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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale caught up with 2 members of the USA Ice Fishing Team just before they left for Piteå Sweden For the World Ice Fishing Championship. Rigger had a fascinating talk with Thane Melton from Big Fork, MT who is the Vice President of the team and Joe Martinez from Utah who is the President of the team. The World Ice Fishing Tournament will take place on March 28th and 29th in Piteå, Sweden. The town of Piteå, Sweden is about the size of Kalispell Montana and is less than 100 miles from the Arctic Circle, so yes they still have ice. About 40 inches of it. You think that is wild just wait until you watch or listen to this podcast and hear the rules for this tournament. Let’s put it this way, they run their tournaments quite a bit different than we do! Oh, by the way, part of those rules include that you can not use any powered augers! Yup all holes in the ice must be drilled with a hand operated auger. That 40 inches of ice does not sound so good now does it? Do not miss this podcast. You are going to be amazed by pretty much everything that Thane and Joe tell you including the fact that Team USA will be competing against 10 other countries! Don’t miss this Podcast Gang!

Links:

• Click here to learn about the USA Ice Fishing Team.
• Click here to see some great pictures and get updates from Team USA in Sweden on their Facebook page.
• You can also follow what Joe is doing in Sweden here on his Facebook page or follow Thane here on his page. 
• Check out Team USA’s sponsors Clam Outdoors and Fish Pro.
• Click here to learn about the fish in Sweden!
• Click here to send an email to Joe or here email Thane.

Make sure to tell Rigger what part of Montana you want to explore next here on the Montana Outdoor Podcast. Click here now to email Rigger!

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Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.

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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast you host Downrigger Dale checks in with the two fellas that were on the Mack Days Podcast Last Time. Rigger thought you might find it interesting to see how they have done now that they have a few more Mack Days under their belts. He was shocked to find out what Ryker Bair and Patrick Casey have been up to, as in “WOW WEE that is some big dough those boys are folding!” Remember you can watch this podcast here or on MontanaOutdoor.com or YouTube or download it here to listen on your phone while you head to Flathead Lake to join the fun in this year’s Spring Mack Days. What is great about this podcast is just how open Ryker and Patrick are about sharing their knowledge. Yeah, Mack Days is without a doubt not your typical fishing tournament. And it is not just Ryker and Patrick that are happy to share their knowledge to help folks learn how to get the most out of Mack Days. Pretty much everyone that fishes in Mack Days is happy to help. That’s because the contestants do not really compete against each other as much as they do against the fish. What do we mean by that? Well just watch or listen to this podcast here or on MontanaOutdoor.com or YouTube. And make sure you fish for Lake Trout during Spring Mack Days anytime between now and May 9th!

Links:

• To learn all about Mack Days click here.
• Click here to watch some great videos about how to fish like a pro during Spring Mack Days.
• Remember Mack Days is for only catching Lake Trout and of course not Bull Trout or West Slope Cutthroat Trout. Click here to learn how to identify the right fish!
• Click here to see all the lures at Zimmer Tackle that Patrick and Ryker talk about in Podcast.
• For entry forms, prize amounts, rules and more click here
• Questions for Cindy Benson? Click here to email her.
• What do you want to explore next? After all this is your podcast too. Just click here to email Downrigger Dale.

Support the show

Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.

Send us Fan Mail

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale has a truly amazing discussion with business entrepreneur Karl Tyler. Karl had a dream from the time he was in 8th grade, he wanted to own a ranch and raise and sell the best cattle in the world. The problem was he did not have even remotely close to the money needed to buy a ranch let alone cattle. He headed to college to study animal sciences and found out he could not afford to stay in school unless he found a job. He got a job washing cars at a car dealership and with a lot of elbow grease, a can-do spirit and a big dream everything changed. He would later buy that dealership where he washed cars and then another dealership and another and another and, well, you just have to listen. It is an amazing story that will without a doubt inspire you. So, did he ever get that cattle ranch? Oh yeah and wait until you hear about the cattle that are on that ranch. They just might be the best in the world, In fact he is having two huge bull sales coming up on the March 6th at his ranch in Leadore, Idaho and on March 12that the Dillion Livestock Auction. If you are in the cattle business, then these sales are without a doubt a must for you to attend at least one of them either in person or online. And if you are needing some inspiration to make that big break happen for you, listen to this podcast right now!

