole where the vent screw was. I like to use a cable tie(zip tie). If the fluid is within a ½” of the hole lip, there is plenty there. If the color is not milky looking then you do not have a water leak problem. If it is low, add more as per instructions below. If you want or need to change the gear lube; read on. Slip an oil pan under the lower unit and just below the drain screw (usually on the under side of the lower unit “bullet” and at the forward end toward the point). Remove that drain screw from the gear case. The oils will dribble out very slowly. Next remove the upper “vent” screw. Continued on page 14. 13
CAMPFIRE TALK CONTINUED Be prepared for the fluid to come out fast once the cavity is vented. Make sure that the gaskets on these screws are still in good shape. Replace them with new ones if they show any signs of damage before you begin filling with fresh fluid . Inspect the gear lube in the pan. If it is milky, you may have a water leak and this will need to be addressed right away. This repair will not be covered in this article. This is also why you should check your gear lube in the fall rather than leaving potential water in it all winter to rust and corrode. I like to look for shavings or chunks of metal in the pan at this time also. Their presence could indicate a larger problem looming that would need immediate attention. Once the fluid is fully drained it is time to refill it. The lower unit must be filled through the lower drain hole. You will need a bottle of marine gear case lubricant. Do not buy 80-90 wt gear lube. Use only marine gear lube. Again, the gear lube designed for a tractor or car is not engineered to perform at outboard RPMs and in the wet environment of a boat. You will also need a small hand pump to attach to the bottle of lubricant. The pumps can be purchased for around $10 and can be used year after year. Make sure the pump has a fitting for your brand motor; not all drain plugs are threaded the same. Screw the fitting on the pump hose into the drain hole and start pumping. Keep pumping until the fluid starts dribbling out of the vent hole. It seems backwards. I know you want to fill from the top, don’t fight it. You will lose. Just pump it in from the bottom. Once it starts over flowing re-install the vent screw . . . tight. Detach the pump from the drain hole and re-insert the drain screw. Next is the engine oil. If you have a two stroke, where you mix oil in the gas skip this next step. This section is aimed at four stroke outboards. Fall is the time to check and change out your engine oil. Do not let it sit unchecked until spring. Engine oil should be warmed up before changing or checking. Warm oil drains more completely and any water in the oil will turn it milky colored, giving you the signal that something is wrong. Again, this is why you change fluids in the fall. If there is water in there, it is important not to leave it in your crankcase all winter. Remove the engine drain plug and let the warm oil drain until just a drip. Now remove the oil filter and give it a few minutes to finish draining. If you pull the filter off too soon you will have old oil all over the bottom of your cowling. If your motor is too small for a screw on filter, just open the fill cap so the oil will flow out freely. Replace the filter. Install the drain plug. Fill the oil back up to recommended level and put the plug back in the fill hole. At this time I like to inspect my spark plugs. Check for cracks and signs of poor running, ie: white or black color on electrode indicates a problem. Fogging oil helps protect internal engine parts during long periods of inactivity with a coating of lubricant. It is an important step in the winterization process. It helps prevent internal rust and corrosion. For most modern fuel injected four strokes, use an EFI rated fogging oil. You add this to a small tank of fuel and run it through the engine until all internal parts are coated (5-10 minutes depending on engine size). Continued on page 15.
