Montana Adventurer Fall 2009

� BIG-GAME HUNTING � AMMUNITION UPDATE � FALL FLY-FISHING �WESTERN MONTANA HIKES

FALL 2009

Fall 2009Montana Adventurer is a quarterly publication of the Missoulian.

Inside

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PublisherStacey MuellerEditorSherry DevlinReportersKim Briggeman, Rob Chaney, BetsyCohen, Bob Meseroll, Michael Moore,Daryl Gadbow and Greg TollefsonPhotographersMichael Gallacher, Linda Thompson, Kurt Wilson and Nelson KenterPage design, graphicsKen Barnedt

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FAIR-CHASE HUNTINGSEASONS WON’T NETMANY WOLVESBy ROB CHANEY

PAGE 14

EL NIÑO SUGGESTS A WARM, DRY BIG-GAME SEASONBy ROB CHANEY

PAGE 5

HUNTING ALLOWED ON STATE LANDS NEARCRAZY CANYONBy MICHAEL MOORE

PAGE 21

BOB MARSHALLWILDERNESS COMESFIRST FOR OUTFITTERBy KIM BRIGGEMAN

PAGE 10

GUIDE TALKS ABOUTHIS HALF-DOWN FALL FLIESBy BOB MESEROLL

PAGE 22

RIFLE AMMO NOT HARD TO FINDBy ROB CHANEY..................................................PAGE 17

HUNTING ALONE AS APPEALING AS IT IS DANGEROUSBy DARYL GADBOW ............................................PAGE 18

HUNTERS BEGIN FALL RITUALSBy GREG TOLLEFSON ........................................PAGE 20

HIKE GLACIER IN FALLBy BETSY COHEN................................................PAGE 33

4 FALL 2009 MONTANA ADVENTURER

OUTLOOK ALL OVER THE MAPFOR 2009 HUNTING SEASON

MONTANA ADVENTURER FALL 2009 5

NELSON KENTER

Elk populations are depressed south and west of Missoula, but appear healthy to the east. Permits for antlerless elk were reducedbecause of low cow-calf numbers in the Bitterroot and Superior areas.

By ROB CHANEYof the Missoulian

Trophy hunters could have good fortune,but meat hunters better hone their skillsfor Montana’s 2009 big-game season.

That’s because while adult deer and elkpopulations are strong in most parts of

Montana, Mother Nature hasn’t been very helpfulin the yearling and weather departments.

A combination of hard winters, liberal huntingallowances and increased predator activity has

reduced the number of antlerless elk and deerpermits released this year. And the NationalWeather Service predicts an El Nino winter for thenorthern Rocky Mountains, which means above-normal temperatures and below-normalprecipitation this fall and winter.

“I think people are generally going to find goodpopulations of elk and deer this year,” said MontanaFish, Wildlife and Parks Region 2 wildlife managerMike Thompson. “But their ability to find them is

See OUTLOOK, Page 7


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 hamperhunters more than animal, bird numbers

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 insnow-free forests and climbing extra contour lines toreach productive elevations better prepare for more of thesame this year.

Upland game birds faced a mixed weather bag this year,and their populations rose and fell accordingly indifferent parts of the state. Western Montana had goodJune rains and no cold snaps, so its grouse populationsshould be close to average. But the northeastern andsouthern parts of the state both had colder, wetter springsthat may depress chick survival, according to FWP gamebird 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 orabove-average numbers of sharp-tailed grouse and graypartridge enjoyed in these counties in recent years.”

Drought conditions along Montana’s Hi-Line countiesalso contributed to poor brood survival this year.Northrup said bird numbers could be closer to average orabove as hunters look south of U.S. Highway 2, whereconditions were milder.

And a rainy weather system that chilled southeasternMontana from Glendive to Big Timber in early June willprobably hurt young sharp-tailed grouse numbers in thatregion. The area should have good bird cover, however,and older birds could be doing well.

The spruce grouse population in western Montanashould be somewhat above average, Northrup said. Thosebirds hatch broods in early summer, and so get a weatheradvantage for their survival. Ruffed and blue grouseharvest numbers are expected to be around average thisfall.

Here is a detailed look, by region, at theoutlook 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 elknumbers hold steady or decline slightly, with a 2009regional average of 15 calves per 100 cows. Hot spotsinclude the lower Clark Fork Valley, Bob MarshallWilderness Complex, the Lost Trail National WildlifeRefuge of the Purcell Mountains and the North Fork of theFlathead River.

Whitetail deer herds also showed declines compared toprevious years. Mule deer numbers have held steady, andhunters could be rewarded by looking for them in thehigher-altitude areas of the lower Clark Fork, WhitefishMountains, and the Cabinet, Mission and Swan ranges.

See OUTLOOK, Page 8

OutlookContinued from Page 6

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Region 2: West-central Montana (Missoula, St.Regis, Hamilton, Darby, Deer Lodge, Lincoln)

Elk populations appear healthy in the eastern halfof the region, but are depressed south and west ofMissoula. Permits for antlerless elk were reducedthis year after aerial surveys reported low numbers ofcows and calves in the Bitterroot and Superior areas.

Mule deer numbers around Missoula remainedsteady this year, but whitetail deer were belowaverage on the more accessible public lands. Over-the-counter doe tags will not be sold this year to helpboost whitetail populations.

Region 3: South-central Montana (Helena,Livingston, Dillon, Ennis)

Elk outlooks are good for most of this chunk ofcentral and southwestern Montana. Opportunitiesinclude both brow-tined and antlerless hunting andsurplus A9 antlerless tags available in many Region 3hunting districts. The Gravelly and Tobacco Rootmountains, and the Shields Valley are expected tohave good hunting potential. However, huntingdistricts 310 in the Upper Gallatin and 313 in theGardiner area may be poorer than normal due to highpredator concentrations, including wolves.

Mule deer recruitment across the region was

moderate, with numbers healthy but below historichighs. Antelope populations appear to be healthythroughout the region.

Region 4: North-central Montana (Cut Bank,Great Falls, Fort Benton, Lewistown)

Although access is difficult, elk numbers aregrowing in much of this stretch of north-centralMontana. Little Belt Mountain herds in particular areshowing above-average populations.

Antelope, on the other hand, are coming in belowaverage in most parts of the region except just northof Great Falls. Other areas will see smaller herds thanin the past two years.

Mule deer are also down in Region 4. The numberof surplus antlerless tags for mulies was reduced thisyear to help populations recover after two fawn-killing springs in a row.

Region 5: Central-south Montana (Harlowtown,Billings, Red Lodge, Custer)

If you’ve got access to private land, elk hunting inthis south-central portion of Montana could be verygood in 2009. Spring population surveys showed elknumbers at average or well-above-average levels onmany private ranches, with numbers not so good inplaces with public access. Landowner permission isrequired to hunt private land, and hunters shouldstart early to make arrangements and contacts.


Big game and upland game bird seasons

See OUTLOOK, Page 9

Species Start Date End Date

Antelope 900 Aug. 15 Nov. 8

Antelope archery Sept. 5 Oct. 10

Antelope general Oct. 11 Nov. 8

Bighorn sheep archery Sept. 5 Sept. 14

Bison Nov. 15 Feb. 15, 2010

Black bear – spring April 15 May 31

Black Bear – fall Sept. 15 Nov. 29

Deer/elk archery Sept. 5 Oct. 18

Deer/elk backcountry Sept. 15 Nov. 29

Deer/elk general Oct. 25 Nov. 29

Moose/sheep/goat Sept. 15 Nov. 29

Mountain grouse Sept. 1 Dec. 15

Mountain lion – fall Oct. 25 Nov. 29

Species Start Date End Date

Mountain lion – winter Dec. 1 April 14, 2010

Partridge Sept. 1 Jan. 1, 2010

Pheasant Oct. 10 Jan. 1, 2010

Sage grouse Sept. 1 Nov. 1

Sharp-tailed grouse Sept. 1 Jan. 1, 2010

Pheasant/waterfowl – youth Sept. 26 Sept. 27

Turkey – spring April 11 May 17

Turkey – fall Sept. 1 Jan. 1, 2010

Waterfowl general – Pacific flyway Oct. 3 Jan. 15, 2010

Wolf – backcountry Sept. 15 Nov. 29

Wolf – general Oct. 25 Nov. 29

Wolf – winter Dec. 1 Dec. 31Note: Season extension is quota dependent


Mule deer numbers should be below last year’s count,with a tough winter and late spring storms hurting fawnsurvival. Buck/doe ratios remain good, however. Whitetaildeer populations are at or above average, especially south ofthe Yellowstone River. North of the river, whitetails appearto be forsaking upper prairie habitats but showing increasesof 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 thispopular elk-hunting area, but those lucky gunners shouldfind average or above-average herd numbers this fall. That’strue especially for the Missouri Breaks and Bears PawMountains. The area north of U.S Highway 2 will see low elkdensities.

