More than 150 years after Nelson Story’s famous Texas-to-Montana cattle drive, cattle rustlers still roam the American West, and traditional ranchers still brand their calves to identify their herd and safeguard their livelihood. The practice of rope-and-drag branding, with irons in an open fire pit...
At the time of its founding in 1910, Glacier National Park contained more than 150 glaciers. Today, fewer than 25 remain, and the United States Geological Survey (USGS) had predicted that these would be gone by 2020. Seeking to capture the fading majesty of the...
Working as a photojournalist for more than 20 years, Janie Osborne has had the opportunity to travel the state of Montana extensively from her home base in Bozeman. Although Montana is a tourist hotspot, known for Yellowstone and Glacier national parks and an abundance of...
One thing is for certain: Fly fishing guides, when presented with a day off, often elect to fish. That means the dirty interior of the guide rig will go another day without vacuuming, and the dozens of circular plastic boxes full of flies — likely...
THERE ARE CERTAINLY A SOLID NUMBER of fair-weathered fly anglers out there. Once the low temperatures hit, ice starts to form on the riverbanks, snow flies, and the thermal layers and gloves are no longer optional, many hang up their rods and waders and wait...
BIG SKY COUNTRY IS ALSO BIG BEAR COUNTRY. Most estimates suggest that Montana has between 13,000 and 17,000 black bears (Ursus americanus) and roughly 800 grizzly bears (Ursus arctos ssp.). Most of the grizzlies in the contiguous U.S. live in and around Glacier and Yellowstone...
These are not your typical roadside attractions, like South Dakota’s Corn Palace, Oregon’s Stumps of Mystery, or Kansas’ World’s Largest Ball of Twine, though I’d like to photograph those one day as well. Instead, these pinhole photographs are the roadside attractions that have been tugging...
A big hole valley tradition Montana’s Big Hole Valley is riddled with ranches that have held their ground for many generations, wicked winters be damned. Known as “The Land of 10,000 Haystacks,” the name refers to a traditional method of stacking hay, a system that —...
Sublime interpretations of a wondrous new world [caption id="attachment_13381" align="alignleft" width="232"] Painter Thomas Moran, pictured here in 1883, joined the 1871 Hayden expedition to Yellowstone in search of colors and views that would yield masterworks.[/caption] On a cool, wet spring day at Artist Point above the Grand...
A winter sport with Western flair Ebbie Hansen is a blur of color and motion as she tries to maneuver her anxious horse into the starting chute. The animal’s muscles twitch and quiver, ready to release an explosion of energy. The Helena, Montana, cowgirl’s demeanor calms...