n BIG-GAME HUNTING n AMMUNITION UPDATE n FALL FLY-FISHING n WESTERN MONTANA HIKES
FALL 2009
Inside
FAIR-CHASE HUNTING SEASONS WON’T NET MANY WOLVES By ROB CHANEY
PAGE 14
EL NIÑO SUGGESTS A WARM, DRY BIG-GAME SEASON
HUNTING ALLOWED ON STATE LANDS NEAR CRAZY CANYON
By ROB CHANEY
By MICHAEL MOORE
PAGE 5
PAGE 21
BOB MARSHALL WILDERNESS COMES FIRST FOR OUTFITTER
GUIDE TALKS ABOUT HIS HALF-DOWN FALL FLIES
By KIM BRIGGEMAN
By BOB MESEROLL
PAGE 10
PAGE 22
RIFLE AMMO NOT HARD TO FIND
RIDE ON! Scooters, Mopeds, and Electric Bikes from $1100
By ROB CHANEY..................................................PAGE
HUNTING ALONE AS APPEALING AS IT IS DANGEROUS
By DARYL GADBOW ............................................PAGE
HUNTERS BEGIN FALL RITUALS
By GREG TOLLEFSON ........................................PAGE
HIKE GLACIER IN FALL
By BETSY COHEN................................................PAGE
Fall 2009 Montana Adventurer is a quarterly publication of the Missoulian.
Scooterville Montana 138 W. Broadway • Missoula • (406)721-ZOOM scootervillemontana@yahoo.com • www.scootmt.com 4
FALL 2009
Publisher Stacey Mueller Editor Sherry Devlin Reporters Kim Briggeman, Rob Chaney, Betsy Cohen, Bob Meseroll, Michael Moore, Daryl Gadbow and Greg Tollefson Photographers Michael Gallacher, Linda Thompson, Kurt Wilson and Nelson Kenter Page design, graphics Ken Barnedt
MONTANA ADVENTURER
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18 20 33
NELSON KENTER
Elk populations are depressed south and west of Missoula, but appear healthy to the east. Permits for antlerless elk were reduced because of low cow-calf numbers in the Bitterroot and Superior areas.
OUTLOOK ALL OVER THE MAP FOR 2009 HUNTING SEASON MONTANA ADVENTURER
FALL 2009
5
KURT WILSON/Missoulian
Deer populations are mostly strong in Montana, headed into the 2009 big-game hunting season. The wild card, hunters know, is the weather.
Predicted warm, dry weather could hamper hunters more than animal, bird numbers By ROB CHANEY of the Missoulian
T
rophy hunters could have good fortune, but meat hunters better hone their skills for Montana’s 2009 big-game season. That’s because while adult deer and elk populations are strong in most parts of Montana, Mother Nature hasn’t been very helpful in the yearling and weather departments. A combination of hard winters, liberal hunting allowances and increased predator activity has
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FALL 2009
reduced the number of antlerless elk and deer permits released this year. And the National Weather Service predicts an El Nino winter for the northern Rocky Mountains, which means abovenormal temperatures and below-normal precipitation this fall and winter. “I think people are generally going to find good populations of elk and deer this year,” said Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Region 2 wildlife manager Mike Thompson. “But their ability to find them is
MONTANA ADVENTURER
See OUTLOOK, Page 7
Outlook
MONTANA HUNTING
Continued from Page 6
really going to depend on snow and cold.” Granted, long-range forecasts are only slightly more precise than friend-of-a-friend hunting tips. Nevertheless, anyone who struggled last year tracking in snow-free forests and climbing extra contour lines to reach productive elevations better prepare for more of the same this year. Upland game birds faced a mixed weather bag this year, and their populations rose and fell accordingly in different parts of the state. Western Montana had good June rains and no cold snaps, so its grouse populations should be close to average. But the northeastern and southern parts of the state both had colder, wetter springs that may depress chick survival, according to FWP game bird coordinator Rick Northrup. “Hunters may see fewer upland game birds in Daniels, Sheridan and Roosevelt counties than they might expect,” Northrup said. “This is unfortunate given the average or above-average numbers of sharp-tailed grouse and gray partridge enjoyed in these counties in recent years.” Drought conditions along Montana’s Hi-Line counties also contributed to poor brood survival this year. Northrup said bird numbers could be closer to average or above as hunters look south of U.S. Highway 2, where conditions were milder. And a rainy weather system that chilled southeastern Montana from Glendive to Big Timber in early June will probably hurt young sharp-tailed grouse numbers in that region. The area should have good bird cover, however, and older birds could be doing well. The spruce grouse population in western Montana should be somewhat above average, Northrup said. Those birds hatch broods in early summer, and so get a weather advantage for their survival. Ruffed and blue grouse harvest numbers are expected to be around average this fall.
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Here is a detailed look, by region, at the outlook for hunters all across Montana this fall. Region 1: Northwest Montana (Libby, Troy, Thompson Falls, Swan Lake, Kalispell) The northwest corner of Montana has seen its elk numbers hold steady or decline slightly, with a 2009 regional average of 15 calves per 100 cows. Hot spots include the lower Clark Fork Valley, Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex, the Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge of the Purcell Mountains and the North Fork of the Flathead River. Whitetail deer herds also showed declines compared to previous years. Mule deer numbers have held steady, and hunters could be rewarded by looking for them in the higher-altitude areas of the lower Clark Fork, Whitefish Mountains, and the Cabinet, Mission and Swan ranges. See OUTLOOK, Page 8 MONTANA ADVENTURER
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Big game and upland game bird seasons Species
Start Date End Date
Species
Start Date End Date
Antelope 900
Aug. 15
Nov. 8
Mountain lion – winter
Dec. 1
April 14, 2010
Antelope archery
Sept. 5
Oct. 10
Partridge
Sept. 1
Jan. 1, 2010
Antelope general
Oct. 11
Nov. 8
Pheasant
Oct. 10
Jan. 1, 2010
Bighorn sheep archery
Sept. 5
Sept. 14
Sage grouse
Sept. 1
Nov. 1
Bison
Nov. 15
Feb. 15, 2010
Sharp-tailed grouse
Sept. 1
Jan. 1, 2010
Black bear – spring
April 15
May 31
Pheasant/waterfowl – youth Sept. 26
Sept. 27
Black Bear – fall
Sept. 15
Nov. 29
Turkey – spring
April 11
May 17
Deer/elk archery
Sept. 5
Oct. 18
Turkey – fall
Sept. 1
Jan. 1, 2010
Deer/elk backcountry
Sept. 15
Nov. 29
Deer/elk general
Oct. 25
Nov. 29
Waterfowl general – Pacific flyway
Oct. 3
Jan. 15, 2010
Moose/sheep/goat
Sept. 15
Nov. 29
Wolf – backcountry
Sept. 15
Nov. 29
Mountain grouse
Sept. 1
Dec. 15
Wolf – general
Oct. 25
Nov. 29
Mountain lion – fall
Oct. 25
Nov. 29
Outlook Region 2: West-central Montana (Missoula, St. Regis, Hamilton, Darby, Deer Lodge, Lincoln) Elk populations appear healthy in the eastern half of the region, but are depressed south and west of Missoula. Permits for antlerless elk were reduced this year after aerial surveys reported low numbers of cows and calves in the Bitterroot and Superior areas. Mule deer numbers around Missoula remained steady this year, but whitetail deer were below average on the more accessible public lands. Overthe-counter doe tags will not be sold this year to help boost whitetail populations. Region 3: South-central Montana (Helena, Livingston, Dillon, Ennis) Elk outlooks are good for most of this chunk of central and southwestern Montana. Opportunities include both brow-tined and antlerless hunting and surplus A9 antlerless tags available in many Region 3 hunting districts. The Gravelly and Tobacco Root mountains, and the Shields Valley are expected to have good hunting potential. However, hunting districts 310 in the Upper Gallatin and 313 in the Gardiner area may be poorer than normal due to high predator concentrations, including wolves. Mule deer recruitment across the region was FALL 2009
Dec. 1 Dec. 31 Note: Season extension is quota dependent
moderate, with numbers healthy but below historic highs. Antelope populations appear to be healthy throughout the region.
Continued from Page 7
8
Wolf – winter
Region 4: North-central Montana (Cut Bank, Great Falls, Fort Benton, Lewistown) Although access is difficult, elk numbers are growing in much of this stretch of north-central Montana. Little Belt Mountain herds in particular are showing above-average populations. Antelope, on the other hand, are coming in below average in most parts of the region except just north of Great Falls. Other areas will see smaller herds than in the past two years. Mule deer are also down in Region 4. The number of surplus antlerless tags for mulies was reduced this year to help populations recover after two fawnkilling springs in a row. Region 5: Central-south Montana (Harlowtown, Billings, Red Lodge, Custer) If you’ve got access to private land, elk hunting in this south-central portion of Montana could be very good in 2009. Spring population surveys showed elk numbers at average or well-above-average levels on many private ranches, with numbers not so good in places with public access. Landowner permission is required to hunt private land, and hunters should start early to make arrangements and contacts.
MONTANA ADVENTURER
See OUTLOOK, Page 9
Outlook Continued from Page 8
Mule deer numbers should be below last year’s count, with a tough winter and late spring storms hurting fawn survival. Buck/doe ratios remain good, however. Whitetail deer populations are at or above average, especially south of the Yellowstone River. North of the river, whitetails appear to be forsaking upper prairie habitats but showing increases of 10 percent over last year in river bottom areas.
