Fly Fishing: Fly Friday

The annual salmon fly blitz draws fisher folk to Montana (and elsewhere) literally from around the globe. This is nothing new, however, for according to Paul Schullery (Cowboy Trout, an excellent read by the way) Montanans have been fishing the hatch religiously for at least 120 years and counting. But it wasn't until later in the 20th Century things really got rolling thanks to pioneer fly innovators such as Dan Bailey, Pat Barnes, Charlie Brooks, George Grant, Bud Lilly and a few others, somewhat lesser known.

One would think after all these years, all the many trials and tribulations, new Salmon Fly patterns would be a thing of the past. Nothing could be further from the truth as I cannot recall a single season when at least one new hot must-have-pattern has not made its way into the fly shop bins and, while it pains me to admit, most, if not all, have found their way into my box...even though I should be old enough, wise enough at this point to know better but don't. The list is long--Sofa Pillow, Improved Sofa Pillow, Orange Sofa Pillow, Bullet-head Salmonfly, Chernobyl Stone, Bird's Salmonfly, Henry's Fork Salmonfly, MoJoe Salmonfly, MacSalmon, Mystery Meat Salmonfly, Drowned Salmonfly, Salmon Fly Convertible, Norm Woods, Norm Woods Rubber-legs, Chubby Chernobyl, Clark's Stonefly Golden and, believe it or not, I count at least four more whatchamacallits in my box--and note these patterns are all dry.

At one time or another I've probably tied on just about every stone fly nymph pattern known to mankind...Montana Stonefly, Pat's Rubberlegs, Brook's' Montana Stonefly, Brook's Stonefly, AP Stonefly, Girdle Bug, Pepperoni, Bitch Creek, Kaufmann's Stone, Woven Stones and, you guessed it, several whatchamacallits.

I regret never having fished (just too-nifty-to-risk) A.P. Potts or George Grant Woven Hair Patterns (the Feather Back in the center of photo was tied by my friend Tom Harman) or the infamous Bunyan Bug (carved wood and horsehair) but fishin gods willin and the crick don't rise...well hell, you just never know what the future holds, eh?

Merry Christmas....

Fly Fishing: Fly Friday

Ruby River

Hard for me to get the ol' bald noggin' round the idea but no denying 2011 is all but ancient history. Where the year went has me more than a little baffled. But no use bawlin over spilt milk, right, time a move on, so...Of late I started once again workin' on my bucket list--you know the must do stuff afore roastin' in the big fahr...Alas, much like my must-do-chores list it too just keeps getting longer and, knowing me as I so well do, not much hope of ever running out of stuff I could/should do but in all likelihood won't so...no surprise there, eh?

The somewhat doctored up photo above is of course your irresponsible reporter doing what he used to do often--e.g. fool enough to stand all day in ice water waving a stick in hopes of fooling a foolish, half-frozen trout to bite, knowing full well frozen fingers are so far gone removing the hook is a joke and breaking it off...well, as we all know, only works when you least want it too...Anyway, for reasons now escape me, "do more winter fishing" is right up there just below "hunt more birds" and right above, "tie more flies." If I were to guess I'd say two of the three ain't got much chance but then as they say, "dealin' with an addled soul you just never know"...OK I forget who but someone must a said it, right? Right.     

Montana Outdoors: Flat Out Gone In The Blink of An Eye...

Hoar frost turns the ordinary into the extraordinary overnight...

...though nifty as it looks signs a death warrant, the final nail in the coffin for last summer's blooms...

...too bad we can't bottle it, 'cause damn wouldn't it jazz up the ol' xmas tree...

Fly Fishing: Fly Friday



Coho salmon





Pink Salmon

Thanks to BC chum, Gary, my bucket list--must do afore roastin' in the big fahr--just got longer...