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SPORTSMAN’S MEDITATION
Go Green By Pastor Jim Sinclair
It was a beautiful fall morning, I had all kinds of things to do, but that’s when my phone rang, “Hello” this is Jim, “Hi PaPa this is Bud. (My nine year old Grandson Darren aka “Bud”)” I responded, “Hey Bud what’s up?” Bud excitingly declared, “Well guess what, I don’t have school today, its teacher work day or something, can we go shooting?” Hesitantly I told him, “Uhhh! Bud, PaPa has to unload a food truck, and Papa has to do this and that and the other. Maybe another day…… I pleaded.” Bud feeling deflated and disappointed said, “O.K. Bye.” I could hear the let down in his good-bye. Realizing that sometimes obligations win out, I started looking at what I would be missing out on if I couldn’t or didn’t rearrange things. Then I was reminded myself of a sermon I preached one time. I went down and bought some DOTS, Yes, DOTs, they were little Red and Green DOTs on a sheet of paper with sticky on the back. Some use them at yard sales to price things. I took a week and I put a Red DOT on everything in my world that I COULDN’T take with me when this life is over. I put Green DOT’s on everything I COULD take with me. It was quite a week, I had Red DOTs on all my guns, ATV, motorcycle, travel trailer, pick-up, house, chainsaws , fishing poles, all my STUFF had Red DOTs. Then I put Green DOTs on people. Yes people, I figured out that relationships and people are all that are going with us. I had a green DOT on the lady that works at Gambles, DOTs on the people at the Grocery store, on the people in the gas stations, on the people at Church, my life was full of Green DOTs. I even had one on my wife. Pondering Bud’s request, I quickly made the call to My Green Dot, (Bud) and boy was he ready to go. We had an incredible day, After 400 rounds of 22 ammo, which is like Gold, but that ammo it is a RED DOT, we laughed and talked and enjoyed the beautiful fall afternoon together. I invite you to go buy some DOTs. Green DOTs can change your life. A verse that rings true to me is found in 1 st Peter 4: 7 For we brought nothing into this world, (Red DOTs) and it is certain we can carry nothing out. (KJV) I sit here writing this as a Happy Man, with a memory that a Green DOT made in my life on a beautiful fall afternoon. Keep Livin The life! Pastor Jim GO GREEN!!!!!!!!
Winterize That Boat Continued from pg. 14 For two stroke EFI and conventionally carbureted outboards a good marine rated fogging or storage oil in an aerosol can is used. Once the motor is warmed up, spray through the warm intakes until exhaust turns white. Then spray equally into all intakes until the engine stalls. Both methods are easy to do, very effective and cheap preventative medicine. Disconnect your battery and bring it inside if you have one or hook it up to a maintainer. Once parked for the season, make sure the motor is positioned all the way down, ie: vertical, so water does not collect and then freeze in the propeller cup. Make sure the bow is higher than the stern so water will run to the back. Bilge plugs (the drain plug in your transom) should always remain out so water does not collect inside the hull. This does not cover livewell pumps and bilge pumps. They should be disconnected and drained or they will freeze and break. Congratulations, your outboard is winterized. 15
NEXT GENERATION Kylie Yerkes strikes again with her first grouse. This little lady has the hunting bug. Mom and Dad better get her, her own freezer!
Kylie Yerkes of Kalispell, MT with her first deer, after only an hour in the stand she had closed the deal.
Ryan Miller nailed his first deer (Holding Antlers) , who is your side kick Ryan?
Virtual Tour
Virtual Tour
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LOCAL CELEBRITIES
Pictured Above: Tony Hochstetler of Plains, MT got his first elk with a bow. Way to go Tony...what time is supper?
Chris Borntreger of Plains, Montana with a nice whitetail bruiser. Finally got some time off huh? That buck had your name all over it!
Pictured Center: Dave Muniz of Libby, MT with a nice muley. Nice buck Dave!
Pictured Below: Tony with a nice antelope...somebody has go to buy a freezer! John and Chris Borntreger with Thanksgiving Dinner! Pastor Mannie Taylor of Plains, MT with a trophy antelope. I think the man upstairs heard your prayer Pastor...nice antelope!
Jon Hochstetler with his first antelope! I am starting to see a trend here! 17
LOCAL CELEBRITIES CONTINUED
Chad Villegas of Missoula , MT with his first bull! Congrats Chad, hanging around Uncle George something must have rubbed off!
Sam Cowles of Hot Springs, MT with a pair of juvenile wolves taken south of Marion, MT . Sam took these wolves while coyote hunting and called these wolves into shooting range with a coyote challenge call. The elk will sleep better tonight thanks to Sam. Good job Sam!
