Flathead Wildlife, INC.

BOW teaches women basic outdoor skills in a safe and supportive atmosphere, providing tips to be successful and confidence to go out on their own. BOW is a national program and has been conducted in Montana for 27 years by FWP with Flathead Wildlife supporting BOW workshops in the Flathead. BOW recently conducted a women’s ice fishing workshop at Pine Grove Pond. FWI Board members Roger Allick (on left) and Jim Vashro (on right) taught along with Dave Hagengruber from FWP. The women learned how to be safe on ice, dress to stay warm and ice fishing gear and techniques. Pine Grove produced as always, the women landed around 75 cutthroat and rainbow trout and went away with good memories, skills and newfound confidence.

Tyler Jorgenson harvested this dandy whitetail doe in the Swan last fall using an 1898 30-40 Krag that had been used in the Spanish-American War. Tyler’s grandfather, Dale, purchased the rifle in 1964 for $27.50 and used it to shoot his first deer in 1965, a 2×2 whitetail in the Swan. Dale shot many deer and elk with the 30-40 before handing it down to his son, Duff (Tyler’s father), who shot his first deer, a 2×2 whitetail in the Swan. Last fall, 12 year old Tyler became the 3rd Jorgenson to take his first deer with the 30-40 Krag. Holding with tradition, the rifle is still outfitted with the original open sights to make it more challenging. Tyler plans to hand down the rifle to his children to Preserve the Tradition – Jorgenson style.

For nearly 40 years the Flathead 4-H Shooting Sports Program has been teaching safety, marksmanship, team work and hunting skills to Flathead youths ages 9-19. The program uses air pistols, air rifles, .22s, shotgun, blackpowder and archery. The program was founded by legendary Pat McVay who also developed Montana’s Hunter Education Program. A dedicated group of volunteer instructors teach 250 to 400 youths from October through March each year at the Flathead County Fairgrounds.

Youths pay $2 per discipline per night but that doesn’t cover the cost of the program. Since this program meets so many of Flathead Wildlife’s goals for youth in the outdoors, FWI donated $1,000 to the program. The donation was made in memory of Pat McVay who passed away this year and Bernie Windauer, long-time Shooting Sports and Hunter Education instructor.

Pictured at the check presentation are (L-R) Bill Voermans, Marsha Voermans (Pat McVay’s daughter), FWI’s Jim Vashro, Program Director Dale Saverud and Don Anderson.