If you don’t ski, your recreation options are pretty damn limited in winter. You can go fishing, stay home and tie flies, maybe try snowshoeing a day or two here and there, and stay inside and watch movies. There just aren’t too many options. But once the weather warms up in Spring, choosing what to do suddenly gets a lot more challenging.
The other night Ethan and I were faced with a dilemma. We had planned to float the Lower Madison with another friend, but conditions didn’t quite pull through. We stood there on the bank and talked about fishing, but it just didn’t seem to reach out and grab anybody. So we opted for a drive. Spring bear season starts April 15th here in Montana and a lot of the places we normally tend to see them have already melted off and are starting to green up. We ran home, grabbed the binoculars and headed up into the mountains. We didn’t see any bears that night, but we did almost run over a flock of turkeys in a place I had never seen any before. Turkey season opens up in a few weeks too…
Bear and turkey season opens soon. Baetis are starting to pop. The streamer bite is picking up on the Yellowstone. Hiking trails are now snow free and open. Camping doesn’t sound like a bad idea on a weekend. The weather is warm, grass is greening up, and the choices just get harder and harder.
Not that I’m complaining. Having a lot of choices for outdoor recreation is one of the reasons I live in Southwest Montana. It’s a real blessing. I’m sure a lot of other places in the country are facing the same thing. Spring is here and with it comes a multitude of things to do outside. Wherever you are, get out there and enjoy it. Life is short and before you know it it’s going to be mid summer. Seize the day!