Coho salmon

Apparently August and September salmon swarm the beaches much like trout in our reservoirs do when the ice goes off...The fishing starts off standing on the beach or perhaps knee deep; using a sink tip line the drill is to cast out strip the fly, much like chronomid fishing, only according to Gary the bite is much hotter; like strip, strip, strip, wraaaaaaang goes the reel and just like that you are agonizing over how much backing you don't have left...then its beach the salmon, snap the requisite photo proof, release and...Of course salmon being, well, salmon...might as well keep a couple for the table....

When the tide changes--in out I forget?--you jumps in your waiting skiff and repeat same until night falls, your arms quit working, which ever comes first...how cool, eh?

Aside from sounding like an absolute hoot I also noted the fly du jour just might be right up my alley as well...you know quick and easy...all in all this is one operation seems to me ya just can't hardly beat...



Montana Outdoors: Birding Trails Montana

Cedar waxwing munching Russian olives

One of two Bohemian waxwing flocks we saw yesterday in Birch Creek

As posted a couple days ago I've been hard at work on our upcoming book Birding Trails Montana. And as also posted recently the time outs between key punching sessions have been devoted to Annie's rehab but...Why not kill two birds with one stone? Why not indeed... So instead of loosing Annie any old place there is room to ramble we been checking out spots we might also include in the book.

Yesterday it was Birch Creek. A tributary of the Big Hole born high in the East Pioneers, it flows for several miles through national forest before spilling out into mostly private ranch lands. Years ago a retired professor at then Western Montana College mentioned Birch Creek as one the spots he took his ornithology students. As I recall he said something along the lines, "Birch Creek is not the best but a good spot to find some forest species you don't normally find in the willows/cottonwoods/sagebrush and grass which make up most of my other spots close to town."

And sure enough we found but a handful species though we find discover something we'd heard of but never seen. Two flocks Bohemian waxwings, the small one above and another huge flock of at least 100 birds...For us a first since our biggest flock to date had been a dozen or so showed up in the backyard a couple winters ago.

Cedar waxwings are common backyard visitors all summer long. In fact we had one nest last August in the tree the one above is eating olives. Bohemians show up too in the backyard but usually in singles or small flocks of a 8 or 10. By the way 100 is no where near in record territory I read the other day of a group of birders counting several hundred in one bunch.  Whether Birch Creek will make the cut is still up in the air but we plan to return soon perhaps set a new personal record...

Upland Bird Hunting: Snakebit Annie Update...

It's been more than 7 weeks since Annie's rattler run in at Freezout Lake. And just a few days ago since we declared her severely atrophied leg and foot almost back to normal. The way she has been rambling the past couple afternoons pretty much erases any doubt we might harbor.

A couple days ago obvious she smelled birds but in the howling wind just where who knows? So after much tail wagging and snuffling back and forth over a wide area suddenly she took off. At warp speed, a quarter mile out wheeled around, went a quarter mile the opposite direction; wheeled about came back part way turned into the wind, dropped into a kitty-cat-like moving crouch would make a hunting lioness green with envy and...Pointed. But apparently the birds were on to her, because as soon as she stopped the whole bunch lifted from the sage 50 yards ahead, caught the wind and vamoosed over yonder hill.

Gale yelled, "Looks to me like she's back," to which I gave her assertion a hale and hearty thumbs up, turned and muttered "Good girl,"...Which of course fell on deaf ears, as Annie baby was by then flat out gone over yonder hill in what can only be described as hot pursuit...Hooray!   

Fly Fishing: Fly Friday

Fishing the Big Hole on a beautiful late summer evening...

 

...with trout slurping all up and down this wide flat pool it should have been easy. But in the hour or so before sunset and the inevitable evening chill down the upper Big Hole experiences at this season shut down the rise between us we managed only a few takes; alas even fewer hookups.

With the light almost gone a huge brown dropped down to the tail.  In water barely covering its dorsal, waking beaver like, began terrorizing the smaller trout intent on sucking down the last of the spent mayflies.

