Montana Woods N Water, February 2015, Volume 2, Issue 3

February 2015

Volume 2, Issue 3

Publishers Notes

By Raf Viniard As of this writing, only 64 days until bear season and 60 days until turkey season opens, not that I am counting. However, in about 5 days you guys had better start scouting, investigating and locking down that perfect gift for that special someone in your life. That’s right, Valentines Day is just around the corner, you have been warned! You are going to want to go hunting and fishing this year...just sayin!

I don’t know about you folks but I am ready for spring. I keep trying to break away from the office to do some wolf and bunny hunting and to fill my lungs with that fresh Montana mountain air. Not to mention looking for some nice sheds while I am at play in the thousands of acres of my Montana backyard. However, I keep getting tied up doing chores around the homestead or going to a meeting. By the time the weekend get s here I am bushed.

As I watch the news and listen to business owners across our area I am very concerned about our country and our American and Montana way of life. Not to mention our veterans serving overseas. Things are a mess!

I am so glad I live in Montana and mostly surrounded by like minded people that just wants the government to stay out of our life and business. I am in my early 50’s and worry more about our children and grandchildren than myself. So many of the kids nowadays have no clue how to take care of themselves let alone their neighbor. Because of my faith and the many friends I have made since moving to Montana, I do not fear tomorrow...nothing I can do about it anyway.

As spring approaches I look forward to wetting a hook, chasing a big old jet black, tan nosed hungry bear or calling in a ground dragging long bearded full throttle gobbling turkey.

Don’t forget Montana Woods N Water, Big Bull Sports and the Sanders County Search and Rescue will be holding its 1st Annual Camo Sweetheart Ball, 28 February. Tickets are on sale now. You can read more about this event by going to our website: www.montanawoodsnwater.com and hit the “SAR” tab for more information. We also have a large ad in this Contact Us issue on page 6. Somebody is going to win a really nice gun and other door prizes that will Montana Woods N Water be awarded. There will also be a silent 171 Clark Creek Loop auction. This is going to be a fun event.

Plains, Montana 59859 Tickets are limited, so get yours early.

406-08-0576 Keep sending us your pictures and stories. We thank you for your continued support.

VALENTINES DAY, DON’T FORGET!

www.montanawoodsnwater.com Email: raf@montanawoodsnwater.com

Publisher & Editor: Raf Viniard 406-407-0612 Field Editor: Mitzi Stonehocker 406-544-1868 Sales & Marketing Director: Kori Erickson 406-293-1478 Flathead Valley Sales Rep: Misty Loveless 406-250-4191 Missoula Sales Rep: Vacant Pro Staff Writers & Photographers: Angela Gerych Pastor Jim Sinclair Dan Helterline Zach Butcher Paul Fielder Montana Mitzi Toby Bridges Sam Martin Toby Walrath Jason Badger Tony Rebo 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 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.

Front Cover Photo Provided By: RTK Photography Check Her Out On Facebook Momma Moose w/her little one!

THE NEXT GENERATION

Young wolf trapper Wyatt Carr of Sanders County, MT working on a hard earned wolf pelt.

2

Montana Woods N Water Digital Subscriptions Now Available Why would I subscribe when I can read, print and download it from your hosting site for FREE? Great question!

Time/Convenience - As soon as I post the publication to our website, hosting sites and Facebook I send our digital subscribers a PDF file of each issue. By having the actual file sent right to your email you can immediately open it and start reading. Just less steps to access the publication. After receiving it by email on your computer, tablet or Smart/ IPhone if you lose or don't have an Internet connection you can still read it at your convenience.

Printing - By having the actual file you can print whatever page you want to keep or the entire issue. You can also forward it to your local print shop and have them print it on 11" X 17", folded and stapled and you have a publication as if we had sent it to you.

Sharing - You can share our publication with your friends, family and co-workers...in fact we encourage it. Once they see what a great publication Montana Woods N Water is they will want their own subscription.

