Well, the girl in the video has purse contents  more similar to what I have in mine.  See what her top 5 items to pack in her purse are, and make sure you watch number five!  As long as you know how to safely and accurately use and store everything you “carry”, more power to you!

Directors assist in selecting projects, participate in outreach and help plan the annual banquet. Board Meetings are generally held monthly (sometimes by teleconference) and Directors serve 3-year terms. If you want to make a difference in Western Montana – please consider volunteering!

Put your fishing poles away while checking out the rainbow trout at the Jocko River Trout Hatchery.  The hatchery, which sits on 62 acres in Arlee, Montana, is owned by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.  I have never seen so many trout at once, and it was pretty cool to feed them and watch them act like piranhas getting to the food.

“The Arlee strain of rainbow trout is used extensively in Fish, Wildlife & Parks management of lakes and reservoirs,” according to the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks website.  ”Arlee rainbow trout eggs are produced here and are shipped to other Montana state production stations where they are raised for stocking.”

Ron Snyder, FWP Fish Culturist, was explaining what they do with the fish at the hatchery)

We were greeted by Ron Snyder, an FWP fish culturist working at the hatchery, when the Captain, Jason Maxwell and I stopped by to check out the facility.  Ron gave us a tour of one of the buildings that included hundreds of young, recently hatched rainbows that were completely albino.

There were a few big albinos (pictured above) hanging with the older ones outside of the building, too.  Although, they have no plans on stocking the albinos at this time, it’s cool to see them there.  I had never been to a fish hatchery before, so it was pretty awesome to see rainbows as big as we did and also to see as many as we did–and feed them!

(There were so many baby fish in there, it looked like the bottom of the pool was black)

So, the next time you are heading through Arlee, if you aren’t on a time crunch, I suggest you stop by the Jocko River Trout Hatchery, just off of Hwy 93, and make sure you say hello to Ron and take a look and see how big the big rainbows have gotten.

Be sure to post any pictures on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/montanaoutdoor) when you do make it there!

Sign up time is here for the popular Open Fields for Game Bird Hunters program.

Open Fields for Game Bird Hunters is a voluntary program that pays landowners an add-on payment for lands enrolled in the federal Conservation Reserve Program. Open Fields is aimed at conserving Montana’s productive game bird habitats enrolled in CRP—and at providing additional public hunting access for upland game bird hunting.

Counties eligible for program participation are: Cascade, Chouteau, Daniels, Dawson, Fallon, Fergus, Glacier, McCone, Pondera, Prairie, Richland, Roosevelt, Sheridan, Teton, Toole, Valley, and Wibaux. The program is available for new or existing CRP-enrolled lands that have a minimum of three years left on the contract.

“Open Fields clearly has helped producers with their decision to enroll their land in CRP,” said Jeff Hagener, director of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks in Helena.

For contract terms five years and greater, the CRP acres may incur one haying or grazing event. Scheduled maintenance or an emergency provision is considered one event. CRP acres enrolled for three and four years are not eligible for any haying or grazing events.

In return, participating landowners receive $5-per-acre each year the land is enrolled in the program. Enrolled lands must be clearly posted for walk-in game bird hunting. Because this program is intended to expand areas open to the public for game bird hunting, lands that are already enrolled in FWP’s Block Management Program or the Upland Game Bird Enhancement Program do not qualify.

Applications for Open Fields for Game Bird Hunters may be submitted May 20 through June 14. For more information and an application, visit FWP online at fwp.mt.gov; then click “For Fish & Wildlife Information.”

Send applications to: Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks – Wildlife Division; Attention: Upland Game Bird Habitat Enhancement Program; P.O. Box 200701; Helena, MT 59620.

For details, contact FWP at: 406-444-2612, or by e-mail: fwpwld@mt.gov.

The Onyx Type III Flotation Jacket, in particular, is a heavy-duty jacket that has a built-in personal flotation device that is Coast Guard approved!  According to sportsmansguide.com, these jackets provide better hypothermia protection than a traditional life vest and are comfortable for all-day wear.

The coolest thing about these is that a lot of people don’t wear life jackets while they are boating, but they have life jackets in the boat.  With a flotation jacket, you are protected as long as you’re wearing your jacket!

The price tag on this particular PFD jacket is somewhere around $100.00.  I am pretty sure I will be adding one of these to my hunting/trapping/fishing wardrobe collection.

On May 16, 2013, Wardens investigated a dead grizzly bear in the Star Meadows area northwest of Kalispell, more specifically Sanko Creek. Initial investigation showed that the light colored bear died from a gunshot wound. Anyone with any information is urged to call 1-800-TIPMONT, or Game Warden Chris Crane 406-249-6231.

Callers can remain anonymous and a reward may be available.

