Montana Woods N Water, April 2015, Volume 4, Issue 3

April 2015

Volume 4 Issue 3

Redneck Ball Another Addiction by Angela Montana Where’s The Bears?

MWFP Updates

Publisher’s Notes

By Raf Viniard Spring bear and turkey season are well underway and fishing poles and their owners are hitting the rivers. Spring is definitely in the air and everyone is eager to get outside and enjoy it.

Gardens are being tilled and hiking boots are coming out of the closet. I am even seeing campers pop up along some of the rivers and streams. Kids can’t wait to get out of school and our valleys and mountain sides are greening up. The smell of fresh mowed lawns and the dotting of our countryside with wild flowers and the shades of brown turning greener by the day. Ball fields are alive with parents and kids to signal spring has sprung. Montana is one beautiful state in the spring...so grab your camera and enjoy what God has so graciously given us. You live in Montana...the state that tourists pay thousands of dollars to come vacation and see each year. As a reminder you might want to throw the fishing pole in the truck...you know just in case!

Bear hunting has been a bit slow but a few bears are being seen here and there. If you are a bear or turkey hunter...the ticks are horrible this year.

Use repellent so the little lady of the house does not scold you for bringing in those blood sucking vermin into your palace.

Don’t take all this for granted...soak it up, please be safe out there, whether in the woods or on the water and send us those bear, turkey and fishing photos.

Front Cover Photo Provided By: Nancy Dykstra Nancy also provided a photo for the Gambles ad.

Contact Us Montana Woods N Water 171 Clark Creek Loop Plains, Montana 59859 406-08-0576 www.montanawoodsnwater.com Email: raf@montanawoodsnwater.com

Publisher & Editor: Raf Viniard 406-407-0612 Photographer, Print Manager Tina Scott 406-830-7500 Field Editor: Mitzi Stonehocker 406-544-1868 Sales & Marketing, Lincoln County Kori Erickson 406-293-1478 Director of Social Media Misty Loveless 406-250-4191 Flathead Valley Rep: Vacant Missoula Sales Rep: Vacant Pro Staff Writers & Photographers: Angela Gerych Pastor Jim Sinclair Dan Helterline Zach Butcher Paul Fielder Montana Mitzi Sam Martin Jason Badger Tony Rebo Toby Walrath Editorial Policy: Montana Woods N Water (MWW) reserves the right to refuse to publish in any form of content that does not include the author’s name, complete mailing address, and/or valid phone number or email 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.

REDNECK BALL

“Cabin Fever” Redneck Ball Trout Creek, Montana

By Raf Viniard There are Rednecks and then there are Montana Rednecks. Local Montana Rednecks got together to raise money for the Trout Creek Community Improvement Association.

Sanders County residents turned out by the pickup loads to enjoy an evening of live entertainment, live auction, raffles, dancing and adult libations to create a redneck social that Trout Creek would not soon forget.

Attendees opened their wallets to support the worthy cause. Look through the pictures to see how many local rednecks you recognize.

Let’s Get The Show On The Road

Sound Check Please!

Milk, Tea, Coffee or Something a Little Stronger?

We Want Milo! We Want Milo! We Want Milo!

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Baldy Mountain Outfitters Outfitter License # 23173 Phone: 406-291-7656

Deer ● Elk ● Bear ● Mountain Lion Welcome to Baldy Mountain Outfitter Located in Plains, Montana

We offer high quality hunts that fit the clients ability and needs.

Our guides give 100% to make sure that the clients have the best possible hunt.

We are out in the hunting areas before daylight and stay till the last shooting light to get the best chance of finding the big one.

We have access to large areas of public and private land to hunt.

WWW.BALDYMTNOUTFITTER.COM 3

REDNECK BALL CONTINUED

Step Right Up...Get Those Tickets!

Those Look Empty?

Kill It & Grill It!

I Can Never Understand An Auctioneer! Honey, Quit Scratching Your Head!

Liz...Is That What I think It Is? Everyone Meet Sylvia Her Skunk Shawl!

The Night Went to Milo!

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Do you like Montana Woods N Water?

