No more excuses!

You non-Montana residents - rip off your watches and throw them down in the gravel (ala Captain America in the movie "Easy Rider" - 1971). Move to Montana!

I love to tell a story with a happy ending!

In this case this story may just convince each and every one of you to pack up and move to Montana if you do not already live here!

It all started yesterday at 5:30 PM just as I returned home from the Rifle range. It had been a good session at the range and 32 Antelope were bedded and some feeding in the ranges proper! Many were new of the year and simply would not hold still or slow down even in the afternoon heat (88 degrees)! After all they did not have to worry about liquid like their mothers did. They could just walk over and suckle from the moms. The nearest water was a long way from the thick grass of the Rifle range and the mothers were more interested in grazing and walking slowly while feeding and bedding down often. The Doe Antelope would have no part at all in the frolicking of the fawns! It was amusing and fascinating to watch the fawns scamper and head butt each other into racing around the often times bedded adults.

Anyway at 5:30 PM my phone rings and it is my old and dear friend from far NW Washington! He is now at a ranch in far SE Montana (1,300 miles from his home!). I knew he was in Montana on a Varmint Safari and was at first thrilled to hear from him. He immediately relayed a tale of woe in regards to losing his wallet, drivers license, credit cards and a large amount of cash therein! He, though, was certain he had left the wallet in his jacket at a small cafe in Belgrade, Montana. Belgrade was about 500 miles from him but only 100 miles from me! My friend Ron had put his jacket on the back of his chair while eating and his partner paid so no need to dig out his wallet. He discovered the wallet missing when they arrived in Montanas version of Timbuktoo at 5:00 PM! They were not sure of the name of the cafe but described its location. They had no phone book for the area and were at a loss as to how to figure out the name of the restaurant etc.

I got all the info I could and volunteered (of course) to retrieve said wallet if at all possible! My friend was in a state (as would be I!) fearing the worst, with his bundle of Safari money, the credit cards and his drivers license being A.W.O.L.! What a fix!

I called every restaurant I could imagine in the area and all denied having his distinctive coat or the wallet! All the restaurants except one! The name of this restaurant was Mama Macs in the 4 corners area of Belgrade. No answer of my calls at 6:00 PMish. I called the Gallatin County Sheriffs office and spoke with an extremely helpful dispatcher by the name of Joyce. She dispatched a Deputy Sheriff to see if anyone was at the restaurant. The dispatcher thought this cafe closed early and maybe someone was there doing dishes or something. No luck! The restaurant was closed and no one around! The cafes hours were 6:00 AM to 4:00 PM! Dang the luck! My friend was advised and our worries were left unplacated!

Next bright idea of mine was for me to get up at 0400 hours this morning and drive the 100 miles to Belgrade and search for the missing wallet in person. The Gallatin County Sheriffs Department would have no part of that! They would have a Deputy Sheriff Sergeant at the restaurant at 4:00 AM as the cooks arrived then to begin the days baking! I set my alarm for 4:00 AM and shortly I was in phone contact with the Sheriff dispatch center as planned. Things had gone slightly askew though! A major felony had occurred and all available Deputies were otherwise involved. Oh dang I thought! I called the restaurant myself and spoke with the owner/manager "Mary" - yes indeed they had saved the coat and wallet from any spurious fate!

I was so relieved!

I had literally not slept all night! I was so sick with worry. I so wanted my friends to be able to continue their Safari and not have to lose a day cancelling credit cards and ATM cards and all the things that go along with a missing wallet. Let alone the worry over the money! I wanted to race all the way to Belgrade but the hordes of Whitetail Deer crossing the roads all the way to the Madison River kept my speeds well below even the posted speed limits. Once the sun rose though I was cresting the pass between Virginia City and Ennis. I had a view of the Madison River Valley, the Madison range and a sunrise that was so stunningly beautiful I could hardly keep my eyes on the road! Now with the sun up I got the full treatment from Montana - more Antelope herds, grazing Whitetails, Mule Deer, bachelor herds of all Buck Antelope, Ravens, Foxes, a Coyote, Ground Squirrels, an Owl out late, Golden Eagles, Bald Eagles, Ospreys fishing in the Madison, White Pelicans fishing in circles on the Madison - vista after vista that I simply can not describe adequately! The Bear Trap Canyon of the Madison was full of Mule Deer (I saw about 50!) Does and fawns mostly. I even saw a Rooster Pheasant and nearly creamed him as he was gathering gravel along the road! He flushed at my now up to the speed limit approach. Lucky bird.

