Getting on Each Other's Nerves

Cutter and I have been spending a lot of time together. He wants to get out of the house just as much as I do so whenever possible, I take him with me. What I've learned through two skunk attacks, (he attacked them,) rolling in dead fish, goose droppings and cow shit, he really doesn't mind hanging out in the back of the bed of the truck. This picture, by the way, this was after I gave him a bath. He immediately found the bare ground and rolled in the dirt.

So today, I was looking for a nice juniper to match the one I already have on one side of my porch. I was tromping through the woods with a bucket and a pick-ax. Cutter was looking for what I can only guess, is a lab's equivalent of ax body spray. He found it.

What the hell possesses a dog from walking up to a wet, mushy pile of cow shit, rolling in it, head long and saying, "yep, nailed it?"

It was so bad, he climbed up into the back of the truck and leaned up against the cab an now there's crap all over the back of cab, the window and the bed rail. Disgusting. And again, I take him to the dog wash and he immediately rolls in dirt.

Anyway, I've been able to do a lot of exploring and working on the back yard. It's been good. Here are some selfie, grip and grins.

I know, they're all the same fish, right? I just transport it from one river to the next? Not-so-much. I will admit, the fishing hasn't been easy, though. I literally average one of these types of browns on each river I fish. Granted, I don't fish for more than a couple hours each time I go. A lot of it is just recon and checking out paces I haven't been.

Top to bottom/left to right: Blackfoot, Boulder, Blackfoot, Big Hole, Clark Fork, and back to the Big Hole. All but one Cutty caught on streamers. Color matters on each of these rivers and different stretches. It takes a little time and covering water to figure it out. We get a little spoiled on the Missouri. I'm not going to lie.

I do appreciate the opportunity to see places I've never seen in Montana. The other day I grabbed some take-out in Melrose. Support the locals. They're hurting too.

Keep 'em where they live...