Region 6: Northeastern Montana (Havre, Glasgow, Sidney, Plentywood) Special permits are a prerequisite for most of this popular elk-hunting area, but those lucky gunners should find average or above-average herd numbers this fall. That’s true especially for the Missouri Breaks and Bears Paw Mountains. The area north of U.S Highway 2 will see low elk densities. Both whitetail and mule deer endured a tough winter last year, but came through with healthy population numbers. Counts were high in the Glasgow area along the Milk and Missouri river corridors. Mule deer have been rebounding from low numbers earlier in the decade, and whitetail numbers are still above average in the northeastern corner despite a serious winterkill last year. Hunters should consult the block management program offerings for
opportunities on private land. Antelope figures are all over the map, figuratively and literally. Winterkill knocked some populations down as much as 23 percent below 2008 estimates in parts of Valley, Phillips, Blaine and Hill counties. But Richland and McCone counties are showing increases of 50 percent over last year’s estimates. Hunting district 650 between Circle and Wolf Point is expected to be a bright spot.
Region 7: Southeastern Montana (Mosby, Miles City, Glendive, Broadus) Montana’s southeastern quarter should show healthy elk and deer populations. 2008 winter surveys in the Missouri Breaks found 36 bulls for every 100 cows, while spring surveys of the Custer National Forest found a ratio of 30 bulls to 100 cows. Both whitetail and mule deer also did well over the winter. Whitetail populations along the Yellowstone River between Glendive and Sidney were 70 percent to 75 percent above average, with a ratio of 30-40 bucks per 100 does. Mule deer numbers look to be about 18 percent above average, with 30 bucks per 100 does. Antelope did not do so well in southeastern Montana, with the 2008 winter hurting fawn and yearling survival. Overall, the antelope population in the region looks to be 7 percent below normal. Reach reporter Rob Chaney at (406) 523-5382 or by e-mail at rchaney@missoulian.com.
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KIM BRIGGEMAN/Missoulian
“We talk a lot about fair chase hunting, about our expectations. I want to be the role-model outfitter in Montana for ethical sportsmanlike conduct,” says Jack Rich, who has been accompanying and leading hunters into the Bob Marshall Wilderness for most of his 54 years.
Bob before elk In the stirrups of his father, Jack Rich guides hunters who appreciate wilderness
By KIM BRIGGEMAN of the Missoulian
S
EELEY LAKE – The kid was only 5 years old when he topped Pyramid Pass for the first time. The sign said “Bob Marshall Wilderness.” His father, leading a string of mules, had disappeared over the horizon before him. Nearly half a century later, Jack Rich recalled what he saw. “Right on the other side, he was watering his pack string on the shores of See BOB, Page 11
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FALL 2009
MONTANA ADVENTURER
Bob Continued from Page 10
a mountain lake,” Rich said this summer. “That vision is as clear to me today as it was when I was that little 5-year-old boy. And that’s the reason I’m here. I just can’t get it out of my blood.” Outfitting trips into the southern “Bob” became a way of life for C.B. Rich in 1958, when he and wife Helen bought the Double Arrow Ranch at Seeley Lake. A tribute to C.B., who died in 1996, is posted at the Pyramid Pass trailhead. It includes an ode he once penned to the wild mountains. With help from his dad, Jack took over the business in the mid-1970s and has kept it thriving. The Rich Ranch, now set at the edge of a picturesque meadow between Salmon Lake and Ovando, offers winter snowmobiling, dude ranching, backcountry and summer fishing and sightseeing trips. But in the autumn, its focus is big-game rifle hunting in the Bob. This fall, a 10-day wilderness hunting trip into the Bob with the Rich Ranch costs $4,950 or $5,950, depending on whether a hunter wants a private guide or not. Pricey, yes, but it’s the only aspect of business the Rich family deals in that didn’t take a hit when the economy went south in 2008. “Ironically, our hunts are the bright spots,” Jack Rich said. “We’ve got hunts that are booked into 2012.” The 10-day hunts over Pyramid Pass are rooted in tradition. The first begins on Sept. 14, on the eve of biggame rifle season in the Bob Marshall and AbsarokaBeartooth wilderness areas. The last ends on Oct. 17. Rich, eight clients and four guides make up the typical hunting party. They meet at the ranch the night before the hunt and part of the next morning is spent there, eating breakfast, gathering up the last of the supplies and loading the trailers. It’s a 45-minute drive to Seeley Lake and up the Forest Service roads to Rich’s corrals near the trailhead. Then it’s a matter of loading the packs on the mule pack trains, saddling the horses, adjusting stirrups and whisking through a seminar on trail etiquette and horsemanship.
Over the years, strings of snappy all-black mules have been developed, and they are objects of pride to Rich. “These are the tools of our trade,” he said after a four-day trip in late August to stock the base camp. “But they’re also near and dear to our hearts.” Rich estimated the mule strings make 30 trips a year into the Bob, for summer fishing and sightseeing See BOB, Page 12 MONTANA ADVENTURER
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permits to work in the Bob Marshall, half of which operate both in summer and fall. Base camp at Leota Park is at the bottom of a 2,500foot avalanche chute. “It’s literally a milliondollar view camp,” Rich said. “If you look, you’ll see all kinds of animals on that mountain. And the North
and co-hosts Ralph and Peggy Cahoon have already taken pains to book hunters who are coming to the Bob Marshall for the right reasons. “If a hunter calls me up and says, ‘How much is it going to cost me to get a good six-point with you boys?’ we send them somewhere else,” Jack said.
“Another thing I tell my hunters: Nobody pulls the trigger but you, so don’t pull Continued from Page 11 the trigger unless you know what you’re shooting at,” he trips over any of six passes, said. for the autumn hunting Don’t let elk fever or journeys and for the someone else’s stocking of base camp. encouragements pull the In the weeks leading up trigger, he instructs. Don’t to hunting season, they’ll let the fear of going without pack in 70 loads of a kill in spite of all the firewood, 50 loads of money you’ve paid hay, 30 loads of pellets collar your decision to and 24 loads of gear – shoot. tents, stoves, food and Pace yourself, is cots. another of Rich’s tips. Camp includes some There’s no shame in 40 certified bearsleeping in sometimes, resistant containers. or returning to camp Rich said he’s had more early. close encounters with “The worst thing grizzlies than he’d like you can do is go like the to think about, devil for the first three meetings that usually days of a 10-day hunt, leave him weak-kneed then be completely and shaken. shot because you’ve “But in all these used up everything years, we’ve never had a you’ve got,” he said. bear come in and try to Routines are quickly tear into our camp, established. The knock on wood,” he hunters sleep in one of said. “I say that with two four-man tents, or hesitation, because I in smaller tents set don’t want the first KIM BRIGGEMAN/Missoulian aside for heavy snorers. time to come.” A tribute to C.B. Rich is posted at the Pyramid Pass trailhead. Rich, who Early morning “We like the fact passed away in 1996, began guiding into the Beartooth Mountains near getaways on horseback that we have grizzly Yellowstone Park in 1945. He moved his family to the Seeley Lake area in alternate with laterbears, wolves, 1958 and established an outfitting and guest ranch business that his morning foot hunts in mountain lions, black descendants carry on today. the nearby black bears back there,” he timber, which added. “We don’t see Star is right above the peaks. “We don’t sell six points. culminate in a hearty them as the enemy. They’re It’s just one of those almost Never have, never will. We breakfast back in camp. part of the wilderness too.” surreal settings.” sell wilderness hunts, so I’ve “That’s always a good The faster-moving pack got to make sure I do a good time for social activities and strings lead the way on the No matter how welljob of booking hunters who talking and bragging and 10-mile, three-hour ride conditioned the hunters value and appreciate what a lying,” Rich said. from the trailhead to base are, everyone’s at least a bit wilderness hunt is, versus a A shower tent is a camp at the southern base tired by the time they reach private ranch hunt or a welcome respite, and Rich of Leota Peak. It’s in the camp. On the Sept. 14 trip, canned hunt of some kind.” makes it mandatory after a upper Youngs Creek there’s no hunting until the The new hunters are hunter has been in on a kill. drainage, a stream that season starts the next day, reminded of it, and a “You don’t want them to flows 20 miles but Rich said there’s time to number of other rules of the be walking around smelling northeastward before get in some first-day hunt, at the town meeting. like an elk carcass,” he said. joining Danaher Creek to hunting on the Sept. 26 and If a law’s broken – A lot of camp time is form the South Fork of the Oct. 8 excursions. intentionally or otherwise – spent around the kitchen Flathead. Two other Before that, however, is the Forest Service or table. It seats 16, and there’ll outfitters have base camps the mandatory “town Montana Fish, Wildlife and sometimes be four cribbage lower on Youngs Creek. meeting” in the kitchen Parks is notified Rich said there are more tent. Rich, his wife Belinda immediately. than 30 outfitters who have See BOB, Page 13 12
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MONTANA ADVENTURER
Bob Continued from Page 12
games going at once. “Cribbage is a huge thing in our camp,” said Rich. One of his guides started the shirt tale tradition. A hunter who misses a shot at an elk is obliged to sacrifice the tail of his or her shirt. With a felt-tip marker, the hunter must write the tale of the shot on the shirt. Then comes the “Reading of the Tail” in camp. Some will write, “Missed bull. 150 yards. Damn,” Rich said. “Then we had one guy from Maine who wrote a poem. He wrote it first on a piece of cardboard and then transcribed it onto his shirt tail. It’s cool. It isn’t an embarrassing thing. We try to make it fun. And we’ve only had one hunter in 50 years that has bullied up and wouldn’t let somebody cut their tail.”
