Selway Baby!!!!!

I got a Selway permit! Sure the water will be high, hell the road might not even be open but I'm going!!! May 16th launch, float for a few days, take out, go to Wilderness Gateway float the Lochsa for a few more......ahhh the perfect week!

Anyone for fishing?

Hey folks,
Zach and I are trying to lay out some trips this spring. The last weekend in March on the Mo, Easter on Rock Creek, and a three day on the Big Hole May 26th -29th. Us workin' folk gotta plan ahead so let us know if you're interested.

Springtime a comin'

Here's a salute to our fading ski season, it's been a good one.
Can't wait to get back on the river.

Thought this was crazy enough for our page. I think Philly could do it.

Two Tips...........

Never pet a burning dog and always use your e-brake!

Mikey Town U.S.A.

If Mikey ruled the world, there would only be government workers, broken down Centurians, Home Depot, no smoking restaurants and (last but not least) men's figure skating on T.V. 24-7. It would be perfect. Can I get a GOD DAMN?!?!?

On another note, here is our new bathroom. For those of you who know my husband, you can understand why it is best for our marriage to have two separate bathrooms.

Apparently there is some bet as to whether Mr. C would be able to drop the kids off at the pool before March 1st. All I have to say to that is PAY UP, Josh, Philly and Brian! It is February 22nd and as soon as we hang the door, the new toilet (maximum flusher on the market) is going to brown-town.

DENIED AGAIN

How I love this time of year. Just yesterday the temperature dropped to 26 degrees below zero and my wife and I received our annual denial letters. Yes, that is right...No Selway love. My 4 rivers lottery luck has been 100%. I've been denied five years in a row. Hell, I have never drawn a permit from a lottery. Probably because the ass-monkey outfitters and George W are plotting against me and want to keep the middle class man down. Anyone have any luck?

It is the other sport that you do with skis strapped to your feet. The snow was SICK! Even Mikey liked it. It is called cross-country skiing. You tour on skis. No lift required. Seriously. No, I am not shitting you.

Finally Published

Believe it or not, someone actually published my rantings and ravings. Click on the title above and it will link you there. Thank you Queen City News (Helena is the Queen City) This is pretty much the same as the Miles article without "disparaging" (bite me Doc), but I had to cut the editorial in half, had to sign my name to it, and had to put a picture of my face with it. Guess it won't be me knocking on doors asking hunting permission for a while. Anyway, have had some mixed reviews and really hoped the Missoula Independent would have printed it too, but it does not appear on their website. just trying to stir the pot.

Stream Access (This one's going to the papers)

Dear Editor:

My name is Miles Davis C*leman and I was born in a pink, single-wide trailer just outside of Frenchtown, Montana. My dad bought me because I was the first one of the entire Labrador litter to inspect and eventually nibble on the head of the drake mallard that was hung in the pen by a bungee cord. I am not a big fan of intelligent design, but the first smell and then taste of that mallard was a little bit of heaven that I’m not sure Darwin could explain.

I am now 11 years old (77 in dog years), epileptic, slightly incontinent, mostly blind, mostly deaf, my dad will tell you that I have a squeaking problem and I have had six months to live for the last seven years. This is my favorite time of year. It is waterfowl hunting season. My dad told me last hunting season that it was my last, so I bit him. I can still hear the blast of the gun go off, I can still see the enticing splash in the water, and I live for retrieving birds.

The reason why I now feel the need to express some disdain is because a few weekends ago we were waterfowl hunting on the Missouri River. My dad was in the process of picking up the decoys when he was approached by an individual in a white cowboy hat and Wranglers. The cowboy told us we were trespassing, that the land we were hunting on was leased to an outfitter, and people had to pay to hunt there. My dad, with a sharp tinge of angst in his voice, told the individual that we were hunting below the ordinary high water mark, therefore were not trespassing, and we certainly did not have to pay anyone to hunt on the Missouri River. Then my dad asked the individual if he had ever heard of the Montana Stream Access Law or the Montana Constitution.

After a bit of discussion and disagreement, the individual said that he was going to call the game warden. My dad’s response was that he would love to speak with a game warden. In the end, my dad called the game warden who verified that it was completely legal for us to be waterfowl hunting within the ordinary high water marks of the river. I found it a bit disparaging that a hunting outfitter did not have a working knowledge of hunting laws. He must have been taught hunting laws by the same instructor that teaches river and fishing etiquette to outfitters.

Considering the increase in trophy homes along Montana rivers and the prison like fences that are getting constructed across them, I believe hunters, fisherman, and all people who recreate on rivers should be informed of the Montana Constitution and the Montana Stream Access Laws.

The Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks website provides the following summary: “Under the Montana Stream Access Law, the public may use rivers and streams for recreational purposes up to the ordinary high-water marks. Although the law gives recreationists the right to use rivers and streams for water-related recreation, it does not allow them to enter posted lands bordering those streams or to cross private lands to gain access to streams.”

The Montana Constitution provides the basis for the Stream Access Law. Article IX, Section 3 of the Constitution states, “All surface, underground, flood, and atmospheric waters within the boundaries of the state are the property of the state for the use of its people and are subject to appropriation for beneficial uses as provided by law.”

Although the following section was not added to the Montana Constitution until 2004, I believe it is applicable to and strengthens the Stream Access Law. Article IX, Section 7 of the Constitution states, “The opportunity to harvest wild fish and wild game animals is a heritage that shall forever be preserved to the individual citizens of the state and does not create a right to trespass on private property or diminution of other private rights.”

The Montana Stream Access Law, which is located in Section 23-2-302(1), Montana Code Annotated, provides that all surface waters that are capable of recreational use may be so used by the public without regard to the ownership of the land underlying the waters.

