by Merle Ann Loman | Nov 26, 2008 | hunting/fauna/flora

In early May, Jack was floating the Big Hole river with clients when he noticed this lone gosling had been following his boat for miles. At the end of the day he thought of it’s fate if he didn’t rescue it. He scooped it up in his net and brought it home. We put it under a light until it could survive being in the coop with out it. It stayed with us in our yard until mid August. One day I came home from work and he was gone. I have to believe he flew away with other geese as he should. Maybe one day Swisher will come back to our ponds with a mate and nest.
Here is a slide show of Swisher from May through mid-August. I hope you enjoy it.
If you click “View Album”, then “Slide Show” it will show in full screen mode. If the photos don’t quite focus, slow down the speed to 5 or 6 seconds per photo.
Note: I don’t know if Swisher was male or female. I just found myself calling Swisher “he.”
Canada Goose – Montana Field Guide
by Merle Ann Loman | Nov 24, 2008 | hunting/fauna/flora, iii Fall
Above is a photo of an elk herd (actually only part of the herd) that hangs on private land during hunting season. They are so much fun to watch as they move from field to field just on the edge of timber and Forest Service land.
We are still hunting for my whitetail doe and/or buck and of course for the elusive elk. It is fun, but we would love for it snow so their behavior was a bit more predictable and we could see tracks. It is our privilege to hunt in these beautiful mountains and be able to experience the wonderful sights and sounds as the sun rises and the day begins.
Here is a slide show of a few of our hunting photos. We did an eastern Montana antelope hunt in October. Jack went back in November and bagged a 4×4 whitetail buck. He didn’t get any photos on that trip. It was rainy and mucky.
If you click “View Album”, then “View Slide Show” and slow the photos down to 5 or 6 seconds – it should show in full screen mode.
by Merle Ann Loman | Nov 21, 2008 | Conservation/benefits/organizations

Presents
The highly anticipated Missoula screening of
the acclaimed fly fishing film, DRIFT
Tuesday, November 25th at 8:00 PM
131 S Higgins Ave
Missoula, MT 59802
Ticktets: $7
Beer, Wine & refreshments available. All proceeds help
Montana TU conserve, protect & restore coldwater fisheries throughout the
state.
Tickets available at the door, or call Montana TU to purchase in
advance: 543-0054.
To see a trailer and learn more about Drift go to:
by Merle Ann Loman | Nov 20, 2008 | Conservation/benefits/organizations
By Perry Backus – Ravalli Republic
In a case with statewide implications, the Montana Supreme Court decided Monday
the Mitchell Slough is open to recreation under the state’s stream access law.
….The court did offer a caveat on the issue of public access.
The slough runs through private property and the public only has the right to recreate under the terms of the state streamside access law, which allows access on the water and up the ordinary high-water mark on the slough’s bank, the court said.
Read the full story AND readers’ comments here: http://www.ravallirepublic.com/articles/2008/11/20/news/news47.txt
by Merle Ann Loman | Nov 19, 2008 | Conservation/benefits/organizations
Click on photo for larger image
.
The next general meeting of Bitter Root Trout Unlimited will be at 7:00 PM November 20, 2008. The program will be presented by
Montana TU Executive Director Bruce Farling.
At the meeting, TU’s indefatigable state leader will give an overview of issues impacting rivers across the state. With a crashing economy and a new administration in the White House, Bruce will talk about what is likely to change and what might stay the same – or get worse. He will give an update on various projects and programs that TU is doing across the state, and also give a preview of some issues that might surface during the upcoming Montana legislature. Everyone seems to be saying that we are in a time of change, but experience tells us that change is not inevitably progress.
The meeting will begin at 7:00 PM at the Hamilton Elks Lodge, 203 State Street. The meeting is open to the public and there is no charge for admission.For additional information, contact Bitterroot TU president Geoff Fitzgerald (
fitzes91@yahoo.com) or Doug Nation (363-2137,
douglas.p.nation@gskbio.com).
by Merle Ann Loman | Nov 15, 2008 | Conservation/benefits/organizations
Friday, November 14, 2008 Fishing Link to FWP.MT.gov:
General fishing season on most of Montana’s smaller rivers and streams in the western and central fishing districts closes Nov. 30.
In the eastern fishing district, the season on rivers and streams extends year round. Fishing is also open year round on all of the state’s lakes and reservoirs.
Emergency regulations are sometimes in effect to protect a fishery, for example when low water flows combined with winter freezing present a threat. Signs are posted on waters with emergency fishing regulations in effect.
To check in advance for emergency regulations call 406-444-2449, or go to the FWP Web site at fwp.mt.gov under Fishing, click on Regulations and then on Emergency Fishing Closures.
by Merle Ann Loman | Oct 22, 2008 | Friends, Other
Yesterday, Jim Wellendorf sent us this message and photos. I am including the photos in a slide show. Jim, no photo of you? You must be holding the camera. Jim and Dick, thanks for sharing!
My friend, Dick Lentine, took me bass fishing this morning on the Susquehanna River. Sun rise was beautiful! Hope you enjoy it. The weather was nice to begin with but got very nasty. High winds and waves just when we were about to stop. If you ever have to land a bass boat in high winds don’t call me. Dick did a great job in very tough conditions.
The fishing was not so good, probably because of the front that was approaching. Dick caught 2 bass and I caught one. All about 12 inches long. In spite of the bass and the weather we had a good time.
The last picture is a duck hunting blind on the western side of the River.
Jim
Another link to a PA-DCNR website for the Susquehanna River.
by Merle Ann Loman | Oct 21, 2008 | Friends, music
A bit of a side…we met Nate online and are emailing about fishing, Montana, family, and his band in New York. Check out the latest New Heathen Blog.
As for Jack and I, we are getting ready for our annual antelope hunt near Zortman in eastern Montana.

