Tuesday, June 30, 2020

The Bison Chronicles

PLEASE BE CAREFUL

They're Wild Critters

they will hurt you

NPS / Jacob W. Frank

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Woman gored after approaching bison in Yellowstone National Park; Always stay more than 25 yards away from bison

. News Release Date: June 29, 2020

Contact: Morgan Warthin, (307) 344-2015

After a 72-year-old woman from California approached within 10 feet of a bison multiple times to take its photo, the animal gored her.
The incident occurred on the evening of June 25, 2020, at the female’s campsite at Bridge Bay Campground.
Rangers provided immediate medical care to the woman who sustained multiple goring wounds. She was then flown via helicopter to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center.
“The series of events that led to the goring suggest the bison was threatened by being repeatedly approached to within 10 feet,” said Yellowstone’s Senior Bison Biologist Chris Geremia. “Bison are wild animals that respond to threats by displaying aggressive behaviors like pawing the ground, snorting, bobbing their head, bellowing, and raising their tail. If that doesn’t make the threat (in this instance it was a person) move away, a threatened bison may charge. To be safe around bison, stay at least 25 yards away, move away if they approach, and run away or find cover if they charge.”
This incident is under investigation. There is no additional information to share.
Wildlife in Yellowstone National Park are wild. When an animal is near a campsite, trail, boardwalk, parking lot, or in a developed area, give it space. Stay more than 25 yards (23 m) away from all large animals - bison, elk, bighorn sheep, deer, moose, and coyotes and at least 100 yards (91 m) away from bears and wolves. If need be, turn around and go the other way to avoid interacting with a wild animal in close proximity.

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FAN WING ROYAL COACHMAN

.. Our cool weather interlude has provided some rain and drizzle. This has kept the Firehole River at a temperature that will be, at least, worth trying in the early morning. Get there at sunup and fish the shadows. unless baetids are in your ears or, PMD's in your nose, stick with Soft Hackles and San Juan Worms.
.. Nez Perce Creek - below the bridge can be good with small nymphs below an attractor fly like a Royal Coachman.
.. The Madison River still has the trout eating large black stuff. Try it you'll like it. The neighbors have braved the beaver ponds with success.

BEAD BELLY WORM

.. Down around the Baker's Hole some large residents are feeding right at the interpretive sign on the Montana side of the river.
.. Bits and pieces of the Gibbon River have been yielding dance partners in the deep riffles and under the deep recesses of the shaded banks. In the small meadows at - and above the campground there is a good crop of healthy and feisty Brook Trout that are waiting for a tussle.
..Park safely and exit your car with caution. The mobile condominiums are more reckless this year than in recent memory.

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WALLPAPER: MADISON RIVER EXPLORER

Friday, June 26, 2020

Can It Be ?

~~FOUR~~ FIVE CONQUERORS?

Woke For July 3 ?

exclusive or inclusive ?

A NATIVE AMERICAN SACRILEGE ?

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.. Some interesting facts:
1) Washington and Jefferson both held slaves,
2) Lincoln, though he led the abolition of slavery, also approved the hanging of 38 Dakota men in Minnesota after a violent conflict with invading white settlers there,
3) Roosevelt, a good Republican, is reported to have said, "I don't go so far as to think that the only good Indians are dead Indians, but I believe nine out of every ten are." He also said, "the most vicious cowboy has more moral principle than the average Indian.” {LINK}
.. For many Native American people, including the Lakota, Cheyenne, Omaha, Arapaho, Kiowa and Kiowa-Apache, the monument is a desecration of the Black Hills, which they consider sacred. Lakota people know the area as Paha Sapa — "the heart of everything that is."
.. So, of course, our president a good Republican, has scheduled a major event at the monument. We have had our head shaken by this juxtaposition of perceptions in this time of conflict, pandemic and, national unrest.
.. Unlikely as it is, many fly fishers, feather merchants, fishing web sites, and YouTube channels avoid comment on the reality of this moment in history; we are fully cognizant of the sociopolitical atmosphere surrounding us. It is troubling! We cannot avoid comment. Silence is not enough.
.. For this celebration of Independence Day, we're trapped in a little tourist town with 1/4 of the shops closed. Montana is not fully "open" yet. Entitled visitors from around the world are trouping through our village. There are very few face masks present. The grocery store aisles are full of normal appearing folks searching the empty shelves.
.. The surreal aspects of our daily existence are entirely missed by those entitled visitors = fly fishers included. We've lost our part time gig due to closures. We're free to observe from our car, porch, patio, and occasional forays into the grocery store, post office, hardware store and gas station = such an awakening. May this never happen again!

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CADDIS TO GO

.. Yesterday's mid-day thunder boomers brought some hail and cool rains to the neighborhood. The result was a brief respite from the warm weather and a moderate period of excellent evening catching.

