Howdy Everybody

[Mt_Sourdough]

My computer is crashed so I havent been on GBO much lately.  Not working has allowed me to do a lot of short drives around the Missoula area to keep track of different wintering herds.  It is easy to do from a car this time of year.  My earlier observation about the poor condition of the timber whitetails seems to have been supported by The FWP.  It seems that Dec and Jan was tough on them, but now they are looking much better. 
The elk herds right around Missoula and the Bitterroot seem to have been moving up of the valley floors, but Clearwater, Ovando and Phillipsburg herds are still hanging in their wintering grounds. 
I have been seeing more mulies than I remember seeing over the last few years.  My un-scientific observation suggests their numbers are definately on the rise.
The bighorns are still low. 
If I had a good digital camera I would be able to post some nice pics, but the camera phone is very limited.  Today I saw some quite exquisite rams, but wasnt able to get pics of the biggest in the herd.
 Below is a pic of some Bighorns just north of Bonner. 
I also posted a pic of my girlfriends son with a Remington 582 .22 we found for him.  We mounted a Bushnel 3x9 scope on it.  I hope it helps to turn the young man into a shooter.  Anybody have any experience with these rifles?
By the way, new hunting regs are due out April 2. 
I am also posting a pic of my good timin' 444.

[Double D]

The 580 series of rifles was a good design. I am sorry that Remington didn't keep it. I have always wanted to get the upgraded model 541T.  Up until the time I went to Martini's my 581 was the .22 that all other .22's that visited my place were measured against.  It out shoots the 10-22's all day long.  Good choice for a new shooter.

The 582 has one little idiosyncracy you need to be aware of.  When you unload the magagine tube, put the magazine inner tube back in the outer tube.  Open the bolt and look for the follower in the throat. I can't remember what color it is in the 582 green, yellow or red, I think.  Tube feed rifles some times hold one round down in the throat and putting that inner tube back in the outer tube will push the live round up in the throat. If you look in the action and can't see that follower then  consider the gun still still loaded,until you see that follower.

Besure the take down screw is snug. 

Lucky kid for sure!!!

[Mt_Sourdough]

 Thanks double D.  That is good info on the 582. 
 I set out that day hoping to find a Marlin 881, but couldnt find one.  I didnt want a semi-auto for the young man.  I found one Marlin 925 at Bob Wards and almost bought that one.  I found some bolt action savages, but wasnt all that impressed with those.  We (his mom and I) hit all the sporting good stores and most pawn shops without satisfaction.  Then we went to this little pawn shop and found this remington 582 in realy good shape.  The rifle has a 24" barrel, tube feed and bolt action. It doesnt look like it has been fired all that much and at $130, I knew I found what I was looking for. 
  The serial number starts with an A, so I am thinking that the rifle was built in 1980 (?).  By the way, the follower is yellow in color on this model and I will definately make the young man aware of the issue raised.  I've read that the 580 line of Remingtons are the cheaper versions of the 541. (?) 
  I am now looking for some nearby property owners  (Missoula area ) that have commie gopher infiltration problems.  When I was a kid, Id get $0.25 a tail.  Now, that barely pays for the ammo, but I would still love to find some property owner willing to give a young man a quarter a tail.