While the Bob abounds in big game, and most everyone packs a deer tag, the focus of hunts is on elk. “The good old days of elk hunting are right now,” Rich said. “Montana’s elk population is up, our cow-calf ratio is up, and that’s a sign of good management. There are some places in the state the cow-calf ratios are down from predation, but it seems like the migratory herds of the Bob Marshall aren’t one of those.” Rich said there are thought to be between 9,000 and 11,000 elk in the Bob Marshall ecosystem of more than 1 million acres. That’s a small share of the state’s 150,000, he pointed out. “So there isn’t an elk behind every tree by any means. If you want to go to the high odds, there are still other places to go hunt elk,” he said. Same with bears. Rich doesn’t court black bear hunters any more, for a simple reason. The grizzly population has increased perhaps fivefold since they were federally protected in the 1960s, and it’s too darn hard to tell the two apart. “There’s nothing worse than having a hunter who spent his money, looking over your shoulder as you’re glassing the mountain, saying: ‘Is he a black bear? Can I shoot him?’ ” said Rich.
KIM BRIGGEMAN/Missoulian
Ralph Cahoon Jr., Jack and Belinda Rich’s nephew, leads an eight-mule pack string out of the Bob Marshall Wilderness in August. Outfitting at the Rich Ranch is a family affair. “And you’re facing all that pressure knowing that if he shoots and it’s a grizzly, it’s on our shoulders. “We just don’t want that pressure anymore. You just don’t know what they are.” If someone with a bear permit does book a trip, Rich’s rules are that the
Glacier National Park Missoula
2
Great Bear Wilderness N W
E S
Bob Marshall Wilderness
83
Seeley Lake
Scapegoat Wilderness
KEN BARNEDT/Missoulian
MONTANA ADVENTURER
bear must be in sight for 20 full minutes – time enough to either establish the species or for the bear to run off – before the trigger is pulled. On the last night of the hunt, the successful hunters donate parts of their kill for a heart, liver, tenderloin feed in camp. “If we’ve had good luck, we could have two or three tenderloins,” Rich said. “It’s kind of bittersweet when every hunt comes to an end, because the hunters have bonded with one another and the guides if we’ve done a good job of screening them.” Rich said he’s had hunts when everyone fills their tags and others when no one does. “We intentionally do not say, ‘Man, we filled 48 percent of our hunts last year,’ because this might be the year we only fill 10 percent,” he said. “There are good hunts and bad hunts. You should not book it because you want to whack and stack a bull with us. You book it because this is one of the most phenomenal places to hunt that you’ll ever have.”
Reporter Kim Briggeman can be reached at 523-5266 or at kbriggeman@missoulian.com. FALL 2009
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ROBERT MILLAGE/Associated Press
Robert Millage, 34, of Kamiah, Idaho, poses with the first reported wolf killed in Idaho this fall – the nation’s first wolf hunt in eight decades.
UNLIKELY QUARRY V Hunters using fair-chase tactics won’t bag many wolves, experts say 14
FALL 2009
By ROB CHANEY of the Missoulian
al Geist is unequivocal about wolf-hunting tactics: Use a deer rifle and get very, very lucky. “It is vital that a wolf is down at once,” Geist said from his home on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. “Mere wounding may lead to an attack. It happened to me. One must prevent that or screaming by a wounded wolf. That can make a pack attack.” Ed Bangs is unequivocal about wolf behavior. Having managed them for 13 years in Alaska and now 21 years in Montana for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, he says:
MONTANA ADVENTURER
See WOLVES, Page 15
Wolves Continued from Page 14
“Nobody who’s been around wolves has any fear of them. It’s not like a cape buffalo where you shoot it and have to chase it into the bush. I’ve been around a lot of wolves. I’ve run them down on foot and darted them. Probably the best thing that could happen is to stop giving them supernatural powers and treat them as real animals.” One thing Bangs and Geist do agree on is how hard it is to hunt a wolf. “Don’t be surprised if a lot of people return with empty tags,” Geist said. “They’re very, very difficult to hunt. At one time, the USSR had 16,000 wolf hunters, and the kill in one year was 15,000. That’s less than one per hunter, and these were fulltime, year-round hunters.” “In Alaska, hunters get virtually no wolves,” Bangs said from his FWS office in Helena. “If they’re shot, they’re shot by hunters doing other stuff.”
Montana’s wolf season starts Sept. 15 for four wilderness backcountry areas, and follows the regular Oct. 25-Nov. 29 big-game calendar for the rest of the state. The Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission set a quota of 75 wolves for 2009. The state’s estimated wolf population is 500. A coalition of 13 wolf advocacy groups asked U.S. District Court Judge Don Molloy to stop the hunt for a second year in a row. The groups successfully argued last year there wasn’t enough research done to justify taking wolves off the federal endangered species list. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service re-filed its delisting plan in April, authorizing Montana and Idaho to take over management (and hunting) of wolves. The wolf advocates vowed to resume the fight, and asked Molloy to block the hunting season again. Molloy had not ruled on that request at press time. Assuming the legal challenges get settled, Montana wolf hunters better
prepare for the toughest target they’ve ever chased. “They’re pretty rare to encounter in most general hunts,” said Gino Del Frate of the Alaska Fish and Game Department. “It’s pretty hard to say, ‘I’m going to go out wolf hunting and be successful,’ ” And that’s in a state with lots of wolves and both big-game and nuisance-kill permits. In Montana, wolves must be hunted using the same fair-chase rules as other big game. No baiting, no night-vision equipment, no trapping, no spotlighting, no use of vehicles to harass or herd. Montana FWP wolf project coordinator Carolyn Sime agreed with Geist that wolves would be hard to find, but she had a much different idea of what might happen if a hunter did find one close-up. “Could you see other wolves of a pack when you shoot one? Yes,” Sime said. “But they don’t want to deal with you. Wolves don’t attack people like that. They don’t want anything to do See WOLVES, Page 16
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Wolves Continued from Page 15
with us. They basically are real submissive.” Sime acknowledged wolves that have become accustomed to human food or garbage could be much more dangerous, just as habituated bears are. She said pepper spray or shooting warning shots should be sufficient to drive wolves away.
been seen in the area previously. In November 2007, a Canadian inquest jury ruled Carnegie had been killed by wolves.
Missoula outdoors writer Toby Bridges has had plenty of opportunity to shoot a wolf, although he hasn’t taken one yet. On a caribou hunt 100 miles north of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, he saw more than 30. “Half the day we had a wolf follow us everywhere we went,” Bridges said. “Sometimes he was within 75 yards of us, and never more than 200 yards
project, and now we have a predator that’s really making impacts on sport hunting,” he said. “We’ve got to put that fear back into them and let them know when they’ve crossed that line. Then we’ll see less of wolves showing up on the outskirts of town. They’ll give us a wider berth after they’ve felt the pressure a bit.”
Then what? Montana and Idaho authorities both pegged their wolf hunting quotas to the goal of removing between 30 percent and 35 percent of the wolf population annually. Public Geist took a different tack. He hunting is only one of three said he started observing factors in that number, wild wolves while doing his with natural causes and doctoral research on government-authorized mountain sheep in the killing to protect livestock Canadian wilderness (he’s also part of the equation. now a professor emeritus Alaska and Alberta of environmental science wildlife authorities say with the University of that public hunting has Calgary). little chance of making a “The first wolf I shot significant dent in wolf attacked me,” Geist said. numbers. The more “It had enough stamina to successful tactics are turn around and charge trapping and year-round me. Got within 50 paces. bounty-hunting. Geist has You’re better off not to argued publicly for kill shoot the damn thing than quotas of 60 percent to shoot it if you can’t get a 70 percent a year as the best way to keep up with clean kill.” wolves’ rapid reproduction Geist also ED BANGS rates. He also calls for recommended against Most of the shots fired at wolves in Montana in recent years were setting aside large tracts of handguns as a wolf those carrying tranquilizer darts, used to subdue the animals while land where predators like they were fitted with radio collars by wolf managers. deterrent. His preferred wolves and bears can live weapon was a .243 caliber away. We knew what he was after, and unmolested by humans. deer rifle with a fast-opening bullet. we didn’t disappoint him that day. Trapping is not allowed yet in either Heavier bullets, he said, are likely to We’d shot our caribou and were Montana or Idaho, although that could pass through the wolf and allow it to packing out the meat and antlers and change in the next year. Bounty escape and die in hiding. skin, and before we got over the rise, hunting would have to negotiate the Geist made national news in we saw him on the kill.” concerns of hikers, dog walkers and Canada when he testified in the Bridges said he’s not strongly other backcountry users who aren’t coroner’s inquest on the death of interested in hunting wolves used to being around live ammunition Kenton Carnegie. The 22-year-old personally, but he hoped others would outside of big-game season. university student was working at a take the challenge. While wolves “The honest answer is this is a work mining camp in northern aren’t considered choice eating, many in progress,” said FWP wolf Saskatchewan when he was killed by in Montana will weigh around 100 coordinator Sime. “Can we move wild animals near a garbage dump on pounds – large enough to interest wolves toward the hunter bag rather Nov. 8, 2005. trophy hunters. than the Wildlife Services bag? That Although provincial authorities They’ll also become much harder to depends. But we don’t feel we can first blamed a bear for the death, Geist hunt, Bridges predicted. Biologists manage the wolf population without and two other scientists agreed with agree wolves are highly intelligent and the participation of hunters.” the local Saskatchewan law adaptive, and will quickly adjust their Reporter Rob Chaney can be enforcement officers that wolves made behavior to opportunities or threats. reached at 523-5382 or “I think we’ve already lived up to the attack. rchaney@missoulian.com. the expectations of the wolf recovery Garbage-habituated wolves had 16
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Hunters will have bullets Production nearing demand as run on ammunition eases By ROB CHANEY of the Missoulian
W
hen it comes time to chamber a round for big game season, Montana hunters should feel sure there’ll be some rounds to chamber. Sporting goods dealers couldn’t keep ammunition on the shelves for much of 2009 as a nationwide run on bullets and guns caught producers unprepared. Firearms makers and ammunition manufacturers paid 43 percent more excise taxes on their stock in the first quarter of 2009 than they did in the same period a year before, according to data gathered by the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Tax collections from handgun sales were up 65.5 percent. But the kink in the hose appears to be easing.
