January 2015 Volume 1, Issue 4

January Volume 1 Issue 4

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Publishers Notes By Raf Viniard

Happy New Year to all my fellow hunters, fishermen and trappers and to those that call Montana home…the “Last Best Place on Earth!” I want to thank all those that helped Montana Woods N Water get off the ground in 2014. It was a year filled full of challenges and excitement. Trapping season is in full swing and lion hunters are still prowling about looking for that big Tom to tree. It may be snowy and cold but that has not dampened the dogs or the cat hunter’s spirits. If you are ice fishing or thinking about it…just

remember to use caution…a dunk in the lake or river this time of the year may be the last bath you take. Here at Montana Woods N Water we are undergoing some exciting changes and looking forward to moving Montana Woods N Water in a new direction in 2015. We will no longer be printing a hard copy and there are many reasons for this decision but it boils down to the cost of printing, distributing and meeting some grueling deadlines. Starting with this issue we will be sending out story links via Facebook, Twitter, etc. every Tuesday and Thursday. We will still be covering all the same fantastic stuff we did in hard print but better and faster. Our writers were very limited as to what they could write because of our print budget. By going 100% digital we will be full color and can now include active links to other news and information sources. Starting in February we will be adding video links to some of our content and advertising. If you want a copy of any issue, all you have to do is download it and print it from your home computer or take it to your nearest print shop.

This new format will allow you the reader to better pick and choose what articles you find interesting and follow our writers more in-depth. Yes, we will still have advertisers and by going digital we can cut their advertising cost and reach thousands more potential customers than print alone.

Montana Woods N Water has teamed up with Big Bull Sports and the Sanders County Search and Rescue and will be holding a “Five Months of Fun” fundraising event. We will be raffling off some really nice firearms and other prizes. Go to www.montanawoodsnwater.com and hit the “SAR” tab for more information. While you are on our website you might want to swing over to our “Store” tab and see what we have on tap. Keep sending us your pictures and stories. We thank you for your continued support and we wish each and every one of you a healthy and prosperous new year.

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:

Andrew “Andy” Pershen

Thompson River Basin

Contact Us

Montana Woods N Water

171 Clark Creek Loop

Plains, Montana 59859

406-08-0576

www.montanawoodsnwater.com

Email:

raf@montanawoodsnwater.com

ANGELA MONTANA

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By Anglea Gerych

It’s officially 2015—the beginning of a new year, and you are resolving to make yourself better. Whether your resolutions include exercising more, being happy more or traveling/exploring more, we all want to be better and do more things that make us happy. So, why not start now? But how and where do you start? If you’re reading this, you most likely love the outdoors, so why not choose from activities that combine your love for the outdoors with your desire to be happy, while also giving you that exercise you're after while also satisfying the explorer in you? Before you get flustered and overwhelmed just thinking about the hours of uneventful walking/running on the treadmill you had planned in your original resolution to get more exercise, and before you start dreading the cost of fulfilling your resolution to travel more and explore new areas, see how easy it is to get exercise, find happiness and explore the outdoors without spending much more than gas money. The best part is these are awesome solo activities AND also great for the whole family ♥ Find a map of the area you live in (even if you pull it up on your computer), and only show a radius of 60 miles from where you live. Close your eyes and move your finger around and stop somewhere. Visit that location (or

area if that specific location is privately-owned). Make a day out of it, and pack a lunch and bring plenty of water. Dress appropriately for the weather, and collect items like twigs, cool rocks, pretty wildflowers or leaves to put on basic picture frames. Take a picture of yourself (and your family/friends if applicable), and put the picture from that day in the frame. Remember that day every time you look at your custom frame and photo. ♥ Once every other week, take two hours out of your day to learn something new about the area you live in. You know that trailhead sign that is up the road that always see three cars parked at on your way to work? Grab your GPS, and head to the trail. That park that you have driven by more times than you can count? Go there and bring a book or take the kids for some play time. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation building that you keep hearing so much about? Go there, and learn about the wildlife in your area, and also find out more about the organization. Your options are

limitless. ♥ Have you heard the saying, “Nobody can be angry while they are out in the mountains”? Well, from my experience, that is SO true. Make a schedule of one date a month (overnight if you prefer) to head to the public fire watch towers in your area. One a month. Pre-schedule your visits so you are less apt to cancel. Whether it is winter or summer, this will be worth it! If you stay the night, be sure to follow proper protocol for that particular location and pay any fees, if required. If you visit one fire watch tower a month, you will have visited 12 towers by the end of the year, and just think about those awesome memories of the views and the experience of exploring new areas you will have locked away in your memory bank. Take a lot of pictures! I can guarantee that when you are on top of the world looking around at the beauty that is surrounding you at that moment in all directions, you will be one happy camper (pardon the pun if you end up camping up there, too). You can even substitute the fire watch tower destinations for hikes. One a month. ♥ Camping! Camping is always fun when you’re prepared! Plan a fun, overnight camping excursion with the family and/or some friends. ♥ Fishing! You can’t go wrong when you go fishing! Visit fwp.mt.gov to find out the current regulations for fishing in your area of Montana.

