Reports out of the Western Corn Belt suggest drought is hanging on longer than many producers hoped, with conditions described as worsening in parts of Nebraska and neighboring areas. While that’s a long way from the Hi-Line or the Yellowstone Valley, Montana agriculture has learned the hard way that Corn Belt weather can reach into […]
Montana is heading into spring with the kind of mixed signals that make planning tough: big temperature swings, pockets of improving moisture, and other areas still waiting on meaningful precipitation. Reports from across the broader U.S. farm belt suggest a shift toward milder, wetter patterns in some regions after a dry winter. For Montana producers, […]
Bigfork has a way of pulling people back. Sometimes it’s the lake light at dusk, sometimes it’s the smell of wet ponderosa after a summer storm, and sometimes it’s the simple math of family, work, and the place where your story began. Reports from longtime locals often sound similar: people leave the Flathead to chase […]
Southwest Montana’s mix of winter range, open benchlands, and working ranch country is prime habitat for coyotes—and a place where predator numbers can matter to both wildlife managers and livestock producers. Reports from a recent sportsmen-led coyote derby in the region indicate more than 80 coyotes were removed over the course of the event, an […]
In parts of Southwest Montana, coyotes aren’t just background noise on a cold night—they’re a real factor in whether a rancher sleeps easy during calving, and whether local deer and antelope fawns make it through their first few weeks. That’s the thinking behind a recent predator derby hosted by the Southwest Montana Chapter of Montana […]
Montanans know the routine: buy a license, print it or save it to your phone, and head for the river, the mountains, or the prairie. But a recent state audit suggests the technology behind Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) licensing operations may be older than many of the hunters and anglers using it—and that […]
Across Montana, an old saddle often carries more than a rider—it carries a family story. It might have packed fence tools on a July day near Miles City, held steady in the Bridgers, or made the long walk back to the trailer after a wet October gather. That kind of history can make a saddle […]
In Montana, a good everyday-carry (EDC) knife isn’t a fashion accessory — it’s a small tool that ends up doing a lot of unglamorous work. One minute it’s cutting twine off a bale, the next it’s opening mineral bags, trimming a stubborn tag off a calf jacket, slicing apples for the kids, or cleaning a […]
From branding pens to big outdoor arenas, Montana riders are showing up in growing numbers for ranch roping and team roping clinics. The draw isn’t just competition—it’s practical, ranch-ready skills: handling cattle efficiently, reading a cow, staying safe in tight quarters, and getting a horse confident around livestock. Quick takeaways Clinics can speed up the […]
Whether you’re chasing roosters on the Hi-Line, floating a spring creek, or checking cows along a river bottom, the fastest way to ruin a good day is to roll up on a closed access point or miss a new restriction. In Montana, conditions can change quickly: fire activity, low water, construction, wildlife conflicts, and seasonal […]