January 2015

Montana Woods N Water Goes Digital

Bears, Cats and a Little Lady

Cat Hunting 101

What’s Inside:

January Volume 1 Issue 1

Publishers Notes By Raf Viniard

Happy New Year to all my fellow hunters, fishermen and trappers and to those that call Montana home…the “Last Best Place on Earth!” I want to thank all those that helped Montana Woods N Water get off the ground in 2014. It was a year filled full of challenges and excitement. Trapping season is in full swing and lion hunters are still prowling about looking for that big Tom to tree. It may be snowy and cold but that has not dampened the dogs or the cat hunter’s spirits. If you are ice fishing or thinking about it…just

remember to use caution…a dunk in the lake or river this time of the year may be the last bath you take. Here at Montana Woods N Water we are undergoing some exciting changes and looking forward to moving Montana Woods N Water in a new direction in 2015. We will no longer be printing a hard copy and there are many reasons for this decision but it boils down to the cost of printing, distributing and meeting some grueling deadlines. Starting with this issue we will be sending out story links via Facebook, Twitter, etc. every Tuesday and Thursday. We will still be covering all the same fantastic stuff we did in hard print but better and faster. Our writers were very limited as to what they could write because of our print budget. By going 100% digital we will be full color and can now include active links to other news and information sources. Starting in February we will be adding video links to some of our content and advertising. If you want a copy of any issue, all you have to do is download it and print it from your home computer or take it to your nearest print shop.

This new format will allow you the reader to better pick and choose what articles you find interesting and follow our writers more in-depth. Yes, we will still have advertisers and by going digital we can cut their advertising cost by 50% or more each month and reach thousands more potential customers than print alone.

Montana Woods N Water has teamed up with Big Bull Sports and the Sanders County Search and Rescue and will be holding a “Five Months of Fun” fundraising event. We will be raffling off some really nice firearms and other prizes. Go to www.montanawoodsnwater.com and hit the “SAR” tab for more information. While you are on our website you might want to swing over to our “Store” tab and see what we have on tap. Keep sending us your pictures and stories. We thank you for your continued support and we wish each and every one of you a healthy and prosperous new year.

A wise man adapts himself to

circumstances, as water shapes

itself to the vessel that contains

it. --Chinese Proverb

Publisher & Editor: Raf Viniard

406-407-0612

Field Editor: Mitzi Stonehocker

406-544-1868

Sales & Marketing Director:

Kori Erickson

406-293-1478

Flathead Valley Sales Rep:

Misty Loveless

406-250-4191

Missoula Sales Rep: Vacant

Pro Staff Writers & Photographers:

Angela Gerych Pastor Jim Sinclair

Dan Helterline Zach Butcher

Paul Fielder Montana Mitzi

Toby Bridges Sam Martin

Toby Walrath Jason Badger

Tony Rebo

Editorial Policy: Montana Woods N Water (MWW) reserves the right to

refuse to publish in any form of content that does not include the author’s name, complete mailing address, and/or valid

phone number or e-mail address. Anonymous submissions will not be

addressed or published. MWW reserves the right not to publish anything we feel

is not in good taste or appropriate.

Front Cover Photo Provided By:

George & Marissa Nass

Location: Superior, Montana

Contact Us

Montana Woods N Water

171 Clark Creek Loop

Plains, Montana 59859

406-08-0576

www.montanawoodsnwater.com

Email:

raf@montanawoodsnwater.com

Bears, Cats And A Little Lady By Raf Viniard

Most seventeen year old young ladies have a social calendar that

would make most politician’s calendars look like child’s play.

However, Marissa Nass of Plains, Montana calendar is filled with

hunting forays with her Dad and stays busy learning the skills

needed to someday becoming a taxidermist. Her parents

George and Francesca Nass wholeheartedly support her desire

to become a taxidermist. However, once the snow started to fall

you could often find Marissa with her Dad driving the mountain

roads looking for “Big” cat sign. Cats and taxidermy are not

Marissa’s only passions. She loves to bear hunt in the spring. As

you might recall, Marissa was in the June edition of Montana

Woods N Water with her six foot chocolate bear that she nailed

at 466 yards with a 300 win Mag. She states, “I love to bear

hunt...it is my favorite. Spotting the bear and then putting the

stalk on it is really exciting.”