Last Year Is In The Rearview

ANGELA MONTANA

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♥ Hunting! There are year-round hunting opportunities in Montana. Visit fwp.mt.gov to find out the current regulations for hunting in your area of Montana. ♥ Trapping! There are also year-round trapping opportunities in Montana. Visit fwp.mt.gov to find out the current regulations for trapping in your area of Montana. ♥ Shooting! Take your guns out, and put some rounds through them! Make sure you have a gun cleaning day, though, before heading out. Make it a point to get out once a month and shoot all of your guns. Whether you go to a range or go out and shoot oranges, eggs or gallons of water on the back of your property. Shooting is an awesome way to relax for many people and enjoy being outside. ♥ Take pictures of the scenery in your area, and share your photos online. You may get more ideas on where to go for your next adventure, and you can get feedback from others on your photos. Your perspective of where you live might change, too, and you could find yourself wanting to check out more areas to capture those perfect photos. Trapline Photography started that way. (www.facebook.com/traplinephotography) So, there are just a few ideas that involve the outdoors. There are also things like riding dirt bikes, snowmobiles, four-wheelers and just taking a drive on a back road with the windows down and the heat blasting that can reset your mind. Just do what makes you happy and make sure you appreciate what is around you. I would like to wish you nothing but the best for 2015, and I hope you take advantage of checking out as much as you can in this beautiful state we are so fortunate to call home. Happy New Year to all of you, and let’s all keep respecting Montana’s woods, water and wildlife so we, and future generations, can enjoy it!

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SPORTSMAN’S MEDS

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Distracted & Trapped Sportsman’s Meditation

By Pastor Jim Sinclair

Seems like eon’s ago that I was a teenager, and sometimes it seems like yesterday. I started falling timber in my twenties and always enjoyed the outdoors. I had the privilege of growing up with a lifelong friend “Jimmer” and both of us raised our families while working in the woods. However, every November when the snow was to deep, logging operations would shut down. That is when Jimmer and I would break out the traps, grab the river boat and hit the river for raccoons, mink, fox, otter or whatever we could catch. As the timber industry dwindled we found ourselves wanting a change. So we packed up and headed for Montana in look of work but also to trap Montana bobcats...they were the prize to catch. To this day Jimmer still traps here in Montana. Recently I was on his line with him, and noticed something really amazing. Walking up on one of his sets, there was a flag hung above the trail, this is usually two feathers crossed and tied together at the ends, it’s purpose is to catch the eye of what is coming down the trail. Then not far off was a cubby, in the cubby was bait and a trap. Here’s what intrigued me, some would say that the flag and cubby are a “Magnet” for any self-respecting Bobcat. What I want to suggest is that the “Flag and the Bait” are not the “Magnets”. The truth is, the “Magnet” is in the Bobcat. Once again this caused me to reflect.

The scripture backs this up in the book of James 1:14-15

14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. NKJV The key phrase is, “We are drawn away by our OWN desires and enticed”. The truth is The “Magnet” is within us. Take a lesson from an unsuspecting “Bobcat” , it could keep you out of a TRAP. Pastor Jim

Distracted & Trapped Part II Sportsman’s Medicine By Raf Viniard

Now that trapping season is in full swing, I am going to play off Pastor Jim’s advice, not from a spiritual point of view but from a physical. When out setting traps make sure you stay focused on the tasks at hand and think safety in all that you do. A hand or foot caught in right kind of trap can be painful and possibly life threatening. Trapping is relatively safe but there are other safety issues to keep in mind. Let’s look at some of the other areas to be conscious of while out trapping Hypothermia/Frostbite. Cold numb hands working around traps can make your careless and those traps will leave a mark or worse. Drowning or Breaking Through The Ice. Check it before stepping on it or in it. Take some extra clothes and waterproof fire starter in case of an emergency. Animal Diseases and Parasites. Wear appropriate gear and disinfect after handling wild animals. Hydration. Carry plenty of water and if dr inking from streams purify or filter your water before dr inking. Approaching Your Traps/Releasing Untargeted Animals. They are quicker than you think, they have claws and teeth and may be bigger than you. Use appropriate tools and release techniques. Firearms Safety & Knife Handling. Remember your ten commandments of firearms safety and mind that knife blade. Map, Compass, Communication. Let someone know where you are going or purchase a satellite communication device.

If taking young or new trappers with you out on the line be mindful of their safety as well...never assume they know what you are about to do. Keep a close eye on them.

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WING SHOOTING

Big Trophies in Small Packages Not all trophies are measured by score!