Both whitetail and mule deer endured a tough winter lastyear, but came through with healthy population numbers.Counts were high in the Glasgow area along the Milk andMissouri river corridors. Mule deer have been reboundingfrom low numbers earlier in the decade, and whitetailnumbers are still above average in the northeastern cornerdespite a serious winterkill last year. Hunters shouldconsult 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 asmuch as 23 percent below 2008 estimates in parts of Valley,Phillips, Blaine and Hill counties. But Richland and McConecounties are showing increases of 50 percent over last year’sestimates. Hunting district 650 between Circle and WolfPoint is expected to be a bright spot.

Region 7: Southeastern Montana (Mosby, Miles City,Glendive, Broadus)

Montana’s southeastern quarter should show healthy elkand deer populations. 2008 winter surveys in the MissouriBreaks found 36 bulls for every 100 cows, while springsurveys of the Custer National Forest found a ratio of 30 bulls to 100 cows. Both whitetail and mule deer also didwell over the winter. Whitetail populations along theYellowstone River between Glendive and Sidney were 70 percent to 75 percent above average, with a ratio of 30-40bucks 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 [email protected].


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In the stirrups of his father, Jack Rich guides hunters who appreciate wilderness

By KIM BRIGGEMANof the Missoulian

SEELEY LAKE – The kid wasonly 5 years old when he toppedPyramid Pass for the first time.The sign said “Bob MarshallWilderness.” His father, leading

a string of mules, had disappeared overthe horizon before him.

Nearly half a century later, Jack Richrecalled what he saw.

“Right on the other side, he waswatering his pack string on the shores of

See BOB, Page 11


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 sportsmanlikeconduct,” says Jack Rich, who has been accompanying and leading hunters into the Bob Marshall Wilderness for most of his 54 years.

Bob before elk

a mountain lake,” Rich said this summer. “That vision is asclear to me today as it was when I was that little 5-year-oldboy. And that’s the reason I’m here. I just can’t get it out ofmy blood.”

Outfitting trips into the southern “Bob” became a way oflife for C.B. Rich in 1958, when he and wife Helen boughtthe Double Arrow Ranch at Seeley Lake. A tribute to C.B.,who died in 1996, is posted at the Pyramid Pass trailhead. Itincludes an ode he once penned to the wild mountains.

With help from his dad, Jack took over the business inthe mid-1970s and has kept it thriving. The Rich Ranch,now set at the edge of a picturesque meadow betweenSalmon Lake and Ovando, offers winter snowmobiling,dude ranching, backcountry and summer fishing andsightseeing trips.

But in the autumn, its focus is big-game rifle hunting inthe Bob.

This fall, a 10-day wilderness hunting trip into the Bobwith the Rich Ranch costs $4,950 or $5,950, depending onwhether a hunter wants a private guide or not. Pricey, yes,but it’s the only aspect of business the Rich family deals inthat didn’t take a hit when the economy went south in2008.

“Ironically, our hunts are the bright spots,” Jack Richsaid. “We’ve got hunts that are booked into 2012.”

The 10-day hunts over Pyramid Pass are rooted intradition. The first begins on Sept. 14, on the eve of big-game rifle season in the Bob Marshall and Absaroka-Beartooth wilderness areas. The last ends on Oct. 17.

Rich, eight clients and four guides make up the typicalhunting party. They meet at the ranch the night before thehunt and part of the next morning is spent there, eating

breakfast, gathering up the last ofthe supplies and loading the

trailers. It’s a 45-minute drive toSeeley Lake and up the Forest Service

roads to Rich’s corrals near thetrailhead. 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 trailetiquette and horsemanship.

Over the years, strings of snappyall-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 lateAugust to stock the base camp. “Butthey’re also near and dear to ourhearts.”

Rich estimated the mule stringsmake 30 trips a year into the Bob,for summer fishing and sightseeing

BobContinued from Page 10

See BOB, Page 12

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trips over any of six passes,for the autumn huntingjourneys and for thestocking of base camp.

In the weeks leading upto hunting season, they’llpack in 70 loads offirewood, 50 loads ofhay, 30 loads of pelletsand 24 loads of gear –tents, stoves, food andcots.

Camp includes some40 certified bear-resistant containers.Rich said he’s had moreclose encounters withgrizzlies than he’d liketo think about,meetings that usuallyleave him weak-kneedand shaken.

“But in all theseyears, we’ve never had abear come in and try totear into our camp,knock on wood,” hesaid. “I say that withhesitation, because Idon’t want the firsttime to come.”

“We like the factthat we have grizzlybears, wolves,mountain lions, blackbears back there,” headded. “We don’t seethem as the enemy. They’repart of the wilderness too.”

The faster-moving packstrings lead the way on the10-mile, three-hour ridefrom the trailhead to basecamp at the southern baseof Leota Peak. It’s in theupper Youngs Creekdrainage, a stream thatflows 20 milesnortheastward beforejoining Danaher Creek toform the South Fork of theFlathead. Two otheroutfitters have base campslower on Youngs Creek.

Rich said there are morethan 30 outfitters who have

permits to work in the BobMarshall, half of whichoperate both in summer andfall.

Base camp at Leota Parkis at the bottom of a 2,500-foot avalanche chute.

“It’s literally a million-dollar view camp,” Richsaid. “If you look, you’ll seeall kinds of animals on thatmountain. And the North

Star is right above the peaks.It’s just one of those almostsurreal settings.”

No matter how well-conditioned the huntersare, everyone’s at least a bittired by the time they reachcamp. On the Sept. 14 trip,there’s no hunting until theseason starts the next day,but Rich said there’s time toget in some first-dayhunting on the Sept. 26 andOct. 8 excursions.

Before that, however, isthe mandatory “townmeeting” in the kitchentent. Rich, his wife Belinda

and co-hosts Ralph andPeggy Cahoon have alreadytaken pains to book hunterswho are coming to the BobMarshall for the rightreasons.

“If a hunter calls me upand says, ‘How much is itgoing to cost me to get agood six-point with youboys?’ we send themsomewhere else,” Jack said.

“We don’t sell six points.Never have, never will. Wesell wilderness hunts, so I’vegot to make sure I do a goodjob of booking hunters whovalue and appreciate what awilderness hunt is, versus aprivate ranch hunt or acanned hunt of some kind.”

The new hunters arereminded of it, and anumber of other rules of thehunt, at the town meeting.If a law’s broken –intentionally or otherwise –the Forest Service orMontana Fish, Wildlife andParks is notifiedimmediately.

“Another thing I tell myhunters: Nobody pulls thetrigger but you, so don’t pullthe trigger unless you knowwhat you’re shooting at,” hesaid.

Don’t let elk fever orsomeone else’sencouragements pull thetrigger, he instructs. Don’tlet the fear of going withouta kill in spite of all the

money you’ve paidcollar your decision toshoot.

Pace yourself, isanother of Rich’s tips.There’s no shame insleeping in sometimes,or returning to campearly.

“The worst thingyou can do is go like thedevil for the first threedays of a 10-day hunt,then be completelyshot because you’veused up everythingyou’ve got,” he said.

Routines are quicklyestablished. Thehunters sleep in one oftwo four-man tents, orin smaller tents setaside for heavy snorers.Early morninggetaways on horsebackalternate with later-morning foot hunts inthe nearby blacktimber, which

culminate in a heartybreakfast back in camp.

“That’s always a goodtime for social activities andtalking and bragging andlying,” Rich said.

A shower tent is awelcome respite, and Richmakes it mandatory after ahunter has been in on a kill.

“You don’t want them tobe walking around smellinglike an elk carcass,” he said.

A lot of camp time isspent around the kitchentable. It seats 16, and there’llsometimes be four cribbage


See BOB, Page 13


A tribute to C.B. Rich is posted at the Pyramid Pass trailhead. Rich, whopassed away in 1996, began guiding into the Beartooth Mountains nearYellowstone Park in 1945. He moved his family to the Seeley Lake area in1958 and established an outfitting and guest ranch business that hisdescendants carry on today.


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 ashot at an elk is obliged to sacrifice thetail of his or her shirt. With a felt-tipmarker, the hunter must write the taleof the shot on the shirt. Then comesthe “Reading of the Tail” in camp.

Some will write, “Missed bull. 150yards. Damn,” Rich said.

“Then we had one guy from Mainewho wrote a poem. He wrote it first ona piece of cardboard and thentranscribed it onto his shirt tail. It’scool. It isn’t an embarrassing thing.We try to make it fun. And we’ve onlyhad one hunter in 50 years that hasbullied up and wouldn’t let somebodycut their tail.”