Judy Woolley of Plains, MT (right) with her friend Dr. Barbara Sutton (left) hunting together near Westcliffe, Colorado. You two ladies look like you are having a lot of fun. I guess you showed the guys how it was done! As Judy was cutting out the loin she found a broadhead and a piece of an arrow lodged against his spine.
I helped George Nass pack his elk out and watching them skin it out made me hungry...fresh elk tenderloin over an open fire...note to self...bring salt and pepper next time. Raf Viniard 18
FLY FISHING - CHUCK STRANAHAN
Fly Tying and Hunting Season By Chuck Stranahan I won’t be hunting this year. My older son has decided to stay home and save the outlandish money that Montana now demands of out-of-state hunters in pursuit of big game. I usually hunt with him. Besides, another hunter in the family bagged an elk and shared the meat with us. The freezer is already full. I asked what happened to the hide, but it didn’t get saved. Maybe another lucky hunter will think of me. In turn, if they fish, I’ll gift them with a batch of flies. If not, I’ll assure them of my gratitude for their thoughtfulness. A couple years ago a friend shot a three or four-year-old bull elk, an animal in his prime. The drag, what there was of it, went easy on the hide. It yielded a bounty of primo hair that I’m still parceling out for tying the flies in my fly shop, but I am feeling the pinch and could use another hide next season, if not this year. Another good deer hide, preferably a late-season whitetail, would be welcome as well. Four years ago the group I hunt with bagged ten deer. I had the pick of the hides, and took a prime whitetail hide and a muley hide. I got lucky. Even a marginal hide will yield plenty of good hair for the fly tyer. Curing a hide If you’re a fly tyer, and somebody offers you a hide this hunting season, take it, even if you don’t know how to deal with it. Here’s what to do, and it’s easy: Stretch the hide on a sheet of plywood or particle board, flesh side up, starting at the bottom and Author at the fly tying bench. stretching the hide toward the top to avoid hair breakage. 1 ½” carpet tacks work just fine for this Hunting season marks the beginning chore. Start at the center, and tack alternate sides as you work your way out. Then, gently pull the neck area of fly tying season. of the hide toward the top of the board and secure it with a few tacks. After that, go back to the base and continue to tack alternately as you work your way up the sides. Space the tacks so the hide won’t roll up between the tacks. This distance can vary – according to where you’re tacking. On hides I stretch that distance can be four to ten inches apart. Don’t hesitate to use a sharp knife to trim the rough edges as needed. The object here is to leave all the skin exposed so flies won’t find their way into any concealed areas. Once the hide is tacked out, continue with the knife to remove any muscle and fat tissue that you reasonably can. That will usually involve what I call the shiver muscles attached to the middle back of the hide, and fat around the edges. There might be more, in other places, and as you remove it, be careful not to poke holes in the hide. When it gets to the point that you’re worried about that, it’s time to put the knife away. Continued on page 20
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FLY FISHING CONTINUED - CHUCK STRANAHAN Salt and borax When the hide is stretched, I like to cover it with a 50/50 mixture of any kind of coarse salt and borax. The salt goes on first, gets spread evenly, then the borax gets spilled on and worked between the salt crystals. Why borax? It’s alkaline – and another name for fay is fatty acid. Salt draws out moisture, borax neutralizes the fatty acids so the hair doesn’t get burned and the skin doesn’t deteriorate. That’s my theory, anyway, and it seems to work better than plain salt. When the outside of this mixture gets damp, as moisture is being drawn from the hide, I add more salt. If at all possible, I leave the hide stored flat. Usually I’ll stay at this process all winter, adding a little salt as needed. In the spring, I’ll have a hide that is thin and workable; it doesn’t need to be tanned for fly tying purposes. Then I’ll untack it and wash it. First I’ll clean off all the salt-borax mix. Then I’ll turn it over, hair-side-up in the driveway, and get after it with a nozzle on the garden hose. When it’s thoroughly wet (and it’s amazing what comes out of a “clean” hide with water pressure) I’ll mix up a batch of grease-cutting dish detergent in a bucket and spill it over the hide. Then I’ll gently shampoo and work the detergent into the hide to dislodge any remaining dirt before hitting it again with the hose. After that I’ll take a hair brush and even out the hair. This whole process takes about half an hour. It isn’t that bad. I’ll dry the hair side first, then carefully turn it hair-side-up to dry the skin side. When it’s dry the hide will be malleable and the hair will be clean and ready for fly tying. From there I’ll cut the hide into fly-tying sized pieces as needed. In the case of elk hide, I’ll quarter it, and may cut deer hides in half. Those big chunks are easy to store but not too ungainly. I can cut bench-sized working pieces from them as needed. Elk mane makes the wing on this Golden Stone, while flank hair is used for the tail and underbody. Selecting hair from full hides supplied by hunters makes superior flies.