Links: 

• Click here to learn about the Bull Sales on March 6th and March 12th.
• To see the sales catalogs for both bull sales and to learn all about the two bull sales and get all the contact information click here.
• Click here to attend the sale on the sixth online.
• To attend the bull sale on the 12th online click here.
• Click here to learn more about Karl’s ranch in Leadore Idaho.
• Questions for the folks at Karl’s Ranch? Click here to contact the Ranch.
• Your buddy Downrigger Dale would love to know where under the Big Sky you want to explore next. Afterall this is your Podcast too! Click here to email Rigger.

Support the show

Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.

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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast you host Downrigger Dale talks with the Head of the Communication and Education Division for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Greg Lemon. Greg and Rigger talked all about the big changes that are coming from the FWP on March 1st. What are those changes? Well, the best way to find out all about them is to watch the podcast right here. But here are a few highlights. Rigger and Greg go over a bunch of hunting regulation changes you really need to know about. But probably the biggest change is a new program called the FWP License Ambassador Program. That will replace the very successful program that has been around for a VERY long time which was called the License Provider Program. That was the system whereby local sporting goods stores could sell you a fishing license, hunting license, and conservation license right there in their store. So why change something that has been very successful? Unfortunately, FWP did not have a choice. The technology that was used to interface with FWP’s internal licensing system had gotten so old that most of the stores that had them were not working or barely working and they could not be replaced because the manufacturer stopped making it. In fact, there aren’t even any parts that can be bought to fix existing systems. On top of that there was no way for any new stores to be able to sell licenses. As Greg put it during the podcast, “something had to change”. So, what is a License Ambassador? Ok, we have given enough spoilers for one article you will need to watch the Podcast. Ok, one more little one, the new License Ambassadors at your local sporting goods store will also allow you to get things from the FWP that you were not able to get from the old system. So, listen or watch this podcast right now and find out all about it!

Links:

• To get more info about the License Ambassador Program click here.
• To see a map and a list of where you can find a License Ambassadors simply click here.
• Questions for Greg Lemon? Click here.
• Don’t forget this podcast is indeed YOUR podcast so click here and tell Rigger where under the Big Sky you what to explore next!

Support the show

Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.

Send us Fan Mail

This Week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks with Racheal Vargas, Owner of and Instructor for Montana K9 Safety and Montana Health & Safety Training. Racheal is incredibly smart and has a great deal of experience teaching groups and individuals how to save their friend's, family and even pet's lives. Racheal and her staff teach several different types of classes like, Basic Wilderness Frist Aid, Wilderness First Responder and Wilderness EMT Challenge Courses, Stop the Bleed and even a Babysitter Bootcamp. On top of that Racheal and her staff offer all kinds of Pet First Aid Courses. In fact, if you have hunting dogs, sled dogs or just a pup that goes everywhere with you like Rigger’s dog does, you really need to listen to this podcast right now. As Racheal likes to put it, “We train heroes!” Gang, you really should listen to this right now and find out a ton of great information and how to have Racheal and her team come to your next community or outdoor group's meeting and turn you and your members into heroes!

Links:

• Click here to learn more about Montana K9 Safety and find out when you can attend a class near you.
• To learn more about Montana Health & Safety Training and find out when you can attend a class near you, click here.
• To get all kinds of great information and get all your questions answered about classes and human or pet first aid, click here email Racheal Vargas.
• Rigger wants to know which topic or part of Montana’s Outdoors do you want to explore next? Click here to let him know.

Support the show

Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.

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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks with the CEO of Energy Keepers and Tribal Member, Brian Lipscomb. Energy Keepers, Inc owns and operates the dam and hydroelectric project on Flathead Lake. You'll be very surprised by what you learn when you listen this podcast! Energy Keepers is the first tribally owned company to own and operate a major hydroelectric facility in the United States and list goes on from there. There is ton fascinating information you will learn, including answers to questions that a bunch of you asked when you emailed Rigger. For example, you will learn why Flathead Lake stayed so full much longer this year than it usually does. You'll learn why Brian said, “I’m starting to feel like a broken record, because every time I go talk to somebody, I say, “we just dealt with something we have never seen in our lifetimes!” 