“There is anecdotal evidence to suggest supply for ammunition is beginning to catch up with demand,” said NSSF spokesman Ted Novin. “In speaking with major manufacturers, they are operating 24-7, literally, to meet demands of customers. What I’m hearing nationwide is demand is continuing to outpace supply, across caliber lines, but it is tapering off.” In the Missoula area, gun dealers reported some difficulty getting pistol bullets. But rifle ammunition was arriving in good quantities. Terry Brady, owner of Sportsman’s Surplus in Missoula, says “.45 long Colt (pistol ammunition) has been pretty hard to get, and .380 pistol has been tough. I think it’s smoothed out a lot.
The real test is rifle ammo. We don’t know what the supply is. We have plenty of orders in the hopper, and we’re starting to see the rush already.” Shelves at Bob Ward and Sons weren’t overloaded, but clerks there said they were able to get most of the popular calibers without much difficulty. Supplies for hand-loading ammunition were also close to normal, although brass cartridges were short for some calibers. National surveys taken this summer showed many Americans believed the change of presidential
administrations from George W. Bush to Barack Obama would herald increased government restrictions on gun ownership. NSSF reported that FBI background checks for new gun owners in June were 18.1 percent above the same month in 2008. Background checks are required for all individuals buying either new or used firearms from federally licensed dealers. Stockpiles were roaring out the door earlier this year. In May, Bitterroot Valley Ammunition owner Darren See AMMUNITION, Page 20
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Perks of hunting alone often outweigh dangers By DARYL GADBOW for the Missoulian
sharing of what invariably are powerful and memorable experiences in the wild, both the fortunes and misfortunes. Clearly, too, it’s always advantageous to have a partner or partners available to help with the laborious task of hauling a very large beast out of the woods after a successful hunt. That’s not to mention the obvious aid a hunting partner can provide in the event of trouble, an accident, an injury, illness, getting lost, helping track a wounded game animal, a disabled vehicle ... . Oh, I do enjoy hunting with friends. And I do every year. But sometimes, I prefer to hunt alone.
H
eavy, wet snowflakes poured down around me like soggy, white pancakes, nearly obscuring my vision. Continuing my hunt for deer and elk in the Garnet Mountains east of Missoula seemed futile and it wasn’t a tough decision to call it quits for the day. But as I trudged back toward my truck, my path crossed the tracks of a half-dozen or so mule deer that plunged down over the edge of a steep, timbered draw. “They’re heading for cover from the blizzard just like me,” I thought to myself. Since the snow hadn’t begun to fill the tracks, including one exceptionally large set clearly made by a big buck, I knew they were only moments old. “If I follow them, I might get the drop on them, and a chance for a close-range shot at the buck,” I reasoned. I talked myself into it. The deeper into the draw I went, the steeper it got. When the deer shifted course from straight down to a slanting side-hill descent, I was unable to keep my footing in the slippery snow trying to follow them. After several awkward slides, I decided my best option was to go straight down and hope to intercept the deer up ahead in the bottom of the draw. I was almost to the bottom when my progress was abruptly halted at the brink of a sheer rock precipice. The cliff dropped about 10 feet to the floor of the draw. Way too high to jump. I couldn’t see a way to skirt the cliff on either side. I tried to backtrack, but even using saplings as handholds to haul myself back up, my boots kept slipping in the slushy snow. As I pondered my predicament with growing anxiety, I remembered the rope in my pack that I use for dragging out game. It was cotton, only a half-inch thick, but seemed strong. After several minutes of weighing 18
FALL 2009
At those times, I appreciate the solitude, the freedom of not worrying about a hunting partner’s whereabouts or wellbeing if you split up, or wondering if the shot you heard means your buddy has an animal down and needs assistance. Sometimes, it’s nice not to have to adhere to an agreed-upon rendezvous or hunting route in the field, to be KURT WILSON/Missoulian While the companionship of hunting with family and friends is undeniable, some hunters also enjoy occasional solo days afield. able to change your plans on a whim or in response to conditions or behavior of the game. probably would have been incapacitated. members, and against the advice of some arguments about the sanity of my plan, I Instead of plodding on through the In dangerous weather conditions. More expert authorities. wrapped the rope around a tree and, woods on a prearranged schedule with a than a mile from my vehicle. And with no Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife having never practiced such a procedure partner, sometimes I’d rather dawdle one around to help me. No one even and Parks officials recommend hunting before in my life, I rappelled over the along, or just lie down and take a nap. really knew where to look for me. My with a companion whenever you’re in cliff. With my heart pounding When I hunt alone, I don’t have to tracks would have been quickly covered known grizzly bear habitat – which disconcertingly, I lowered myself – leave home at any particular time, and I up by the snowstorm. nowadays could be just about anywhere amazingly – safely to the bottom. can quit early or late as it suits me, Not a good scenario. in western Montana. The idea is that two without inconveniencing anybody. While I was plenty scared during That episode occurred about 30 years hunters together can watch each other’s Conversely, I don’t have to wait for a that stunt, it never fails to evoke even ago, when I was young, strong and backs for marauding predators. partner who’s not on time. more dire imaginary consequences every possibly a little foolish. Certainly, there are many benefits to But as I get older, and perhaps wiser, I time I recall it. But, at 61 years old, I still like to hunt hunting with someone else or in a group. do give more thought to the risks of Especially since I was hunting alone. alone. And I do, every year, despite the There’s the undeniable pleasure of hunting alone. If I had broken a leg, or worse, I admonishments of friends and family companionship and camaraderie, the MONTANA ADVENTURER
I’m more cautious than I used to be, for sure. I always tell someone, usually my wife, exactly where I’m going, and when I expect to be back. I’ve finally embraced some new technology for safety’s sake. These days, I routinely carry a cell phone, although some of the places I hunt don’t have cell service. And since, – as one of my hunting partners says – I tend to be “navigationally challenged,” a GPS unit is part of my standard gear in the field. It’s backed up with a compass and map in case the batteries fail or the unit’s satellite “view” is obstructed by terrain or atmospheric conditions. I always carry emergency gear – firestarting material, first-aid supplies, extra food and clothing in my pack. I’ve made a conscious decision in recent years not to trek quite as far from my vehicle as I used to on hunts by myself, partly for safety reasons, and partly so I don’t have so far to pack out harvested game animals. And I’ve adopted the use of a game cart to ease that task and, hopefully, reduce the chances of a heart attack. As far as physical fitness goes, I’ve been more and more conscientious about exercising and watching my weight, so that I can handle the strenuous demands of hunting with less risk of hurting myself. When I hunt in grizzly country now – whether alone or with companions – I carry bear pepper spray, as well as a .44 magnum revolver. And if I encounter fresh bear sign, I’m not at all averse to making a hasty departure. I’m looking forward to new adventures in this upcoming hunting season – both solo and with friends. But I guarantee that I won’t be rappelling over any cliffs.