We release at least six issues a month, normally on Tuesday and Thursday nights. That is a minimum of 72 issues a year. You get one entire year of reading about Northwest Montana locals "Living The Dream" and much more for,

$25.00 a year.

Can I get 2015 back issues? Sure can, just shoot me an email at (raf@montanawoodsnwater.com) and I will send you any back issues you would like to have except for 2014...the files are to large to send via email.

Don’t miss another issue, go to www.montanawoodsnwater.com/subscribe and place your order.

3

Love of Mine, Sweet & Kind

By Montana Mitzi

Ron and I have been married 40 years this March! We have raised two children and we have grown more in love each year we share. Life is what you make it, being faithful to each other and having God to guide every step does give you a edge.

Both of us were born and raised in Montana, we are two lucky people! We both love the mountains, the blue sky and the activities we share enjoying the outdoor adventures that come with living in Montana. Ron loves to fish, I love to hunt. Because we love each other we share the seasons and we make memories. He fishes, I hunt, marriage is about sharing everything, for us it was never an option that we go separate ways.

One memory stands out looking back, it involves hunting for elk, fishing for trout and getting lost in the mountains above Fish Trap lake.

The morning sun was fast asleep as we gathered a lunch and our hunting gear. Quickly we loaded our rifles and ourselves into the pickup. A light snow fell as we drove the 37 miles to Fish Trap lake, a drive we had made numerous times. We could see fresh deer sign crisscrossing the road, a good sign that the animals were out even with the snowfall.

Arriving at the lake we stopped for the usual "potty" stops that come after drinking too much coffee and spotted fresh elk tracks coming off the lake and heading up the mountain. It did not take long to decide we were going after the elk, we could clearly see three different elk, one in particular appeared to be a small bull.

My husband could hardly keep up as I started up the mountain, visions of elk made me practically sprint up the steep mountain trail. As we climbed, snow began to accumulate on the ground and it turned to a wet slushy type of snow. I trudged forward, my husband followed, the snow got deeper, the smell of elk filled my nostrils and I was sure we were close. As the steep climb turned into downfall and brush, we spotted the classic yellow butts of elk moving along the tree line, yes there were three elk, two cows and a young bull calf! I had been leading myself and husband on a wild elk chase and though we caught up with them, they were not legal. Dang, we were getting wet, the snow was getting deeper and we were cold. To add insult to injury, neither of us knew where we were.

My husband admits he does get lost, I usually do ok, but this was an area I was unfamiliar with, in my haste to follow the elk I had not brought my compass nor had I checked my surroundings. The snow fell, our tracks were covered, we were indeed lost!

We shared a candy bar, drank from the one bottle of water we had and decided to try to stumble onto a old logging road. I followed my instincts and after three hours of walking we came out about 8 miles from the pickup, we were wet, we were tired, but at least we were on a road. We walked about 3 miles and heard a pickup, thank you Lord! The two hunters allowed us to sit on the tail gate and although we were not warm we were making our way to the pickup. After dropping us off, the snow let up and a warm pickup heater dried our feet and wet clothing, we were at the lake, Ron had his fishing pole, why not fish? I built a fire, Ron got together his fishing gear, life was good.

We did spend an hour sitting on the lake shore, warming up, Ron fishing, I was tending the fire and cooking hotdogs, Ron turned and we both burst into laughter! We had survived chasing elk, getting lost, being rescued, fishing, we were together and we had made a memory, how much better is life than this?

4

5

6

CAMPFIRE TALK

Wild Coyote Saloon

Bar Restaurant Casino Good Montana Folks, Food & Fun

713 Prospect Creek Road Thompson Falls, MT 406-827-7867 7

THE NEXT GENERATION

Daddy’s Girl Gracie Bauer of Plains, MT finds her first shed while out with Dad! Congratulations Gracie!