Links:

• Click Here to learn more about Energy Keepers.
• You can get latest data about water level and water flow straight from the Energy Keepers website by clicking here.
• NOAA will even give you Northwest River Forecast Center ESP Water Supply Volumes for dam when you click here.
• Click here to go to the Energy Keepers Facebook Page where you can also get great water flow and level info and more!
• Click here to take a look at the USGS Flathead Lake Elevation Gauge.
• You can also see what the USGS Flathead River Flows below the dam by clicking here.
• Want to see the USDA NRCS Snow Water Equivalent for Flathead Lake? Just click here!
• In case you forgot this one from our recent NOAA Podcast click here to go to their Weather Prediction Center or click here to watch that podcast. 
• Still have questions? You can contact Energy Keepers via email by clicking here.
• Don’t forget to contact your old buddy, Rigger! Click here to email him.

Support the show

Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.

Send us Fan Mail

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale has his guests George Bumann and Jenny Golding give you an exclusive preview of the internet sensation known as the Yellowstone Summit! This year the online Summit is set for February 19ththrough the 22nd. Registration for the online event starts this Monday the 2nd. What is the Yellowstone Summit? Well, the best way to find out is to listen to or watch this week’s podcast, but in brief the Yellowstone Summit is like a really cool online convention where some of the most interesting outdoor experts, characters, storytellers, biologists, filmmakers, etc. tell you about and show you things you likely never knew about Yellowstone Park. This is the 5th annual Yellowstone Summit but as far as we know this is the first time anyone has got a preview like this so don’t miss this podcast gang! When listen Jenny and George will tell you about some of the over 30 speakers that will show and tell at this year’s Yellowstone Summit. We are talking some of the most famous outdoor filmmakers and photographers, wildlife experts and the list goes on and on. The best part is George and Jenny will give you an exclusive preview of what it is all about and tell you how you can take part in this year’s online event! Gang you have got to listen to this amazing podcast. 

Links:

• To learn more about the Yellowstone Summit click here.
• To learn more about Jenny and George click here.
• Click here to learn more about the speakers and sessions that will be part of this year’s Yellowstone Summit.
• Questions? Click here to send an email to Jenny and George.
• Your old buddy Rigger would love to know what you thought of this week’s Podcast and if you have any ideas for topics. Click here to let him know.

Support the show

Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.

Send us Fan Mail

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks with Race Organizer and longtime competitor Jennifer Butler about the world of Skijoring in Montana. These competitions are absolutely wild and when listen the podcast you will without a doubt confirm that! A Skijoring competition is done with teams made up of a person riding a horse that pulls a skier. In Jennifer’s case, she is the rider on the horse and her fearless son David is the on the skis! As Rigger put it; “At first, I was not sure if Jennifer and David and the other competitors were crazy and just lucky they are all still up walkin around or if they are incredible athletes that make crazy look easy. After watching them I’m pretty sure it is the latter”. Yeah, this Mother, Son team is pretty darn amazing. But you have got to listen to this Podcast to see what Rigger is talking about and learn all about this incredible sport and how to get involved or at least go see one of these competitions in Montana this year, especially the Whitefish Skijoring event. A list of links to all the other competitions is below.

Links:

• Click here to get more info about Whitefish Skijoring.
  • To get tickets to the Whitefish Skijoring and find out all the other spectator info click here.
  • Click here to become a sponsor of the event. 
  • To join in the fun as a volunteer at the event click here.
  • Click here for vendor info if you want to sell something at the event? 
  • For info about competing at the event click here.
  • Click here to go to the Whitefish Skijoring Facebook page.
• For info about the Skijoring event January 31 and February 1 in Boulder, MT click here.
• Click here for info about the Skijoring event February 28 and March 1 in Wisdom, MT.
• For info about the Skijoring event February 28 and March 1 in Three Forks, MT click here.
• If you want info about the Skijoring even in Red Lodge March 14 and 15 click here.
• Questions for Jennifer? Click here to send her and email.
• Click here to send an email Rigger. He would love to hear your thoughts about this podcast or ideas for new podcasts.

