One of our goals is to provide the students occasions to experience Montana culture. A pride of Montanans is the conservation of its varied wildlife as well as the ability to live off the land and its many resources. Every fall, many men and boys buy licenses and plan extended hunting trips. There are different seasons for rifle and bow hunting. It is possible for families to hunt enough to fill their freezers and eat wild game all year long. Popular game include white tail deer, mule deer, antelope, elk, and various birds. Special tags can be drawn for moose, bear, mountain sheep and even mountain lion.

“Montana’s conservation legacy began in 1865” while under territorial legislation. Montana became a state in 1889, the same year that counties first hired official game wardens. “In 1895, the Montana Legislature saw the need for a formal state conservation agency to oversee Montana’s wildlife resources and created the Board of Game Commissioners. Among their first actions was the setting of formal hunting seasons…” (Mike Mehn, http://fwp.mt.gov/)

When offered the opportunity to go target shooting, these students jumped for the chance. What a fun Saturday morning activity: sighting in, target practicing and shooting skeet! They came back full of stories of their success. The students were taught/reminded of good gun safety and gun handling techniques. They were able to handle both rifle and a hand gun.

What people speak of as
adventure is something
nobody in his right mind
would seek out, and it
becomes romantic only
when one is safely
at home.
— Louis L’aMour