Taking A Kid Shed Hunting—Make A Memory Dress Them In The Right Clothes and Shoes Make It Fun, Adventurous Don’t Over Do It—They Are Not You Positive Reinforcement & Plenty Of Patience Lots of Food/Snacks & Drinks— Picnic It! Toiletries Emergency Plan In Case something Happens

8

REPAIR ALL MAKES: Boats · PWC · ATV · Motor cycle · Snowmobile · Small Engine Suzuki – Tracker – Sun Tracker – Nitro – Taho – Mako – Canam – Seadoo – Skidoo Husqvarna: Mower s · Tr immer s · Chainsaws · Accessor ies Fishing Gear – Hunting Gear – FWP Licenses - Snowmobile Gear 4 Airport Road, Thompson Falls, MT 59873 · (406) 827-2950 66979 Highway 93, Ronan, MT 59864 · (406) 644-2950 www.sandssports.com Tuesday – Friday 9:00 - 5:30; Saturday 8:00 – 4:00

It’s Not If But When!

When it’s time to go...go in style!

www.camocaskets.com

9

Join Montana Sportsmen For Fish and Wildlife!

Per Capita, Montanans Are Some of the Most Outdoor Oriented People in the World! Montana Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife is Being Organized to Insure That Outdoors Continue to Remain Great.

Go to mt-sfw.org to Join Today!

10

· FEBRUARY 21st @ 0830 - Trappers Education Workshop - Missoula Region 2 FWP Office Spurgin Rd, Missoula, MT · FEBRUARY 27th - MARCH 1st - Helena Great Rockies Sports Show Lewis and Clark County Fairgrounds, Helena, MT · MARCH 20th @ 1200 - Western States Fur Auction - Park County Fairgrounds, Livingston, MT · MARCH 21st - 23rd - Missoula Great Rockies Sport Show - Adams Center - UofM - Missoula, MT · MARCH 27th - 29th - Bozeman Great Rockies Sport Show Brick Breeden Fieldhouse - Bozeman, MT · MARCH 29th @ 1230 - District 6 Spring Membership Meeting - Havre, MT · APRIL 18th @ 0900 - District 2 Spring Membership Meeting - FWP, Spurgin Rd, Missoula, MT · APRIL 18th @ 1000 - District 2 Spring Membership Meeting - FWP, Kalispell, MT · MAY 3rd @ 0900 - MTA Board Meeting - Yogo Inn, Lewistown, MT See You There!

11

SPORTSMAN’S MEDITATION

Accuracy & Staying On Target

By Pastor Jim Sinclair It was the day after Christmas and I was walking through Cabela’s when my eye caught a sale on Vortex scopes, I was needing one for my varmint rifle so I picked up the Vortex, Diamondback 4X - 12. I went home and mounted it on my gun and ready to be sighted in. That’s where I call one of the best I know, my friend Casey Weeks. I don’t think I’m a bad shot but when it comes to accuracy...he is the man.

We went to the range and it wasn’t long before Casey was cutting bullet holes. Which means it’s not the gun’s fault if I miss. That’s when I started reflecting again...I don’t know a hunter that doesn’t like ACCURACY, if the rifle isn’t accurate it is simply worthless.

I have heard tell of some hunters (Casey) killing elk at 700 and 800 yards, I cant even see that far!!!!

Here is the amazing thing about accuracy. Accuracy has no meaning without its potential to miss.

With all the controversy about Chris Kyle recently (who is a hero in my book) this guy took out a target at 1.2 miles, what makes that shot amazing is the potential to miss.

That brings me to this, 2000 years ago, God shot a prophetic bullet with amazing accuracy. Just watch a little TV or read the latest headline and you will see God was VERY accurate as to mankind's future.

2 Timothy 3:1-4 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come. 2. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3. unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4. traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. NKJV Next time you hit the bulls eye, remember Our Father did too...with amazing accuracy. Keep “Livin The Life”

Colossians 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

- King James Bible "Authorized Version", Cambridge Edition

12

13