I finally arrive at Mama Mac's cafe and a horde of Trout Fishing Guides and clients are in the restaurant and the lot! I thought to myself - where I originally came from that wallet would have lasted 4 maybe 6 minutes before it would have been "missing forever"!

I greeted warmly and thanked profusely (Mary the owner?) and her hubby. I relayed to them how they had saved a vacation for a long distance traveller and my old friend! They were just beaming with pride though on their own knowing that they had done a good deed!

I nearly made a pain of myself trying to make them take the reward ($50.00 - was that not enough?) I wanted to give them from myself and warned them my friend would be back their way in about a week and he would not take no for an answer with his reward! They would have no psrt of my reward money! I still wish they would have enjoyed that small perk.

They were busy making lunches for guides and their mostly out of state clients. I made sure as many out of staters as possible in the cafe knew what a good deed the owners had done!

My friend was so relieved when I called with the good news! I may overnight the wallet to him or he may come shooting down thisaway a day on his way home. We will figure it out later.

But the relief in just knowing his credit cards are safe really perked him up! I could tell! They had found a large Prairie Dog Town last night and wanted to get at it as soon as possible and now the coast was clear. They could go enjoy what they had driven 1/25th the way around the earth to do! Shoot Vamrints!

My friend thanked me profusely and I explained I was only to happy to do him a favor for a change. He owns the best gunshop in all of Washington State and for 40+ years he had been doing me good deeds and I was only to happy to do one for him! I told them to get after the Prairie Dogs before the wind comes up!

My trip home was much more relaxing. Indeed I nearly fell asleep at the wheel on one long stretch of road. I stopped and dangled my feet in the Madison River! In itself the Madison river is one of this earths greatest creations! I was happy to see fish rising and the many White Pelicans now napping in the shallows along the banks. I wonder what they eat? Minnows, bugs I will look that up today. I stopped in Ennis, Montana at the wonderful Shedhorn Sports store. The owner Bob greeted me happily and wondered how I came to be up and so far from home so early. i quickly relayed the story. Bob has a lot of wonderful guns and many Varmint Rifles and high end guns. He was just unwrapping two $1,300.00 Cooper single shot Varminters both in caliber 204 Ruger! They both had very pleasing wood and one was especially attractive! I was really tempted to put one on lay-away and sell blood to pay it off! It was really beautiful and the test target was virtually one hole! I will settle for my not so beautiful Ruger 77 V/T for now. But just having a Gunshop in the state that has such high quality Rifles in stock (and he had many more Coopers, Sakos, CZ's, Brownings and the rest just adds some more to Montanas "ambiance"!

I again urge each and every one of you non-Montanans to do what ever it takes! Get over here into Gods Country! Varmint heaven! There is room for a few more good men!

Thank God for the high percentage of really great people in Montana!

Long live Montana!

Hold into the wind

VarmintGuy

I was in Montana week before last on vacation with the family. It is truly a wonderful place. We rode through the Madison valley, stopped at the gunstore in Ennis and saw a lot of the sights you describe. (I'm from Georgia by the way). I'd really like to make another trip there to shoot some of those varmint I saw! There was a small field next to the Hampton that we stayed at in Bozeman that was full of prarie dogs. At Shedhorn's I almost bought a Cooper in 17HMR but decided it was too much trouble to get it on the airplane plus I'd have to buy a gun case (which I don't need).

Gahunter2: I am glad you enjoyed your visit to Montana! The trip from my home in Dillon to Bozeman (via Ennis) is one of my favorite drives! Its 110 miles each way but is well worth it. The Shedhorn folks really get some neat stuff in their shop and the owners are avid Big Game Hunters and do some Varminting also.
I have bought several guns (3 or 4?) from them over the last few years.
Those creatures in the field next to the Hampton are what we call Ground Squirrels or Gophers (Picket Pins, Sage Rats, Furbies etc)! They closely resemble Prairie Dogs but are about 1/3 the size. Most Prairie Dogs get to about 3 pounds when fully grown and I am sure I have shot some that were 3 1/2 pounds! I have pictures along side my Varminters for any doubting Thomas's. A big Ground squirrel is about a pound.
The nearest Prairie Dogs to Bozeman that I know of are about 40 miles to the east. Then they are continuous from there on eastward for the most part.
Hurry back to Montana!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

VG, That 110 mile trip ought not take you guys but about 65-70 minutes!!! I rode with some of the "locals" when I was out there! If you've got a good "goat knocker" built on the front of a truck or "A THUNDERBIRD!!!!!!", it'll take care of the big varmints in the way!! I had to ask "what the hell was that on the front of the car?"......"goat knocker!!!! It ain't no fun to hit an antelope at 90mph!!!" Can't wait to get back out there!!! GHD

Groundhog devastation: You are so right some of the locals drive like there is no tomorrow! And on some occassions that comes true - unfortunately.

