New West Network

My Page: Bill Schneider

<< Newer articles <<    Author Home     >> Older articles >>

PRESS CONFERENCE CALL THIS AFTERNOON

Stung by recent accusations that he doesn't support the best interests of hunters, anglers and gun owners, presidential candidate Barack Obama had his campaign office hold a press conference call today to refute those claims and show "Senator Obama’s commitment to the rights and traditions of Montana’s sportsmen."

An impressive line up spoke on Obama's behalf, starting with Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission chairman and former state senator Steve Doherty, who pointed out that roughly half of the people in Montana's hunt or fish and that he believed Obama would more strongly represent hunters, anglers and gun owners than Hillary Clinton.

Updated: 9 pm, 4-18-08. [more]

SO SAYS THE MAN WHO MADE IT HAPPEN

Some NewWest.Net readers might be a bit "overwolfed," but I thought the views of the man who probably did more to return the Big Dog to the Rocky Mountain West than any other person on Earth could be interesting.

And surprisingly, to me at least, he thinks it all turned out about how he expected. [more]

Home of the Fly Beers

I've been worried about readers thinking it's a stretch for the outdoor editor to write the Microbrew Montana series, but not since my visit to Madison River Brewing of Belgrade. There, in the taproom, a long cast from its namesake, the famous, trout-rich river, you can order a Hopper, Yellow Humpy, Salmon Fly, Black Ghost, Copper John, Rubber Legged Razz, or my favorite, the Irresistible.

For the non-fishaholics among us, those are all names of fishing flies, but Madison River Brewing, located in one of the hottest travel destinations in the world for fly anglers, uses them as names for their tasty, craft beers.

From a marketing standpoint, you could call that connecting the dots.

Editor"s Note: For a complete list of Microbrew Montana articles to date, click here. [more]

SECOND ANNUAL MONTANA BEER FESTIVAL

It only happens once each year, a chance for beer aficionados to taste the signature brews of three-dozen craft breweries without leaving the building. And that's exactly what a couple of thousand of them did Friday night in Bozeman at the Second Annual Montana Beer Festival.

At the door, after paying the $28 fee, everybody received an "Official Tasting Guide & Program" and a special six-ounce tasting glass--and a classy one, by the way, not a plastic cup--that they could fill up at no additional cost all night, from 5 pm to midnight. [more]

picking horses

Gabe Cohen, state director for Obama for America, announced today at a press conference in the State Capital Rotunda in Helena that his favorite candidate has secured endorsements from 37 state elected officials and Democratic Party leaders.

This widespread and diverse early support shows that Barack Obama has significant momentum in Montana, Cohen claimed, "because he's the best able to represent the independent spirit of Montana."

Meanwhile, the Clinton campaign announced its 27-member Montana steering committee made up of legislators, community leaders and democratic activists. "Together we will work hard to share our message of real change with voters throughout Montana," Clinton said in a statement. [more]

IS THIS SO MUCH TO ASK?

Before all the non-flycasters get excited about the headline, I should say that I like all kinds of fishing, not just fly fishing, a problem that has made my life a constant struggle against poverty. In fact, I have more spinning and baitcasing rods than fly rods, and probably use them more, too.

Nonetheless, today, I'm feeling sorry for those anglers who only use fly rods. I think fisheries managers should throw them a bone by designating a few stretches of a few rivers as fly-fishing-only--especially a few rivers with steelhead in them. [more]

FLY FISHING NORTHEAST OREGON'S RIVERS

Last year, I caught a steelhead and it gave me Steelhead Fever. So bad was the infliction that I immediately advanced to Phase 2 of the disease, the need to catch one of these silvery torpedoes on a fly.

I'm just back from fly fishing three incredible steelhead rivers in northeast Oregon, and I actually did it, caught my first steelhead on a fly. This hardly makes me an expert on fly fishing for steelhead, but if you have the fever and want to try it, this article might save you a little time. [more]

IT'S TRUE; HE HAS THE CHARISMA

Last Saturday former President Bill Clinton announced a hurried trip through Montana to campaign for his spouse and presidential hopeful Hillary. It isn't often Montana shares the national spotlight of presidential campaigns or has visits from presidential candidates and past presidents, so we can overlook the mad rush--four stops (Havre, Great Falls, Helena or Butte) in one day, probably not staying in the Big Sky State long enough to pay any Bed Tax.

For NewWest.Net, I'm the only writer living in any of those four Montana cities, but I'm the outdoor editor. Hey, boss, don't fret, I assured. I can do this. I can give up writing about fishing and hiking for a whole day to hobnob with the press corps and report on Bill Clinton's historic visit to Helena.

Now you know why managing editors have ulcers. [more]

A COMING PANDEMIC WITH NO CURE

Any angler who has had a steelhead on knows about this disease, but only a small minority has had this misfortune. Worse, those who have it probably aren't aware of their ailment or realize that it's extremely contagious--and has no cure or vaccine to prevent it from spreading.

Blissfully, the carriers are out there, the steelheaders, along with an army of outdoor writers like yours truly, spreading Steelhead Fever. If they keep this up, we'll have a regular pandemic on our hands. [more]

DON'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LEGAL LOOPHOLE

Here's something you probably never heard a western rancher say: "Government is a wonderful thing."

But that might be precisely what they're saying down in the coffee shops and saloons in Idaho and Wyoming because they could be thinking the federal government has accidentally given them the opportunity to shoot as many wolves as they can for the next 30 days with no consequences.

To this, I say: Don't even think about it. [more]

<< Newer articles <<    Author Home     >> Older articles >>