The members of my winter fly tying classes found those hides to be a valuable learning tool. I showed them which part of the hide yields the best hair for different kinds of flies – elk mane, not elk body hair, for stonefly wings; whitetail deer neck and shoulder hair for comparaduns, rump hair for Muddler Minnows, and so on. They learned what to characteristics to look for in the hair they choose for the flies they tie – and I was able to distribute some generous chunks of that hair to them for their own tying. If you have access to a full hide, you’ll discover the same thing: the best hair for any given purpose comes off a particular portion of the hide. Look for what you need, tie a couple flies with it, and if it works well label the back of that hair parch with a fine Sharpie pen. I have hair labeled for specific patterns and sizes of flies on my bench. When you’re working off a full hide, you can get picky – and your flies will be the better for it. I got 99 problems and fishing solves all of ‘em. ~Earl Dibbles Jr 20
BIRD HUNTING
You Don't Have To Be A Lab To Be A Bird Dog... By Tara Drake Chewy aka “Chew-man” is a Lhasa Apso. He has a partner in crime, most of the time, Cookie aka Cookie-Monster... Chewy and Cookie usually can be found lounging on their pillows in the truck on our long rides in the woods. Occasionally my husband will shoot a grouse and bring it back to the truck and let Chew-man sniff at it. He will take a sniff, and go back to his lounging. Cookie isn't interested at all. On one particular day we went for a ride with some relatives and they brought their lab "Haley" along. The guys had shot a couple of grouse, and came back to the truck to let Haley out. Chew-man was watching intently as Haley ran into the woods and happily came out with a grouse, wagging her tail. I was watching as Chew-man was getting fidgety. The look of boredom quickly turned to excitement as he sat up a little taller watching Haley. It was if he was thinking "Hey! I didn't know that was allowed! I want to do that!" I told my husband how excited Chew-man got when he saw Haley bringing that bird back to the truck and suggested the next time one of them shot a bird maybe they should let Chew-man out to see what he does. He just laughed, but agreed. Just a short time later the guys took off to find some more grouse, and they found one. When Chew-man heard the gun go off he went nuts pawing at the door. HE WANTED OUT NOW! So I opened the door and shouted to Bob that I was letting Chewy out, don't shoot him. He took off like a shot in the direction of that loud popping sound and just as quickly came back out of the woods with a bird in his mouth! We were all just stunned. He was prancing back to the truck just as proud as could be. We started laughing, and told him what a great dog he was, but he wouldn't stop till he got to the back of the truck where Haley was looking down at him. He just looked at her like "See, I can do it too". I took a picture, thinking that no one would ever believe this story, I had to have proof. After that, the guys shot a couple more birds, and Chewy would go over there, take a sniff, and look at them as if to say "Eh, I did that once, that's good enough." We lovingly referred to him for the next week as our "one time bird-dog". Then last week we were out doing a little grouse hunting, and my husband shot three birds. Chew-man and I were walking not far behind him, when Bob kinda laughs, picks up two of the birds and yells: "Chewy, I got these two, that one's yours, take it to the truck." Chew-man ran over, picked it up, and pranced back to the truck with it. I grabbed my camera and took a few pictures before he laid it at Bob's feet. He sure was a proud puppy. I don't know if he will ever do it again, but I have the pictures to prove that he did it not just once but twice!