Daryl Gadbow is a former Missoulian sports and outdoors reporter, now retired and a free-lance writer – and avid hunter and angler. FALL 2009
19
As hunting season nears, fall rituals get under way H
unting season is in the air. plains for sharp-tailed grouse. Erwin Mornings are cooler in thrives on tradition and predictability, so September. The air seems purer. that trip is necessary for his hunting Blue skies appear to be just a little bit season to get off to a good start. more blue. Distant mountain peaks have One day last week over a piece of a crisp sparkle to them. Sparky’s delicious huckleberry cobbler, Young Natty Bumppo is getting he and I agreed that we need to get out in himself in the right frame of mind for the hills to do a little hiking and maybe archery season with a week of size up our elk prospects for later eating nothing but food that he in the season. We do this every has either grown or killed year. I mean we talk about himself. Lunch on Monday getting out together before the consisted of potatoes from his general hunting season to do garden and one of the last elk some homework and tune steaks remaining in his freezer ourselves up a little bit. Those from last season. plans don’t always make it past “Without thinking about it, I the “we ought to” stage. But at threw in an orange. But I can’t least we have good intentions. eat it if I’m going to stick to my All across Montana, folks who GREG plan,” Natty grinned. cherish the opportunity to head I guess you could view it as a TOLLEFSON for the hills or the wide-open purification ritual. plains in search of game, whether One day soon, cleansed and feathered or furred, are feeling ready, Natty will greet a the call of the hunt. For many, September dawn in his secret elk spot, the tradition of the hunt is a time to miles from a road and high on a tangled replenish the spirit, as well as the larder. mountainside. Here in Montana, despite the ruckus By the way, Natty did tell me that he about wolves and ongoing concerns had to make two exceptions to his about changing trends in access to dietary scheme – coffee and olive oil. He private lands, we hunters enjoy also confided that he has discovered he unparalleled opportunities to hunt can eat an entire squash and still feel abundant populations of big game, hungry. waterfowl, and upland birds. And the The Dude is having a hard time public lands where we all have concentrating this week. He’s scheming permission to hunt are some of the most about getting out with his dog Mono to beautiful and rich in wildlife habitat find a ruffed grouse. The Dude is not an anywhere. The seasons stretch from the archer, so his elk hunting will have to beginning of September to December, wait until later, even though the supply and sometimes extend even beyond that. of elk steaks in his freezer is also nearly Even then, the weeks and months that gone. yawn before us now will pass all too “I want to use up all the elk before quickly. rifle season. I like to start with a clean One could say that when it comes to slate,” he told me. hunting, we Montanans are blessed with an embarrassment of riches. Meanwhile, he can’t resist the urge to With hunting season in the air, there get out there into the hills. is no better place to be. Erwin reported spending the last few days getting organized for his annual trip Greg Tollefson is a freelance with Sleepy over to the east side of the Missoula writer. He can be reached at mountains. The two of them always gtollefson@bresnan.net. make an early season trek out onto the 20
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Ammunition Continued from Page 17
Newsom reported a six-month back order on his supplies – the highest he’d seen in two decades in the business. “We’re still several months backed up,” Newsom said. “On the manufacturing end, we’re not seeing it back off at all.” The initial run was “100 percent political” Newsom said, referring to the presidential changeover. But he predicted another ammunition shortfall could develop later this fall as the U.S. military increases, activity in Afghanistan and other trouble-spots. He figured it would take three years of national production to replace the reserve stockpiles the military has used up over the past eight years. “Every day, I’m seeing five to six military contracts come up for bid,” Newsom said. “That all takes away from the civilian market. If we get a military contract, you put it ahead of all other orders. It has to be filled first.” Bitterroot Valley Ammunition is producing about 1 million rounds a week in all kinds of calibers and configurations. It has stores in Hamilton, Missoula and Stevensville, along with one production facility in Florence and two in Stevensville. The firm employs 50 people and still has expansion plans. “We’re moving to a new building in November,” Newsom said. “I’ve been doing this 22 years. If I thought it was slowing down, I wouldn’t be expanding right now.”
Be careful hiking Crazy Canyon Hunting is allowed on adjoining state land By MICHAEL MOORE of the Missoulian
I
f you’re looking for a place to take a quiet hike during hunting season, the Crazy Canyon trail on the back side of Mount Sentinel may not be the best choice. Although most don’t know it, there is some state Department of Natural Resources Conservation land up Crazy Canyon that’s open to hunting. “There is a piece of land that belongs to the DNRC and it is definitely open to hunting,” said Vivaca Crowser of Montana’s Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. The land is just over half a section, but it includes part of the trail that runs up the back of Sentinel after
leaving the Crazy Canyon trailhead. “It’s not that big an area, but the wardens tell us that it does get quite a bit of use,” Crowser said. The land borders the Pattee Canyon Recreation Area on both the west, north and northeast sides and includes part of one of the trails as it winds north toward Hellgate Canyon. The land is found in Section 36, T13N R19W. “It’s certainly an area where hikers should be aware that hunters will be in that area when the season is on,” Crowser said. “It’s a place where you need to be aware.”
Reporter Michael Moore can be reached at 523-5252 or at mmoore@missoulian.com.
KEN BARNEDT/Missoulian
MONTANA ADVENTURER
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MICHAEL GALLACHER/Missoulian
Stevensville fishing guide John Gould test-drives one of his fly patterns on the Bitterroot River near his home recently.
FISH-EYED S BENDS Guide’s ‘half-down’ flies bring Bitterroot trout up
By BOB MESEROLL of the Missoulian
TEVENSVILLE – You might have bumped into John Gould at some point while floating the Bitterroot River – literally. He’d have been the guy wearing the mask and breathing through a snorkel. How better to get a trout’s-eye view of trout chow, and trout for that matter? “My first few years here, I’d snorkel from Hamilton to Lolo every year after high water and just see,” said Gould, a 39year-old New Hampshire native who owns Double Up Outfitters out of Stevensville. “It’s nice to get down there and say, ‘Hey look at that, there’s a big chunk of sod here and there’s three big browns just laying See FLIES, Page 23
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MONTANA ADVENTURER
Gould’s half-down ant
Gould’s half-down golden stonefly
Gould puts his own twist on the parachute ant pattern. It’s a good pattern for prospecting on hot summer afternoons right into early autumn. Fish it like you would a hopper, tight to banks in likely looking holds.
A great pattern for matching the golden stonefly hatch or for general prospecting all summer long. This pattern produced fish all day long on a recent sunny, hot day on the Bitterroot. Although it’s meant to imitate the stonefly, fish will take it for a hopper, too.
Flies Continued from Page 22
there.’ I definitely like to get down and do that. “It’s wild how short your visibility is even in crystal-clear water. There are so many fine materials getting scrubbed off the rocks and floating down through there. A lot of times, even in the most crystalclear conditions, you can only see six to eight feet away from yourself. Looking up, you can definitely see a little bit better with the backdrop of the sky.” And that’s how trout see their food, at least the portion of their diet that consists of adult flies floating along on the surface of the river. That kind of information can prove valuable to anyone sitting at a fly-tying vise who is trying to mimic what the trout are seeing. “I dabbled in looking at the flies and seeing how they moved, but I didn’t trust my fishing buddies,” Gould said with a laugh. “I figured they were going to try to hook me when I was looking at the flies.”
Gould took that knowledge, and the experience gained from countless hours fishing and guiding, and developed his own series of flies, the half-down patterns. For the most part (a stimulator would be a notable exception), dry flies have traditionally been tied on straight shanks because the fly is meant to ride flat on
the surface of the water. Gould took the standard hook and bent it, maybe a third of the way down the shank from the eye. By bending the hook, the butt end of the fly rides below the surface, while the wings and abdomen still ride up top. “It turns out that when you’re fishing a dry fly, the first thing a fish sees is whatever is down in the water column the farthest,” Gould said. “When it’s coming into a fish’s window of view, they see whatever is sticking down, then they see a wing, then it disappears and they just see the glob of the whole shape.” The half-down “technology” can be applied to numerous patterns – hoppers, stoneflies and ants, to name a few. The patterns have been marketed by the Montana Fly Company, a Columbia Falls-based manufacturer that sends flies all over the world. MFC co-owner Duncan Oswald says sometimes it’s hard to get Gould to part with his latest innovations. “I have to wait until he’s somewhere downstream and get in his cooler and into his fly box when he’s not looking,” Oswald joked. But Oswald said there’s no disputing their effectiveness. “It’s probably that half-down look, where it does look like a partially drowned insect,” he said. “People like that partially drowned insect look, but it has that post and wing so you can see it well, too. We’re selling
MONTANA ADVENTURER
See FLIES, Page 24 FALL 2009
23
Gould’s half-down hopper
Gould’s half-down salmonfly
The fish just love this pattern that is meant to ride half up and half down in the water, hence the name. Gould will also tie it with a burnt-orange body so that fish will take it for an October caddis.
If you can’t get the fish to come to the surface for it, you can always bonk them over the head with it. Fish will often feed on “drowned” salmonflies, one reason this fly is so effective.
Flies Continued from Page 23
them to customers throughout the world, particularly to South America as a hopper pattern.”
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Easterner comes to Montana on vacation and never goes home. That’s Gould’s story in a nutshell. “I came out here in the early ’90s with a girlfriend at the time,” Gould said. “I was on a three-week vacation and after about three days I faxed the company I was working for my two-week notice. I didn’t even go back and get my things for almost 2 1/2 years.” He got into a routine most fly fishermen only dream of. “Pretty much every day I’d grab my mountain bike, strap on the (kick boat) and pedal upstream somewhere and float down to Lolo and hope the girlfriend was there by dark to pick me up,” Gould said. “It wasn’t the best financial move I ever made.” That precipitated a summer in Alaska working on a salmon processing barge to “make some of that retirement fund back.” Once back in Montana, Gould went to work as a guide for the late Paul Kohler, then the owner of the Missoulian Angler fly shop. 24
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“He said, ‘Here’s a boat, take me down the river. OK, nice work, you’re a guide,’ ” Gould said. “That worked out pretty well and I’ve been doing it ever since.” Gould got his outfitters license four years ago and opened Double Up Outfitters. Now he’s his own boss. A common complaint among fishing guides is that they never get to fish. Gould bucked that trend this year. “I fished more this spring than I have in the last nine years combined,” Gould said. “I can’t seem to get sick of it. I get far too tickled when I see ... browns in the sneaky spots, finding them in inches of water and wondering why isn’t there a part of that fish sticking out in the air. That blows me away every time I see it.” Gould doesn’t have to wander far to see fish. He and wife Jamie, daughters Jaden (4) and Jesse (1), and 3-year-old Buddy, a behemoth of a yellow lab, live a couple hundred yards from the Bitterroot River near Stevensville. Out in the backyard is a pond and yes, it holds trout.
