Whether it is by land or water this weekend Montana anglers and hunters can have some fun and benefit a couple of worthy causes. On land, Bob Wards will be occupying the Deer Creek Shooting Center August 4th for their 9th annual Shooters Saturday. Proceeds from the shooting demo this year will benefit Buck Up For Wounded Warriors. Bob Ward’s has teamed up with hunting brands Federal, Remington, Browning and Vortex Optics, to raise funds for “Buck Up”, whose mission is to provide Combat Veterans and their Families with a Support Team, tools, and training required to successfully transition into their community as a productive and independent survivor. (www.buckupforwoundedwarriors.com). The event hours will be 10am-4pm and there will be no charge for spectators but there is a charge to demo guns and shoot. Proceeds from shooting tickets in the past have been donated by Bob Ward’s to various outdoor and sporting related causes. “Last year we teamed up with Tough Enough to Wear Pink”, added Chad Ward of Bob Wards, “this year we are proud to be able to help the Buck Up for Wounded Warriors organization”.
Babes and Bullets another shooting event at Deer Creek Range sponsored by Bob Wards for women was held a couple of weeks ago and money generated during that event went to Tough Enough to Wear Pink. “Shooters Saturday is an opportunity for gun enthusiasts to shoot rifles, shotguns, and handguns from a wide variety of manufactures, we encourage everyone to attend because this is a shooting event for folks that are novices as well as experts”, said Ward. There will be experienced staff, vendors and volunteers on hand to assist all shooters. Children under 18 years must be by a parent in order to shoot. Sunday August 5th they will have the event at the Rocker Gun Range in the Butte area.
On the water, the annual Camp-mak-a-dream Walleye Tournament benefit will also be held this Saturday August 4th on the waters of Canyon Ferry Reservoir. The walleye fishing reports have been fairly consistent recently on the Canyon Ferry so if you want to help out a great cause and catch some walleyes head on over. “The tournament is open to families, friends, grandparents and anyone ready to have a fun time, “said Carol Henckel who is helping organize the derby. You can sign up your entire boat for only $60 with all the money going to Camp-mak-a-dream except for $10 of which goes to habitat development on Canyon Ferry. If you want more information contact Carol Henckel at 406-633-2598. “Peggy Lawver and I will be camping at the Silos public campground on the south end of Canyon Ferry so folks that wish to sign up can do it with us there,” said Henckel. You also may sign up Saturday morning before the tournament.
As I mentioned earlier the walleye fishing has been good in the early morning and late evening on Canyon Ferry. The fishing has been better mid reservoir around Goose Bay and White Earth. “We fished for about a total of two hours in between storms that came through and we caught 8 walleyes last Saturday evening on the south end by Pond 4”, said Steve Hellegaard from Missoula. Leeches tipped on a floating jig head behind a bottom bouncer seemed to work the best in 11 feet of water.