While the Bob abounds in biggame, and most everyone packs a deertag, the focus of hunts is on elk.

“The good old days of elk huntingare right now,” Rich said. “Montana’selk population is up, our cow-calf ratiois up, and that’s a sign of goodmanagement. There are some places inthe state the cow-calf ratios are downfrom predation, but it seems like themigratory herds of the Bob Marshallaren’t one of those.”

Rich said there are thought to bebetween 9,000 and 11,000 elk in theBob Marshall ecosystem of more than 1 million acres. That’s a small share ofthe state’s 150,000, he pointed out.

“So there isn’t an elk behind everytree by any means. If you want to go tothe high odds, there are still otherplaces to go hunt elk,” he said.

Same with bears. Rich doesn’t courtblack bear hunters any more, for asimple reason. The grizzly populationhas increased perhaps fivefold sincethey were federally protected in the1960s, and it’s too darn hard to tell thetwo apart.

“There’s nothing worse than havinga hunter who spent his money, lookingover your shoulder as you’re glassingthe mountain, saying: ‘Is he a blackbear? Can I shoot him?’ ” said Rich.

“And you’re facing all that pressureknowing that if he shoots and it’s agrizzly, it’s on our shoulders.

“We just don’t want that pressureanymore. You just don’t know whatthey are.”

If someone with a bear permit doesbook a trip, Rich’s rules are that the

bear must be in sight for 20 full minutes – time enough toeither establish the species or for thebear to run off – before the trigger ispulled.

On the last night of the hunt, thesuccessful hunters donate parts oftheir kill for a heart, liver, tenderloinfeed in camp.

“If we’ve had good luck, we couldhave two or three tenderloins,” Richsaid. “It’s kind of bittersweet whenevery hunt comes to an end, becausethe hunters have bonded with oneanother and the guides if we’ve done agood job of screening them.”

Rich said he’s had hunts wheneveryone fills their tags and otherswhen no one does.

“We intentionally do not say, ‘Man,we filled 48 percent of our hunts lastyear,’ because this might be the year weonly fill 10 percent,” he said.

“There are good hunts and badhunts. You should not book it becauseyou want to whack and stack a bullwith us. You book it because this is oneof the most phenomenal places to huntthat you’ll ever have.”

Reporter Kim Briggeman can bereached at 523-5266 or [email protected].



Ralph Cahoon Jr., Jack and Belinda Rich’s nephew, leads an eight-mule pack string outof the Bob Marshall Wilderness in August. Outfitting at the Rich Ranch is a family affair.

Great Bear Wilderness

ScapegoatWilderness

Seeley Lake

Glacier NationalPark

Missoula

83

2

Bob MarshallWilderness

N

SEW

KEN BARNEDT/Missoulian


Val Geist is unequivocal about wolf-huntingtactics: Use a deer rifle and get very, verylucky.

“It is vital that a wolf is down at once,”Geist said from his home on Vancouver

Island, British Columbia. “Mere wounding may lead toan attack. It happened to me. One must prevent that orscreaming by a wounded wolf. That can make a packattack.”

Ed Bangs is unequivocal about wolf behavior.Having managed them for 13 years in Alaska and now21 years in Montana for the U.S. Fish and WildlifeService, he says:

UNLIKELYQUARRYHunters using fair-chasetactics won’t bag manywolves, experts say See WOLVES, Page 15


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.

“Nobody who’s been around wolveshas any fear of them. It’s not like acape buffalo where you shoot it andhave to chase it into the bush. I’vebeen around a lot of wolves. I’ve runthem down on foot and darted them.Probably the best thing that couldhappen is to stop giving themsupernatural powers and treat them asreal animals.”

One thing Bangs and Geist do agreeon is how hard it is to hunt a wolf.

“Don’t be surprised if a lot ofpeople return with empty tags,” Geistsaid. “They’re very, very difficult tohunt. At one time, the USSR had16,000 wolf hunters, and the kill inone year was 15,000. That’s less thanone per hunter, and these were full-time, year-round hunters.”

“In Alaska, hunters get virtually nowolves,” Bangs said from his FWS officein Helena. “If they’re shot, they’reshot by hunters doing other stuff.”

Montana’s wolf season startsSept. 15 for four wildernessbackcountry areas, and follows theregular Oct. 25-Nov. 29 big-gamecalendar for the rest of the state. TheMontana Fish, Wildlife and ParksCommission set a quota of 75 wolvesfor 2009. The state’s estimated wolfpopulation is 500.

A coalition of 13 wolf advocacygroups asked U.S. District Court JudgeDon Molloy to stop the hunt for asecond year in a row. The groupssuccessfully argued last year therewasn’t enough research done to justifytaking wolves off the federalendangered species list.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Servicere-filed its delisting plan in April,authorizing Montana and Idaho to takeover management (and hunting) ofwolves. The wolf advocates vowed toresume the fight, and asked Molloy toblock the hunting season again.Molloy had not ruled on that requestat press time.

Assuming the legal challenges getsettled, Montana wolf hunters better

prepare for the toughest target they’veever chased.

“They’re pretty rare to encounter inmost general hunts,” said Gino DelFrate of the Alaska Fish and GameDepartment. “It’s pretty hard to say,‘I’m going to go out wolf hunting andbe successful,’ ”

And that’s in a state with lots ofwolves and both big-game andnuisance-kill permits. In Montana,wolves must be hunted using the samefair-chase rules as other big game. Nobaiting, no night-vision equipment,no trapping, no spotlighting, no use ofvehicles to harass or herd.

Montana FWP wolf projectcoordinator Carolyn Sime agreed withGeist that wolves would be hard tofind, but she had a much different ideaof what might happen if a hunter didfind one close-up.

“Could you see other wolves of apack when you shoot one? Yes,” Simesaid. “But they don’t want to deal withyou. Wolves don’t attack people likethat. They don’t want anything to do

WolvesContinued from Page 14

See WOLVES, Page 16



with us. They basically are realsubmissive.”

Sime acknowledged wolves thathave become accustomed to humanfood or garbage could be much moredangerous, just as habituated bearsare. She said pepper spray or shootingwarning shots should be sufficient todrive wolves away.

Geist took a different tack. Hesaid he started observingwild wolves while doing hisdoctoral research onmountain sheep in theCanadian wilderness (he’snow a professor emeritusof environmental sciencewith the University ofCalgary).

“The first wolf I shotattacked me,” Geist said.“It had enough stamina toturn around and chargeme. Got within 50 paces.You’re better off not toshoot the damn thing thanshoot it if you can’t get aclean kill.”

Geist alsorecommended againsthandguns as a wolfdeterrent. His preferredweapon was a .243 caliberdeer rifle with a fast-opening bullet.Heavier bullets, he said, are likely topass through the wolf and allow it toescape and die in hiding.

Geist made national news inCanada when he testified in thecoroner’s inquest on the death ofKenton Carnegie. The 22-year-olduniversity student was working at amining camp in northernSaskatchewan when he was killed bywild animals near a garbage dump onNov. 8, 2005.

Although provincial authoritiesfirst blamed a bear for the death, Geistand two other scientists agreed withthe local Saskatchewan lawenforcement officers that wolves madethe attack.

Garbage-habituated wolves had

been seen in the area previously. InNovember 2007, a Canadian inquestjury ruled Carnegie had been killed bywolves.

Missoula outdoors writer TobyBridges has had plenty of opportunityto shoot a wolf, although he hasn’ttaken one yet. On a caribou hunt 100miles north of Yellowknife, NorthwestTerritories, he saw more than 30.

“Half the day we had a wolf followus everywhere we went,” Bridges said.“Sometimes he was within 75 yards ofus, and never more than 200 yards

away. We knew what he was after, andwe didn’t disappoint him that day.We’d shot our caribou and werepacking out the meat and antlers andskin, and before we got over the rise,we saw him on the kill.”

Bridges said he’s not stronglyinterested in hunting wolvespersonally, but he hoped others wouldtake the challenge. While wolvesaren’t considered choice eating, manyin Montana will weigh around 100pounds – large enough to interesttrophy hunters.

They’ll also become much harder tohunt, Bridges predicted. Biologistsagree wolves are highly intelligent andadaptive, and will quickly adjust theirbehavior to opportunities or threats.

“I think we’ve already lived up tothe expectations of the wolf recovery

project, and now we have a predatorthat’s really making impacts on sporthunting,” he said. “We’ve got to putthat fear back into them and let themknow when they’ve crossed that line.Then we’ll see less of wolves showingup on the outskirts of town. They’llgive us a wider berth after they’ve feltthe pressure a bit.”