Switching quickly to a bugger, each time he came by in range I took aim and pitched in front...twice he actually hit the fly...no, not a take just a collision...like crashed into...Before it ended I probably had 20 chances...you would a thought he might a snagged hisownself and...OK really did want to get my grubby paws on the bastard, mind you just to see how big...Honest injun...Yes I do know snagging trout is illegal, not at all fair, definitely unethical and probably immoral but c'mon now....Can you really blame me? 

Montana Outdoors--Birds, Bears and More Birds...

Vermillion Flycatcher

Pyrrhuloxia

I haven't been posting as often of late mostly because I'm heavy into writing a new book...Birding Trails Montana...to be published next year sometime by Sandhill Crane Press, an imprint of Wilderness Adventures Press...which of course is the publisher of three of the four books I've had published. Anyway the list is long and by the time the book hits the streets it will no doubt have grown into yet another pretty fat tome...so be it.

Montana as you may or may not know boasts a pretty long list of birds...400+ actually...Loosely organized into birds that nest here; birds don't nest here but show up with fair regularity on their way to and from someplace else...migrants...and birds such as the two above...which rarely show up and when they do never fail to leave a last impression...To me vagrants or accidentals beg the obvious...like what (or perhaps more to the point, how) the hell you guys doin' way up here when your distribution chart clearly shows a distinct love for fun in the sun and sands of the desert southwest...Well as I say your reporter is no way near wise enough to answer that one; actually I'm hard pressed to even so much as hazard a guess.

But spying the pair on the Montana bird list did pique my interest so I did a little research and while I still wonder what/how the hell I did learn where the pair showed up...The pyrrhuloxia was observed in Billings; the vermillion flycatcher in Victor...Any way you cut it a far piece from home, eh?

On another track I read this morning Pennsylvania hunters killed nearly 4000 bears in the season just ended; no not a record kill but does rank second all time to I think 2005 when just over 4000 bears bit the dust...And we think we got a lot of bears...

On yet another track this one something of personal tragedy...Annie still is not completely healed from her rattler encounter, (October 20). Although at times you would never know it. Except for the now near hairless, obviously atrophied foot and rear leg in the yard and around the house she appears her old self. But turn her loose on the prairie and she soon tires...The good news is she seems to get a little better each day. As such we continue to hope before the season ends we will at least be able to get in a few licks.

Meanwhile Kate's still hanging in there; perhaps no better but no worse either. Then every once in awhile she makes a point of reminding us the eyes might be gone but the nose still works...Daily we take Annie up into the sagebrush either to actually hunt Huns or just practice on sage hens...Anyway the other afternoon we took Kate along. The wind was blowing pretty good and right out the truck obvious she got a snoot full ...Gale could hardly hold the old girl back...Nose to the wind, bound and determined, and not about to be denied she tugged Gale ever onward... The birds left before she could catch up but still...like how nifty is that

Fly Fishing: Fly Friday

English River Keeper, Frank Sawyer designed the Pheasant Tail Nymph to imitate Baetis nymphs aka blue-wing olives or “olives” as we hoity-toity fly chuckers say. Whatever you call it PT is, if not the oldest of modern nymphs tis right up there. When exactly the first PT dropped from Sawyer’s vice is more than I know but when his book Nymphs and the Trout hit the streets in 1958…well the rest as they say is history. In the half century and change since the original version is all but lost, especially amongst the brethren this side the big pond.

Age aside the PT has to be one most fiddled with nymphs ever—you have your Sawyer PT, Peacock Thorax aka American PT, Olive, Yellow, (you name it) PT, Flashback PT, Soft-hackle PT, Bead-head PT, Bead-head Flash-back, Bead-head Soft Hackle PT, Micro-tube PT (ya got me?) Quasimodo PT and on and on; and yes, no doubt, I missed a few.

One reason for all the fiddling is the PT in its many variations imitates way more than the “olives” as originally intended. To me properly-sized (perhaps tweak the color a bit) mimics close enough just about any mayfly nymph and from what the trout tell me not a bad caddis/yellow sally/calibaetis/chronomids or, as I say, you name it. If I were to guess as to its near universal appeal I’d say Sawyer flat out nailed the silhouette…But who knows? Yet another one those imponderables just is and let it go at that, eh?