Marissa can chase big game with the best of the boys and can

hold her own with no problem. She tagged along with her Dad

and some friends during an early cat hunt that resulted in a very

large cat being taken. Marissa insisted that her Dad let her pack

the big cat out. With some help from her Dad he reluctantly

passed the cat off to her shoulders. Being a concerned Dad, he

was worried the heavy cat might make her fall going down the

rocky steep slopes. Marissa bucked up and packed the cat down

the mountain by herself to the astonishment of the other hunters.

After self-affirming she was the lady to get the job done, Marissa wanted to kill

and pack her own cat out…and that

she did. Marissa and her Dad

harvested a big tom weighing 132

pounds near Superior, Montana.

Montana Woods N Water posted her

picture on Facebook and it reached

over 20,000 viewers with 339 likes.

She was the talk of the Montana

Woods N Water Facebook page. As

for the few haters that voiced their

not so kind opinions…her Dad came

to the rescue and defended his girl

for a job well done.

Sounds like Marissa will be mounting her first big cat…herself. Marissa has mounted three whitetails and one mule deer. When I asked Marissa what was the part she liked least about the taxidermy process she stated, “The hardest part was the fleshing but I mostly enjoy the finishing and painting.” Marissa has pretty much taught herself with some coaching and mentoring here and there. Marissa is wanting to try her hand at mounting a grouse. When asked if there is any advice she wanted to give anyone else thinking about trying their hand at taxidermy and she this advice, “It is best to work under someone that has experience. Ask a lot of questions and study close up pictures of the animal, especially the eyes, nose, mouth and ears.” Story continued on next page...

FEATURE ARTICLE

Marissa with her 132 pound kitty

Marissa with her first three mounts she

did herself and that big rack in her hand

will be her fourth.

Stand back boys...she’s got it!

Marissa’s goal is to learn the taxidermy trade so she can mount her own animals to save money and hopefully make a living at it

so she can stay around the Plains, MT area. Marissa has bagged three bears, two muleys, a whitetail, turkey, ducks, two elk cows and some

grouse. Oh, and at 6 years old she trapped a mink. With that type of track record at only seventeen years old, this sounds like a wise career

choice. She ice fishes with her Dad but has no interest in mounting fish or other scaly species. She loves to catch perch through the ice.

Marissa’s long term goal is to hunt and guide Alaska Big Game. She states, “I love the big beautiful country of Alaska and look forward to

hiking it someday.”

We approached her Mom, Francesca and asked how she felt about Marissa’s direction in life. “She is a Daddy’s girl and we are so happy she

has found something she wants to do that will allow her to stay in the local area. There are not a lot of female guides or taxidermist in this

area…she is very artistic and has come a long way from her first mount to her third. We are very proud of her.”

Marissa has trailed behind her Dad learning the ways of the mountains for several years. It is not farfetched to see that Marissa is being

trained and primed to be one of a few Montana female guides and taxidermist. Marissa we congratulate you and wish you great success!

FEATURE ARTICLE Continued

Big cats are rarely seen by the public but they lurk in the mountains around our

neighborhoods and unless they kill a pet or livestock we often never see where they

have been. As an old coon hunter from the south this style of hunting intrigued me. To

find out more about cat hunting I needed to speak with someone that knows a thing or

two about it.

George Nass started his cat hunting career over twenty years ago. He has guided for

local outfitters and hopes to start his own guide service in the very near future. While

interviewing Marissa I picked his brain about the basic ins and outs of cat hunting.

Talking to most a cat hunters and it is about listening to the dogs and the chase not the

harvest of the cat. Often times the cat is never harvested as most cat hunters will only

take the biggest and baddest of those treed.

So what is a day of cat hunting like? Cat hunters love fresh new snow so they can see

the tracks of the cat to have a better idea how big and type (Bobcat or Mountain Lion) it

is. Snow is not a requirement but is highly favored.

Cat hunters like to get an early start...you know that time of the morning where you are just hitting overdrive and getting those last 2-3

hours of beauty sleep. The eagerly awaiting dogs are colored with GPS tracking devices, loaded into dog boxes or for those spoiled hounds

the back seat of the truck. After a few final checks to ensure all gear has been loaded, man’s best friends and the cat hunter sets off to the

mountains in search of chance to cut the dogs loose on a “Big” cat.