Then what? Montana and Idahoauthorities both pegged their wolfhunting quotas to the goal of removingbetween 30 percent and 35 percent ofthe wolf population annually. Public

hunting is only one of threefactors in that number,with natural causes andgovernment-authorizedkilling to protect livestockalso part of the equation.

Alaska and Albertawildlife authorities saythat public hunting haslittle chance of making asignificant dent in wolfnumbers. The moresuccessful tactics aretrapping and year-roundbounty-hunting. Geist hasargued publicly for killquotas of 60 percent to 70 percent a year as thebest way to keep up withwolves’ rapid reproductionrates. He also calls forsetting aside large tracts ofland where predators likewolves and bears can live

unmolested by humans.Trapping is not allowed yet in either

Montana or Idaho, although that couldchange in the next year. Bountyhunting would have to negotiate theconcerns of hikers, dog walkers andother backcountry users who aren’tused to being around live ammunitionoutside of big-game season.

“The honest answer is this is a workin progress,” said FWP wolfcoordinator Sime. “Can we movewolves toward the hunter bag ratherthan the Wildlife Services bag? Thatdepends. But we don’t feel we canmanage the wolf population withoutthe participation of hunters.”

Reporter Rob Chaney can bereached at 523-5382 [email protected].

WolvesContinued from Page 15

ED BANGS

Most of the shots fired at wolves in Montana in recent years werethose carrying tranquilizer darts, used to subdue the animals whilethey were fitted with radio collars by wolf managers.


W hen it comes time tochamber a round forbig game season,

Montana hunters should feelsure there’ll be some roundsto chamber.

Sporting goods dealerscouldn’t keep ammunitionon the shelves for much of2009 as a nationwide run onbullets and guns caughtproducers unprepared.Firearms makers andammunition manufacturerspaid 43 percent more excisetaxes on their stock in thefirst quarter of 2009 thanthey did in the same period ayear before, according todata gathered by theNational Shooting SportsFoundation. Tax collectionsfrom handgun sales were up65.5 percent.

But the kink in the hoseappears to be easing.

“There is anecdotalevidence to suggest supplyfor ammunition is beginningto catch up with demand,”said NSSF spokesman TedNovin. “In speaking withmajor manufacturers, theyare operating 24-7, literally,to meet demands ofcustomers. What I’mhearing nationwide isdemand is continuing tooutpace supply, acrosscaliber lines, but it istapering off.”

In the Missoula area, gundealers reported somedifficulty getting pistolbullets. But rifleammunition was arriving ingood quantities.

Terry Brady, owner ofSportsman’s Surplus inMissoula, says “.45 long Colt(pistol ammunition) hasbeen pretty hard to get, and.380 pistol has been tough. Ithink it’s smoothed out a lot.

The real test is rifle ammo.We don’t know what thesupply is. We have plenty oforders in the hopper, andwe’re starting to see the rushalready.”

Shelves at Bob Ward andSons weren’t overloaded,but clerks there said theywere able to get most of thepopular calibers withoutmuch difficulty. Supplies forhand-loading ammunitionwere also close to normal,although brass cartridgeswere short for some calibers.

National surveys takenthis summer showed manyAmericans believed thechange of presidential

administrations from GeorgeW. Bush to Barack Obamawould herald increasedgovernment restrictions ongun ownership. NSSFreported that FBIbackground checks for newgun owners in June were 18.1 percent above the samemonth in 2008. Backgroundchecks are required for allindividuals buying eithernew or used firearms fromfederally licensed dealers.

Stockpiles were roaringout the door earlier this year.In May, Bitterroot ValleyAmmunition owner Darren

Hunters will have bulletsProduction nearing demand as run on ammunition eases

See AMMUNITION, Page 20

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By DARYL GADBOWfor the Missoulian

Heavy, wet snowflakes poureddown around me like soggy,white pancakes, nearly obscuringmy vision.

Continuing my hunt for deer and elk inthe Garnet Mountains east of Missoulaseemed futile and it wasn’t a toughdecision to call it quits for the day.

But as I trudged back toward mytruck, my path crossed the tracks of ahalf-dozen or so mule deer that plungeddown over the edge of a steep, timbereddraw.

“They’re heading for cover from theblizzard just like me,” I thought tomyself.

Since the snow hadn’t begun to fill thetracks, including one exceptionally largeset clearly made by a big buck, I knewthey were only moments old.

“If I follow them, I might get the dropon them, and a chance for a close-rangeshot at the buck,” I reasoned.

I talked myself into it.The deeper into the draw I went, the

steeper it got. When the deer shiftedcourse from straight down to a slantingside-hill descent, I was unable to keepmy footing in the slippery snow trying tofollow them. After several awkwardslides, I decided my best option was to gostraight down and hope to intercept thedeer up ahead in the bottom of the draw.

I was almost to the bottom when myprogress was abruptly halted at the brinkof a sheer rock precipice. The cliffdropped about 10 feet to the floor of thedraw. Way too high to jump. I couldn’tsee a way to skirt the cliff on either side.

I tried to backtrack, but even usingsaplings as handholds to haul myselfback up, my boots kept slipping in theslushy snow.

As I pondered my predicament withgrowing anxiety, I remembered the ropein my pack that I use for dragging outgame. It was cotton, only a half-inchthick, but seemed strong.

After several minutes of weighing

arguments about the sanity of my plan, Iwrapped the rope around a tree and,having never practiced such a procedurebefore in my life, I rappelled over thecliff. With my heart poundingdisconcertingly, I lowered myself –amazingly – safely to the bottom.

While I was plenty scared duringthat stunt, it never fails to evoke evenmore dire imaginary consequences everytime I recall it.

Especially since I was hunting alone.If I had broken a leg, or worse, I

probably would have been incapacitated.In dangerous weather conditions. Morethan a mile from my vehicle. And with noone around to help me. No one evenreally knew where to look for me. Mytracks would have been quickly coveredup by the snowstorm.

Not a good scenario.That episode occurred about 30 years

ago, when I was young, strong andpossibly a little foolish.

But, at 61 years old, I still like to huntalone. And I do, every year, despite theadmonishments of friends and family

members, and against the advice of someexpert authorities.

Montana Department of Fish, Wildlifeand Parks officials recommend huntingwith a companion whenever you’re inknown grizzly bear habitat – whichnowadays could be just about anywherein western Montana. The idea is that twohunters together can watch each other’sbacks for marauding predators.

Certainly, there are many benefits tohunting with someone else or in a group.There’s the undeniable pleasure ofcompanionship and camaraderie, the

sharing of what invariably arepowerful and memorableexperiences in the wild, boththe fortunes and misfortunes.

Clearly, too, it’s alwaysadvantageous to have a partneror partners available to helpwith the laborious task ofhauling a very large beast outof the woods after a successfulhunt. That’s not to mention theobvious aid a hunting partnercan provide in the event oftrouble, an accident, an injury,illness, getting lost, helpingtrack a wounded game animal,a disabled vehicle ... .

Oh, I do enjoy hunting withfriends. And I do every year.

But sometimes, I prefer tohunt alone.

At those times, Iappreciate the solitude, thefreedom of not worrying abouta hunting partner’swhereabouts or wellbeing ifyou split up, or wondering ifthe shot you heard means yourbuddy has an animal down andneeds assistance. Sometimes,it’s nice not to have to adhere toan agreed-upon rendezvous orhunting route in the field, to beable to change your plans on awhim or in response toconditions or behavior of the game.

Instead of plodding on through thewoods on a prearranged schedule with apartner, sometimes I’d rather dawdlealong, or just lie down and take a nap.

When I hunt alone, I don’t have toleave home at any particular time, and Ican quit early or late as it suits me,without inconveniencing anybody.Conversely, I don’t have to wait for apartner who’s not on time.

But as I get older, and perhaps wiser, Ido give more thought to the risks ofhunting alone.

I’m more cautious than I used to be,for sure. I always tell someone, usuallymy wife, exactly where I’m going, andwhen I expect to be back.

I’ve finally embraced some newtechnology for safety’s sake. These days,I routinely carry a cell phone, althoughsome of the places I hunt don’t have cellservice. And since, – as one of myhunting partners says – I tend to be“navigationally challenged,” a GPS unitis part of my standard gear in the field.It’s backed up with a compass and map incase the batteries fail or the unit’ssatellite “view” is obstructed by terrainor atmospheric conditions.

I always carry emergency gear – fire-starting material, first-aid supplies,extra food and clothing in my pack.

I’ve made a conscious decision inrecent years not to trek quite as far frommy vehicle as I used to on hunts bymyself, partly for safety reasons, andpartly so I don’t have so far to pack outharvested game animals. And I’veadopted the use of a game cart to easethat task and, hopefully, reduce thechances of a heart attack.