Gould gets a kick out of the popularity of his half-down series of flies. “A lot of guides and outfitters float by and say, ‘Hey, your fly is working,’ ” Gould said. “I usually don’t think about it until someone floats by and says something. I won’t mention Peter’s name, but every
MONTANA ADVENTURER
See FLIES, Page 25
Flies Continued from Page 24
time I see this one fella he says, ‘Hey, we’re fishing half downs.’ ” Gould still ties them for his personal stash, but often finds himself tinkering instead. “I’ll sit down at night and I need to tie a dozen of these hoppers because I know they’re working great right now,” Gould said. “I know I’ve got to do it and the next thing you For more know I’m experimenting. I tie information on three of the ones I want, then Double Up Outfitters I’m tying something different. and half-down flies, “It’s good, though, to keep go to www.doubleup the fish guessing and not show outfitters.com, or them the same thing all the www.montanafly.com. time. I’m not sure if educated is the word, they just get sick of them. One year fly X is working; the next year X will catch a couple of fish, but Y will beat them up. I cycle through patterns each year. “That’s why I still like to tie as much as I do because every year it’s something different.”
Missoulian sports editor Bob Meseroll can be reached at 523-5265 or at sportsdesk@missoulian.com.
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Chances are if you’ve done much fishing during the Bitterroot River’s spring skwala hatch, you’ve tried this pattern yourself, or you were standing near someone who was. It’s Gould’s deadly variation of the stonefly pattern. Photographs by LINDA THOMPSON/Missoulian
ATTENTION HUNTERS!
Hunting Camp
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Gould’s half-down skwala
THIS YEAR, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 36 YEARS, THERE WILL BE NO HUNTING ON LANDS OWNED BY DRAGGING Y CATTLE COMPANY, LOCATED IN HORSE PRAIRIE. THIS ACTION IS TAKEN TO PROTEST THE ANTI-GRAZING STANCE RECENTLY ASSUMED BY THE MONTANA DEPT. OF FISH, WILDLIFE AND PARKS.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE BLOCK MANAGEMENT PROGRAM IN PLACE AGAIN, PLEASE CONTACT FISH, WILDLIFE & PARKS DIRECTOR, JOE MAURIER AT 406-444-3750 OR REGION THREE SUPERVISOR PAT FLOWERS AT 406-994-4050 AND TELL THEM YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE F.W.P. REVERSE THEIR ANTI-GRAZING POLICY.
MONTANA ADVENTURER
FALL 2009
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COMPETE! SEPTEMBER
Saturday, September 12
First Annual Sweathouse Half Marathon Where: Victor Contact:www.runwildmissoula.org
Glendive Badlander 10k Contact: www.glendivebadlander.com
12th Annual Pete’s Fall Fest “Race for Play” (10K, 5K, 1M) Where: Kalispell Contact: dudleystrees@centurytel.net
20th Annual Chokecherry Run (10K, 5K, 1M) Where: Lewistown Contact: hamling@midrivers.com
Fall Into Fitness Walk/Run (10K & 5K) Where: Polson Contact: www.polsonrunning.com.
Medicine Rocks Buffalo Shoot Where: 12 miles north of Ekalaka Contact: markm@midrivers.com Sunday, September 13
Fifth Annual Two Bear Marathon and Half Marathon Where: Whitefish Contact: www.twobearmarathon.org Friday, September 18
7th Annual UMW Hunter/Jumper Horse Show Where: Dillon Contact: J_xant@umwestern.edu
First Peoples Buffalo Jump Annual Atlatl Competition Where: Ulm Contact: http://fwp.mt.gov Saturday, September 19
Are You Tuff Enough? (5M)
Where: Phillipsburg Contact: www.PintlarTerritories.com
34th Mount Helena Classic Where: Helena Contact: www.helenarunnuningclub.com
Run the Nine Mile (9.8M) Where: Nine Mile (west of Missoula, 1-90 exit 82) at Nine Mile Ranger Station Contact: www.runmt.com/NMCC_RegistrationForm.pdf Sunday, September 20
Montana Governor’s Cup Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K & Relay
Where: Helena Contact: www.montanagovernorscupmarathon.org Friday September 25
Goats in the Dark (3.2M) Where: Helena Contact: www.helenarunningclub.com Saturday, September 26
Homestake Pass 5 Miler and 1 Mile Youth Race Where: Bozeman Contact: www.homestakelodge.com
The Story Mill 5 and North Church Fun Run (5K & 1M)
Where: Bozeman Contact: www.bozeman.k12.mt.us/hawthorne/
8th Annual Drop ‘n Trot (5K w/ pushups) Where: Bozeman Contact: www.thenetworkmt.org. Sunday, September 27
Lewis and Clark Marathon, Half Marathon, Marathon Relay & 5K
Where: Bozeman Contact: www.lewisandclarkmarathon.com
OCTOBER Saturday, October 3
Missoula All Women’s 5K
Where: Missoula Contact: loie@runwildmissoula.org
COMPETE!
2nd Annual Great Falls Harvest Classic 5K Run/Walk
Contact: www.ugf.edu
Stillwater River Run & Fun Walk (10K & 5K) Where: Absarokee Contact: www.absarokeearea.com
Tamarack Festival Races (10K, 5K, 1K) Where: Seeley Lake Contact: ssymca@blackfoot.net Sunday, October 4
33rd Annual Western Montana Hill Climb Championships (4M) Where: Missoula Contact: www.missoulabike.org/hillclimb/
The Wolf Creek Canyon Relay (28.02M) Where: Wolf Creek (between Helena & Great Falls) Contact: Info: www.wolfcreekcanyonrelay.net
Livingston River Scramble 6K Contact: www.myspace.com/livingstonriverscramble Saturday, October 10
28th Le Grizz Ultramarathon (50M) Where: Spotted Bear Contact: www.cheetahherders.com
4th Annual What Women Want Expo Fun Run/Walk (3.75M) Where: Great Falls Contact: www.greatfallstribune.com/whatwomenwant
2nd Annual University of Montana Homecoming Hustle Where: Missoula Contact: www.active.com
Sunday, October 11
Goat Pursuit (6.6M) Where: Helena Contact: www.helenarunningclub.com Saturday, October 17
13th or 14th Annual Pumpkin Run (5K, 400m kids run) Where: Missoula Contact: Ben Schmidt at 406-542-1257 Sunday, October 18
Goat Grind (4M) Where: Helena Contact: www.helenarunningclub.com Sunday, October 18
Raw Deal Run 5K/10K Where: McLeod (south of Big Timber) Contact: sghwf@itsTriangle.com Saturday, October 31
Montana Cup Where: Bozeman Contact: www.montanacup.com
NOVEMBER Saturday, November 7
USATF Montana Cross Country Championships (5K, 4K, 3K)
Where: Bozeman Contact: www.bozemantrackclub.or
Thursday, November 26
Huffing For Stuffing Thanksgiving Day Run (10K & 5K) Where: Bozeman Contact: huffingforstuffing.com
Legend
Burn the Bird (10K & 5K)
Run
Where: Great Falls Contact: www.assphaultkickers.com
Bike
List your competition 406.523.5223 advertising@missoulian.com
Shoot Ride
KURT WILSON/Missoulian
Cooler days of fall make for great hiking in the high country, but be prepared for sudden changes in the weather at any time.
HIKES WITHOUT RIFLES
Several mountain trails offer outdoor adventure away from most hunters
By BETSY COHEN of the Missoulian
F
all is one of the most stunning seasons to be exploring our beautiful backcounty, but it can get a little hairy out there when hunting season gets under way. If you are looking for some outdoor getaways that won’t put you in the line of fire, the following are some suggestions from the experts at the Bitterroot National Forest and the Lolo National Forest. Remember, though, it’s always a good idea to wear hunter orange if you are in the mountains and woods during hunting season. And, while you’re at it, go ahead and tie some orange flagging to your dogs and horses when you go, said Nan Christianson, spokeswoman for the Bitterroot National Forest. See HIKES, Page 29
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FALL 2009
MONTANA ADVENTURER
Hikes Continued from Page 28
In the Bitterroot n Lake Como North Trail 502 – 3.1 miles to Jct. of Trail 580. This is an easy trail on the north side of Lake Como, open to hiking and biking. The trail is paved for the first quarter-mile. This hike offers spectacular views of Como Peaks, osprey and wildflowers. Just beyond the junction of Trail 580 you will be rewarded by a beautiful waterfall. The wilderness boundary is approximately a half-mile beyond the lake. Other opportunities: Trail 502 joins with 580 at the west end of lake. Trail 580 is open for horseback travel. This hike provides a 7.1-mile loop around the lake. Trail 580 continues west beyond the lake, accessing Elk Lake nine miles from the wilderness boundary then onto Bell Lake on the Idaho side of the divide. Access: From Hamilton, drive
south on U.S. Highway 93 for approximately 12 miles. Turn west on Lake Como Road to the Lake Como Recreation Area.