By Jason Badger

“I wouldn’t waste the money going that far to shoot a stupid bird!” Honestly, I was somewhat hurt by my

friend’s comment. I had just returned from a four day swan hunt in north-central Nevada. A few friends and I who

had drawn coveted permits, had enjoyed a fantastic hunt in a location that was new to me, and bagged some

species that were personal milestones for most of us. Upon my return I was excited to share my photographs and

stories, but received almost no interest from my big game crazed friends at home. I was utterly baffled. I could find

nothing “stupid” about a swan. They are large, beautiful birds that present an uncommon hunting opportunity.

That was the first time I noticed how preconceived notions and personal preferences could limit a hunters

experience. This made me sad, and in a way I pitied my friend.

I love big game hunting as much as anybody; probably more than most. But my outdoor interests and

passions have never ended there. I cherish the opportunity to pursue a variety of game in as many locations as I can.

Each game animal presents its own unique hunting opportunity. For me, the greatest thrill often comes from

hunting a new location, or perhaps hunting a species there that is steeped in hunting tradition. I believe waterfowl

are one of the greatest examples of under-respected trophies. What other game can be pursued in such a variety of

hunting venues? Offers such a long, diverse season with as many localized techniques and traditions? Can be

hunted in another state or country for such little expense? Not many that I’m aware of.

WING SHOOTING

7

Some species of waterfowl are extremely plentiful, have a broad range, and are found in a variety of

habitats. Mallards are a species that would fall into this category. Most hunters who have pursued ducks have likely

taken mallards. What about less common species that offer fewer hunting opportunities? I don’t believe there are

many hardcore waterfowlers who would dispute the statement that the canvasback is the king of ducks. This is a

bird that helped shape the waterfowl hunting world, and the early course of America. Despite being widely

distributed across North America, opportunities to successfully hunt this prized species with any consistency are

relatively few. Locales with large, huntable congregations of canvasbacks are few. Places like Catahoula Lake in

Louisiana, Chesapeake Bay, or Pool 9 on the upper Mississippi River come to mind. Collecting a prime drake

canvasback from one of these famed locations is as worthy a trophy as any I can think of.

Swans are another trophy species to many, including me. Legal hunting opportunities are restricted to a few

areas. Watching a flock of swans bank over a spread of decoys is a sight all true hunters should behold at some

point. While they take up a lot of room, a swan mount done by a master taxidermist makes for a beautiful addition

to any trophy room. Besides, I feel there are few birds that can beat a swan on the table. My swan hunting days in

Nevada will always be some of my most cherished hunting experiences.

Looking beyond the world of waterfowl, there are a number of other species that I consider to be trophy

birds. When I first moved to Montana, a prime male spruce grouse was at the top of my list. The primary reason

being they were new to me. Compared to Ruffed or Blue grouse, their distribution is fairly limited. The same can be

said for Sage grouse, a species that teeters on the edge of the Endangered Species List. They both offer unique

experiences in a unique habitat.

For the turkey hunters out there, each

subspecies is a trophy in itself. The quest for the

Grand Slam, or even the World Slam, has drawn

hunters to all corners of our great nation. Each one

offering their own unique experiences, and

challenges. I’m only half way to my Grand Slam, but

I have enjoyed every turkey hunting experience I’ve

had, and I look forward to embarking on the third

leg of my journey in the future; a hunt for an

Eastern gobbler.

With big game season all but

over for the year, give some

thought to trophies of

another kind. Bird hunts

often offer multiple shot

opportunities, are usually

quite easy on the pocket

book, and can extend your

hunting season. Good bird mounts can also make a

tasteful addition to a hunter’s home, one the wives

seem to tolerate more than a deer or elk head.

There’s always more to a trophy than a score.

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MONTANA MITZI

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Macho Nacho Memaw's Way 1 pound hamburger, I use elk or deer for flavor 1 medium onion chopped 1 green pepper chopped 1 cup black olives sliced 1 small can chopped green hot peppers 1 can refried bean 1 package taco seasoning 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese 1 cup sour cream 1 package good brand corn chips 1 tomato chopped Two avocado's smashed and seasoned Brown hamburger and season with salt and pepper. Drain well, put back in the pan and season with package of taco seasoning. Add 1/2 cup water and let reduce. Spray a glass dish with Pam spray and place 3/4 package of corn chips in the bottom. Next put hamburger mixture, spread out. Open can do refried beans and spread over hamburg-er mixture, may clump but that is ok. Next pile cheese over beans and then start putting onions, olives and top with tomatoes last. Bake 350 degree for 20 minutes or micro wave till cheese is melted. Top with sour cream, Add the guacamole made with the avocado on the side and the rest of the chips, enjoy with beverage of choice, makes a good party plate, great super bowl dish!

It’s Not If But When!

When it’s time to go...go in style!

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LOCAL CELEBRITIES

High School huntress Sami Kinzie with her

Montana Mountain Lion. Congratulations Sami!