As far as physical fitness goes, I’vebeen more and more conscientious aboutexercising and watching my weight, sothat I can handle the strenuous demandsof hunting with less risk of hurtingmyself.

When I hunt in grizzly country now –whether alone or with companions – Icarry bear pepper spray, as well as a .44 magnum revolver. And if I encounterfresh bear sign, I’m not at all averse tomaking a hasty departure.

I’m looking forward to newadventures in this upcoming huntingseason – both solo and with friends.

But I guarantee that I won’t berappelling over any cliffs.

Daryl Gadbow is a former Missouliansports and outdoors reporter, nowretired and a free-lance writer – andavid hunter and angler.

Perks of hunting alone often outweigh dangers


While the companionship of hunting with family and friends is undeniable, some hunters also enjoy occasional solo days afield.

18 FALL 2009 MONTANA ADVENTURER FALL 2009 19

H unting season is in the air.Mornings are cooler in

September. The air seems purer.Blue skies appear to be just a little bitmore blue. Distant mountain peaks havea crisp sparkle to them.

Young Natty Bumppo is gettinghimself in the right frame of mind forarchery season with a week ofeating nothing but food that hehas either grown or killedhimself. Lunch on Mondayconsisted of potatoes from hisgarden and one of the last elksteaks remaining in his freezerfrom last season.

“Without thinking about it, Ithrew in an orange. But I can’teat it if I’m going to stick to myplan,” Natty grinned.

I guess you could view it as apurification ritual.

One day soon, cleansed andready, Natty will greet aSeptember dawn in his secret elk spot,miles from a road and high on a tangledmountainside.

By the way, Natty did tell me that hehad to make two exceptions to hisdietary scheme – coffee and olive oil. Healso confided that he has discovered hecan eat an entire squash and still feelhungry.

The Dude is having a hard timeconcentrating this week. He’s schemingabout getting out with his dog Mono tofind a ruffed grouse. The Dude is not anarcher, so his elk hunting will have towait until later, even though the supplyof elk steaks in his freezer is also nearlygone.

“I want to use up all the elk beforerifle season. I like to start with a cleanslate,” he told me.

Meanwhile, he can’t resist the urge toget out there into the hills.

Erwin reported spending the last fewdays getting organized for his annual tripwith Sleepy over to the east side of themountains. The two of them alwaysmake an early season trek out onto the

plains for sharp-tailed grouse. Erwinthrives on tradition and predictability, sothat trip is necessary for his huntingseason to get off to a good start.

One day last week over a piece ofSparky’s delicious huckleberry cobbler,he and I agreed that we need to get out inthe hills to do a little hiking and maybe

size up our elk prospects for laterin the season. We do this everyyear. I mean we talk aboutgetting out together before thegeneral hunting season to dosome homework and tuneourselves up a little bit. Thoseplans don’t always make it pastthe “we ought to” stage. But atleast we have good intentions.

All across Montana, folks whocherish the opportunity to headfor the hills or the wide-openplains in search of game, whetherfeathered or furred, are feelingthe call of the hunt. For many,

the tradition of the hunt is a time toreplenish the spirit, as well as the larder.

Here in Montana, despite the ruckusabout wolves and ongoing concernsabout changing trends in access toprivate lands, we hunters enjoyunparalleled opportunities to huntabundant populations of big game,waterfowl, and upland birds. And thepublic lands where we all havepermission to hunt are some of the mostbeautiful and rich in wildlife habitatanywhere. The seasons stretch from thebeginning of September to December,and sometimes extend even beyond that.Even then, the weeks and months thatyawn before us now will pass all tooquickly.

One could say that when it comes tohunting, we Montanans are blessed withan embarrassment of riches.

With hunting season in the air, thereis no better place to be.

Greg Tollefson is a freelanceMissoula writer. He can be reached [email protected].

GREGTOLLEFSON

As hunting season nears,fall rituals get under way

AmmunitionContinued from Page 17

Newsom reported a six-month back order on his supplies – the highesthe’d seen in two decades inthe business.

“We’re still severalmonths backed up,”Newsom said. “On themanufacturing end, we’renot seeing it back off at all.”

The initial run was “100 percent political”Newsom said, referring tothe presidential change-over. But he predictedanother ammunitionshortfall could develop laterthis fall as the U.S. militaryincreases, activity inAfghanistan and othertrouble-spots. He figured itwould take three years ofnational production toreplace the reserve stockpilesthe military has used upover the past eight years.

“Every day, I’m seeingfive to six military contractscome up for bid,” Newsomsaid. “That all takes awayfrom the civilian market. Ifwe get a military contract,you put it ahead of all otherorders. It has to be filledfirst.”

Bitterroot ValleyAmmunition is producingabout 1 million rounds aweek in all kinds of calibersand configurations. It hasstores in Hamilton,Missoula and Stevensville,along with one productionfacility in Florence and twoin Stevensville. The firmemploys 50 people and stillhas expansion plans.

“We’re moving to a newbuilding in November,”Newsom said. “I’ve beendoing this 22 years. If Ithought it was slowingdown, I wouldn’t beexpanding right now.”


Be careful hiking Crazy Canyon Hunting is allowed on adjoining state land

By MICHAEL MOOREof the Missoulian

I f you’re looking for a place to take a quiet hike duringhunting season, the Crazy Canyon trail on the backside 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 upCrazy Canyon that’s open to hunting.

“There is a piece of land that belongs to the DNRCand it is definitely open to hunting,” said Vivaca Crowserof Montana’s Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

The land is just over half a section, but it includespart 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 includespart of one of the trails as it winds north toward HellgateCanyon.

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 523-5252or at [email protected].

KEN BARNEDT/Missoulian


FISH-EYEDBENDSGuide’s ‘half-down’ fliesbring Bitterroot trout up

By BOB MESEROLLof the Missoulian

STEVENSVILLE – You mighthave bumped into John Gouldat some point while floatingthe Bitterroot River – literally.

He’d have been the guywearing the mask andbreathing through a snorkel.

How better to get a trout’s-eye view oftrout chow, and trout for that matter?

“My first few years here, I’d snorkelfrom Hamilton to Lolo every year afterhigh water and just see,” said Gould, a 39-year-old New Hampshire native who ownsDouble Up Outfitters out of Stevensville.“It’s nice to get down there and say, ‘Heylook at that, there’s a big chunk of sod hereand there’s three big browns just laying

See FLIES, Page 23


MICHAEL GALLACHER/Missoulian

Stevensville fishing guide John Gould test-drives one of his fly patterns on the Bitterroot River near his home recently.

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 materialsgetting scrubbed off the rocks and floating downthrough there. A lot of times, even in the most crystal-clear conditions, you can only see six to eight feetaway from yourself. Looking up, you can definitely seea little bit better with the backdrop of the sky.”

And that’s how trout see their food, at least theportion of their diet that consists of adult flies floatingalong on the surface of the river. That kind ofinformation can prove valuable to anyone sitting at afly-tying vise who is trying to mimic what the troutare seeing.

“I dabbled in looking at the flies and seeing howthey moved, but I didn’t trust my fishing buddies,”Gould said with a laugh. “I figured they were going totry to hook me when I was looking at the flies.”

Gould took that knowledge, and the experiencegained from countless hours fishing and guiding, anddeveloped his own series of flies, the half-downpatterns.

For the most part (a stimulator would be a notableexception), dry flies have traditionally been tied onstraight shanks because the fly is meant to ride flat on

the surface of the water. Gould took the standard hookand bent it, maybe a third of the way down the shankfrom the eye.

By bending the hook, the butt end of the fly ridesbelow the surface, while the wings and abdomen stillride up top.

“It turns out that when you’re fishing a dry fly, thefirst thing a fish sees is whatever is down in the watercolumn the farthest,” Gould said. “When it’s cominginto a fish’s window of view, they see whatever issticking down, then they see a wing, then it disappearsand they just see the glob of the whole shape.”

The half-down “technology” can be applied tonumerous patterns – hoppers, stoneflies and ants, toname a few.

The patterns have been marketed by the MontanaFly Company, a Columbia Falls-based manufacturerthat sends flies all over the world.

MFC co-owner Duncan Oswald says sometimes it’shard to get Gould to part with his latest innovations.

“I have to wait until he’s somewhere downstreamand get in his cooler and into his fly box when he’s notlooking,” Oswald joked.

But Oswald said there’s no disputing theireffectiveness.

