Tuesday, March 19, 2024
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Columns

Searching for opinion based articles? Below we'll share opinion news articles on a wide variety of topics.

Updated 5 months, 3 weeks ago

Exploring Montana's backroads

If you want to enjoy this week’s Outdoor column, you must set your clock back 100 years or more as we explore a ba…

Updated 1 week, 2 days ago
Fresh ears for young writers

It’s all good. I practically skipped with glee after these volunteer gigs, and the rejuvenating effects lasted for hours — just for bringing fresh ears to new writers.

Updated 1 week, 5 days ago
2024 Montana hunting regulations

The much-awaited 2024 deer, elk and antelope hunting regulations are out for public review and implementation. This is one of Montana’s most popular publications, with 270,000 copies printed each year.

Updated 3 weeks, 2 days ago
Cupid’s got nothing on Marion

They had me at “Anti-Valentine’s Day” in the event promo. I called my adventure buddy, and we headed to Marion.

Updated 1 month, 1 week ago
Behind the open mic

Now a weekly event, the all-comers confab traces its roots to about six years ago, when emcee-organizer Colton Christensen worked at a Whitefish restaurant.

Updated 1 month, 3 weeks ago
Sharp shooter captured a town

In these weather-bound days I hole up and read for hours. I finished a book about Lucie Duff Gordon, a London intellectual and translator who fled to Egypt in the mid-1800s to save her health and fell in love with …

Updated 1 month, 3 weeks ago
Fishing for muskie

What’s probably the rarest game fish in Northwest Montana? I’ll bet that 99% of local fishermen can’t answer that question correctly.

Updated 2 months ago
Packers cultivate sunny outlook

Days are supposed to be stretching longer since solstice but to me it doesn’t feel like it. Winter can be hard around here.

Updated 2 months, 1 week ago
Failed fishery management

Sunday’s Daily Inter Lake had an interesting article about a Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks proposal for what might be viewed as reinventing the wheel. The proposal is considering to restart a program to kill lak…

Updated 2 months, 2 weeks ago
The laureate rocks

I didn’t expect to hear Mary Oliver’s verse from Montana’s poet laureate, and here Chris La Tray recited her “The Summer Day.” We listened, then bent our heads to draw.

Updated 2 months, 3 weeks ago
Start the ice fishing season at Sunriser tourney

Yes, in spite of our unusually warm weather, ice fishing season is here. ‘Tis the hard water fishing season!

Updated 3 months ago
Maybe the Swifties take charge

After talking about journalism and sharing stories, we said bye at Sea-Tac with the idea we might meet up again as I often visited Seattle.

Updated 3 months ago
Reviewing the elk management plan

During the last few days, I have been reading the new 470-page Montana Statewide Elk Management Plan. What was of most interest to me and probably most hunters, is found on pages 15-41.

Updated 3 months, 2 weeks ago
Some pivotal actors are quietest

As we gathered for a quintessential American holiday last week, I found myself also feeling grateful for Norwegians.

Updated 3 months, 2 weeks ago
Snoozing on the job

Our general rifle season for deer and elk ended last Sunday. If you are like me, after many days of hunting starting in September, first for grouse, then archery hunting for deer and elk, then ducks & pheasants and…

Updated 4 months ago
Science meets art in Yellow Bay

“Who here loves plants?” Seattle artist and former river guide and garden designer Sarah Jones asked the few dozen of us assembled for a day alongside Flathead Lake.