On wolf hunts, personal postal service and bentonite

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. North Fork landowner Bill Sapa did harvest a really big black wolf, but not in the North Fork. I hope he has it mounted and put on display at the Blue Moon Nite Club along with the other great trophies he and his dad, Dick, have harvested. Their display is amazingly life like and gives folks who would never see these animals in the wild a chance to get an idea of their real majesty. The Blue Moon display is much better than seeing live animals in a zoo, in my opinion.

Although the two North Fork wolf tags have not been filled, at least one wolf was shot north of Trail Creek and left to rot in the woods. I know wolves are not universally loved, but I'm surprised at the number of people who support this shoot-and-abandon attitude. That attitude can only lead to stopping any legal hunt and returning the wolf to federal management. I much prefer that the state of Montana has jurisdiction and a legal hunt continues. Like it or not, wolves are here to stay.

For more than 20 years, Becky Hardy was our mail lady. During that time, she endeared herself to every North Forker. She was efficient, friendly and had a big smile for everyone. In addition to her mail duties, she was always willing to help anyone by picking up groceries, prescriptions or whatever in town, as well as serving as a messenger for residents. All of these things on her own time and at her own expense. A tradition continued by our current mail carrier.

Becky was so popular she was presented with a special certificate by Tom Reynolds proclaiming her an honorary North Forker.

Becky visited the North Fork recently, and it was really special to see her again and extra special to share a hug. She spent a few days visiting old friends, and the only drawback was not being able to see everyone. It's nice to know that she misses all of us as much as we miss her.

Flathead County managed to put gravel and bentonite on the road from Polebridge north about three miles before weather stopped them. No doubt they will do the other five miles in the spring. That will give us an excellent gravel road from Camas Junction to Moose Creek or near the Community Hall. In 2012, work will begin on the stretch from Canyon Creek to Camas Junction. Many thanks to Flathead County and the Department of Agriculture Resource Advisory Committee for making all of this possible.