Fly Fishing: Fly Friday...

...Not long after devoting self to becoming the High Priest of fly chuckers that I found in a heap of socks and underwear beneath the Xmas tree a box marked "Master Guide Fly Tying Kit" or something along those lines...And so began yet another quest...Master...well, you know... 

With nothing much to go on save knowing what a proper trout fly should look like and not a clue--other than a few crude line drawings included in the MGFTK Instruction Manual (at no additional cost, imagine)--how to roll a trout fly...proper or otherwise...

...Well, as was my style back in the day (and some might say continues unabated all these many years later) I gave the  "Instruction Manual" the once over...Then proceeded to whip one up MY WAY...No surprise then the OM pretty much blew it off, "Nice son, but for now think I'll keep on buyin' mine at Dewey's (local sporting goods store). Later he really took me down a peg or two when I heard him say to an uncle, "Don't tell the boy but to me it looked more like a crippled bird."

OK so it might take awhile to rise to the top of the heap, eh?

Admittedly, the Stimulator (above) fell off the vice several decades later...But c'mon now, you gotta admit this baby is way more "proper" than your basic "crippled bird"...Right? Right.

OK any illusions of rising to the top of the fly chucker/tier heap (or to the top of any heap actually) have long since been flushed down the drain. For many years now I've been content in knowing some of my deliveries will fool some of the trout some of the time and for me that is more than good enough all of the time. I know also that of a dozen Stimis rolling off the vice at least a couple in the bunch will turn out "proper" enough to fool at least the dumbest trout in the pool...the rest? Who cares...for if the past half century and change flailings (failings) have taught me one thing...always another pool and...you guessed it...yet another dummy in waiting...Don't spread it around but bottom feeding really ain't all that bad a deal...over and out

Fly Fishig: Times Past and Far Away Places

Early on I discovered the Hornberg...Wet or dry didn't seem to matter so long as I pitched 'em on the straight and narrow...

...but that was later. In the beginning we drowned garden hackle but the bait of choice, seined minnows--run stripers in case you are interested--really got it done. We fished almost exclusively for half-starved brook trout since Pap ran the show and as far as I know never in all his life fished anywhere near where the stock trucks dumped "those friggin' fakes the bastards try to pawn off as trout." Pap was, you might say, somewhat opinionated when it came to fish and fishing methods. Later after I had decided to dedicate my life to becoming an "expert" fly chucker, Pap snorted at the idea. Said to the old man, "Charlie there's somethin' wrong with the boy, I mean, gezzus mighty, fishin' a sissy stick!!!

But as I say flies came later; half-starved brookies were flat out suckers for a strung up "minnie" as we called 'em.  And while it took a few seasons to get the hang of it by the time I graduated high school, not to brag, the hardest part of hauling a limit (8 daily, 6-inch minimum) was keeping the minnies alive in the jar, e.g. for the uninitiated in the audience, "dead minnies work but not for much."  Pap... 


Spinning rods were out there I guess but I didn't own one. Instead made do with telescoping steel poles and later el cheapo bamboo which of course were better though not much. My first bamboo was made somewhere in Asia--probably Japan--back in the day "Made in Japan" was something of a sick joke. The OM won it on a punch board at the Legion and I'm pretty sure the only reason he gave it to me was to try and appease Mom for yet another boys late night out. But that was their business. The important thing was "I" was now proud owner of a "real fly rod" and...Well, as they say, the rest is history; albeit a rather convoluted tale which I will continue to post off and on in the near future as time and duty dictate...over and out...

Fly Fishing: Fly Friday

The Black Magic is one of many spinoffs of the venerable Chernobyl Ant...What the trout think is of course more than I know? But if I was a hungry trout...well I'd be hard pressed to let a buggy lookin' critter such as it is pass by...And probably that's all there is to it...Another one of those imponderables just is...

