Tag Archives: Larry Wilson

Larry Wilson: The North Fork gives thanks

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Larry Wilson discusses Thanksgiving on the North Fork and tail end of hunting season . . .

As usual, the Thanksgiving dinner at Sondreson Hall was a big community success. While most of the U.S. has made Thanksgiving a family holiday, here on the North Fork it is a community event. Just like the original Pilgrims, we choose to live in a place where the weather can be harsh and there is a real need for neighbors to help each other at times. With town fifty miles away and many services limited or non-existent a good neighbor is a fine thing.

It is not unusual up here to help a neighbor get out of the ditch or to bring auto parts or groceries from town. On the North Fork, a neighbor might live 20 miles away but is still considered not only a neighbor but a friend. In the towns or cities people are more likely to look through you than at you. No so, on the North Fork.

As a result, the Thanksgiving dinner is a collection of 60-80 neighbors who are glad to see you and you are glad to see them.

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Larry Wilson: Winter strikes the North Fork

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This is a bit confusing. Apparently, Larry’s column didn’t make the deadline for the print edition of the Hungry Horse News, but it did get posted online — over a “Larry Peterson” byline [update – they fixed it]. Go figure.

Anyway, Larry discusses the season’s first serious snowfall and cold snap . . .

No one on the North Fork needs to be told that Fall has fell and it is now winter. In the last week we have had a total snowfall of over 16 inches. There has been settling but a blanket of snow now covers everything, the golden needles have been blown off of the larch and wood is no longer being put in woodsheds but is being carried into the house.

Not only are we carrying wood into the house, we are burning a lot of it. In between snow storms we have had bone-chilling cold along with brisk winds. It seems a little early for subzero temperatures but my Monkey Ward thermometer read minus 12 degrees F one morning and neighbors reported similar below zero readings.

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Larry Wilson: On wolf hunts, personal postal service and bentonite

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This week, Larry talks about the ongoing wolf hunt, Becky Hardy, the former — and much appreciated — North Fork mail lady and the last bit of road maintenance before the weather closed in.

Still no snow to aid hunters, but near neighbors have managed to harvest another white-tailed buck and two bull elk. Another neighbor managed to get one of the five cow elk tags available by drawing. He is still looking.

The quota for North Fork wolves is two, and I have not heard of any being taken…

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Larry Wilson: Talking bucks, poachers and larch

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Larry puts his feet up and talks about this October on the North Fork . . .

Nearly everyone has already reported a slow start to the general hunting season, and that has been the case among North Fork residents, too.

Neighbor Lynn Ogle shot a nice white-tailed buck this week, and since I was with him, I don’t really feel skunked. That is the only legal kill I’m aware of.

Two white-tailed bucks were illegally killed on Trail Creek on private property. A license plate number was written down by another hunter and, if correct, the shooter may be arrested.

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Larry Wilson: North Fork boat ramps won’t work

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This week, Larry has some observations about the U.S. Forest Service bureaucracy . . .

As promised early in the summer, the Forest Service has rebuilt boat access sites at the Canada border and at Ford Ranger Station. Although it will be easier to launch at Ford due to the removal of the wooden terraces, I have mixed feelings about the new boat ramps…

The Forest Service is my favorite government agency. They have many excellent employees who are unable to do their best due to stupid regulations written in Washington, D.C. Mostly, they are no longer really involved in timber management but have been pushed into managing tourists. As a result, they make funny decisions which give columnists something to write about…

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Larry Wilson: Hunting a hectic time in the forest

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Some well-chosen observations about hunting season in Larry Wilson’s column this week . . .

The fall colors are not at their peak yet, but close. The quaking aspen have turned bright yellow, and the leaves are beginning to fall, while the larch are half gold and half green.

Of course, bow hunting has been open for weeks, but camouflaged hunters with blackened faces aren’t very visible and their numbers are relatively small.

Gun season is different. Orange-clad hunters are everywhere – on foot, ATVs and pickups…

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Larry Wilson: Optimism and glee over funding

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This week, Larry discusses the good news that funding has been approved for additional improvements to the North Fork Road and for additional efforts at weed control. On a more somber note, he also announces the passing of Bettie Jacobsen . . .

Not long ago, I was not very optimistic that the Resource Advisory Committee would grant money to all of Flathead County’s requests for road improvement projects. My pessimism was due in part to the fact that RAC projects had already provided funds for the North Fork Road stretching from Camas Junction nearly to Whale Creek…

I am pleased to announce that I was wrong again. Last week, RAC granted $25,350 for dust abatement on the North Fork Road in 2012…

On a sad note, word was received this week of the passing of Karen Feather’s sainted mother, Bettie Jacobsen…

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Larry Wilson: North Fork roads, weeds and toilets

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Larry covers a lot of territory in this week’s column. There’s lots of good information on pending road improvement and weed control projects, as well as a brief discussion of a …uh… tourist traffic related issue.

I think almost all North Forkers have been pleased with the use of federal and Flathead County funds on the North Fork Road from Camas Junction to Polebridge.

That work, done with a 50 percent Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) grant and 50 percent county funds, has provided a smooth, virtually dust-free corridor on the section of the road that has the most traffic in the summer.

County maintenance on the paved portion from Home Ranch near Coal Creek to Hay Creek Bridge has also helped. The RAC grant was approved in 2009 and most work was completed in 2010. Additional dust abatement was approved in 2010 and applied in 2011 with county matching funds.

Also, a 2010 grant was approved for an additional eight miles of gravel mixed with bentonite binder to be applied from Polebridge north…

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Larry Wilson: Close call yet on fire danger

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In his column this week, Larry Wilson discusses the fire season and getting ready for colder weather . . .

A few weeks ago, I wrote that it looked like there would not be much of a fire season on the North Fork. Like all politicians and most columnists, I did add a disclaimer – unless we have unusually dry weather. So far I am sticking with my original opinion. No big fire season on the North Fork in 2011. However, I’m going to expand on my disclaimer.

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Larry Wilson: History committee gearing up

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Larry Wilson’s column this week discusses the  recently-formed NFLA History Committee, tasked with preserving the history of the North Fork . . .

The North Fork Landowners Association has established a history committee, and their current project is to do oral interviews with North Fork old timers. It’s too bad the project cannot include original homesteaders of the area, all of whom have now passed over the Great Divide. Good thing is that today’s old timers knew the homesteaders.

That knowledge, coupled with the written interviews of homesteaders done by the Forest Service, Park Service and Hungry Horse editor Mel Ruder, should make a more complete picture of North Fork history from homestead days up to the 1960s.

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