A lady that I met about 6 years ago owns a cafe about 45 miles south of my town brags that she can actually make the round trip in an hour! Yes she has been written up many times but day time speeding tickets are a simple pay off to the state trooper on scene (he gives you a receipt!) and the day time speeding is not reported to the state or your insurance agency. It is considered an infraction or something like that! Not a citation. Night time speeding is a citation with the resulting notations to the state and the insurance company.

There is a new small industry here in Montana where huge and indestructable front bumpers are constructed for peoples pickup trucks. They run about $1,500.00 but they protect the radiators (engine and transmission coolers) that are mounted just inside the plastic grills of most new pickups. So the owners can keep on truckin after they smash into large creatures. These fabricators do real well.

Hold into the wind

VarmintGuy

After driving in Atlanta, I thought people in Montana drove slow! Seems like in Montana the speed limit is 70 and people drive 70. In Atlanta it's 55 and people drive 85, bumper to bumper!

Montana is indeed a beautiful State, but I haven't in the 26 years gone by forgotten winter in the high prairies!! derf

VarmintGuy,

What the he_ _ are you doing telling everyone to move to Montana!! It is a great story, and a wonderful ending, but I am getting worried you have lost touch with reality.

Now the cure is easy VarmintGuy, repeat after me, There are no Prairie Dogs in Montana, there are no sage rats in Montana, there are no Coyotes in Montana....thats right, keep it up. A couple hundred times should do it. Feeling better are we???

Later, pdhntr

Derf: I was born on a RAINY day in the middle of July in 1947 near Seattle, Washington.
Derf I would rather deal with ANY climatic condition than rain and gray! I lived in the Seattle area for 50 years. It was bearable but I honestly did not know there were FOUR seasons in a year! In Montana it is an absolute delight to anticipate and view the four distinct seasons and the transition of one to the next. Another perk as far as I am concerned with living in Montana.
The winters here in the SW corner of Montana are beautiful and glorious. It gets cold and it gets windy on occassions but as compared with what I was used to it is way more desirable than rain and gray and penetrating wet cold (46 dgerees!) like an average western Washington winter day. Here in SW Montana it is usually sunny and cool on the average winter day. 18 degrees for the average overnight low and 39 high most winter days. It has gotten to 29 below zero since I moved here 6 years ago but again I prefer that to rain/mist and shadowless gray for months on end like in the Puget Sound area. Some parts of western Montana have long stretches of gray in December, January and February but not where I am.
And the recreation and peace and quiet in the winter here in SW Montana is simply a host of endless opportunities for the outdoorsman and indoor hobbiest. Ice fishing, Varmint Hunting, snowmobiling, skiing, Cougar Hunting, unparralled star gazing, Gun Shows, fly tying, reading, photography, handloading, viewing wintering herds of Big Game and on and on. I look forward to winters here.
Yes the prairies of eastern Montana on a cold and windy day could hamper ones recreation but in many parts of Montana winter days are full of opportunities.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Pdhntr1: I know I always catch hell when I loose control and start making up lies about Montana! I am sorry.
Most states and communities have associations for advertizing the attributes of their states and communities to ATTRACT people. They call these associations names like "Greater Miami" and "Greater Tri-Cities" area.
Maybe you should start an association called "Lesser Montana"! And convince people to move to and start business's in Nebraska or somewhere else!
Yeah I know what you mean - but of the 57 counties in Montana last census 18 counties actually lost population! Some held their own and about 15 gained in population. I think we could handle a couple hundred more Varmint Hunters? Or maybe we should forward them to Nebraska or Colorado?
Just havin fun!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

VarmintGuy,

Also just hav'n a little fun.

I spent 1974 and '75 near the base of Trapper Peak, southwest of Darby, Mt. (Getting my head back together after getting out of the service). The area has changed totally since then. I can't afford 1 acre in the Darby area today!! Your population stats for Mt. indicate the same thing that is going on around here. (N. Wis) And this is trully a concern of mine. The land is being bought up by people that are not from Montana. The true "Montanan" can't afford to live there anymore so they have to move on. The ranches all across Mt. are being sold for millions of dollars to people that have no intention of running it as a ranch. Fewer working ranches, fewer jobs, fewer Cowboys...

The true Montanan is becoming an "endangered species" and this is why your story is important and meaningful. Keep on telling them by all means.

Hope to cross paths with you (a true Montanan) someday.