Here is Nate’s comment about that. Wish we had a photo of Junction Pool.
Good luck hunting (man, I don’t even know where Zortman, MT is!). I had to work in upstate New York today and when I finished I had about an hour and a half of daylight to fish the famous Junction Pool in Roscoe, NY. The trout were rising to MIDGES, and I hooked only one, when it rose to a knot on my tippet.
by Merle Ann Loman | Oct 20, 2008 | Friends

Above is a photo of Nate. Nate is originally from Missoula, Montana and is now in New York City in a band called New Heathens.
About the New Heathens! They have a great sound, you can check it out on their website http://www.newheathens.com/. Some of the reviews call them American Roots Rock or Rootsy Rock and Roll. I think their sound is more complex than that! Tell us what you think…
Members: Nate Schweber, Singer, Guitar, Harmonica; Butch Phelps, Guitar; Dominic Tiziano, Guitar; Eric Seftel, Drums; Brandy Wood, Bass
Genre: Rock n Roll Hometown: New York City
You can see by this slide show that Nate still spends time in Montana and fishing. We have quite a bit in common, including a love of music!
A Note from Nate: Thanks for digging the band. I’m working on trying to come up with the songs and, more importantly, money to finish a second record. We’re working with a producer named Eric “Roscoe” Ambel who played with Steve Earle and produced a bunch of cool bands that I dig including the Bottle Rockets and the Yayhoos. Making records is almost as expensive a hobby as flyfishing.
I tried my luck on Connecticut’s Housatonic River this past weekend. Beautiful fall colors. I hooked one brown trout on a nymph but lost him. Fish were rising all around but I couldn’t get them to take anything I was offering. I tried big nymphs, little nymphs, big dries, little dries, streamers and everything in between. Nothin’. To be honest, it reminded me of a few times I’ve fished the Bitterroot when the same thing has happened: fish rising everywhere, but not to any of my flies.
Well, Nate, we know what you mean. The fishing in western Montana this fall is amazing. The days are calm and beautiful; the water is like glass. That means the fishing is technical and even though the fish are rising, it takes a lot of effort to find out which of our flies and what size they will be interested in. At least you have targets to throw to. When you do hook up, though, the rewards are fantastic!
by Merle Ann Loman | Oct 6, 2008 | Bitterroot
Click on photo to see larger version in a new window.

As our new friend, Nate, says, “Hot Damn!” The fishing was amazing today. I met Jack on the Bitterroot about noon. IT FISHED ALL DAY!

When we got on the river, the trico spinner fall lasted about 3 hours. It seemed every cutthroat and rainbow in the river were up. You had targets to cast to, too many. Using a fly with flatter wings and 5x tippet, it was difficult to see/follow your fly. We had some challenging places to put the fly so it would float drag free. We shot for fish hanging right on the seam — you needed to put the fly right in their mouth, as Jack said, “force feed them.” They didn’t know what fly to eat, but if they took yours, you had better lift the rod carefully, keep the tip high, and let them run for a while. Wow, it was fun. Needless to say, my finesse was lacking and I learned some lessons in line management and tension while I broke some nice fish off.
Late afternoon they seemed to switch to Blue Winged Olives and we could get away with a slightly bigger upright winged fly. You still needed to cast a long distance. When you raise the rod smoothly on a take, be ready to let them run. We were still on a small, 6x tippet. It was great practice for me as I learned to bring in the bigger fish.
When I post the slide show (later today), you will see amazing fall colors and reflections along with a deer crossing the river and a grebe (duck) diving.
For now, I will post a photo trying to show the trico spinner fall and a couple of fish.

Not a bad day. Start with office work at home, meet on the river at noon, get out by 6:00. Jack attends a Fish, Wildlife, and Parks RRAFT board meeting while I do some chores with my daughters in Missoula. Get home and run through the football game we taped. Life is good.