“It’s probably that half-down look, where it doeslook like a partially drowned insect,” he said. “Peoplelike that partially drowned insect look, but it has thatpost and wing so you can see it well, too. We’re selling


Gould’s half-down ant

Gould puts his own twist on the parachute antpattern. It’s a good pattern for prospecting onhot summer afternoons right into early autumn.Fish it like you would a hopper, tight to banksin likely looking holds.

Gould’s half-down golden stonefly

A great pattern for matching the golden stonefly hatchor for general prospecting all summer long. Thispattern produced fish all day long on a recent sunny,hot day on the Bitterroot. Although it’s meant to imitatethe stonefly, fish will take it for a hopper, too.

FliesContinued from Page 22

See FLIES, Page 24

them to customers throughout the world, particularlyto South America as a hopper pattern.”

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before:Easterner comes to Montana on vacation and nevergoes 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-weekvacation and after about three days I faxed thecompany 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 upstreamsomewhere and float down to Lolo and hope thegirlfriend 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 asalmon processing barge to “make some of thatretirement fund back.”

Once back in Montana, Gould went to work as aguide for the late Paul Kohler, then the owner of theMissoulian Angler fly shop.

“He said, ‘Here’s a boat, take me down the river.OK, nice work, you’re a guide,’ ” Gould said. “Thatworked out pretty well and I’ve been doing it eversince.”

Gould got his outfitters license four years ago andopened Double Up Outfitters. Now he’s his own boss.

A common complaint among fishing guides is thatthey never get to fish. Gould bucked that trend thisyear.

“I fished more this spring than I have in the lastnine years combined,” Gould said. “I can’t seem to getsick of it. I get far too tickled when I see ... browns inthe sneaky spots, finding them in inches of water andwondering why isn’t there a part of that fish stickingout 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 acouple hundred yards from the Bitterroot River nearStevensville. Out in the backyard is a pond and yes, itholds trout.

Gould gets a kick out of the popularity of hishalf-down series of flies.

“A lot of guides and outfitters float by and say,‘Hey, your fly is working,’ ” Gould said. “I usuallydon’t think about it until someone floats by and sayssomething. I won’t mention Peter’s name, but every

Gould’s half-down hopper

The fish just love this pattern that is meant to ride half upand half down in the water, hence the name. Gould will alsotie it with a burnt-orange body so that fish will take it for anOctober caddis.

Gould’s half-down salmonfly

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 willoften feed on “drowned” salmonflies, one reason this flyis so effective.


See FLIES, Page 25


time I see this one fella he says, ‘Hey, we’re fishing halfdowns.’ ”

Gould still ties them for his personal stash, but oftenfinds himself tinkering instead.

“I’ll sit down at night and I need to tie a dozen of thesehoppers because I know they’re working great right now,”

Gould said. “I know I’ve got todo it and the next thing youknow I’m experimenting. I tiethree of the ones I want, thenI’m tying something different.

“It’s good, though, to keepthe fish guessing and not showthem the same thing all thetime. I’m not sure if educatedis the word, they just get sickof them. One year fly X is

working; the next year X will catch a couple of fish, but Ywill beat them up. I cycle through patterns each year.

“That’s why I still like to tie as much as I do becauseevery year it’s something different.”

Missoulian sports editor Bob Meseroll can be reached at523-5265 or at [email protected].


Gould’s half-down skwala

Chances are if you’ve done much fishing duringthe Bitterroot River’s spring skwala hatch, you’vetried this pattern yourself, or you were standingnear someone who was. It’s Gould’s deadlyvariation of the stonefly pattern.

Photographs by LINDA THOMPSON/Missoulian

For moreinformation onDouble Up Outfittersand half-down flies,go to www.doubleupoutfitters.com, orwww.montanafly.com.

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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

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ATTENTION HUNTERS!


SEPTEMBERSaturday, September 12

First Annual Sweathouse Half MarathonWhere: VictorContact:www.runwildmissoula.org

Glendive Badlander 10kContact: www.glendivebadlander.com

12th Annual Pete’s Fall Fest “Race for Play” (10K, 5K, 1M)Where: KalispellContact: [email protected]

20th Annual Chokecherry Run (10K, 5K, 1M)Where: LewistownContact: [email protected]

Fall Into Fitness Walk/Run (10K & 5K)Where: PolsonContact: www.polsonrunning.com.

Medicine Rocks Buffalo ShootWhere: 12 miles north of EkalakaContact: [email protected]

Sunday, September 13

Fifth Annual Two Bear Marathon and Half MarathonWhere: Whitefi shContact: www.twobearmarathon.org

Friday, September 18 7th Annual UMW Hunter/Jumper Horse Show Where: DillonContact: [email protected]

First Peoples Buffalo Jump Annual Atlatl Competition Where: UlmContact: http://fwp.mt.gov

Saturday, September 19

Are You Tuff Enough? (5M)Where: PhillipsburgContact: www.PintlarTerritories.com

34th Mount Helena Classic Where: HelenaContact: www.helenarunnuningclub.com

Run the Nine Mile (9.8M) Where: Nine Mile (west of Missoula, 1-90 exit 82) at Nine Mile Ranger StationContact: www.runmt.com/NMCC_RegistrationForm.pdf


Montana Governor’s Cup Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K & Relay

Where: HelenaContact: www.montanagovernorscupmarathon.org

Friday September 25

Goats in the Dark (3.2M)Where: HelenaContact: www.helenarunningclub.com


Homestake Pass 5 Miler and 1 Mile Youth RaceWhere: BozemanContact: 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: BozemanContact: www.thenetworkmt.org.


Lewis and Clark Marathon, Half Marathon, Marathon Relay & 5K

Where: BozemanContact: www.lewisandclarkmarathon.com

OCTOBERSaturday, October 3

Missoula All Women’s 5KWhere: MissoulaContact: [email protected]

COMPETE!

COMPETE! 2nd Annual Great Falls Harvest Classic 5K Run/Walk

Contact: www.ugf.edu

Stillwater River Run & Fun Walk (10K & 5K)Where: AbsarokeeContact: www.absarokeearea.com

Tamarack Festival Races (10K, 5K, 1K)Where: Seeley LakeContact: [email protected]

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: HelenaContact: www.helenarunningclub.com


13th or 14th Annual Pumpkin Run (5K, 400m kids run)

Where: MissoulaContact: Ben Schmidt at 406-542-1257

Sunday, October 18

Goat Grind (4M) Where: HelenaContact: www.helenarunningclub.com

Sunday, October 18

Raw Deal Run 5K/10K Where: McLeod (south of Big Timber)Contact: [email protected]


Montana Cup Where: BozemanContact: www.montanacup.com

NOVEMBERSaturday, November 7

USATF Montana Cross Country Championships (5K, 4K, 3K) Where: BozemanContact: www.bozemantrackclub.or

Thursday, November 26

Huffi ng For Stuffi ng Thanksgiving Day Run (10K & 5K)Where: BozemanContact: huffi ngforstuffi ng.com

Burn the Bird (10K & 5K)Where: Great FallsContact: www.assphaultkickers.com

List your competition [email protected]

Legend

Run

Bike

Shoot

Ride

HIKESWITHOUTRIFLESSeveral mountain trails offer outdooradventure away from most hunters

By BETSY COHENof the Missoulian

F all is one of the most stunningseasons to be exploring ourbeautiful backcounty, but it can

get a little hairy out there whenhunting season gets under way.

If you are looking for some outdoorgetaways that won’t put you in the lineof fire, the following are somesuggestions from the experts at theBitterroot National Forest and the LoloNational Forest.

Remember, though, it’s always agood idea to wear hunter orange if youare in the mountains and woods duringhunting season. And, while you’re at it,go ahead and tie some orange flaggingto your dogs and horses when you go,said Nan Christianson, spokeswomanfor the Bitterroot National Forest.

See HIKES, Page 29



Cooler days of fall make for great hiking in the high country, but be prepared for sudden changes in the weather at any time.

In the Bitterroot� Lake Como North Trail 502 –

3.1 miles to Jct. of Trail 580. This is aneasy trail on the north side of LakeComo, open to hiking and biking.

The trail is paved for the firstquarter-mile. This hike offersspectacular views of Como Peaks,osprey and wildflowers. Just beyondthe junction of Trail 580 you will berewarded by a beautiful waterfall. Thewilderness boundary is approximatelya half-mile beyond the lake.

Other opportunities: Trail 502joins with 580 at the west end of lake.Trail 580 is open for horseback travel.This hike provides a 7.1-mile looparound the lake. Trail 580 continueswest beyond the lake, accessing ElkLake nine miles from the wildernessboundary then onto Bell Lake on theIdaho side of the divide.

Access: From Hamilton, drive

south on U.S. Highway 93 forapproximately 12 miles. Turn west onLake Como Road to the Lake ComoRecreation Area.

