Happy Holidays from Willow Ranch Family to Yours
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Another year has come and gone and with MANY exciting changes for the Willow Ranch Family.
As many of you know, we have alot of new additions and changes in our lives over that past few years. First and most importantly we have welcomed into our family a beautiful daughter Matine John Howell. She was born perfectly beautiful and healthy on May 11th 2009. She has been properly introduced to our "way of life" these last 7 months. Matine has already been fishing, up to camp, camping, and skiing! As she plays with a reindeer under the tree, she says "hello!"
Second, we are in our second year as co-owner/operators of Willow Ranch Outfitting (www.willowoutfitters.com). We are a full service hunting, fly fishing and packtrip/backpack outfitting business. Our "office" entails the beautiful rivers and streams of Southwest Montana and the 9,000 foot mountains snuggled in the Lee Metcalf Wilderness of the Madison Range.
Business was very successful this year and we had a great fly fishing season, thanks to all who came and fished with us this year. We expanded the fishing quite a bit, spending the middle of May through to the end of June up in Craig, Mt. fishing on the Missouri River. There we spent a fantastic spring fishing the tail waters for monster rainbows and brown trout.
Once July came we moved back down to Livingston and spent July and August fly fishing on the Yellowstone and Boulder rivers. Both of which proved themselves again this year. Our grass hopper fishing was second to none, and those who got to fish it will agree. I saw some of the biggest fish of my life last year eating the tasty grass hopper.
For one week we took a break and threw saddles on the our growing number of Fjord horses and went into camp for a five day summer pack trip in our area in The Lee Metcalf Wilderness. It was a nice change to get out of the heat and get into the mountains were the weather was quite a little cooler and more pleasant. Each night was welcomed with a 15 minute thunderstorm that came and went with demanding presence, and left us with a comfortable evening with a camp fire, cocktails and great meals.
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We spent the week fly fishing on our numerous lakes and day hiking into nearby drainages, and on to mountain tops.
While many fished into October, I personally finished off my fly fishing guide season the end of August and spent the next two weeks setting up Elk camp and getting ready for the hunting season. With the help of family and friends we put together an awesome camp that was very, very comfortable. Thank you to Ron and Sherri White, and my in laws Jim and Kerri Bynum for all your help, and remember, you have already signed up for next year.
We were fortunate to have several great guests this year for archery hunting. We were able to film at least two hunting television shows for the Outdoor Channel with the Team from Western Extreme, host Jim Burnworth and guest Ray Bunney. Also filmed was a new show to air this year, The Force with Jim Burnworth, Ray Bunney, and Keith Marks McMillan Adventures. You all will be the first to know when the shows air - stay tuned!
We had another archery hunt after that with a friend of the family from good ole Minnesota. Thanks again Bob!
With a little more work in camp and firewood cutting we were ready for the general rifle hunt.
We were welcomed a great team of hunters from Minnesota, Texas and Washington. We had a great week with good adventure and a successful week of hunting.
The second week we had a father daughter elk hunt with a couple of friends from here in Livingston, MT.
Brooke and I are ever busy preparing for next year's fishing and hunting, and of course, keeping track of Matine who is ready to start crawling any day.
We both are grateful for your friendship, business and company, and wishing all of you a happy holiday and new year.
We look forward to seeing you in 2010!
Peter, Brooke and Matine Howell |
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