Turn east and go approximately 18 miles to Forest Road 784. Turn south on this road and go approximately 2 miles to the trailhead.
n East Fork Trails 433 – This is a relatively easy trail with short climbs to Star Falls and the lake basin. It is in the area burned during the 2000 fire season and visitors will encounter a range of fire effects. In the lower portion of the East Fork drainage and in the lake basin, scattered patches of trees are burned and many areas appear untouched. There are three miles between Star Falls and the junction with Trail 313 that burned severely. Visitors will see regeneration of grasses, small lodgepole trees and a profusion of wildflowers. Frequent windstorms cause trees to blow down and visitors should use caution when traveling in the area. Stock users should be prepared with ax and saw, in case blowdown blocks travel. Access: From Hamilton go south on Highway 93 approximately 40 miles to East Fork Road (Junction 472).
n Blodgett Overlook Trail — Trail length is 1.5 miles, providing spectacular views of Canyon Creek, Blodgett Canyon and three views of the valley. The trail takes the hiker through a series of ecosystems such as open pine into spruce, lodgepole and white bark pine. Remnants of old fires are apparent, as well as log chutes from timber sales of yesteryear. A large raptor population lives in the Blodgett Canyon and Canyon Creek area. Peregrine falcons, redtail hawks and goshawks may be seen flying during the late spring and early summer months. Access: Take Main Street from downtown Hamilton and continue as it turns into West Bridge Road, keeping to right. At end of West Bridge, turn left on Blodgett Camp See HIKES, Page 30
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29
Hikes
North Kootenai Creek Road approximately two miles to where it ends at the trailhead parking lot.
Continued from Page 29
n Bear Creek Overlook Trail
Road, which leads to Blodgett Creek Campground. Turn left on Canyon Creek Road to Canyon Creek Trailhead. Blodgett Overlook trailhead is on the right; Canyon Creek Trailhead is straight ahead.
n Mill Creek Trail provides access to Mill Creek Falls about three miles up – a popular day trip. Travelers pass beneath imposing cliffs in the first few miles. Much of the first five miles is recovering from the fires of 2000. There is abundant new undergrowth of forbs, brush, aspen and pine saplings. New trees fall across the trail on a regular basis and the trail is cleared several times a season. Side trip opportunities include Hauf Lake and Sears Lake, each at the end of a short, steep side trail. Mill Lake, actually a reservoir, is at the end of the trail at 10 miles. Just before Mill Lake there is a trail junction with Fred Burr Trail, which provides the opportunity of a 25-mile loop trip back toward the valley. Access is from Highway 93 at Woodside. Go west on Dutch Hill Road 3.8 miles; turn left at the T intersection onto Bowman Road. Cross Mill Creek. In a short distance there will be trailhead signs. Turn right and follow the gravel road that ends at the trailhead in less than a mile. n Blodgett Canyon Trail is a favorite day hike for local residents who come to see the spectacular cliffs above the creek. The fires of 2000 have opened canyon vistas in the first two miles. The forest floor is regenerating with fireweed, willow and pine saplings. New trees fall across the trail on a regular basis and the trail is cleared several times a season. An unusual rock arch formation can be seen from the trail bridge at three miles. Blodgett Falls is at five miles. A side trail to High Lake involving a strenuous climb is at six miles. The wilderness boundary is at seven miles. The trail to Blodgett Pass and the backcountry of Idaho is about 11 miles. Blodgett Lake at the end of the trail is 30
FALL 2009
KURT WILSON/Missoulian
Several varieties of wildflowers continue to bloom in abundance during the fall. 12.7 miles.
Access is by Bowman Road from its junction with Highway 93 north of Hamilton and just north of the bridge over the Bitterroot River. Follow Bowman Road 1.1 miles to Rickets Road on the left. Turn south onto Rickets and follow approximately two miles to the junction with Gerer Lane next to the Hamilton Playhouse. Go straight through this intersection. The road now becomes Blodgett Camp Road. Stay on this following signs to the Blodgett Campground for approximately four miles. Trailhead parking is just before the campground entrance. n Kootenai Creek Trail is a favorite day hiking destination for both local and Missoula residents who come to see the narrow canyon with its rushing creek lined with river birch, looming rock cliffs and talus with large ponderosa pine. The first half-mile of the trail is private property and you are asked to respect that. The canyon is heavily forested and the trail accesses North, Middle and South Kootenai lakes at approximately 10-11 miles. Access is by North Kootenai Creek Road and Highway 93 approximately one mile north of Stevensville. Follow MONTANA ADVENTURER
provides a short hike to a spectacular clifftop vista with views of the nearby Sky Pilot, Totem Peak and the Bear Creek drainage thousands of feet below. The trail follows switchbacks up a gentle grade to the vista point at 2.5 miles. There is no water along the trail. Access from Highway 93 is by Bear Creek Road approximately three miles south of Victor. Go west on Bear Creek Road approximately 2.5 miles to Red Crow Road. Turn right, and follow Red Crow Road for approximately two miles as it turns west then north at two intersections. Turn left, west on Pleasant View Drive for approximately two miles as it bends south then west and then again south and west until it turns into Gash Creek Road 1325. Follow this road for approximately two miles to Road 1325. Follow this road several miles to Bear Creek Overlook. A Bitterroot National Forest map is helpful in finding this trail, which does not have a developed trailhead. There is parking at a wide spot in the road. The road is gated just beyond. Large vehicles are not recommended.
n Bass Creek Trail and Charles Waters Recreation Complex. Located northwest of Stevensville, the Charles Waters Recreation Complex has a couple of good options for folks. The stock users trail system contains a couple of loop routes that weave through the lower foothills of the Bitterroot Mountains. Hikers can go up Bass Creek Trail – the trail follows the creek up the canyon, and it has a gradual climb to some very scenic views and ultimately, Bass Lake.
Seeley Lake Ranger District n Morrell Falls Trail. 2.5 miles to the falls. Less than 1,000 feet elevation gain (easy to moderate). Nice destination hike. Going north take the Cottonwood Lakes Road (477) and then take a left on 4353 and follow signs to trailhead. See HIKES, Page 31
Hikes
n Petty Sheep viewing Trail 721. This trail is only
Continued from Page 30
0.4 miles long, built as a Boy Scout project with two interpretive signs. There is a good chance of seeing bighorn sheep in the area. But this area does have two tags each year offered from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. But it is rare to see a hunter on this trail. From Missoula, head west on I90 to exit 78 at Petty Creek . Head south for approximately five miles. On the right (west) side there will be a small pullout out with a bridge crossing Petty Creek to the first of the two interpretive signs.
n Clearwater Lake Loop. Quarter- to halfmile to the lake from the trailhead, but you can also take the trail around the lake to add some distance. Nice lake destination hike with little elevation gain. Going north, take the Cleawater Loop Road (4353) just past Rainy Lake and follow the signs to trailhead. Neither of these areas are frequented by hunters, though when driving on any U.S. Forest Service road you may see hunters coming or going.
Ninemile Ranger District n Ch-paa-qn Peak Trail 98.3. At 7,996 feet Ch-paa-qn Peak marks the highest point on the Ninemile Ranger District. From the summit on a clear day, a person can experience a panoramic view of the Mission Mountains, Flathead Indian Reservation, Frenchtown, Missoula and the Bitterroot Valley, and some days even see the Montana-Idaho divide. There are three trails that lead to Ch-paa-qn. The trail from Edith Peak Trailhead is the easiest hike and access. This trail is recommended for first-time visitors and children. This trail is approximately three miles one-way including the hike to the top. The beginning of the trail is on Edith Peak Road 476 ending at the junction with Trail 707. From this junction, most people leave the trail and head up the peak by rock cairns to the top for a wonderful view.
ROB CHANEY/Missoulian
The Blodgett Overlook Trail gives hikers spectacular views of Canyon Creek, Blodgett Canyon and the Bitterroot Valley.
n Northfork Fish Creek 103 to Greenwood Cabins. The Greenwood cabins are located about six miles from Clearwater Crossing Trailhead. The Great Burn area is an excellent area for summer recreation with all of the trails heading to the Montana-Idaho Stateline Trail. The hike to Greenwood cabins is a halfway mark to Goose Lake, located in Idaho. This hike is great for families, and new adventurers heading into the woods. This hike has a number of water crossings in the spring and summer, but by fall the creek crossings are smaller and enjoyable to cross. The other main line trails heading out of Clearwater Crossing have permitted outfitter guides during the fall season, so there is guided hunting in the other drainages. From Missoula head west on Interstate-90 to exit 66. Heading south on Forest Service Road 343 head toward the Hole in the Wall Lodge approximately 15 miles on the dirt road, then continue another mile past
Hole in the Wall Lodge to the Forest Service Trailhead Clearwater Crossing. Camping with water is available at the trailhead. Outhouses are also present.
Reporter Betsy Cohen can be reached at 523-5253 or at bcohen@missoulian.com.