High school huntress Sami Kinzie with

the two “Roughians” on her left are

famous author Dan Helterline, aka

Montana Dan biting the lions tail and

his faithful wingman Jeff Rude.

LOCAL CELEBRITIES

How many cats do you see

in this picture?

Go to page 24 to read

about this tree full of cats.

MONTANA DAN

Into the wilderness My quest for a “lunker lion”

By Dan Helterline

Early in my cat hunting career I started to crave treeing big lions. Big headed, thick necked, scarred old warrior tom cats became the focus of my winter time pursuits. I had hunted all over most western and central Montana but had yet to harvest what I considered a truly “monster tom”. After a quick glance at any Boone & Crocket Records of North American Big it became evident that a large portion of the countries exceptionally big toms were coming from central Idaho, Idaho county to be exact. Idaho county is one of the biggest in the state, most of it lies within the Bitterroot Selway Wilderness, over one million acres of remote and vastly rugged mountains that was producing some of the West’s largest lions. It was in the winter of 1988 that Gene Alford killed what was at the time the World Record cougar, deep in the Selway Wilderness. Dropped of at a remote airstrip with a Cessna on skis, Gene would hunt on foot, out of a wall tent for several weeks, with only the help of two dogs. At the end of two or more weeks the airplane would return on a prearranged date to pick up Gene and his dogs, Alford had been doing this for many years all alone in the wilderness with only his two dogs and a wall tent, but it was late in the winter of 88, high on a snowy ridge above the remote Selway River, Gene and his dogs treed a lion so large that to this day is surpassed only by a single cat in Canada, and by a mere 1/16th of an inch! It was this feat that helped Gene later earn the Sagamore Hill Award, Boone & Crockett’s most prestigious accomplishment.

Ironically I would be accepted and train to be a smokejumper the following spring in Grangeville Idaho, the western gateway to the vast Bitterroot Selway Wilderness. I would spend my summers parachuting into much of Idaho’s rugged backcountry fighting fires, and my winters in Montana honing my cat hunting skills. As the summers passed I slowly started to unravel the Selway’s secrets and what it would take to pull off a hunt in its unforgiving heart. Several additional evens also happened that would eventually help swing the pendulum of my dream cat hunt in my favor. I met and started dating a wilderness ranger for the West Fork Ranger District, one of her many duties was to administer several of the outfitters and their hunting camps within the wilderness. This blossoming relationship would later prove to be critical, allowing me to break into the small and tight knit circle of cat hunters that had successfully hunted in the Selway.

I started by hunting up the West Fork and venturing into the upper Selway just over Nez Perce pass hunting with Dave Lucas, a packer for the US Forest Service at the West Fork of the Bitterroot, that also spent his winters cat hunting. Dave would put up a winter camp on a tributary of the Selway called Deep creek, we would set up his wall tent in November then when the pass would snow shut we could access the camp with snowmobiles and hunting most of the winter as conditions allowed. Maria also introduced my to the owner and operator of World Class Adventures, Jason ran a permanent tent camp at the end of the road next to Paradise Guard Station.

Paradise Guard Station

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MONTANA DAN

TNot only was Paradise the end of the road it was the launch for all the wilderness raft trips down the Selway River and the trailhead for the lower Selway. In the winter it was a 50 mile snowmobile trip over Nez Perce pass and down to Jason’s camp, one that I would come to make multiple times each winter working as one of Jason’s cat hunting guides, but I will save that story for another time. It was these early contacts that helped me formulate my plan on hunting further down the river and gain the knowledge needed to pull off a hunt in the same country that Alford had taken his monster tom in over a decade previous.

I had met and secured a guiding job with an outfitter that operated at Moose Creek, his camp was 50 miles downstream from Jason’s camp, connected only by the Selway River and a serpentine pack trail that followed the rivers course downstream. Ken’s camp was accessible in the winter only by a Cessna on skis, hunting was done all by foot out of a wall tent located on the edge of the remote airstrip where Moose Creek spilled into the Selway. This area was home to more than just record book cats, in 1940, Earl Cooley and Rufus Robinson took a giant leap of faith and parachuted into a lightning sparked forest fire in Martin Creek, a tributary of the Selway, giving birth to smoke jumping as we know it, and forever cementing their place in history.

This was the ultimate cat hunting adventure, flying into a remote airstrip in a small plane on skis, guiding cat hunters out of a wall tent, hunting lions on foot in the heart of one of the largest wilderness’s in the lower 48. If there ever was a recipe for making a cat hunter lean and mean this was it, I often wish I could preserve the physical fitness that I would finish up those winters in, it made my passing the smokejumper PT test in the spring a “literal” breeze! I spent several winters working for Ken dragging hunters around Moose Creek perusing lions on foot, no GPS units, 4x4 trucks or competition, it was truly the best of times.