At Dan Helterline’s aka “Montana Dan” retirement party after the festivities had ended he had a visitor to help clean up what was left of the roasted pig and to wish him well during his retirement. If only that fox knew that Dan just held a trapping class he might have had second thoughts about wishing Dan good luck in his retirement. 21
NEXT GENERATION CONTINUED Pictured Left: Cree Lulac of Plains, MT with a very impressive Mule deer. Way to go Cree you ladies are showing the guys how it is done! Pictured Right: Lily Stinnett of Plains, MT with her first buck. Lily CONGRATULATIONS...good job! I hear you have showed Dad how it is done!
Darby’s fish!
Pictured Above: Cade Stinnett of Plains, MT with his first Mule Deer. Cade has been featured before in Montana Woods N Water. This young man is making it happen! Congrats Cade...nice buck! Pictured Left: 13 year old Zack Yerkes of Kalispell, MT with his second deer archery harvest. He won the raffle to hunt on the Montana Bowhunter Education Foundation (MBEF) property this year. This is the first deer harvested out there by a youth raffle. Thanks Mom! 22
LOCAL CELBRITIES CONTINUED
George Nass of Plains, Montana and Baldy Mountain Outfitters finally got a chance to go after a elk for himself after many years of guiding and helping others find their bull of a lifetime. Congrats George...it was a long time coming but what a nice first bull.
The rifle range in Plains, Montana was one busy place the week before rifle season opened. Were you ready? David Petteys of Thompson Falls, Montana sighting in his buddy’s 7mm. They were headed out to Gardner, Montana for a little elk hunting action.
Lloyd Hartshorn of Plains, Montana was sighting in his wife’s .243 and his 30-06. Lloyd said he will hunt his favorite spot close to home as he has for the last five years. Mrs. Hartshorn show him how it is done and send me the picture.
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LOCAL CELEBRITIES CONTINUED
Pictured Above: Lacey Styer with her first deer. Picture shared by Zachery Watson. Buck was killed out of Grass Range, MT. Congratulations Lacey...job well done! Pictured Below: Ricky Allen Brossman Jr. of Libby, MT killed this Montana Bull on Halloween. Looks like you got the treat this Halloween. Good job Ricky!
Darrick Judkins of Libby, MT with a nice public land Bull Moose shot near Eureka. Looks like Darrick is having Moose roast for Thanksgiving! Nice Montana moose Darrick...congratulations.
Attention Local Celebrities & Next Generation. If you did not get your pictures in to us for the November issue we will be glad to run them in the December issue and post them on our Facebook. Email them to Raf@montanawoodsnwater.com. Thanks to everyone that submitted photos not only for the publication but for our Facebook as well. They are truly appreciated.