In my boat, as an attractor patterns go the Black Magic ranks right up there with the Wulffs, Purple Haze, Stimis, PMXs, Gypsy Kings and all the rest. Some days it really is "magic" especially anytime the light dims--early mornings, storm clouds rolling in, darkness falling--but there are days particularly on the upper Big Hole when trout gobble it all day long, bright sun, high cloudless sky be damned...

Such a day last summer serves as prime example...Two older, as in more ancient than even your intrepid reporter, N.C. gentlemen scoffed as I rigged their leaders with Magics...John Robert actually guffawed quite nasty like I might adds...."Sam I told ya'll we shoulda canceled soon as Al pawned us off on Chuck here...In all my days ain't never seen a guide tie on a stupider lookin' bug and two of 'em mind!!!"

Fast forward now to lunchtime...See the pair of Magics, one bears no legs and most of the wing is missing; the other minus a pair legs, just a few wisps of wing hair remains and half the foam body is flat out gone! What you thinkin' now Bro? Chuck you are the MAN! No less a friggin' genius...I rest my case.

Fly Fishing: Why God Made Bourbon...

...spring creeks and tailwaters may not be the Montana's only game in town but to me trumps chopping holes in the ice...period, end of discussion...even if getting around in the snow can and often is a wee bit too much like trying to navigate on stilts...

Chucking bugs in a blizzard is certainly nothing new...your intrepid reporter has been card carrying participant for oh, say three decades and counting. Nor is really all that tough. With today's gear--breathable waders, cushy winter friendly under armor, rubber soled wading shoes (no more felt thank you), windproof fleece, neoprene fishing gloves and such--why hell, most days the toughest part is knockin' little ice from the guides every now and then. Especially if you have the luxury of living close to open trout water and can pick and choose when and when not to go.

Once you get past the idea of freezing your butt, losing fingers, toes and/or the end of your nose to frostbite
or worse, perish the thought, eating skunk you just might find winter fly fishing...dare I say it...kick ass fun. Don't spread it around but trout--especially those lucky enough to live the Life of Reilly immersed in water never freezes; not all that different temperature-wise than early spring or late fall--do eat, most days anyway; better still eat pretty much the same stuff you might try feeding in say July--true story, really. Oh the bugs might be a wee bit smaller than standard fare--#22 midge instead of #18 bwo; you might better slow down the bugger retrieve a little...but in the end winter operations aren't much different than any other season...just a wee bit chillier is all...And that folks is precisely Why God Made Bourbon...here's to ya...

Fly Fishing: Fly Friday...

Pat's Stone, or as we know it in this neck of woods, Pat's Rubberlegs, or just plain Rubberlegs, or perhaps more to the point, the "turd" in the ever popular and productive rig, "the turd and the worm" is indeed one of those "simple ties for simple folks." Best thing is the damn thing catches trout almost anytime, almost anywhere.

So far as I know the "turd" is the handiwork of one Pat Bennett, a guide of some notoriety who works out of Hyde in Idaho, primarily on the Henry's and South Fork of the Snake...At least that's what I hear...

Anyway, as flies go the "turd" is a really simple concoction...lead wire base, chenille body and of course the rubber tails, antennae and legs but...DO NOT SUB rubber for the real deal Flexi Floss or you will I promise be sorry...Yes, the Flexi really does make a difference...Who knows, ask the trout...In other words another of those imponderables just is...

I fish 'em in sizes 4-10 with size 8 probably the most effective day in day out in tandem usually with a San Juan Worm but sometimes some other nymph beneath a bobber. On freestone rivers such as the Big Hole it is a rare day I don't give the "turd and worm" at least a chance to strut its stuff...I can't tell you how many days the pair has saved my butt...And from what I hear most other local guides would second that idea in a heartbeat.

On another track there has been yet another grizz/hunter run-in this one on the Rocky Mountain Front...
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20111111/NEWS01/111110327 

Bears, Bears and....

