Cabela's peddling Montana lands?

Advocates for Montana hunters and anglers are returning their catalogs to Cabela's on news that the sporting goods manufacturer has been involved in the sale of wildlife habitat in the state through its Trophy Properties Web site.

The concern is that Cabela's brokering service is fueling the increase in land prices that may put valuable lands out of reach for the state of Montana. On example is the 10,000-acre Lincoln Ranch along the Marias River in north-central Montana. The ranch was donated to the Catholic Church by the landowner when he died in March, with the condition that if the church sells the property, the state has right of first refusal. But with Cabela's Trophy Properties involved, the price could escalate to the point that the state couldn't afford the site, and instead becoming public land for hunting and fishing, the ranch will fall into the hands of wealthy, out-of-state owners who will post it off limits to the public.

The business of restoration

Business is booming for outfits that restore degraded landscapes, rather than degrade the pristine. Now if we could just stop creating new business for these entrepreneurs.

Canada important to Flathead trout

A new study indicates the Canadian headwaters of the Flathead River are important to Flathead trout. Cutthroat trout fitted with transmitters near Columbia Falls were recorded north of the border spawning in the North Fork. Bull trout also cross the border to spawn, just downstream from a proposed mine site.

Washington donates Smith River land

Dennis Washington has donated 250 acres of land along the Smith River to the state. The Smith is one of Montana's great floats.

Rivers running dry

The latest stream flow forecast looks pretty bleak.

Better bison fix

State and Park service crews will capture and transport the bison remaining outside Yellowstone National Park, rather than slaughter them. That's a far better idea than the previous plan, which included the slaughter of about 300 bison, including many newborn calves. That would have been a PR disaster of epic proportions.

Salmon fly frenzy begins

Here's an update on the salmon fly hatch, which is starting to pick up on southwest Montana rivers.

Cool, wet weather has brought up the level on some Montana rivers this week. For current info, contact the following fly shops:

Sunrise Fly Shop (Big Hole River)
406-835-3474 or www.sunriseflyshop.net

Madison River Fishing Company
800-227-7127 or www.mrfc.com

Rock Creek Mercantile
406-825-6440 or www.rcmerc.com

Fishaus Fly Fishing (Bitterroot River)
406-363-6158 or www.fishaus.montana.com

Chuck Stranahan's Flies and Guides (Bitterroot River)
406-363-4197 or www.chuck-stranahan.com

Check here for current stream conditions.

Trout Slayer killed

In a disappointing move Bayern Brewing in Missoula is changing the name of Trout Slayer Ale to Dancing Trout Ale. The recipe remains the same, but the name will now be politically correct. Master brewer Juergen Knoeller explains in today's Missoulian

Trout Slayer was a leased name, and it wasn't Knoeller's “cup of tea” anyway, he said, explaining that his environmental philosophies lean more toward trout habitat preservation than wholesale fish slaughter.

I'm all for catch-and-release fishing on Montana rivers. But there is nothing wrong with the occasional slaying of a fish destined for the skillet. I prefer mine lightly dusted in seasoned flour and fried in a mix of peanut oil and butter. There are times when I worry the catch-and-release ethic has turned into a cult whose members have forgotten a basic fact: fishing is a form of hunting which uses flies and lures instead of hot lead to capture its prey. The modern fly fishing cultist who fails to clunk a fish on the head every now and then may not be an angler at all. It sounds more like golfing in waders to me.

Griz delisting challenged

A coalition of environmental groups has challenged the Fed's decision to delist Yellowstone grizzlies. Other griz populations such as those in Glacier and the Yaak retain ESA protection.

Grayling on the brink

The implications of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decision that Big Hole River grayling aren't distinct enough to warrant Endangered Species Act protection are examined in this Missoulian article.

The decision was made by former FWS Assistant Secretary Julie MacDonald, a somewhat typical Bush administration appointee in that she was later forced to resign when it was revealed that she bullied scientists into changing their conclusions and improperly released internal documents to industry representatives.