There is a lot more to the Stream Access Law than what is stated above and there are a lot of exceptions, so before you flex your legal rights, I strongly recommend you get on the internet or go to the library and read the entire law. Interestingly enough, you can’t find it on the FWP website. Here is one link to it: http://data.opi.state.mt.us/bills/mca_toc/23_2.htm

Please keep in mind that residents of Montana have to keep a close watch to ensure that the politicians are working for all Montanan’s recreational access needs and not catering to the whims or should I say whines of the wealthy nonresident landowners or the outfitters who are trying to cash in on our resources. In the last legislative session, Republican legislators tried to pass two Bills that would have impeded or revoked Montanan’s ability/right to recreate on state waters. Thankfully, Democrats were able to kill these two Bills before they became law.

House Bill 129 was sponsored by Joan Anderson, a Republican from Fromberg, which would have provided landowners the ability to petition FWP to enforce no shooting zones around their trophy, river front homes. What were you really trying to do here Representative Anderson? There are currently laws in place that prohibit hunters from shooting in an unsafe manner around houses. I don’t mean to sound cynical, but it’s my understanding that people have been hunting, fishing and trapping on Montana Rivers and streams long before there were homes along them. If people do not like hunting near their property, then maybe they should not have moved out of city limits.

House Bill 260 was sponsored by William Jones, a Republican from Bigfork, which would have made all non-motorized boat owners that use state owned river accesses pay an annual fee to license each one of their watercraft. Why don’t you tell us how you really feel about all those kayakers on the Mad Mile, Representative Jones? Considering we had to wait for three different outfitter groups to launch their rafts on the Clark Fork River this summer and had an outfitter race past our boat to get to a prime fishing hole on the Missouri, it would seem that Montanans should not be the ones to incur extra costs to use a river access. Maybe the people that are causing the overcrowding and making money off of these state owned sites should be the ones to pay the fees.

It certainly appears from these two Republican sponsored and supported Bills that Republicans are not working for the average Montanan. I know that my dad can’t afford a house on a river and, even without having to pay annual per boat licensing fee, has to save up money to recreate on rivers on the weekend. I just hope that the Democrat Legislators continue to fight for recreational access so that my dad, people like him and other retrievers will know the joy that comes from recreating on Montana Rivers and streams.

How the C-mans spent the Holidays

Festivus rules:
1. Festivus Feast
2. Airing of Greviances
3. Feats of Strength
4. Festivus ends when the head of the household is pinned.



It took three of us to get him down, plus the Doo had to blind side him, but we got 'er done. It is sad when a good thing ends, but thank god it is over, my liver is the size of a basketball. On to New Years!

Middle Fork

Well I finally got some pics from Silvio from our MF trip. There is also one of Silvio creekin somewhere in Cali. Just so all you bastards know, I'm in LA, it's Xmas eve and it was 80 degrees today! Merry Christmas!

Yeah.........it's cured.

Got's me a stiffy.


F@*kin' cold round heeyah.

Bad Politics

As my husband always says, the Dems should fight and die on the issue of hunting, fishing, public access. Maybe they heard you, dear.

Max and Brian are standing up for YOUR access by opposing a completely bullshit addition to a budget reconciliation bill currently being considered by OUR Senators. These "Miscellaneous Amendments Relating to Mining" would allow the federal government to sell of public lands in order to make some quick cash and reenergize mining in the West. This makes sense at first, but when you read further into it, it is bad, really bad. First of all, it will lift a moratorium (all hail Clinton) on allowing companies or individuals to patent or buy a mining claim on public land, under the 1872 Mining Act. There is no requirement that these patents have mineral verification and it does not mean that these patents can not be turned around and sold to developers for resorts, golf courses or for subdivisions. Essentially cock blocking thousands, nay millions of acres of public access. They did raise the price of the mining patents from a $2.50 per acre to $1,000 per acre. That is a good price considering the locations of many of these mining claims (pristine forests).

Western governors are banding together to get this piece of crap removed from deficitecit bill and save our public lands for the public. But hey, if it passes, can I borrow $100,000 from anyone?

What can you do? E-Mail Max and say "thanks" for stiking up for Montana's best interests by eliminating Subtitle B from H.R.4241.

Call up Brian and tell him how much you appreciate him.

And if you still feel spicy, get Conrad on the horn and tell him that you are going to start voting for Democrats if he doesn't stick up for access to public lands. Oh and while you are at it, tell him to give Abramoff's money back.

You could try getting a hold of Denny to tell him disappointednted you are in him for voting for this kind of crap, but I am afraid it will be to no avail.

"GIT ER DONE"

The terd photo was tough to look at, and was offending my wife, so I went for something more inspirational...

Everybody always gives me crap about being a planner, but it is getting to be that time of year again. Come December 1, it is Lottery Season and for the love of God, Buddha, the Goddess, or whoever else you pray to, someone please get a stinking Selway permit, or a lower water Middle Fork permit so we can embrace the fishing and maybe even remove our hands from the oars to take a sip of beer every once in a while.

Anyway, here is the link to the permit application information http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/sc/recreation/4rivers/index.shtml fill one out and send it in. Remember, you can’t win if you don’t play.

By the way, nice buck Zach! I am not sure how many of you are aware, but I got a Middle Fork Permit for over Memorial Day. Last years trip was great, but I sure as hell do not want to be the TL for a 20+ person trip. So come April, I will post a blog and then the first 10 nonrefundable deposits that I receive will be the folks that are going. Five nights and most likely five boats. Coincidence, I think not.