It was the winter of 2000 that I decided to set my plan in motion. I lot had happened that year, it was a new century, I had married the wilderness ranger that I spoke of earlier, and my obsession to kill a monster cat burned hotter than ever. Ken was in the process of selling his Moose Creek operation and he had not booked any hunters for that winter, his camp would be vacant during cat season. This was my window. Ken had often spoke of a massive tom that they were never able to tree and harvest, his tracks would appear between hunts or when conditions were never in favor of the hunters. This cat resided in the vicinity of Divide Creek, so naturally he was dubbed the “Divide Creek Cat”, Divide Cr was the first drainage downstream from the mouth of Moose Creek on the main river and about as far downstream as you could make it on foot in a day and still make it back to camp at a decent hour. Was the Divide Creek cat still alive, this is often what I wondered on the days I

chose to hunt down river.

My plan was to snowmobile over the pass to Jason’s camp, leave our snowmobiles at his camp then head down the Selway on foot. There are several private in holdings along the river on the way downstream to Moose Creek that I had made arrangements to overnight at, I had also arranged to have supplies flown into Moose Creek, we needed only to carry only enough food in our packs to make the 50 mile trek down the Selway and hopefully our prearranged supply cache would be waiting for us at camp along the airstrip. In an effort to lighten our loads, I purchased some dog panniers so my two hounds could carry their own food as we made our way downstream to Moose Creek. My partner wasn’t a hunter but would accompany me on the hunt with his video camera so he could record this epic adventure on film, surely not many would believe that we were going to hike all the way to Moose Creek just to hunt lions. The 50 mile snowmobile trip over the pass and down to Jason’s camp went smoothly; snow was quietly falling as we parked our machines, shouldered our packs, and headed into the wilderness!

It was with great trepidation that Don and I shouldered our packs and headed down the Selway that December day, there was a world of uncertainty that lay downstream from us. This trip would definitely test us both physically and mentally, with any luck my planning would all work out allowing the many pieces of this puzzle before us would all come together and fit. The trip would span Christmas and a backcountry radio in Kens camp could hopefully be used to call Cascade Air when we were ready to emerge from the Selway. We could then hitch a ride out with one of the pilots that were equipped to land their airplane at the Moose Creek airstrip in the winter. I had flown in and out of Moose Creek several times in a ski plane while guiding the previous winters. You would call out and request a flight, then depending on weather and pilot availability, the plane would usually arrive in a day or two to extract you and the hunters. Sometimes if a lot of fresh snow had fallen, we would have to stomp up and down the runway with snowshoes to pack it down enough for the plane to land and take off, and then there were the times when the weather wouldn’t allow the plane to make it in for several days after we were ready to leave camp. Waiting in a wall tent cloaked in the silence of the wilderness, staining to hear the approaching drone of an airplane can test ones sanity.

Snow steadily fell as we made our way downstream towards Moose Creek. Our first stop was at the North Star Ranch, and the following day we made our way down to Shear Guard Station. After camping a couple of days at Shear we prepared to make the final 18 mile push downstream to our camp at Moose Creek.

Continued next page...

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MONTANA DAN

It was sometime that afternoon that we heard the drone of an airplane, and then spotted a Cessna with skis making the climb out of the river canyon and heading back to McCall. Our supplies had been successfully delivered and would be waiting for us on the edge of the airstrip next to camp! This was reassuring and spurred us on, afternoon soon turned to evening and with the short amount of daylight allotted in the winter, the day was rapidly fading. We were still an uncertain distance upstream from camp and it was now dark, the dim glow of our flashlights was now all that guided us down the trail, this to would also fade, leaving only the moon to illuminate our way. I’m unsure of what time we finally made it to the wall tent that night, or how long we slept the next morning, but we had at last made it the 50 miles down the Selway to Moose Creek!

The first day in camp is always spent securing firewood and organizing supplies. This was a welcome relief and was done at a leisurely pace while trying to recover from our trek down the river. Don and I finally were able to spend some time hunting and treed several female lions; one was very close to the historic Moose Cr Ranger Station. We spent that Christmas in a wall tent in the heart of the Bitterroot Selway Wilderness, far from another soul and the commercial hustle that has taken over this supposedly deeply religious holiday. While hunting that day, on a ridge high above the river, I basked in the silence of the mountains and felt the true joy of Christmas. That night we enjoyed a somewhat grand dinner while celebrating with shots of whiskey, toasting our tree we had decorated outside the wall tent, and observing Christmas in true Selway fashion! The days slipped by and it was soon time to call for the plane, this time the drone of the engine was heard approaching right on time, we quickly secured camp and headed out to the airstrip to meet our ride back to civilization. We loaded up and the pilot revved the engine as we started down the snow covered airstrip, soon we were airborne, clearing the trees at the end of the strip, climbing out of the canyon. As we flew downstream past Divide Creek, I looked up the drainage and thought “I will be back; there was a lot of winter left”.