Be sure and thank our advertisers and buy local!

It’s Not If...

But When!

When it’s time to go...go in style!

www.camocaskets.com

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REDNECK BALL CONTINUED

Michelle, Put That Saw Down Before You Cut Someone’s Leg Off!

Now this is a party! .

Cut A Rug & Shake A Leg

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OUTDOOR VETS

Donna & Doug Chase owners of the non-profit organization Magazines For Troops (MFT) is based out of Lakeside, MT. MFT was started in their home by adopting a soldier serving in the middle east. Word soon spread of their effort to send magazines to our men and women serving on remote assignments. At the peak of the war they were serving over 270 military units shipping thousands of boxes of magazines. There are about 40 magazines in a box and cost $12.65 to ship one box. Donna said, “We don’t have a shortage of used magazines but we constantly struggle to have the money to ship them.” MFT needs your financial support to continue this patriotic undertaking.

Please go to their website and make a donation to send a box a month for our troops. Montana Woods N Water donated last years leftover publications to share a little taste of Montana with our troops serving over seas.. To learn more, call Donna at 406-844-2474.

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ANGELA MONTANA

Another Addiction

By Angela Montana

An addiction is defined as “the fact or condition of being addicted to a particular substance, thing, or activity”. I just added another activity (specifically an outdoor activity) to my list of addictions. Avid sportsman and outdoor writer Toby Walrath invited Jason Maxwell, of Missoula, and myself out steelhead fishing this past weekend on the Clearwater River in Idaho. I had no idea what to expect.

Because I had to work on Saturday night and all day Sunday, it wasn’t possible for me to stay two nights, although I wanted to stay more than anything. Actually, I didn’t have time to really leave on Friday and be gone all day Saturday, but what am I working so hard for if I can’t play hard, too? Jason and I arrived at the campground on Friday night around 10pm and met up with Toby and his friend from New York. I helped set up a rig for the next day, and we got a good nights sleep. Somewhere around 7 or 8 am we woke up to a light rain and got our gear and headed to the river. This was all brand new to Jason and me, but I was so excited to try this, my heart was already racing.

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ANGELA MONTANA CONTINUED

There were four other people in our group, but Toby wanted to make sure I was comfortable with what I was doing before he even picked up his own fly rod, which was super generous of him. I was so gracious for the time he took to help me. Let’s also say that I realized the benefits that polarized sunglasses bring to anglers when fishing. Anyway, the fish were there, and a couple of the other guys were reeling them in just down the river from us (see Harry’s picture above), but Toby and I went up river a little more and spotted a lone steelhead just chillin. Toby suggested I should try and get it to bite. I wasn’t even sure if it was alive, as it was just sitting there, not moving at all. He told me it was alive, and suggested I keep trying to get it to bite. So, I ended up doing just that, and, after six attempts, I was sure the fish was dead. Then on cast number seven, I got a bite! It turns out that Toby was not exaggerating by any means when he said that I need to get the bead literally in front of its mouth. That was my first steelhead catch ever! Unfortunately, we didn’t get a picture, but the fish slipped right out of my hands and swam away anyhow. It was more of a zombie fish anyway, meaning it was pretty beat up looking being so late in the season.

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ANGELA MONTANA CONTINUED After that, I was even MORE pumped. I couldn’t believe I hooked that fish. So, Toby had been trying to get me to a spot where the rest of the crew was catching steelhead after steelhead all morning.

The problem is that the current was so strong and my wader boots were huge, rubber and slick with no traction. I could barely even walk across the knee-high water on my own without the force of the current moving me. Toby was adamant about getting me to that spot, though, and one of the other guys, Toby’s friend named Harry, who is over six-feet tall and around 250 pounds, walked me out there (and it’s a good thing that when I’m out hunting, trapping or fishing, I couldn’t care less how I look, because I am sure I looked super silly). I did one cast from this “money spot” and my line fell short of where I was aiming. So, I casted my line again and BAM! I got a bite! In a full-blown panic from the realization of what just happened, all I could say was “OH MY GOSH, WHAT DO I DO?”…I’m still laughing to myself, imagining how annoyed the other anglers probably were at my ignorance, but I was so afraid I didn’t get the hook set and it was going to get away. I’d rather ask too many questions than do something I shouldn’t have done!