As headlights and running lights shine the road and its shoulders, cat hunters closely scan it looking for fresh tracks. If a hunter is lucky he

might even run upon spot where a cat has dragged a deer across the road. Hounds noses protrude from the dog box or for those more

fortunate to ride with their masters in the cab have their heads hanging out the window and ears flopping in the wind, sniffing the air for a

kitty. George states, “Those dogs can smell scents and tracks we can’t even see. Once the dogs get a scent they get excited and are ready

to hunt...this is what they are born and bred to do and love every minute of it.” Miles of roads may need to be covered to find the size and

type of track the cat hunter seeks. Not just any cat will do. George says, “I am looking for a big tom track. The bigger the track the better

and toms usually have a longer stride. Once I find a track I am interested in putting the dogs on, I will drive down the road about another

mile or so and get the dogs and myself geared up. I let the dogs do their

things (poop, peeing and marking their new found turf). This is so they are

fully focus on the hunt the moment I put them on the track. Once I cut he

dogs loose on the track, I just stay on the road listening to the dogs direction

of travel and watching their progress on the GPS. If I can’t hear them I can

tell by the GPS if they are treed. Hopefully I know the area or I look at maps

and the GPS to find the quickest way into the area where the dogs have

treed. The cat should stay in the tree but sometimes they will bale on us and

the chase is on again. If the cat stays in the tree the dogs will stay right there

for hours.” As with any type of hound hunting the sound of the dogs baying

creates an... (continued on next page)

Cat Hunting 101

By Raf Viniard

George with his two Leopard Curs, Chief & Moss

CAT HUNTING 101 Continued

adrenalin rush for the hunter and the dogs themselves. George went on to say, “Sometimes

as you approach the tree the cat will bale and the chase is on again. You just have to watch

and listen as to what direction the dogs are headed. Cats don’t have a lot of lung capacity

so hopefully the cat will tree close to where you are currently standing. Once the cat is

treed and appears to be holding, you are constantly encouraging your dogs, “Get the kitty.”.

You want the dogs to get more excited and keep congratulating them on a job well done.

Whether or not you decide to take the cat will depend on the hunter. I like to check the cat

over closely to see if it is the quality of cat I am looking for.” I asked George what type of

firearm is used to harvest the cat once the decision has been made to take it home.

“Archery equipment is popular but any decent 223, 22 Mag or 17 HMR will work.”, replied

George.

George further stated, “Most hunters will

leash up the dogs before taking the cat. This is to prevent the cat from hurting one of the

dogs if it is not completely dead when it hits the ground. You don’t want the pelt damaged

by the dogs mouthing it. Of course, photos are taken at the tree and the dogs are given a

lot of attention for a job well done. The dogs have done their part and are now ready to

hunt again.” George went on to say, “After a successful hunt most hunters and dogs are

tired from hunting the grueling terrain that cats love to hide in. Some hunters will skin the

cat out at the tree and others will pack it out whole. Cat hunting is just very addictive...it is

all about the dogs and spending time in the mountains.”

So what does cat meat taste like? According to George, “Cat meat is really good...it tastes a lot like pork and is delicious fried.” Remember

cat hunting is not just for the guys. As with any type of hunting there are always the “haters” for whatever reason. This is Montana and

these guys and gals love their cat hunting and their hounds. Removing some of these big cats will save several spring fawns, elk calves and

just maybe you or your pets life. If you like to deer and elk hunt thank a cat hunter keep “Living The Dream!”

Chief and Moss bay at a treed cat

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Next Issue Articles Trapping - Muskrats by Paul Fielder

Fishing - Ice Fishing Humor by Sam Martin

Fishing - The Next Generation by Tony Rebo

NEXT GENERATION

Issac O’Rourke of Libby, MT with a hunting vest full

of Pheasants. Looks like Issac has a side kick...great

job Issac!

Six year old Benjamin Grant of Sanders County shot this squirrel with his first .22 rifle he received for his birthday. His father entered this picture in a hunting and fishing photo contest put on by Cabela's. Out of numerous entries Benjamin won second place for his first kill as a Montana hunter. For his achievement he won $100 gift certificate to Cabela's. Way to go Benjamin!