About a month later I was able to persuade one of my hunting partners to return with me to the Moose Creek camp, it was February now and this is when the hunting was at its best. All the deer and elk in the Selway would be down low on the river occupying their winter range and the big cats were sure to follow. I finished making all the necessary arrangements for our hunt, and then Jeff and I loaded up heading over the pass to Grangeville to catch our flight into Moose Creek. The trip required two trips to get both of us, dogs and supplies into camp; I volunteered to go in first with the dogs, and Jeff would come in on the second load with the supplies. The visibility was marginal at best flying in, so the pilot flew

low up the canyon following the river, until the airstrip came into sight. After landing I got everything unloaded then wished Chad good luck on his second trip. He promptly turned the plane around revved the engine taxing toward the river, disappearing in a cloud of snow from the prop wash. Soon I saw him emerge from the blizzard he had just created, airborne and slowly banking the Cessna on skis down the canyon. Jeff and Chad failed to show up that day and I just figured that they had gotten weathered out on the second trip in so I readied camp and enjoyed a quiet evening in the tent, just me and the dogs. About mid morning the next day I heard the familiar drone of an airplane engine approaching, followed shortly by the red and white Cessna coming into view preparing to land. I helped Jeff get unloaded and bade Chad farewell; I hoped to see him in a week or two with a big lion for the trip out.

After the plane was gone the silence of the wilderness settled in around us, Jeff then proceeded to tell me about the failed attempt to make it in yesterday. Halfway up the river, a snow squall settled in reducing the visibility enough that the pilot thought they should turn around and head back to the safety of the Camas prairie and the airport at Grangeville. Turning a Cessna around in the narrow canyon is no easy feat but not impossible; Jeff not being a smokejumper had limited exposure to small planes flying low in the mountains, and it soon became evident that unlike myself, he did not enjoy the flight in. I cannot remember his exact words, but he made some reference to sucking the airplane seat upholstery up through a small round orifice in his lower body! He went on to say that I might be flying out alone, him and the dogs would walk out the 28 miles downstream to the road. Oh well, we were both in camp safely and it was time to go hunt a monster cat!

My Selway hunting career occurred before the dawning of the GPS collars, I had telemetry equipment but it was relied upon only if you lost a dog, you followed the dogs on foot from the point where you released them until you were certain that they were treed. As we headed off the ridge into the drainage we had not traveled very far when we could hear the constant chop of the dogs telling us they were at the end of the lions track and looking up at him. If there is anything that gives me a bigger adrenaline rush than hearing dogs treed I have yet to find it, we quickened our pace and closed the gap to the tree. We no sooner crossed a small finger ridge and there they were; the dogs were at the base of a big Ponderosa Pine treeing their hearts out looking up at a very large tom lion. Apparently the lion wasn’t very happy to see us, when we were 100 yards from the tree he bailed heading down the drainage with the dogs in hot pursuit. All Jeff could say was “Dam Dan that’s a big cat!” luckily he didn’t go far and the dogs convinced him to climb again and this time he stayed put until our arrival. Continued next page...

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MONTANA DAN

Lion hunting has always been about the pursuit and the dogs, never about the harvest so I won’t bore you with that part of the story, but I will say when all the snow settled after the shot rang out, we had one very large lion dead on the ground at our feet!

This particular cat was a chore to skin; his immense size made him difficult just to move around, it was all I could do just to get him part of the way off the ground for a photo. It was early evening by the time we made it back to the airstrip and the comfort of our wall tent, we celebrated the best our tired bodies would allow, sleeping well into the morning the next day. The plane arrived as requested and I was able to convince Jeff to fly out and not walk; it wasn’t long and we were both out and back in civilization, I could now head home and celebrate a late Valentines Day. Hopefully my wife would not be too upset that I had missed two important holidays during our first year in marriage. To this day I have never caught or seen a lion that will surpass the one I killed that February day in Divide Creek, nor do I want to, this hunt more than filled my bucket list for my quest for a lunker lion.

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OUTDOOR POLITICS

Investing In Independence By Senator Jennifer Fielder

Bad government is the single greatest obstacle to freedom and prosperity, while good government can be a tremendous facilitator of opportunities. Here in rural America, we have the knowledge and ability to put our abundant natural resources to work in a manner that balances environmental quality with economic productivity. We simply lack the political knowledge and courage to do so. Whiles some clamor for me to invest my time in expanding welfare programs for the able-bodied, my efforts in the legislature are geared at real solutions to the poverty problem. I am investing in independence by removing bureaucratic barriers, restoring hope, and unleashing opportunity so Montanans can live free and prosper as self-reliant individuals. I want able bodied people to have better paying jobs, not a lifetime of poverty driven welfare. It should never be our goal to place able-bodied people on welfare. Offering welfare instead of opening opportunities for good paying jobs does not encourage self-reliance or facilitate prosperity. On the contrary, it dangerously