Let me tell ya, this fish had NO desire to be pulled toward me. So, as instructed, I let him fight and just stood there, gripping the rod as if my life depended on it. I haven’t felt adrenaline like that since I shot my muley a couple of years ago. Those fish are TOUGH! After a couple of minutes, the fish wore itself out enough to get close enough for Harry to net it, and wow. I was not expecting to see a beauty like that. Compared to the first steelhead I had reeled in, and to some of the others people were catching, this one seemed like it was in its prime and had no zombie-like characteristics at all. Talk about an awesome moment.

Jason With His First Catch Of The Day–A Nice Lil Salmon!

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MONTANA FISH, WILDLIFE & PARKS PRESS RELEASE

Photo by Raf Viniard

EMERGENCY CLOSURE Bighorn Sheep Die-off Prompts Second Hunting District Closure Montana's Fish & Wildlife Commission today closed another bighorn sheep hunting district, this one north of Plains in northwestern Montana, due to a suspected disease-related die-off.

Today's action came in response to a suspected die-off that's claimed more than 90 bighorn sheep from hunting district 122 within the past two years, leaving only 18 seen during a helicopter survey earlier this month, the lowest count since the herd's introduction in 1979.

Last month the commission closed bighorn sheep hunting district 305, near Gardiner due to a confirmed pneumonia die-off of 34 sheep.

Wildlife managers say that while the reason for the decline in hunting district 122 can't be determined with certainty they suspect pneumonia, which could be related to interactions with domestic sheep that occurred on the winter range in 2012 and 2013.

"The rapid population decline is typical of a disease outbreak," said Neil Anderson, FWP's wildlife manager in Kalispell. "Because the southern Cabinet Mountains are so rugged we haven't yet documented typical symptoms like coughing nor have we located any dead bighorn sheep. In that mountainous country, a sick bighorn could easily die in the rugged cliffs and not be found."

Commissioners voted unanimously via today's conference call to close the 2015 bighorn sheep season in hunting district 122 to further protect the herd and to preclude hunters from applying for licenses there.

Prior to this emergency closure, FWP had offered six either-sex and four ewe licenses in the district. So far about 200 people have already applied for a license. Those applicants, and others who might apply, will be offered the opportunity to apply elsewhere or be given a refund. Last year about 900 hunters applied for the district's licenses.

The deadline to apply for moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, and bison permits is May 1.

Hunting district 122 would reopen to hunting when the population recovers. The 2015 hunting season in hunting district 122 would have run Sept. 5-14 for archery and Sept. 15-Nov. 29 for the general season. The deadline to apply for moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat and bison permits is May 1.

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HUNTING

Where’s The Bears?

By Raf Viniard

Photo by Kori Erickson

Seems I’m not the only one asking that question. After five days of scouting and reports from other hunters the bears aren’t exactly frolicking up and down the green slopes and logging roads. I, along with most other bear hunters assumed with the early green up that more bears would be out earlier this year, but that does not seem to be the case so far. Only being five days into the spring bear season bear hunters are glassing the slopes and scouting the roads looking for that infamous bear poop and a track or a bear standing in that track.

After the last few days of scouting in some of the old bruin hangouts it is apparent Mr. Bear is very careful where he leaves his poop because he sure isn’t leaving it where it is easy to find. I have heard some that think they are still up along the snowline and there has been a few bears spotted feeding along the 3-5,000 feet range but they have been smaller bears. Local Gamewarden Troy Hink has checked in a few bears (all boars) this week and he states they are eating grass and bugs, but most hunters had to walk in a ways.

If you are driving the mountain roads slow down and really glass the greener slopes and the edges of the dark timber. Don’t forget to stop and look behind you...you might have just missed a hillside that you have never seen.

Lace up those boots and lay some leather because an area that held no bears a few days ago may have a new resident. If you find the bear sign stay with it...he shouldn’t be far away. However, if he has been pressured by other hunters he may have sought out a quieter hillside away from the road or logging trails.