�East Fork Trails 433 – This is arelatively easy trail with short climbsto Star Falls and the lake basin. It is inthe area burned during the 2000 fireseason and visitors will encounter arange of fire effects. In the lowerportion of the East Fork drainage andin the lake basin, scattered patches oftrees are burned and many areasappear untouched. There are threemiles between Star Falls and thejunction with Trail 313 that burnedseverely. Visitors will see regenerationof grasses, small lodgepole trees and aprofusion of wildflowers. Frequentwindstorms cause trees to blow downand visitors should use caution whentraveling in the area. Stock usersshould be prepared with ax and saw, incase blowdown blocks travel.

Access: From Hamilton go southon Highway 93 approximately 40miles to East Fork Road (Junction 472).

Turn east and go approximately 18miles to Forest Road 784. Turn southon this road and go approximately 2miles to the trailhead.

�Blodgett Overlook Trail — Traillength is 1.5 miles, providingspectacular views of Canyon Creek,Blodgett Canyon and three views ofthe valley. The trail takes the hikerthrough a series of ecosystems such asopen pine into spruce, lodgepole andwhite bark pine. Remnants of old firesare apparent, as well as log chutesfrom timber sales of yesteryear. A largeraptor population lives in the BlodgettCanyon and Canyon Creek area.Peregrine falcons, redtail hawks andgoshawks may be seen flying duringthe late spring and early summermonths.

Access: Take Main Street fromdowntown Hamilton and continue asit turns into West Bridge Road,keeping to right. At end of WestBridge, turn left on Blodgett Camp

See HIKES, Page 30

HikesContinued from Page 28

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Road, which leads to Blodgett CreekCampground. Turn left on CanyonCreek Road to Canyon CreekTrailhead. Blodgett Overlook trailheadis on the right; Canyon CreekTrailhead is straight ahead.

�Mill Creek Trail provides accessto Mill Creek Falls about three milesup – a popular day trip. Travelers passbeneath imposing cliffs in the first fewmiles. Much of the first five miles isrecovering from the fires of 2000.There is abundant new undergrowthof forbs, brush, aspen and pinesaplings. New trees fall across the trailon a regular basis and the trail iscleared several times a season. Sidetrip opportunities include Hauf Lakeand Sears Lake, each at the end of ashort, steep side trail. Mill Lake,actually a reservoir, is at the end of thetrail at 10 miles. Just before Mill Lakethere is a trail junction with Fred BurrTrail, which provides the opportunityof a 25-mile loop trip back toward thevalley.

Access is from Highway 93 atWoodside. Go west on Dutch Hill Road3.8 miles; turn left at the Tintersection onto Bowman Road. CrossMill Creek. In a short distance therewill be trailhead signs. Turn right andfollow the gravel road that ends at thetrailhead in less than a mile.

�Blodgett Canyon Trail is afavorite day hike for local residentswho come to see the spectacular cliffsabove the creek. The fires of 2000have opened canyon vistas in the firsttwo miles. The forest floor isregenerating with fireweed, willowand pine saplings. New trees fall acrossthe trail on a regular basis and the trailis cleared several times a season. Anunusual rock arch formation can beseen from the trail bridge at threemiles. Blodgett Falls is at five miles. Aside trail to High Lake involving astrenuous climb is at six miles. Thewilderness boundary is at seven miles.The trail to Blodgett Pass and thebackcountry of Idaho is about 11 miles.Blodgett Lake at the end of the trail is

12.7 miles.Access is by Bowman Road from

its junction with Highway 93 north ofHamilton and just north of the bridgeover the Bitterroot River. FollowBowman Road 1.1 miles to RicketsRoad on the left. Turn south ontoRickets and follow approximately two miles to the junction with GererLane next to the Hamilton Playhouse.Go straight through this intersection.The road now becomes Blodgett CampRoad. Stay on this following signs tothe Blodgett Campground forapproximately four miles. Trailheadparking is just before the campgroundentrance.

�Kootenai Creek Trail is afavorite day hiking destination forboth local and Missoula residents whocome to see the narrow canyon with itsrushing creek lined with river birch,looming rock cliffs and talus with largeponderosa pine. The first half-mile ofthe trail is private property and you areasked to respect that. The canyon isheavily forested and the trail accessesNorth, Middle and South Kootenailakes at approximately 10-11 miles.

Access is by North Kootenai CreekRoad and Highway 93 approximately one mile north of Stevensville. Follow

North Kootenai Creek Roadapproximately two miles to where itends at the trailhead parking lot.

� Bear Creek Overlook Trailprovides a short hike to a spectacularclifftop vista with views of the nearbySky Pilot, Totem Peak and the BearCreek drainage thousands of feetbelow. The trail follows switchbacksup a gentle grade to the vista point at2.5 miles. There is no water along thetrail.

Access from Highway 93 is byBear Creek Road approximately threemiles south of Victor. Go west on BearCreek Road approximately 2.5 miles toRed Crow Road. Turn right, and followRed Crow Road for approximately twomiles as it turns west then north attwo intersections. Turn left, west onPleasant View Drive for approximatelytwo miles as it bends south then westand then again south and west until itturns into Gash Creek Road 1325.Follow this road for approximately twomiles to Road 1325. Follow this roadseveral miles to Bear Creek Overlook.A Bitterroot National Forest map ishelpful in finding this trail, which doesnot have a developed trailhead. Thereis parking at a wide spot in the road.The road is gated just beyond. Largevehicles are not recommended.

� Bass Creek Trail and CharlesWaters Recreation Complex.Located northwest of Stevensville, theCharles Waters Recreation Complexhas a couple of good options for folks.The stock users trail system contains acouple of loop routes that weavethrough the lower foothills of theBitterroot Mountains. Hikers can goup Bass Creek Trail – the trail followsthe creek up the canyon, and it has agradual climb to some very scenicviews and ultimately, Bass Lake.

Seeley Lake Ranger District� Morrell Falls Trail. 2.5 miles to

the falls. Less than 1,000 feet elevationgain (easy to moderate). Nicedestination hike. Going north take theCottonwood Lakes Road (477) andthen take a left on 4353 and followsigns to trailhead.

See HIKES, Page 31




Several varieties of wildflowers continueto bloom in abundance during the fall.

�Clearwater LakeLoop. Quarter- to half-mile to the lake from thetrailhead, but you can alsotake the trail around the laketo add some distance. Nicelake destination hike withlittle elevation gain. Goingnorth, take the CleawaterLoop Road (4353) just pastRainy Lake and follow thesigns to trailhead. Neitherof these areas arefrequented by hunters,though when driving on anyU.S. Forest Service road youmay see hunters coming orgoing.

Ninemile RangerDistrict�Ch-paa-qn Peak

Trail 98.3. At 7,996 feetCh-paa-qn Peak marks thehighest point on theNinemile Ranger District.From the summit on a clearday, a person can experiencea panoramic view of theMission Mountains,Flathead IndianReservation, Frenchtown,Missoula and the BitterrootValley, and some days evensee the Montana-Idahodivide. There are three trailsthat lead to Ch-paa-qn. Thetrail from Edith PeakTrailhead is the easiest hikeand access. This trail isrecommended for first-timevisitors and children. Thistrail is approximately three miles one-wayincluding the hike to thetop. The beginning of thetrail is on Edith Peak Road476 ending at the junctionwith Trail 707. From thisjunction, most people leavethe trail and head up thepeak by rock cairns to thetop for a wonderful view.

�Northfork FishCreek 103 toGreenwood Cabins. TheGreenwood cabins arelocated about six miles fromClearwater CrossingTrailhead. The Great Burnarea is an excellent area forsummer recreation with allof the trails heading to theMontana-Idaho StatelineTrail. The hike toGreenwood cabins is ahalfway mark to GooseLake, located in Idaho. Thishike is great for families,and new adventurersheading into the woods.This hike has a number ofwater crossings in thespring and summer, but byfall the creek crossings aresmaller and enjoyable tocross. The other main linetrails heading out ofClearwater Crossing havepermitted outfitter guidesduring the fall season, sothere is guided hunting inthe other drainages. FromMissoula head west onInterstate-90 to exit 66.Heading south on ForestService Road 343 headtoward the Hole in the WallLodge approximately 15miles on the dirt road, thencontinue another mile past

Hole in the Wall Lodge tothe Forest Service TrailheadClearwater Crossing.Camping with water isavailable at the trailhead.Outhouses are also present.

�Petty Sheep viewingTrail 721. This trail is only0.4 miles long, built as a BoyScout project with twointerpretive signs. There is agood chance of seeingbighorn sheep in the area.But this area does have twotags each year offered fromMontana Fish, Wildlife andParks. But it is rare to see ahunter on this trail. FromMissoula, head west on I-90 to exit 78 at Petty Creek .Head south for approximately five miles. On the right(west) side there will be asmall pullout out with abridge crossing Petty Creekto the first of the twointerpretive signs.