Canyon Ferry: The spring rainbow trout spawn is slowing down a bit, but some fish continue to cruise shorelines throughout the reservoir. Shore anglers are doing well at most access points, especially Chainmen’s, the Outhouse and Confederate using worms, spoons or bead head nymphs. Boat anglers are doing fair by tolling cowbells (tipped with worms), crankbaits or spoons in 5 to 30 feet of water. Walleye anglers are catching fish when the weather allows throughout the south end of the reservoir. Trolling shallow with crankbaits or worm harnesses is producing the most fish. No report for yellow perch or ling. Use caution at boat ramps throughout the reservoir as water levels are low in preparation for spring runoff. Adam Strainer, FWP, Helena

Hauser: Some rainbows are being caught at York Bridge and Riverside from shore while using marshmallows or worms. Boat anglers are finding rainbows while trolling cowbells or rapalas around Devil’s Elbow, Riverside and Black Sandy. Lake Helena walleye fishing is slow with only a few being caught. Hauser walleye and perch fishing is slow. Troy Humphrey, FWP, Helena

Holter: Good rainbow fishing can be found while trolling cowbells tipped with a worm, Little Cleo’s or Triple Teasers around Split Rock and Cottonwood Creek. Shore action is fair around Departure Point and Log Gulch while using Powerbait or worms. An occasional walleye or perch is being caught while using bottom bouncers. Troy Humphrey, FWP, Helena

If you went by the Lolo Community Center this past weekend, then you most likely saw the full parking lot at the Montana Trappers Association’s Heritage Celebration!

One of the interesting seminars that I checked out at the event was a muskrat trapping seminar.  It was really neat to learn the benefits of trapping them and how to go about it, even if you have never done it before. Lloyd Priest of Lolo, who was decked out in his buckskins, demonstrating how bullets were casted and described how primitive things were back in the day.  He even shot his musket, using a cork as ammo, for safety reasons.

Miss Rodeo and Miss Teen Rodeo were on-site selling raffle tickets and signing autographs.  They were especially blinged out this past weekend wearing their awesome fur vests donated by the Montana Trappers Association.

The winners of the trap-setting contests posed for a picture with Miss Rodeo and Miss Teen Rodeo

One of my favorite events was the trap-setting contests.  There were youth and adult categories, and let me tell ya that it is impressive to watch these!  The District 2 Director of the Montana Trappers Association, Toby Walrath, decided to test his trap-setting skills in the video below and ended up placing 1st in one adult contest category and 2nd in another.  Way to go!

After bidding on silent auction items, purchasing raffle tickets and checking out the various vendor booths, it was time to head out–but, not before taking a walk through a historical trapper’s cabin.  There was even way more going on than what we experienced, so I look forward to trying to catch everything next year.

It was a very fun and educational weekend, and I will definitely be back–I hope to see you there, too!

Jason got the first catch of the day!

The day started with three anglers…all seeking professional slots at some point, and a couple believing they are already there (not naming names).  It was salmon fishing time at Lake Mary Ronan this past Sunday. JIGGIN TIME!

The Captain, Jason Maxwell and Angela Montana (that’s me) all set out on a mission to see who could catch the most salmon…Jason ended up with the first catch (pictured on the left), while the Captain followed suit doing his part in filling the cooler.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t seem to get a bite to save my life!  Fish after fish, Jason and the Captain were bringing them in the boat, while I just kept checking my line to make sure my bait was still there.

The Captain was trying to figure out what Jason was doing to catch those salmon!

Thank goodness, Jens, the LMR Guru, showed up on his white horse after approximately half an hour of nothing for me.  Okay, he was in a boat and not really on a horse, and he was with his buddy Rick, but they might as well have been a horse, as his tips and suggestions were exactly what I needed to get the salmon biting on my line.  Who knew shrimp could be so appealing in a lake that doesn’t even normally have shrimp in it?

Anyway, after approximately two hours, the three of us limited out with a total of 30 salmon, with my biggest being 11 1/2 inches long….which is one of the biggest fish we caught–just sayin..and we decided to do some catch-and-release for a bit before we headed back to shore.

It was a phenomenal day on the water with the skies remaining, for the most part, overcast, but the temperature sticking on the mild side at around 55 degrees.  We started out using shrimp and maggots with some Lunker Lotion (aka “juice”), and, eventually, ditched the maggots and just used shrimp while chumming with corn.  The Captain even ended up catching his last catch-and-release salmon using just corn and “juice”.

Let me tell ya…I am looking forward to heading back out there soon, as I can officially say that I love jiggin for salmon!

Special thanks to the Captain, Jason, Jens and Rick for a great day!

Jens, the LMR Guru, gave me advice and tips to get the salmon biting.

Rick, part of the “white horse” calvary!

It worked!!! Thank you, Jens!

The young bear had chased down her dog, and when her husband stepped out to call the dog in, the bear took him down. The bear bit his neck and back, and  while he was trying to escape was tackled again just feet from the front door. The few blows Marie Ninneman planted on the bears head with her shotgun were enough to detract the bear allow her husband and her  and dog Maddie to retreat back into their cabin. They then called the cops, and a deputy shot the bear after he ran towards his car.