increases dependence on government and diminishes the motivation to provide for oneself. These tendencies have a stark history of destroying individuals as well as entire societies. This is perhaps the greatest philosophical difference between Republicans and Democrats. I believe we can do better as independent, self reliant individuals. And we must if we are to thrive as a society in both the short and long term. I am working on a number of pieces of legislation to pump up the economy and protect the life, liberty, and property of Montanans. If Democrats choose to work with me, there is no limit to how much good we can do. There are many efforts I am engaged in, including protection of data privacy, prevention of child sexual assault, tax relief, reforming healthcare, controlling invasive weeds in our waterways, defending people’s property and water rights, expanding self-sufficient energy system opportunities, and resolving the major shortcomings of the CSKT Water Compact. Restoring access, health and productivity on public lands remains extremely high on my list as it may be the single most tangible thing we can do right now to enhance the freedom and prosperity of rural Montanans. Here are a few snippets of the public lands related legislative efforts I am working on this session: Public Lands Package:

· strengthen local citizens control over public land management decisions · improve public access, environmental health, and economic productivity on our public lands · provide relief to counties adversely impacted by federal land ownership · aid counties in incorporating local objectives into state and federal land use plans and actions · fully fund payment in lieu of taxes (PILT) · develop long term plan to transfer certain federal lands to the state · maximize scientific integrity as relates to environmental policy and regulation

I can not promise it will be easy, but investing in independence is definitely worth the effort. While the legislature is in session over the next few months, please catch my daily updates and connect with me at www.jenniferfielder.us, find me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.fielder.522, or leave a message by phone at 406 444-4800. The entire Montana legislative process can be followed online at http://leg.mt.gov/css/default.asp

20

OUTDOOR POLITICS

This was an e-mail I received from Keith Kubista, President of the Montana Sportsmen For The Fish and Wildlife that I thought needed to be shared.

On 20 January 2015, Senator Mike Phillips introduced SB 189, (see next page) this is a detrimental bill which will harm people, livestock, and wildlife.

It could also possibly put wolf management back in federal control since monitoring wolf populations is reliant on collaring.

This bill essentially dilutes funding to an already non-conforming statutory requirement to collar and control wolves.

It also is an attempt to divert funds from wolf hunting licenses to public education, which will certainly be focused on pro-wolf promotion. We need to oppose SB 189 compel it to fail.

Go to next page to read the Senate Bill

This Year a Minimum of 43,500 Elk will be Eaten Alive by Wolves in the Northern Rockies!

Join Montana Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife.

Montana Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife Donates $15,000 to Wildlife Services For Predator Control - To help reduce damage to livestock caused by coyotes and wolves.

The introduction of the Canadian Grey Wolf into Northern Rocky Mountains was a wildlife man-agement expirement which has gone horribly wrong. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation calls it "one of the worst wildlife management disasters since the destruction of bison herds".

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OUTDOOR POLITICS CONTINUED

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OUTDOOR POLITICS CONTINUED

23

KOUNTRY GIRL

The first novel I remember reading, as a young girl was “Where The Red Fern Grows.” I imagined myself as a female version of Billy, running through the woods with my hounds, hot on the trail of a rascally raccoon. As I grew to an adult, the book always stayed close to my heart,

and I still re-read it at least once a year. However, I never got that opportunity to own any hounds, or even go on a hunt with any.

Last spring that all changed when a problematic mountain lion was living in my rural area. My neighbors lost a goat and a dog in two consecutive nights. Fish & Game had given the neighbors permission to dispatch the cat on site. But, getting a nocturnal animal into sight during the day could prove to be an issue. A local hound owner and cat hunter, Tatum Haines, had gotten wind of the situation and offered to bring his dogs over to try and tree the cat. He showed up on his lunch break with his wife, Natasha and their infant son, one adult dog and two puppies. Tatum’s adult dog, “Grit” hit the cat’s trail as soon as he was on the ground. He had the cat treed in less than five minutes, a big old tom; who had been eating easy off the neighborhood pets. For me, walking up to that tree, seeing and hearing Grit majestically do what was in his blood, with those pups running around excitedly, baying the biggest they could. Well, it was like watching my childhood fantasy unfold before my eyes. For a few seconds, those pups were Old Dan and Little Ann. Little bodies taut, quivering with excitement and anticipation. Lifting their voices to the cat sitting nervously in the tree; sealing his fate. Things came to be as they were meant to and the cat is no longer a threat to anyone in my neighborhood. But, the memory of those pups, wanting to be big dogs, will never leave me. It was surreal, to say the least.

Sadly, the hero of my story, Grit ran his last cat just last week. He fell victim to the prey he was born to pursue. Rest in peace, old guy. I hope your spirit is eternally chasing cats through the woods you loved so much.

I won’t pretend to be knowledgeable on the topic of running hounds or cat hunting, but I won’t pretend for one second that it’s not an exhilarating rush to get to do so. I think every hunter should experience it at least once. I’ve enlisted the knowledge and tutelage of Tatum to help me out with this article. My story is small potatoes to a day in the life of a dedicated cat hunter.

