Fall 2007

Chasing game on two wheels. The cycling days in the mountains around Bozeman are numbered. Sandwiched between June’s mud season and the first snows, there never seems to be enough of those fat-tire days in the high country…

Experienced hands learn to sense real prairie scorchers coming well before the mercury begins to climb. They feel the signs in the dry grass crumbling beneath the boot soles, the sound of insects buzzing, and the first…

As Captain Phil maneuvered the gillnetting boat out from the docks and into the deep 66-degree frigid waters of Yellowstone Lake, Pat Bigelow, fisheries biologist for the park, explained our duties on board. One person…

As a teenager growing up on a farm near Lethbridge, Alberta, Will Lanier and his buddy received identical requests from their parents: that when they received their driver's licenses, they would both promise never to ride…

Tying and fishing the Sasquatch.The cooler and shorter days of fall unleash some epic days on rivers all over Montana. Brown trout are fall spawners, and they tend to get rather aggressive toward smaller fish and anything…

It’s hunting season in Montana and everyone’s gearing up to fill their freezers. Instead of packing your gear and game in and out by hand, a horse or mule can make your trip a whole lot easier. Here’s how it’s done.Saddling…

October frosts your breath as you float near a kaleidoscope of thousands of brilliant white swans. Not hundreds, but thousands. They are beautiful, large birds, pure-white in adulthood with black feet and beaks, an eight-…

If you happen to be near Ennis, Montana on the Friday afternoon just prior to opening day, your mouth will begin to water from the savory smoke that fills the air. Follow your nose and grumbling gut right down the middle of…

Gettin' naked under the Big Sky. Corvallis, Montana, with its old-school farming history, may not look like it's on the cutting edge of the Montana tourism industry. After all, with 859 residents, the town is but a speck…

Autumn outings in and around Gardiner. Founded in 1880 and named for legendary mountain man Johnston Gardiner, this Yellowstone-gateway hamlet sits smack dab in the middle of some of the finest big-game hunting (and…

Ever wondered what Montana's nudity law are? Uh, us neither... Everyone comes into the world wearing a birthday suit, and nudity also plays a significant role in the baby-making procedure. Everyone loves babies, so one…

Fishing in Three Forks. One cannot mention Three Forks and autumn in the same sentence without conjuring up images of the big brown and rainbow trout that begin their fall calorie glut in the Gallatin, Madison, and…

There’s nothing more unnatural than strapping on skis and speeding down a snow-plastered, near-vertical mountainside—except maybe wearing those same skis while staring at the tailgate of a speeding truck, dodging airborne…

If you can't answer a man's argument, all is not lost; you can still call him vile names. —Elbert Hubbard It’s about time. After half a dozen trouncings, somebody finally struck back. We’re talking, of course, about the…

This season’s Guts & Glory title goes to 1 1/2-year-old Carter Runyon, whose dad Nick submitted a shot of him getting big air (3-4 times his height off the deck, the equivalent of 20-25 feet for an adult) in a field…

Fall in West Yellowstone. Kiss Coppertone-scented summer park crowds goodbye and say hello to a sublime season of hogging the whole playground—all to the familiar screech of a lusty elk. Here are five ways to do autumn in…

One size doesn't fit all. Back in the day when I was worked in the hunting/fishing department of the local Super-Duper Big-Box Mega-Lo Sportsman’s Mart, I was asked a plethora of sporting-arm-related questions. The most…

Grow a pair. You know, there are a lot of ways to let people know you’re a man’s man. You can drive a truck with the same carbon footprint as Uzbekistan. You can wear t-shirts without sleeves, so your armpit hair sticks…

Musing and myth on Sacajawea Peak.Last year I took my final Sacajawea climb of the season at sunset on a full-moon night. My friends and I watched the deepening colors and then huddled under my emergency blanket waiting for…

And wear a sports bra.Maybe the only thing holding Montana sportswomen back is what's not holding them in. Pity the Amazon jogging by, a useless cheap-o sports bra abandoning her feminine glories to the trailside equivalent…

Every town has a spooky side, and Bozeman is no different: In more ways than one sometimes we get visitors who just won't leave. Here are some places that might have you saying, "I see dead people."The Northwood Office…

Montana’s well-preserved reputation for a love of the outdoors hasn’t seemed to dim in light of the steady increase in population. In fact, residents of Southwest Montana often find themselves swapping tall tales over their…

You might spend days, even weeks, gearing up for the hunting you’ve dreamed of tackling this summer—yet it takes only a split-second to be tripped up by a weak or unprepared ankle. So while you’re checking off your list of…

Responsible development in the midst of indulgent sprawl.Bald eagles perched high overhead, eyeing emerging ground squirrels; the prehistoric clucking of mating sandhill cranes; white-tailed deer bounding in the waning…

The search for an outdoor gig. Finding the ideal outdoor bum job is a complicated task. As with any other career hunt, one must evaluate his or her personal skills and proceed from there. In this case, the difficulty…

The aroma of lavender is beautiful, and people have known this for centuries—both the Greeks and Romans scented their soaps and bathwater with it. But its use goes far beyond air freshener; lavender is a balancing oil that…

