Thursday, June 12, 2025
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Columns

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

Updated 4 months, 2 weeks ago

A modern arsenal for ice fishing

The recent cold weather has been very welcome for those of us that like to ice fish.

Updated 7 months, 2 weeks ago
Saddled up for stories

About a hundred of us leaned in to hear every word said in honor of this occasion — the 60-year anniversary of the Wilderness Act — and also the recent publication of Elser's memoir, “Hush of the Land: A Lifetime i…

Updated 7 months, 3 weeks ago
Opening day excitement builds

This Saturday is the opening day for the general rifle season for deer and elk hunting in Montana. This is the grandaddy of all opening days for the fall of 2024 hunting seasons. This is the day that probably over …

Updated 8 months ago
Clock doctor makes house calls

The museum’s Seth Thomas wall clock that hangs in the museum’s Swanberg Classroom hadn’t worked in years. Gentle prompts from our volunteer teachers spurred me to action.

Updated 8 months ago
Column: From Rawson to the Grizzlies' Hall of Fame

Dylan McFarland confirmed that he was in Washington-Grizzly Stadium Saturday, watching Weber State prevail over his alma mater 55-48, and he is surprised as anybody that it was the Wildcats’ fifth win in six games …

Updated 8 months ago
For the love of hunting

Is hunting and are hunters an endangered species? Living in Montana, where most adults, especially males, hunt, it seems that our tradition of hunting for food and fun has rock-solid public support.

Updated 8 months, 2 weeks ago
Northern Pike: Love or hate?

Before we get full time into outdoor columns about hunting, let me do a final end-of-summer column about fishing.

Updated 8 months, 3 weeks ago
Let’s leverage common ground

When I moved to Kalispell a few years ago I visited a new friend’s house and saw that neighbors at the end of her street had hung a massive banner across their garage.

Updated 9 months, 1 week ago
Some duffers don’t need to bluff

We were a few holes into what would be one of the highlights of our summer: A grand tour of prime Flathead Valley terrain during the golden hours of a summer evening.

Updated 9 months, 1 week ago
Column: Samson hits send, lands big fish

It was March of this year that Kyle Samson, seeking a home football game for his Montana Tech Orediggers, did something drastic.

Updated 9 months, 2 weeks ago
Column: Short game, short season

Shaun Forrest had all of one season as an assistant before he answered the call to lead the Whitefish golf teams in 2024.

Updated 9 months, 3 weeks ago
Dahlia growers bloom at Northwest Montana Fair

Two big fellas load a cart just outside the Mini Horses Barn, a tied-up Clydesdale whinnies at me, and the signs along “Hamburger Road” make their pitches, including for Blended Red Bulls and the alluring combo of …

Updated 9 months, 3 weeks ago
Summer on the lakes is set to loon music

Last week I enjoyed an early morning fishing trip on a beautiful lake, using only my quiet electric trolling motor. Using my onboard electronics, I slowly cruised around the lake searching my favorite spots for sch…

Updated 9 months, 4 weeks ago
Column: We've run out of teams... not really

Blaine Baker, Libby Class of 2004, didn’t know what was wrong with him at the Western Divisional basketball tournament his senior year; he just knew he was miserable and had white sores in his mouth and throat.

Updated 10 months ago
Lifelong love of trees bore fruit

The valley lost a real good apple recently — Rod McIver.

Updated 10 months, 1 week ago
Column: New AD Bravely steps in at Flathead

If the state of Idaho is a triangle, then you could say new Flathead High activities director Matt Allison has lived in every corner of the Gem State — including the town of Middleton, which isn’t in the middle at …