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COMMUNITY
Take Drugs? By Raf Viniard We are not talking about the illegal kind but prescription medications. The old school way of thinking that was when you were done with them or wanted to remove them from the home you simply flushed them down the toilet. Not any more! Do you realize you are putting those drugs into our water system? So what are you to do with old prescription drugs? You can take them to the local Sheriff’s Office, a hospital or to your nearest DEA-authorized collector. These collection centers maybe in a pharmacy or other approved DEA facility. These collection centers are highly regulated to ensure all class 2 thru 5 drugs are properly disposed of...usually incinerated. Justin and Andi Holmes owners of Plains Drug recently was given a grant from the Montana Attorney General, Tim Fox for the installation of a Medsafe. Plains Drugs was one of thirteen approved locations to receive a grant. Justin stated, “These new safes allow grandparents to properly dispose of out dated, unused or unwanted prescriptions and help keep them out of the grandchildren’s little hands. These safes allow any individual a way to discreetly dispose of these drugs without making a trip to the Sheriff’s office. Often times after the deceased of a loved one that was on heavy medications, prescription bottles are left laying around. Normally the local Corner will pick them up at the time of death and properly dispose of them. However, some are missed or placed somewhere in the home that are not found until later. These Medsafes allow you to just drop them off and we will take care of the disposal.” Justin went on to say, “These sites are mainly for pills that are still in their bottles NOT medical waste, liquids or sharp objects such as needles. However, if you are not sure as to what you have, contact your local pharmacist or hospital to get further disposal guidance.” In short, keep medications from our water system by disposing of them correctly. Clean drinking water is one of the most precious limited resources on the earth. Please do your part in keeping these prescriptions out of children’s hands or being resold on our streets.
Two Boys and A Big Bull Continued… Other hunters have requested Trent to do their calling for their next hunt…Dad has had several offers to rent out Trent. Dad said, “Trent just has a knack at calling and is very good at calling…he just pisses them off.” Jay interjected, “The bull just kept getting madder and madder every time Trent chuckled.” Dad went on to say, “We had a system for Trent when calling. One finger meant bugle only, two fingers meant chuckle only and three fingers meant bugle with a chuckle. Jay shoots a Matthews Mission Craze with Muzzy fixed three blade broadheads. Trent used a Primos Big Hoss call to work that bull into a frenzy. The day started for these three at daylight and they did not get home until 11:30 that night which as Jay confirmed, “A long day.” Mr. & Mrs. Riddel thank you for spending time with the boys. Your family is truly “Living The Dream.” Congrats Jay and Trent…job well done…you too Dad!
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VETERANS DAY TRIBUTE
11 November 2015 Honoring All Who Serve or Served and Those That Gave All!
God Please Watch Over Our Service members. ~Amen~
Caleb Bates of Thompson Falls, MT with his first bull elk with a rifle. Congrats Caleb job well done and a beautiful bull! 26
MAKING MEMORIES Father & Son Success By Michael Tatum, Plains, Montana Here are a couple of pictures from our opening day success just Northwest of Kalispell. My son Will is a first year hunter taking advantage of the new apprentice hunting law. He was able to take this buck at 100 yards and I was able to fill my B tag shortly after he bagged his buck. So far this year he has taken a turkey, numerous grouse and ducks and put a stalk on a black bear, that got away. The apprentice opportunity has been a huge success for him, obviously, but for his dad
as well. I think I have had more fun working to get him into hunting opportunities this year than some of the my own past seasons. Along the way we have both learned valuable lessons that have created an even stronger bond between father and son. Thanks for what you guys and gals do at Montana Woods N Water. It is all our pleasure to share your memories! Raf Viniard, Publisher Montana Woods N Water
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TONY REBO CONTINUED The first shot I think was a bit high; the second and third shot were on the mark. Earl reloaded and prepared to end the bloody war. Another volley of shots was fired just in case. As the smoke cleared and sound was once again restored, Earl came to the awful truth about what had just happened. Earl had spent nearly an hour stalking and shooting a burning stump pile. That’s right; the breath he saw was puffs of smoke from the burning stump. Now as he told us the story about shooting the stump the girls and I broke into an uncontrollable laughter. Even as I remember that day now I am in stitches. Earl was devastated, and when I asked him why he kept shooting and reloading and shooting at the stump he replied “I was committed”. The walk back to our truck was filled with jokes and fun. It was a hunting trip of a life time. Of course we claimed the title of team one as later during the season my girls and I all tagged out. Old Earl still has to deal with our jokes as we continue to point out every burning stump or brush pile to him, just in case he wants to get out and shoot. I hope you had a great opening weekend, be safe and I hope your aim is true. Enjoy the hunt and remember to thank God for good friends and family.
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