Reporter Betsy Cohencan be reached at 523-5253or [email protected].


ROB CHANEY/Missoulian

The Blodgett Overlook Trail gives hikers spectacular views ofCanyon Creek, Blodgett Canyon and the Bitterroot Valley.

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SEPTEMBERSaturday, September 13

Circle Rifl e Club Turkey ShootWhere: CircleContact: 485-2539

Saturday, September 12 or 19

Rocky Mountaineers Hike Missoula-Elk Summit-Blodgett CircuitContact: www.rockymountaineers.com


PEDal FestivalWhere: MissoulaContact: marluna3@qwestoffi ce.net

Rocky Mountaineers Hike Holland PeakContact: www.rockymountaineers.com

Salmon FestivalWhere: EurekaContact: www.welcome2eureka.com

Wednesday, September 23

Smith River Float Trip (through Sept 26)Contact: www.rockymountaineers.com

Friday, September 25

Ales for TrailsWhere: BillingsContact: (406) 247-8637

OCTOBERThursday, October 1

! 4th Annual Reel Rock Film Tour: “Progression & First

Ascent”Where: MissoulaContact: www.reelrocktour.com

Friday, October 2 Bridger Raptor Festival (through Oct 4)Where: BozemanContact: www.bridgerraptorfest.org

Sunday, October 4

Tour de Cure Montana 2009 (100M, 56M, 23M, 6M)Where: Three ForksContact: www.diabetes.org/tour

Thursday, October 8

Legends for Lights Pheasant

Jamboree (through Oct 11)Where: Havre

Contact: (406) 945-2635


NILE Stock Show, Pro Rodeo, Horse Extravaganza

(through Oct 17)Where: BillingsContact: www.thenile.org

Thursday October 15

! Used Outdoor Gear SaleWhere: MissoulaContact: (406) 243-0211

Thursday, October 29

! Teton Gravity Research presents: “Re: Session”Where: MissoulaContact: (406) 243-0211

NOVEMBERSunday, 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 YellowstoneContact: www.yellowstoneskifestival.com

ADVENTURE CALENDAR

List your event 406.523.5223

[email protected]

Legend

Hike

Bike

Paddle

!Festival

Other

Rodeo

Shoot

Missoulian

W EST GLACIER – Officials atGlacier National Park remindpark visitors that the park is

open year-round and that mostconcessions, lodging and campingfacilities will remain open well pastLabor Day for the autumn season.

After Labor Day, services andfacilities slowly start closing for thewinter; however, the following is a listof ongoing park services and projectedclosing dates.�Belton Chalets Inc. Granite

Park Chalet closes Sept. 7; Sperry

Chalet closes Sept. 9. The historicGranite Park Chalet is available forovernight use as a rustic hiker shelter.Services at the historic Sperry Chaletinclude traditional overnightaccommodations and food service forguests and day hikers alike. For moreinformation, 1-888-345-2649 orwww.sperrychalet.com orwww.graniteparkchalet.com.�Glacier Park Boat Company.

Boat tours and rentals. Apgar (rentalsonly) closes Sept. 7; Lake McDonaldcloses Sept. 20; Many Glacier closesSept. 13; Rising Sun closes Sept. 7;Two Medicine closes Sept. 7. For more

information, (406) 257-2426 orwww.glacierparkboats.com.�Glacier Park Inc. Glacier Park

Lodge closes Sept. 26; Lake McDonaldLodge closes Sept. 26; Lake McDonaldCamp Store closes Sept. 26; JammerJoe’s Restaurant closes Sept. 8; ManyGlacier Hotel closes Sept. 20; Prince ofWales Hotel* closes Sept. 14; RisingSun Motor Inn closes Sept. 20; RisingSun Camp Store closes Sept. 21*;Swiftcurrent Motor Inn closes Sept.12; Swiftcurrent Camp Store closesSept. 20; Two Medicine Camp Store

See GLACIER, Page 34



Fall can be a gorgeous time to travel in Glacier National Park’s backcountry and on horseback is a great way to go. Guidedhorseback trips end for the season, however, on Sept. 20.

Glacier is always open

closes Sept. 7; Village Inn closes Sept. 19.

* Glacier Park Lodge and the Princeof Wales Hotel are located outside thepark, but are also managed by GPI.These properties will close afterbreakfast on the dates listed. For moreinformation, central reservations(406) 892-2525 orwww.glacierparkinc.com.�Red Bus Tours end Sept. 26;

hiker shuttle ends Sept. 7. (ConnectsMany Glacier to Going-to-the-Sun Roadshuttle that operates July1-Sept. 7). EastSide Shuttle closes Sept. 20. (Serviceto trailheads and hotels between EastGlacier and Waterton, Alberta).�Glacier Guides Inc. Guided day

hikes and backpacking end in October.For more information,1-800-521-RAFT or (406) 387-5555 orwww.glacierguides.com.�Swan Mountain Outfitters.

Horseback rides. Apgar Corral closesSept. 7; Lake McDonald Corral closesSept. 20; Many Glacier Corral closesSept. 20. For more information,1-877-888-5557 or www.swanmountainoutfitters.com/glacier.�Sun Tours. Interpretive tours

end Oct. 15. For more information,1-800-786-9220 or (406) 226-9220or www.glaciersuntours.com.

Autumn 2009 schedule forNational Park Service facilities

Note on entrance fees: Whenentrance stations are not staffed,visitors must pay the entrance fee atthe self-registration fee collection boxor have a valid, previously purchasedpark pass. Listed is the campbroundand last night for camping/change toprimitive status:

Apgar – Oct. 11* Avalanche – Sept. 6Bowman Lake – Sept. 13**Cut Bank – Sept. 13***Fish Creek – Sept. 6Kintla Lake – Sept. 13**Logging Creek – Sept. 29Many Glacier – Sept. 20**Quartz Creek – Nov. 29 ***Rising Sun – Sept.13

Sprague Creek – Sept. 13St. Mary – Sept. 20 *Two Medicine – Sept. 20*** Primitive camping (no treated,

running water and no flush toilets) isavailable throughout the fall at Apgarand St. Mary beginning on the datesindicated above. Cost for primitivecamping at St. Mary and Apgar is $10 anight. Winter camping is also offeredat these two sites. There is no chargefor winter camping, which begins Dec. 1.

** Primitive camping (no treated,running water and no flush toilets) willalso be available after the listed datesat Bowman Lake, Kintla Lake, ManyGlacier and Two MedicineCampgrounds. Bowman and KintlaLake will offer primitive camping untilDec. 1, unless closed earlier byweather. At Many Glacier and TwoMedicine campgrounds, primitivecamping remains available until snowaccumulation and/or unsafe roadconditions exist. Cost for primitivecamping is $10 a night.

*** No water is available at CutBank, Logging Creek and QuartzCreek. Camping at these campgroundscosts $10 per night. Quartz Creek willcontinue to offer this primitivecamping with no water until Dec. 1,unless closed earlier by weather.

Visitor centers and ranger-ledinterpretive programs

Glacier’s visitor centers at Apgar,

St. Mary andLogan Pass areopen dailythroughoutSeptember.

A variety ofranger-ledprograms, fromeasy walks andevening talks, toall-day hikes andboat tours willcontinue inSeptember.Activities arelisted in “TheGlacier VisitorsGuide” which isavailable in visitorcenters or onlineat www.nps.gov/glac/planyour

visit/upload/WGG09-web.pdf.

Going-to-the-Sun RoadTo allow for accelerated

rehabilitation work, beginningMonday, Sept. 20, Logan Pass will beclosed to vehicle use from the westside between Avalanche and LoganPass for the remainder of the season.

Logan Pass will be accessible forvehicles from the east side, exceptwhen closed to motorized vehiclesbecause of weather.

During evening hours and onweekends, when the contractor is notworking, non-motorized access(hikers and bicyclists) will be allowedon the alpine segment betweenAvalanche and Logan Pass.

Information about the Going-to-the-Sun Road rehabilitation andrelated visitor service improvementsare available by calling parkheadquarters at (406) 888-7800 orhome.nps.gov/applications/glac/roadstatus/roadstatus.cfm.

For reservations and details on theconcession activities, contact theconcession office directly at thenumber listed. For general parkinformation, please visit the park’sofficial Web site, www.nps.gov/glac,or call park headquarters at (406) 888-7800.



Animal sightings can happen more often in the fall when thecritters are busy preparing for the winter months.

GlacierContinued from Page 33

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Montana Adventurer Fall 2009