As ice fishing season in Montana slowly melts away, we wanted to salute a program that supports and encourages veterans.
The organization is Warriors and Quiet Waters, a non-profit group based in Bozeman. According to the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, their mission is to provide healing through the power of fishing and being in the outdoors to post-9/11 military personnel facing challenges.
Warriors and Quiet Waters is not exclusively ice fishing therapy, as excursions are organized year-round. But an adventure this winter on Nelson Reservoir in northeast Montana is one that caught our attention.
A lot of time and effort goes into making these trips a memorable experience for the guests. Recently six veterans, Warriors and Quiet Waters staff and volunteers spent three days fishing Nelson Reservoir.
There were strong winds and bitter cold temperatures. There was also hot food, shelter trailers and all the ice angling equipment necessary to make the excursion a success. Tip-ups, ice augers, minnows and more were all provided. And while we didn’t get any specific details about how many fish were caught, somehow that likely seems a very minor part of what the experience was all about.
It must be incredibly rewarding to be part of that network of support. Warriors & Quiet Waters started by offering guided fly fishing trips to veterans facing numerous emotional and physical crises, and ice fishing programs naturally followed, all of which are cost-free to participants. To date they have provided fishing adventures to well over 1,100 participants.
If you or someone you know might benefit, or if you wish to donate you can find out all about Warriors & Quiet Waters here.
24 Closed Missoula Businesses We Wish We Could Bring Back
We asked Missoulians which of their favorite businesses that have closed down would they like to see make a triumphant return. Here’s what they came up with.
LOOK: Stunning animal photos from around the world
From grazing Tibetan antelope to migrating monarch butterflies, these 50 photos of wildlife around the world capture the staggering grace of the animal kingdom. The forthcoming gallery runs sequentially from air to land to water, and focuses on birds, land mammals, aquatic life, and insects as they work in pairs or groups, or sometimes all on their own.
Credit: Source link
