Remember When?

90 YEARS AGO

NOVEMBER 29, 1933

DEER ARE ENTERED IN

BIG BUCK CONTEST

The big buck contest, sponsored this hunting season by the Marshall Wells company of Spokane with the Union Market at Thompson Falls acting as local contest board, terminated with the close of the hunting season on November 15.

This contest, sponsored to encourage the sale of Peters ammunition, offered $50 for the heaviest white tail buck and $50 for the heaviest mule deer buck killed in northern Idaho, western Montana or eastern Washington.

There were several people who weighed in deer at the Union Market but only the heaviest were ported to Spokane. The heaviest black tail was entered by Mr. Findell of Missoula. It weighed 244.5 pounds dressed out. The heaviest white tail buck was killed and entered by B.W. Jenison of Thompson Falls. It weighed 249.5 pounds dressed.

To obtain an entry blank a person had to purchase a box of Peters ammunition at the Union market.

30 YEARS AGO

DECEMBER 2, 1993

STATE OKAYS PURCHASE

FOR BIGHORN HABITAT

The Montana Fish and Game Commission voted to expend over $50,000 in Sanders County to improve bighorn sheep habitat.

Local Biologist Bruce Sterling of the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks said the funds will be used to purchase 27 acres of the Bud and Emily Cole Ranch located along Highway 200 between Thompson Falls and Plains.That particular property has been determined to be important to the well-being of the sheep that are so popular along the valley. The sheep are known to graze there and then frequently use the property as a crossing point for Highway 200.

The property, as Sterling described it, borders Highway 200 and then basically extends northward to meet Forest Service land on the slope of the mountain front. He estimated that about 40 percent of the 27 acres constituted pasture land while the remainder was steep, rocky slopes.

Funds for the purchase of the property were obtained from the proceeds of the annual bighorn sheep permit auction. Last year’s sale brought $205,000 for the chance to hunt one of the bighorn rams. Sterling said 90 percent of the auction proceeds are earmarked for habitat improvements such as land purchases, sheep studies, trapping and transplanting and other management tools. The Cole property, which will be designated as a wildlife management area, will be managed primarily for winter and spring bighorn sheep habitat.

This purchase is the second for the area, with the state purchasing about 1,500 acres of Wilson Ranch several years ago. That land is being managed for wildlife as well, although funds for that purchase were not obtained by virtue of the sheep tag auction.

Sterling said the Coles retained 20 acres of their ranch for their personal use and the department obtained a “first right of refusal” to purchase that property should it ever be put up for sale.

TUSCOR BOOK AUTHORED

It was something that just needed to be done, according to Don Hill, who has recently self-published a history of the town of Tuscor, which was inundated when the Noxon Dam was constructed and created the reservoir.

Hill notes that at one time, the Tuscor Lumber Company employed 100 people and another mill had 60 workers. “There was a company store, a mill and a school, too. It was a going concern,” he adds.

Called the History of Marten/Martin Creek, Hill explains that the old-timer spelled the word with an “i” and the Forest Service changed it to an “e,” so he used both spellings on the cover. Sanders County residents who are old-timers as well as those new to the area will find the trip back in time interesting.

Don Hill is a well-known wood carver. He was the station agent for the railroad in Thompson Falls for over 23 years before retiring several years ago.

TUSCOR STORE BURNS

November 22, 1943

The Tuscor Store burned up Sunday morning. The fire was supposed to have been caused by a cigarette thrown into the wood shed during the dance the preceding night.

Walter Roe discovered the fire about the time the woodshed was blazing well. He ran into the store and woke up the Smith family just as the rear of the store caught fire. The boy Clayton ran back into the store being in a daze and was later found and taken to safety by his father.

Nothing of importance was saved. The entire building was burned including the store, and post office which was part of the store, dance hall, cellar, woodshed, and the Smith living quarters.