Here is Tatum’s story:

One of my fondest, and won’t ever happen again memories happened where we used to do a lot of cat hunting and pup training before the wolves took over. Outside Libby, Montana; near Bobtail and Quartz Creek drainage. It was wonderful! We loved to go in there and chase a cat. Seemed like they were always around and we’d likely see a long tail in a tree. The best day of cat hunting started like any other day, we were searching for tracks that were no longer accessible by vehicle.

Mike Ballard, Phil Soucy, and myself were all riding snowmobiles up the Bobtail side when we spotted what looked like maybe some deer or elk had crossed. From a distance it didn't look like a cat track. As we got closer, our heart rates got faster when we realized what animals had made the numerous tracks. They were from the cougar, mountain lion, or for some, puma concolor (meaning "the cat of many colors). Four? Were we really looking at 4 sub adult lion tracks? We were!! Wow!! We were all amazed at this site. What are they doing? Where are they going? So we decided to try to catch one. With four tracks we are bound to get at least one.

I had just gotten my hound, Grit earlier in the summer, a Bluetick English Hound from Brian Chorney in B.C. Mike put Penny, his Redtick English Hound female into the race. And Phil Soucy put in an English Lightfoot dog named Roy, and a Walker named Snitch into the race. The dogs were collared and roaring up the hill. The tracks were fairly fresh with the speed they were moving up them. Hound music is one of the most spectacular things you can hear in the mountains in December and January. Every dog has his own voice and will tell you what's going on. It’s such a great experience. The dogs barked treed within 600 yards. Can’t complain about that. We got geared up; snowshoes, leads, water, and headlamps, just in case. All of the sudden, all of them sound off, just going nuts like they were looking right at the cat.

We started up towards the dogs choppy tree bark. I noticed when we were about 200 yards in there was cat sign everywhere. I thought to myself that the cats must have a deer down somewhere in here. The dogs were getting louder, and we were almost there when it went silent. Never a good sound.

The cat jumped from its hiding spot, and continued to run up the mountain, and over the other side into Quartz creek.

Continued next page...

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The Sweet Sound of A Hound By Kori Erickson & Tatum Haines

KOUNTRY GIRL

We raced back down to the snowmobiles, and headed around the mountain to get a reading on the dogs to see where they were going to end up. We got around the ridge and immediately picked them up again on the tracker. They had treed again.

Ok, hopefully for good this time. We stopped at what looked, and sounded like right below the treeing dogs and started up the mountain again.

This time they stayed put. Mike and myself were the first to the tree and what we couldn’t believe what we were seeing. One. Two!! THREE!!!! FOUR!?!?!? Four cats in one tree??? What are the odds of that? That they would all run up the same tree?? Mind you, it’s not uncommon to tree a mother with two or three 60 pound kittens with her but, this was two 100 pound females (approximately) and two 120 pound young toms. I instantly pulled out my Sony Cybershot and started snapping pictures. I felt so lucky to be there at that exact time, to get to witness that. There are no words for it. It’s a moment cat hunting I will never forget. I’m glad I was got to share it with the two people who got me into cat hunting: Mike Ballard, and Phil Soucy.smile on his face.

I recommend, if you have never gone, go. It’s an experience in its own category. To hear the dogs work a track, then hear them bark faster and run faster as they get closer. Then you hear the unmistakable sound of them barking treed. The first time you walk to a cat in a tree, it’s a little eerie. They will fix their eyes on you, and make you wonder what they are thinking. They are such a non-confrontational animal, that just barking of a dog makes them run up a tree. Thank goodness they don't know what they are actually capable of. There would be no chasing them with dogs.

Granted, there are the common accidents, like what happened to Grit this year, or a cat in a culvert can turn bad. But for the most part, everyone should see a cat in a tree once to observe it lying there. Not to mention the thrill from watching a good trained pack of dogs work as a team. It’s something you will never forget.

There are a lot of houndsmen out there that may be willing to take you along as an observer. Or put in for a tag and maybe get the chance to harvest one yourself.

The cat populations do need controlled, or things like what happened around Kori's house start becoming more common as they start getting closer to town. Thankfully, the hunters seem to be doing their job and recent cat/human conflicts have been minimal.

I, myself, have harvested one cat and have a tag for this year. After tagging my first one, I now enjoy just leading the dogs away, leaving the cat to run another day. Saving my tag for a really big one if I am lucky enough to find a track belonging to one. I hope you enjoyed this story of cat hunting with hounds

and perhaps have a little more insight on the topic.

As Kori mentioned, my dog Grit passed last week, doing what he loved. It’s bittersweet losing one’s first hunting companion; proud of the accomplishments your friend achieved in his time, but heartbroken to have lost that friend. It strikes hard. However, I know he is forever chasing cats in the great beyond with a big old smile on his face.

“When you hunt with a hound you will never

hunt alone.”

25

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