Cowboys and Wolves

I live in Montana, and wolves are always a hot button issue.  I'm one of those weird elk hunters that doesn't despise the critters.  For some reason I sorta think its neat to have an intact ecosystem, predators and all.  I do think they should be managed, just like all the other critters.  Sure,  I feel like the ones who get in to livestock on private land should be taught a lesson, those on Public land grazing leases, well, your rolling the dice....but thats a whole different topic for a different times.

So often do I hear elk hunters talking "well they seen a couple wolves up there, all the elk moved off, havent seen this few elk in 50 years" yada yada yada.  Sometimes I feel like the wolf is an easy way to place blame,

I didn't get an elk, in must of been the wolves, not...I didn't spend enough time in the field, or didn't scout enough, or didn't get far enough away from the heater in the truck, it aint like it used to be.
I love to fish for trout, maybe when I have a slow day on the river, I could blame the otters, osprey, eagles, pelicans, bears, or anything else that eats fish, or maybe go as far as to call for all their heads,it was probably there fault anyway.
Its like the cubs in 2003, when they were playing for the pennant, and that guy, Bartman messed with the ball down the left field line, who it just so happened like 4 other people were trying to grab.  The guy got death threats, beer tossed at him and run out of town.  He was the wolf, easy to blame.  Nevermind the fact that the cubbies had 8 more outs and another game to close the deal and go to the world series. Its all that dudes fault!,... the one with the headphones on.
I've seen guys at job sites do the same thing, Lets spend way too much time figuring out whos fault it was instead of just shutting up,dealing, fixing it and  moving on.
We've all got wolves in our lives, present company included.  Its always easier to blame something else for things that didnt go right.  Lets figure out the real problem, its not as easy, but much more rewarding. 

i love it when they are right

Just a quick float on the lower Madison today after I was nice enough to take my bow for a walk in the morning.  I was floating in my buddy's new clacka when his girlfriends reel falls off.   She is quickly in to her backing and hoping by continuing to pull line, then backing eventually the reel would come up right?  Eventually nothing came up, except a massive swirl of fly line and backing.....a bunch of it.  During the chaos, we were dragging anchor with a tail wind and for some reason we couldnt get the anchor up, maybe because we had a bunch of anchor line out too. We floated down through a hole that a spinner fisherman was working and offered a quick apology.  I explained "we are having a few technical difficulties"
 Apology excepted, with a quick nod., "thats usually when it gets good", he says.

 I continued throwing my bow river and crayfish and figured all would be good, after all this is a decent stretch. Before I know it the blade of the oar hit bottom and off goes the oar.  I quickly put down the rod and went halfway out of the boat to grab it, with oar secured I look over to see the old 5 weight bent over.   Assuming I was snagged I grabbed it, only to feel a pissed off brown on the other end. Holding both the oar and my rod, I figured out to give the oar to my buddy and land the fish.  Its so true and that spinner fisherman knew it.  When things are going wrong, Thats when it usually gets good.  We donated a reel today, and bluffed with giving up an oar. This is the heaviest fish I've touched in a couple years, I love it when they are right!