If you don’t like ticks then you might just want to stay in the truck and drive the roads or pickup that fishing pole...the ticks are horrible in the places I have been. If you are out scouting spray down with insecticide...those little blood suckers are on a mission this year. A couple of shady areas I sat in also had mosquitos that wore bobby socks...they were huge! To get those big old bears, it sounds like a good pair of hunting boots are in order. Here are a couple of photos a buddy of mine and I thought we ought to share with you to keep you motivated.

Poop + Tracks BEARS 16

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THE NEXT GENERATION

The 2015 Youth Trapper Camp is accepting applications.

The three-day camp—established 16 years ago by the Montana Trappers Association, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, and Montana 4-H—offers youth and adults the opportunity to learn all aspects of trapping from qualified instructors.

The family-oriented camp will be held June 12-14 at Camp Kiwanis in the Bears Paw Mountains, south of Havre. Fees are $50 per youth and adult camper, with a $20 scholarship available to youngsters on request.

New participants will attend nine classes on trapping basics, conservation, regulations, ethics, furbearer identification, safety and health. Returning participants will receive advanced, hands-on training.

All meals, snacks, drinks, educational materials and overnight accommodations are included. Adults are encouraged to attend with their children. Children under 10 years old must be accompanied by an adult. To register, visit the MTA website at www.montanatrappers.org. For more information, contact Jim Buell via email at 7mbuell@itstriangle.com, or call 406-376-3178. Picture & Article Courtesy of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks

Youth Contest Fishing Rules Montana's Fish & Wildlife Commission is seeking comment on rule modifications to allow youth 14 and younger to participate in fishing contests for brook trout in rivers and streams.

Current rules prohibit all contests for wild trout in Montana rivers and streams. The modifications would provide an exception for youngsters, especially in areas where youth angling opportunities are not readily available.

Public hearings on the rule amendments are scheduled for April 23-24 at 6 p.m.at Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks offices.

The April 23 hearings are set for:  Billings—Region 5 HQ; 2300 Lake Elmo Dr.  Bozeman— Region 3 HQ; 1400 S. 19th Ave.  Glasgow—Region 6 HQ; 54078 U.S. Highway 2 West  Helena—FWP Headquarters; 1420 E. 6th Ave.  Kalispell—Region 1 HQ; 490 N. Meridian Road The April 24 hearings include:  Great Falls—Region 4 HQ; 4600 Giant Springs Road  Miles City—Region 7 HQ; 352 I-94 Business Loop  Missoula—Region 2 HQ; 3201 Spurgin Road

Take A Kid Fishing!

For more information, or to comment on the rule modifications, visit the FWP website at fwp.mt.gov. Click "Submit Public Comment," then click "Fishing" and then "Public Notices-Rules." Comments are due by May 1.

Comments also can be emailed tofwpfsh@mt.gov; or mailed to: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Fisheries Division, P.O. Box 200701, Helena, MT 59620-0701.

Picture & Article Courtesy of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks 18

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ATTENTION - SB 334 NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT!!

MT-SFW Final action alert of the 2015 Legislative Session SB 334 achieved passage in the Legislature and has been sent to Governor Bullock to sign into law OR veto!

MT-SFW has worked hard to get this bill passed, now your help is needed, which will make the pivotal difference for SB 334 to become law.

We are asking you to contact the governor and tell him in your own words to sign SB 334 to ensure our MT hunting rights are solidified.

Here is how to contact Governor Bullock: Call 406-444-3111 0r toll free at 1-855-318-1330 or Emailgovernor@mt.gov Senate Bill 334 provides beneficial definition revisions of game animals and predatory animals and aligns state statue with the language and intent of Article IX, Section 7. Preservation of Harvest clause of our Montana Constitution and makes it more difficult for animal rights extremists to use ballot initiatives to eliminate hunting, fishing, and trapping with their notorious style of propaganda-driven ballot box wildlife management.

To read the bill in its entirety click this link - SB0334.pdf

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