Hi Honey, it's me. No, no don't worry, it's just August. We don't have to worry about that for a month or two. Yes, things are fine up here. When you're through With the kids, hoof it on up here and we'll mate, just Don't…

When the weather turns cold but you can’t bear to put your grill in the garage, try this simple dish and invite the neighbors over for a treat. You‘ll win accolades when you inform your guests that a seven-ounce portion of…

There is something to be said for flesh upon bone. For friends new and old, and horses you’ve known. A quarter in each pannier, a quarter on each back Buddies carry meat, but the shooter packs the rack. There is something…

We're no strangers to booze here at Outside Bozeman magazine, and it shows. Now that it’s getting colder, we get to start using the "it's just to warm up" excuse to justify our debauchery. You can too, and here is a list of…

Enjoying an active lifestyle presents challenges when it comes to maintaining the health of your skin. Being the largest and most visible organ of the body, skin reveals much about an individual. Here’s some advice for…

An old hunting rifle,Burled walnut and blued steel,An old friend that comes outJust once a year.You wipe it with oil, Hold it in your hands,You think of past hunts,And of your old man.He gave you this rifle,As a father’s…

It’s fall, which brings to mind colorful autumn leaves swirling to the ground, spiced apple cider, and kids in costumes worn under thick down jackets. But for some of us, fall means the men are off hunting, while we (wives…

60: Dollars the average American spends on Halloween decorations, candy, and costumes per year25: Pounds of candy the average American eats in a year11: Percent of Americans who eat Thanksgiving dinner at a restaurant53:…

If you ever see a bucking bull named Wander, scratch his horns for me. Don’t be intimidated by his enormous size, thick muscles and broad horns; just look into his eyes.I was in the middle of a divorce when I applied for…

Every day, one stalwart citizen does the right thing while another acts like a blithering bonehead. Here's a recap of admirable acts and embarrassing blunders for the the fall season.Champs:Pete Feigley, Park County…

As we walked single-file along the trail beside Pine Creek, the distant sound of axes shattering ice could be heard piercing the mellow calm of a clouded winter day. On this January morning, Wild MSU was leading a group of…

For all you women out there who want to get actively involved in the business community here, the Bozeman chapter of Business and Professional Women (BPW) is a great place to start. BPW has been around since 1919 and the…

If you’re an active outdoor guy in Bozeman and want to capitalize on that with the ladies, you gotta look the part: rugged, down to earth, but with a clear sense of style. Which is where Tarma Designs comes in. Their Bear…

The comeback kid of the sky.It seems like only yesterday that bald eagles were so scarce. If you spotted one, you’d tell everyone you knew. Now people hardly give the appearance of this national symbol a second thought.…

The beauty of a fundraiser is that when you come across a good one, it becomes the reliably fun and much-anticipated party of your year. For anyone who lives in Bozeman, this date is soon approaching, as the Friends of the…

The voices echoed around me in unison. "Ten, nine, eight…" There was time for just one more splash of water to wet the lips and ease my nerves before dropping into one of the largest class-V rapids in the state. The other…

You may have heard of Jenny McCune—she’s the former president of the Gallatin Valley Bike Club, former president of Team WinS (Women in Sports), and is a member of Bozeman's Team Delphine road cycling racing team. She's…

Back in July, while you were floating lazily down the Madison, you may have sensed a sucking feeling every time your wallet got near the river. That sucking feeling was the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and Bureau of…

Raptor Fest. Shortly before the chairlift starts whirring at Bridger Bowl, close to 2,000 people will converge on the popular ski area for a different form of outdoor recreation: bird watching. The 10th annual Bridger…

September 200715 West Yellowstone Foundation "Happening." 406-640-2030.15 Shane Thomas Memorial Run, Belgrade. 388-0823.15 "Medicinal Plants Unleashed" class, MOSS. 582-0526. 17 "Writing with Photographs" class, F-11. 6-8pm…

A film festival with something for everyone. Bozeman’s adventure-film junkies don’t have to wait for Banff to get their fix this year. On October 12-13, the Wild & Scenic Environmental Film Festival roars into Bozeman…

In his most recent follow up to Sketches from the Ranch: A Montana Memoir, Dan Aadland places readers right into the very soul of what it truly means to be a Montana hunter. The Best of All Seasons: Fifty Years As a Montana…

Shirley Craighead, wife of the late entomologist and naturalist Dr. Frank Craighead, edited and developed this short book for kids. Dr. Craighead's words, "All living things have their timing with the climate and with each…

Horse Women: Strength, Beauty, Passion is a book brimming with awe-inspiring photography, poetry, and quotes that speak to the link between women and horses, and the undeniable similarities between the two. Compiled by…

Are you ready for the hunt? Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ Hunt Planner combines updated maps with hunting regulations and statistics. You can begin planning your hunt using either a regional map by species or go right…

Autumn gives gifts to photographers. Trees like birch and maple become dramatic and colorful. Contrasts like that between a moss-green lichen and russet strawberry leaf sharpen. Objects like antlers and tree trunks add…