Support the show

Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.

Send us Fan Mail

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale interviews quite possibly the smartest person you will ever see on the Montana Outdoor Podcast! Dr Johnna Infanti is one of the top weather scientists around. When you listen to the Podcast you will learn that one of her many specialties is researching the climate patterns known as El Niño and La Niña. Those two opposing climate patterns can affect Montana’s weather in major ways. Sometimes with good results and others, well, not so good. One of those has been affecting Montana recently in a rather strange way. Most everyone has noticed it, especially if you are an angler that has been wanting to get out on the ice but unfortunately has not found much to get on as well as those who have been wanting to play in the snow in the valleys. So, what is in store for Montana for the rest of the winter? More of the same or is it true that big changes could be on the way?  Dr Infanti has the answers!

Links:

• Dr Infanti gave out a ton of amazing information and she was kind enough to get us some links to get even more info. For example, you click here to go to Climate Prediction Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or NOAA.
• Click here to get the Monthly Weather Outlook. The next update will be on 1/31/26!
• If you would like to take a look at the Monthly Outlook interactive map to see what it looks like for specific areas you are interested in click here.
• Click here for the direct link to seasonal outlooks.
• For interactive seasonal outlooks click here.
• Click here for all seasonal outlooks.
• To go to the Climate Prediction Center’s El Niño and La Niña page click here.
• Click here to see the El Niño and La Niña forecast they talked about on the Podcast, it’s on slide 23.
• For the Climate Prediction Center’s Hazards Outlook page click here. That’s where you go to see where the snow, much below normal temps, and other wild weather is at! 
• Questions for Dr Johnna Infanti? Click here to email Rigger and he will track her down and get you the answers!

Support the show

Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.

Send us Fan Mail

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks with the Director of the 14th annual Hebgen Lake Ice Fishing Tournament, Garrett Ostler. With a total prize purse of likely $10,000 or maybe even higher, this tournament is one of the richest and for sure most fun ice fishing tournaments in Montana. Hebgen Lake is a beautiful lake near West Yellowstone Montana. Garrett does a great job of going over all the details about the tournament which takes place on Friday the 16th of this month with pre-fishing and rules meeting and then the tourney takes place on Saturday the 17th. This tournament not only pays out a bunch of money to its contestants it also raises money for an incredible program for all kids who want to learn how to ice fish, ride snowmobiles, cross country ski and much more through the West Yellowstone Kids ‘N’ Snow Program. In fact, if you watch the podcast you'll see a heartwarming video during the podcast that will show a ton of things that kids get to do and learn about FOR FREE. But there is even WAY MORE to this podcast. You will also learn how West Yellowstone has evolved into the capital of wintertime fun in Montana, with seemingly endless snowmobile trails, stunning wintertime tours of Yellowstone National Park, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, dogsledding, ice skating, sledding, the Grizzley & Wolf Discovery Center and of course ice fishing and the list goes on and on. We are pretty darn sure once you listen to this podcast you will for sure be doing two things next. 1. You will want to register your two-person team to compete in the Hebgen Lake Ice Fishing Tournament. 2. You will be packing up the whole family to leave to take part in all that this podcast tells you about this FOR REAL winter wonderland! So, click play now!

Links:

• To learn more about and to register to compete in the Hebgen Lake Ice Fishing Tournament click here.
• To learn more about the Kids ‘N’ Snow Programs at West Yellowstone click here.
• Click here to learn more about the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center.
• To learn more about winter activities, and summer ones too, in West Yellowstone click here!
• During the podcast Garrett mentions his video about knifeless fish cleaning that he made after he broke his arm. Click here to see that, if you dare! It is for sure NOT for those of you that have a weak stomach!
• Questions for Garrett? Click here to send him an email.
• Questions or comments for Rigger? Click here to send him an email.

Support the show

Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.