.. The Firehole River will be fishable for the coming weekend. Catchable is another question. Temperature spikes to 70°F are already here. Early morning is best - very late evening is a fair bet as well. Stick with soft hackles in the shadows. Don't spend any effort with surface flies unless the critters are crawling in your ears. If so, they are probably caddis of one sort or another.

.. The Madison River has fared better this year. Catching has succumbed to the "Madison Holy Trinity" = caddis. PMD and, soft hackles. A dozen of each should endear you to the local counter help. Remember that surface flies may be drowned and still catch those pesky trout.

COACHMAN HACKLE

.. Early morning should find you parked in a wide dirt spot on the Gibbon River. Get there early and pound the riffles and dark slicks with large nymphs.
.. By noon time refugees from the other rivers will inundate the road and the parking spots. When it becomes elbow-crazy a small movement can continue your catching,
.. The meadows around the museum of the ranger and, upstream are full of brook trout and the occasional grayling. This is a good place to practice your stealth stalking skills. Just about any fly on the surface will bring strikes. Good, long drifts, are best. Don't be too quick of wrist. The little fish often miss and come back for seconds.

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.. With a few neighbors and, no dogs, we're headed to a secluded bend on the Notellum River at the edge of the park boundary. A small fire just beyond the park line and a few steaks, (nearly a week's rent,) along with a cool one and great fellowship with young skeptics and old grouches should celebrate our independence.😎😎😎😎

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WALLPAPER: CANNELLINI SOUP WITH BACON GARNISH

Wednesday, June 17, 2020

S.3422

FOR ALL OF US

Just Passed The Senate

fix deferred maintenance

BIPARTISAN ACTION

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.. Senate Bill S.3422 just passed the senate and, (barring a presidential veto,) is set to become law. This is a bill that is about investing in the next generation of Montana outdoors men and women and ensuring our public lands can be enjoyed well into their future.
.. Follow the bill HERE.

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CLIPPED STIMMI

.. We're getting a week of on-&-off drizzle. The caddis are sparse, the white millers are present, big bugs in the Madison River and Firehole Canyon. Just perfect for the old Seal Dry crew.
.. There is plenty of parking in Yellowstone National Park. There is plenty pf parking for shopping in our village. Wear a face mask and tread gently.
.. Grocery stores have some empty shelves. Deliveries are on Wednesday!!!

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WALLPAPER: HAM & SWISS SANDWICH

Tuesday, June 16, 2020

The Real Montana

GENUINE AMERICANS

Real Smart Folks

can it truly be ???

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WALLPAPER: Salami_n_Onion Bun

Sunday, June 07, 2020

YELLOWSTONE and FLICKR

BRIEFLY

New Covid-19 Page

check it daily

THE LONG WAIT

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.. Yellowstone National Park has opened a "Covid-19 Resources Page" on Flickr. It has images of park procedural posters and examples of how to visit safely.
.. The page will be updated frequently, (hourly or daily) and, is well worth viewing if you plan a visit to Yellowstone. This is a normal Flickr page with all Flickr functionality. You may comment, download, fave and enjoy the photos and captions. Quite the service !!

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COVID-19 Mitigations of the Geyser Grill

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Saturday, June 06, 2020

Fishing Weather

STARTS TODAY

Don't Miss Out

parking and open water

WALLPAPER: READY AND WAITING

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.. Yellowstone National Park has many lonely fish. It's time to make friends with a few of them. This is an unusual time in national and Yellowstone history.
.. Visitation through the west entrance is is very low and may set modern records for sparse figures. Check out the west entrance webcam HERE.

TIME FOR THESE

.. Tonight the rain starts and temperatures will be in the 30's. Tomorrow will see some 20's and, drizzle throughout the early morning and heavy cloud cover until evening.
.. Monday will bring us light snow with nitrogen for the garden and, hatches to die for. Tuesday will be gray and low and damp. Perfect fishing weather - Y'all come!
. Of course the neighbors have made some rapid forays to the rivers and streams, They are eager for the upcoming weather. Starting tonight we will recover from yesterday's unseasonably high of 83F.

Here's a few observations from the neighbors:

THE 'GO TO' FLY

>> Firehole River a bit high and fishing good,
>> Big bugs in the Firehole Canyon,
>> Yellow bugs on the muddy Gibbon River,
>> Madison River is clearing - rain may slow it's progress,
>> Gibbon River in the highest meadows has light color,
>> Gallatin River cold and clear - wait on this one.
>> Madison River around the west boundary has some outrun snakes.

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.. Daily fishing reports can be found in the webpages of the feather merchants in the left sidebar.
.. Ask the simple questions when seeking information: "Have you fished where you are suggesting that I go?," "When ?" Ask guides and counter help if they support the 'keep 'em wet' philosophy.

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