Later, pdhntr

Pdhntr1: For those that have never seen Trapper Peak there in the Bitterrroot Valley it also is one of the earths most wonderful attributes. It is a beautiful mountain! And I come from beautiful mountain country - i.e. the Cascade Range of Washington State and the Olympic Range as well as having lived in the shadow of the second most photographed mountain in all of the world - Mt. Rainier. By the way the most photographed mountain in the world is Mt. Fuji in Japan. I have seen many tourist just pull over on the highway there in the Bitterrroot and photograph Trappers Peak.

Yes my next door neighbor sold a ranch a few years back for $8,000,000.00 to a guy that took all the cattle off the place! Among many other "things he did" there he put steel mesh around the bases of all the trees along the banks of the river that ran for several miles through the ranch! Why you ask? So the Beavers would not chew them down of course!

Yes in some ways the transition of some of the land to conglomerate ownership and eccentric wealthy people has drawbacks.

Witness though another ranch that was purchased recently near me by a Billionaire Doctor (yes I said Billionaire!). The Doctor changed the complexion of the ranch totally from a cattle oriented business to an expensive plaything. He did hire many local people though and spent a ton of money which a lot of made its way into the local economy! For instance the Dr. built his own trout hatchery for the numerous mountain lakes on the ranch! He re-built an old WWII airfield near his ranch so it would allow landing of his huge jet plane! He built an incredibly huge indoor riding arena for people to ride horses in out of the sun in summer and ice in winter. He hired one man and his wife to do nothing but buy, breed, care for and tend to his fleet of horses! The Dr. hires locals to manage and keep up his ranch and the many homes on it. The Dr. bought a huge ranch about 10 miles from his main spread that he keeps up for the sole reason of letting his wealthy friends stay there and fish in the lake he made on that property and the stream that runs through it. That way his guests are not always underfoot and they have privacy of their own while doing R&R! This "guest ranch" he bought and fixed up is valued at close to $10,000,000.00 and no longer is a full blown cattle operation at all. It just sits there and stays beautiful and lonely! Most of the year no one is there at all except the hired locals who keep it up.

Another interesting note on the Billionaire Drs. main ranch and the mansion he built there. The mansion sits on a lake that sits at the base of a range of peaks that are just unbelievably beautiful. I have flown over the lake and the mansion and it took me a while to weasel my way into the mansion itself. The mansion is beyond what you would even expect a Billionaire to live in! For instance it contains the largest single pane of glass in the world! The good Dr. bought a glass factory in Germany because he could not get anyone to contract to build the size of window he wanted to view his lake and the peaks in the background! So he bought the glass company and they made this incredibly huge window. And they shipped it across the ocean and trucked it across the country and they broke it bringing it up his drive into the mountains! So he built another and they broke that one! And they built another one and that one is in place today. When I finally made it inside this mansion I pulled back the curtains that were closed and blocking the view. The curtains were about the size of large theatre curtains by the way! Well the view and the size of that window just blew me away! And I have been inside Bill Gates home on the shore of Lake Washington near Seattle so I have something to compare to.

This vista from the Drs. mansion literally brought tears to my eyes! It was breathtaking.

I do not have enough knowledge to compare the pre Billionaire Drs. ranch to the now ranch in regards to moneys realized by the employees and local economy but I would be surprised if in this instance the comparisons would not be equal or in favor of the new owner!

Yeah its a shame that some cowhand jobs have been lost I admire their work and way of life (I have been to and worked at a number spring "branding parties", mended fence and worked in fields). I personally would rather do just about anything else for money though. Its hard work!

You get through Dillon and I'll take you to some mountain spots that will soothe your sole at any phase of your life!

The locals here say you need 40 years of residency to become a true Montanan! I will never make it in their eyes. But I have always lived (in my heart) on the high plains and in the Rocky Mountains.

The next time I am through Darby I will stop at the little mom and pop drive-in there and have a Trapper's Peak Huckleberry Milkshake ($3.75!) in your honor!

Hold into the wind

VarmintGuy

Well, I'm enjoying our annual three weeks of summer! It's often recognized as that period of 100+ degrees and dry lightning strikes required to get the fire season into full swing! Ugh. Each year I pray for the Labor Day Blizzard to clear the smoke out of the air. Sends all those expensive cars with funny tags scurrying south, too. Give me 30 below any day!

Redial

Dale,

YOu know, there are a lot of out door writers, but my favorite is easily becoming Varmint Guy.

I love your stories VG!

Cheers and Good shooting
seafire

No doubt that Varmintguy is an eloquent writer, however, my NIKON D1X does ok too.

My question for him is why does the Hamilton Airport resemble the PARIS AIRSHOW on weekends?

D.