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Five Valley Honda 5900 Hwy 93 South Missoula, MT 59804 406-251-5900 honda.com UTILITY ATVs ARE RECOMMENDED ONLY FOR RIDERS 16 YEARS OF AGE & OLDER. ATVs CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO OPERATE. FOR YOUR SAFETY, BE RESPONSIBLE. READ OWNER’S MANUAL. ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET, EYE PROTECTION & PROTECTIVE CLOTHING. BE CAREFUL ON DIFFICULT TERRAIN. ALL ATV RIDERS SHOULD TAKE A TRAINING COURSE (FREE FOR NEW BUYERS, ASK YOUR DEALER OR CALL ASI AT 800-887-2887). NEVER RIDE: UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL, ON PAVED SURFACES, ON PUBLIC ROADS,WITH PASSENGERS, AT EXCESSIVE SPEEDS. NO STUNT RIDING. RESPECT THE ENVIRONMENT WHEN RIDING. Rancher® is a trademark of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. ©2008 AHMC, Inc. (10/08) 08-0436
MONTANA ADVENTURER
FALL 2009
31
ADVENTURE CALENDAR SEPTEMBER Saturday, September 13 Circle Rifle Club Turkey Shoot Where: Circle Contact: 485-2539
Sunday, October 4 Tour de Cure Montana 2009 (100M, 56M, 23M, 6M) Where: Three Forks Contact: www.diabetes.org/tour Thursday, October 8
Saturday, September 12 or 19 Rocky Mountaineers Hike Missoula-Elk Summit-Blodgett Circuit Contact: www.rockymountaineers.com
Legends for Lights Pheasant Jamboree (through Oct 11) Where: Havre Contact: (406) 945-2635
Saturday, September 19 PEDal Festival Where: Missoula Contact: marluna3@qwestoffice.net Rocky Mountaineers Hike Holland Peak Contact: www.rockymountaineers.com Salmon Festival Where: Eureka Contact: www.welcome2eureka.com Wednesday, September 23 Smith River Float Trip (through Sept 26) Contact: www.rockymountaineers.com
Saturday, October 10 NILE Stock Show, Pro Rodeo, Horse Extravaganza (through Oct 17) Where: Billings Contact: www.thenile.org Thursday October 15
!
Used Outdoor Gear Sale Where: Missoula Contact: (406) 243-0211 Thursday, October 29
! Teton Gravity Research presents: “Re: Session” Where: Missoula Contact: (406) 243-0211
NOVEMBER
Friday, September 25 Ales for Trails Where: Billings Contact: (406) 247-8637
OCTOBER Thursday, October 1
! 4th Annual Reel Rock Film Tour: “Progression & First Ascent” Where: Missoula Contact: www.reelrocktour.com Friday, October 2 Bridger Raptor Festival (through Oct 4) Where: Bozeman Contact: www.bridgerraptorfest.org
Sunday, November 15
!
The 2009 Banff Festival of Mountain Films World Tour Where: Missoula Contact: (406) 243-0211 Tuesday, November 24
Yellowstone Ski Festival (through Nov 28) Where: West Yellowstone Contact: www.yellowstoneskifestival.com Legend
Festival Hike
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Other
Bike
Rodeo
Paddle
Shoot
List your event 406.523.5223 advertising@ missoulian.com
KURT WILSON/Missoulian
Fall can be a gorgeous time to travel in Glacier National Park’s backcountry and on horseback is a great way to go. Guided horseback trips end for the season, however, on Sept. 20.
Glacier is always open Missoulian
W
EST GLACIER – Officials at Glacier National Park remind park visitors that the park is open year-round and that most concessions, lodging and camping facilities will remain open well past Labor Day for the autumn season. After Labor Day, services and facilities slowly start closing for the winter; however, the following is a list of ongoing park services and projected closing dates. n Belton Chalets Inc. Granite Park Chalet closes Sept. 7; Sperry
Chalet closes Sept. 9. The historic Granite Park Chalet is available for overnight use as a rustic hiker shelter. Services at the historic Sperry Chalet include traditional overnight accommodations and food service for guests and day hikers alike. For more information, 1-888-345-2649 or www.sperrychalet.com or www.graniteparkchalet.com.
n Glacier Park Boat Company.
Boat tours and rentals. Apgar (rentals only) closes Sept. 7; Lake McDonald closes Sept. 20; Many Glacier closes Sept. 13; Rising Sun closes Sept. 7; Two Medicine closes Sept. 7. For more MONTANA ADVENTURER
information, (406) 257-2426 or www.glacierparkboats.com. n Glacier Park Inc. Glacier Park Lodge closes Sept. 26; Lake McDonald Lodge closes Sept. 26; Lake McDonald Camp Store closes Sept. 26; Jammer Joe’s Restaurant closes Sept. 8; Many Glacier Hotel closes Sept. 20; Prince of Wales Hotel* closes Sept. 14; Rising Sun Motor Inn closes Sept. 20; Rising Sun Camp Store closes Sept. 21*; Swiftcurrent Motor Inn closes Sept. 12; Swiftcurrent Camp Store closes Sept. 20; Two Medicine Camp Store See GLACIER, Page 34 FALL 2009
33
Glacier Continued from Page 33
closes Sept. 7; Village Inn closes Sept. 19. * Glacier Park Lodge and the Prince of Wales Hotel are located outside the park, but are also managed by GPI. These properties will close after breakfast on the dates listed. For more information, central reservations (406) 892-2525 or www.glacierparkinc.com. n Red Bus Tours end Sept. 26; hiker shuttle ends Sept. 7. (Connects Many Glacier to Going-to-the-Sun Road shuttle that operates July1-Sept. 7). East Side Shuttle closes Sept. 20. (Service to trailheads and hotels between East Glacier and Waterton, Alberta). n Glacier Guides Inc. Guided day hikes and backpacking end in October. For more information, 1-800-521-RAFT or (406) 387-5555 or www.glacierguides.com.
n Swan Mountain Outfitters.
Horseback rides. Apgar Corral closes Sept. 7; Lake McDonald Corral closes Sept. 20; Many Glacier Corral closes Sept. 20. For more information, 1-877-888-5557 or www.swan mountainoutfitters.com/glacier. n Sun Tours. Interpretive tours end Oct. 15. For more information, 1-800-786-9220 or (406) 226-9220 or www.glaciersuntours.com.
Autumn 2009 schedule for National Park Service facilities Note on entrance fees: When entrance stations are not staffed, visitors must pay the entrance fee at the self-registration fee collection box or have a valid, previously purchased park pass. Listed is the campbround and last night for camping/change to primitive status: Apgar – Oct. 11* Avalanche – Sept. 6 Bowman Lake – Sept. 13** Cut Bank – Sept. 13*** Fish Creek – Sept. 6 Kintla Lake – Sept. 13** Logging Creek – Sept. 29 Many Glacier – Sept. 20** Quartz Creek – Nov. 29 *** Rising Sun – Sept.13 34
FALL 2009
St. Mary and Logan Pass are open daily throughout September. A variety of ranger-led programs, from easy walks and evening talks, to all-day hikes and boat tours will continue in September. Activities are listed in “The KURT WILSON/Missoulian Glacier Visitors Animal sightings can happen more often in the fall when the Guide” which is critters are busy preparing for the winter months. available in visitor centers or online at www.nps.gov/ glac/planyour Sprague Creek – Sept. 13 visit/upload/WGG09-web.pdf. St. Mary – Sept. 20 * Two Medicine – Sept. 20** Going-to-the-Sun Road * Primitive camping (no treated, running water and no flush toilets) is To allow for accelerated available throughout the fall at Apgar rehabilitation work, beginning and St. Mary beginning on the dates Monday, Sept. 20, Logan Pass will be indicated above. Cost for primitive closed to vehicle use from the west camping at St. Mary and Apgar is $10 a side between Avalanche and Logan night. Winter camping is also offered Pass for the remainder of the season. at these two sites. There is no charge Logan Pass will be accessible for for winter camping, which begins Dec. 1. vehicles from the east side, except ** Primitive camping (no treated, running water and no flush toilets) will when closed to motorized vehicles because of weather. also be available after the listed dates During evening hours and on at Bowman Lake, Kintla Lake, Many weekends, when the contractor is not Glacier and Two Medicine working, non-motorized access Campgrounds. Bowman and Kintla (hikers and bicyclists) will be allowed Lake will offer primitive camping until on the alpine segment between Dec. 1, unless closed earlier by Avalanche and Logan Pass. weather. At Many Glacier and Two Information about the Going-toMedicine campgrounds, primitive the-Sun Road rehabilitation and camping remains available until snow related visitor service improvements accumulation and/or unsafe road conditions exist. Cost for primitive are available by calling park camping is $10 a night. headquarters at (406) 888-7800 or *** No water is available at Cut home.nps.gov/applications/glac/ Bank, Logging Creek and Quartz roadstatus/roadstatus.cfm. Creek. Camping at these campgrounds costs $10 per night. Quartz Creek will For reservations and details on the continue to offer this primitive concession activities, contact the camping with no water until Dec. 1, concession office directly at the unless closed earlier by weather. number listed. For general park information, please visit the park’s Visitor centers and ranger-led official Web site, www.nps.gov/glac, interpretive programs or call park headquarters at (406) 888-7800. Glacier’s visitor centers at Apgar, MONTANA ADVENTURER