...more bears! Black bears, grizzly bears, bears in the news almost every day...Run-ins with hunter, run-ins with poachers, run-ins with idiots, run-ins in town, run-ins in wilderness, run-ins everywhere...Pray tell just what the hell is goin' on....To get an idea check out the links below   (click photos to enlarge)

Two Cited for Bloody Bear Bowhunt in a Montana Town....    http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/crime/article_2e1da2e4-09a0-11e1-9b52-001cc4c002e0.html

 Black Bear on Campus Prompts Lockdown....   http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2011-11-02/features/os-bear-scare-high-school-20111031_1_lockdown-ocala-national-forest-tree

 Montana: Nine Grizzlies Trapped and Transferred in Two Weeks                      http://www.dailyinterlake.com/news/local_montana/article_7d070610-01db-11e1-9e25-001cc4c002e0.html

Grand Teton Elk Hunter Injured By Bear
http://www.rexburgstandardjournal.com/news/bear-injures-hunter-in-grand-teton-park/article_e31495e6-03c8-11e1-bd9b-001cc4c03286.html

Grizzly Activity Closes Another Montana Trail
http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/article_24fb464b-7afc-5e52-8e7d-b3d388b394ef.html

 Bear Attack Leaves Hunter with 40 Stitches
http://www.twincities.com/ci_19211117?source=most_viewed

Montana Elk Hunter Injured in Grizzly Attack
http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/article_4c9067d8-fdc6-11e0-86e3-001cc4c03286.html

Grizzly Takes a Swipe at a Wyoming Hunter
http://www.powelltribune.com/news/item/8883-hunter-attacked-by-grizzly

 And believe it or not those are just headlines dating back to October 18!....Do you suppose the bears got together over summer and decided something like "OK sharpen your claws tis high time we get even"...over and out...

Snow Goose and Tundra Swan Migration...

...is apparently in full swing judging how just about every puddle we passed yesterday was brimming with both species; and it seemed all afternoon you could hear their cries as flock after flock passed high overhead. Swans setting down on local lakes and ponds this time of year is an annual event. But most years, for whatever reasons, snow geese pass us by; rarely do we see many on the water. No doubt the visit will be short one so...                           (as always click photos to enlarge)

Note the two swans in the right hand corner wondering it appears like c'mon you  guys what's all the fuss is about?

Tundra swans: pens, cobs, cygnets...

...OK quiz time. Pen is the ???? Cob the ???? And cygnet ???? Hint: there are two cygnets in the above photo...Answer: the off color pair at the front of the group. You know that right, just like you know Pens are females and Cobs are males...Those of you who aced this short quiz take a bow...Those who failed, well what can I say...

Snakebite Victim Update...

It's been 15 days since Gale shot this gruesome photo; some 12 hours after Annie's run in with a rattler in the grass beside Freezeout Lake. As I posted previously up until a week ago the leg was not looking good, things were not going well. She would not drink unless forced to and was eating very little. She would not put her foot down instead continued to hop about on three legs...Trust me, for us it was damn frustrating, difficult to deal with and tough to watch. But then last weekend something of drastic turn for the good, the swelling began disappearing, the discoloration began to fade, and every now and then she started using her foot. Better still she began eating although still not drinking anywhere near normal, she did drink.

The above two photos shot a couple days ago show how fast the healing is progressing. The swelling is gone, hair is growing in and except for the two places where dead skin sloughed (also sloughed between her toes where the snake hit) if it weren't for the short hairs you would never know. Especially if you saw her running through the snow this morning...leaping Annie of old fashion from the concrete to the deck...twice mind you...Well hell, can you blame us for cheerin' like two little kids at Christmas...Anyway Dandy Annie is if not herownself at last, my take is she's damn close...Hooray!

The "Last Best River In the Last Best Place" Is Today Even Better...

thanks to Montana's Future Fisheries program. Since 2006 more than 32 miles of the Big Hole River and tributary streams—including Bryant, Swamp, LaMarche, Rock, Big Lake, South Fork Big Swamp, Fishtrap, Berry and Deep creeks—have been or will be restored or protected by the projects.

Projects have included riparian fencing to protect stream banks, stream-channel restoration, and the restoration of riparian areas by planting native grasses and shrubs. In addition, restoration workers installed fish ladders to allow fish passage and constructed additional pools in the river to improve grayling habitat, fashioned hardened cattle crossings, laid pipelines, installed water-measuring devices, and built solar paneled stock-water wells and stock-watering areas. The new stock-watering areas are designed to encourage grazing away from the stream to protect stream-side vegetation and to improve late-summer flows critical for fish survival.

Most of the work is taking place on lands owned by ranchers participating in the nation's largest federally approved Conservation Candidate Agreement with Assurances program. Approved by FWP and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services in 2006, the Big Hole River CCAA includes 32 local landowners with 152,139 acres of private land and 6,030 acres of state land enrolled.

For the rest of the story, work that is ongoing all across the state go to http://fwp.mt.gov/habitat/futureFisheries/

Don't Put Away the Fly Rods Yet...

...November is prime time for hooking into the fattest trout of the season. As these photos show...

Fall brown trout are fat, happy and hungry...

So too brook trout; as both are fall spawners and need major calories to survive the rigorous event...

Rainbows spawn in spring but cooling water temperatures trigger the instinct to put on as much weight as possible to fend off the harsh, lean winter just around the corner...

The old adage big fish/big fly certainly applies most any season...

...But come November you can hardly go wrong pitchin' the biggest, nastiest, meatiest lookin' ties in the box...

Norhwest Montana...

...features one eye-popping scenic after another...Here are a few we captured on the aborted ruffed grouse hunt I posted previously...Not so hot eatin' wise but a for sure eye feast....

Swan Lake Fishing Access Site

Mission Mountain Wilderness

Placid Lake State Park

And before you sharp-eyed viewers scream foul...I must confess to fiddling with these a bit in Lightroom 3.5 which I am at the moment trying my damnedest to master...These were tweaked using the presets in the Develop Module...Not much to master there since all that is necessary is a mouse click and deciding whether or not you like what you see or...next preset...Oh well, to my eye these turned out pretty damn nifty...Right? Right...

Snakebite Victim Update...

This picture had become all too familiar up until yesterday that is....

...finally after countless water baths, wet towel treatments, pill battles (Annie does not do pills period, end of discussion) several injections (not havin' needles either)...not drinking, eating little, hopping around on three legs...as I say finally yesterday she put foot down (for the most part), drank some and ate pretty good...Hooray!

Ten long pain filled (for Annie), fretful, frustrating, fearful (for us) days since a rattler nailed her in the foot. Up until yesterday the hoped for, though highly unlikely, quick healing process seemed to us negligible at best and two three days ago seemed to take several steps backward--dead in the water actually.

Gale and me already stressed by a string of events that included constant worry, no sleep, unanswered questions, vet visits which by then had become almost a daily occurrence; to say nothing of shattered nerves which led to ridiculous shouting matches--admittedly foolish and certainly doing nothing for Annie's equally stressed out condition--well, as I say two, three days ago we had all just about had IT...

Then yesterday morning, the threat looming of a whole day in the vet's office administering intravenous fluids due to Annie's baffling refusal to drink or for that matter eat much of anything...suddenly a breakthrough she ate pretty good, drank some and wonder of wonders actually walked on all four feet...

Actually the swelling has all but disappeared from her lower leg and foot and except for up under in the groin area the only redness is where some "superficial dead skin" has sloughed off..."Looks pretty good according to vet" which as you might imagine sounds pretty sweet at this point...So there you have it, perhaps not quite out the woods yet but damn close...With any luck at all the next update will include a shot similar to this one...

Feels Like Fall Today...

...As the temperature barely made it out the 30s...And while I would not bet the farm on such a fickle sister as Montana weather I am pretty sure we've seen the last of Indian Summer...The leaves, really colorful just a day or so ago have suddenly tinted toward brown and in the backyard already a couple aspens are bare. Won't be long until all the leaves are gone and we all know what that means...Yikes, hard to imagine another winter lies just around the corner...

While we haven't seen the last of the honey bees no doubt their visits will be few and far between in the upcoming weeks...

From the sound of it the last of the sandhill cranes boogied this morning...Already a week or so ago we noticed their numbers out on the East Bench (staging area) had thinned considerably...Always sort of sad to see these beautiful birds go but then again if they stayed around all winter what would we have to look forward to come early spring...

Tis a shame we don't have bracken fern here in southwest Montana to color up the fall woods; always makes me a little envious of the folks in northwest Montana...but on second thought we got way more trout and way fewer folks so...Ah, forget it...

How's this for proof the fall so far has been warmer than usual...this poppy bloomed next to deck two days ago and last night Jack Frost killed it but still...

On another way more serious track Annie is still hurtin'. And today especially has not been one of her best...she was putting weight on her foot yesterday but since this morning has been reluctant to put any weight on it. Plus the bruising and discoloration is all the way up her leg and looks much more sore than it did a couple days ago...Add to that the dead skin is starting to slough (something we all hoped would not happen) and...Well, I'm afraid she is in for not only a long painful haul but a serious one besides...Yeah, we got our fingers and toes crossed on this one and trust me, I would gladly eat all the crow the healing gods care to serve up...

Rattlesnake Bite Brings Our Bird Hunting to a Sudden Halt...

...hopefully not permanent but I must say right now this ol' boy's heart just ain't in it...For some I suppose such incidents are but a bump in the road for us it's a nightmare we hoped would never happen...But when you think about it 50 plus years of runnin' bird dogs in snake country I suppose it's a nightmare just waiting to happen. But the way this wreck occurred makes you wonder just what the hell I did to anger the hunting gods...Thursday morning dawned cold, around 20 degrees in Dillon...up Freezeout Lake who knows but the forecast for later was for cloudy skies, chilly north wind and temps in the low to mid 50s...Not exactly the sort of weather one would expect to run into a rattler, at least not one warm enough to do much harm. But 10 minutes into the hunt and no more than 40 yards from open water not at all the sort of place one expects to run into rattlers especially in late October given no rattler in its right mind would den that close to lake in low grass, not a rock in sight...Damn what the hell was it doin' there in the first beginning is a mystery I will no doubt never know the answer and will probably take to my grave wondering...Anyway Annie was hot on the trail of rooster, apparently passed too close and came out of it on three legs in great pain and no doubt wondering as I what the hell...since there was no warning buzz, nothing just a hurt for certain dog and a goddamn worried pair geezers...

The snake hit her with just one fang between the toes. At first there was no swelling, as I say no indication what the hell, but by the time we got her to a vet (in Choteau 12 miles up the road) the foot and leg were swollen big time and poor Annie was by then really hurtin' Because we could not be certain what had happened (no snake in hand) the vet put her on a powerful pain killer and two antibiotics...And hoping for the best as you can imagine we spent a restless night in the camper but come morning the swelling and bruising was much worse so on her advice we headed to Dillon hoping our vet would know and...She took one look and said nothing else but so here we are...

As you can see the damage is extensive, the worry of course is should the skin crack the healing process will no doubt be long and painful...Hoping to nix that we are bathing the leg in warm water every couple hours doing our damnedest to keep her from standing around (apparently the pain is such she is reluctant to sit or lay down) and instead lying down...so far we have not been all that successful. Another worry is the venom could destroy the coagulation properties in her blood and what that means is more than I can say but am sure it ain't good...Vet is supposed to let us know anytime so...Whatever I'd be surprised if we do any more bird hunting this season...But if all turns out OK then of course would be a small price to pay and one we'll gladly ante up...