Snappy's Blog

2023 Muzzleloader Heritage Season Muzzleloader Heritage Season opens Saturday
HELENA – Muzzleloader heritage season opens on Saturday, Dec. 9, and runs through Dec. 17. This season is for heritage muzzleloaders only; no other means of taking game, such as archery, is allowed. Note that some areas have elk shoulder seasons through Feb. 15, where firearms and archery equipment may be allowed. Read More Posted on Dec 5, 2023

Fishing Report 756Bait.com Fishing Report from 11/30/2023. Read More Posted on Nov 30, 2023

Fish-On Ice Expo Fish-On Ice for the Whole Family. Snappy's is kicking off the ice fishing season this year with a focus on family. Read More Posted on Nov 24, 2023

Christmas Tree Permits Christmas tree permits are on sale. Each permit allows up to three trees to be cut. Please display your permit on the dashboard of your vehicle when you go out to harvest the tree(s). Permits are good for all National Forests in Montana. Please observe the regulations and guidelines below; it is your responsibility to know where you can and cannot harvest National Forest Christmas trees. If you are unsure of the Forest boundary, maps showing ownership are available at the Supervisor's Office in Kalispell, or at the District Ranger Stations in Bigfork, Hungry Horse. Read More Posted on Nov 11, 2023

2023 Elks 31 Guns The Elks are once again doing the 31 Guns in 31 Days. Here is the list of firearms and winners. Read More Posted on Oct 31, 2023

Bear Aware in Montana Montana is bear country. Grizzly bear populations continue to become denser and more widespread in Montana, increasing the likelihood that residents and recreationists will encounter them in more places each year. Read More Posted on Sep 4, 2023

Get Outside Volume XVII Fire Season in NW Montana and the woods are pretty much closed! As I sit in my living room and look out the sliding glass door, the air is thick with the smoke we have come to expect during fire season here in northwest Montana. Read More Posted on Sep 2, 2023

Classic Iron Volume XVII For years I thought about jumping into the world of suppressed firearms but I was always put off by what appeared to be a long and overly complicated process. When hunting season drew to a close last year with my ears ringing more than they usually do, it was time to take the plunge. Read More Posted on Sep 2, 2023

Hunter Education Classes Scheduled KALISPELL — Hunter education courses are scheduled in Kalispell, Columbia Falls, and Eureka. Read More Posted on Aug 24, 2023

Stage 2 Fire Restrictions UPDATE: Stage 2 Fire restrictions are lifted as of Midnight 09/01/2023

Stage 1 Fire Restrictions In Place Areas in Northwest Montana will soon be going under tighter restrictions. Interagency fire managers will put Stage I Fire Restrictions into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, July 29, 2023. Read More Posted on Jul 27, 2023

FWP Adjusts Mule Deer Quotas While mule deer populations remain steady in portions of the state, spring green-up surveys conducted by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks wildlife biologists showed populations in some parts of the state remain lower than desired, and as a result, licenses available to hunters in those areas have been cut back. Read More Posted on Jul 19, 2023

Snappy Sport Senter History Snappy Sport Senter, a landmark for the Flathead Valley since 1947. This sports senter has stories, memories and history to share! Thought we would share some of that past with you from an Article written in 2007 by Nancy Kimball of The Daily Inter Lake. Read More Posted on Jul 4, 2023

Recreational Use Permit Changes Starting July 1^st 2023 recreationalist will need to purchase a conservation permit instead of the Recreational Use Permit. Read More Posted on Jun 30, 2023

Classic Iron Volume XVI Beretta 3032 Tomcat Covert: Does a pocket pistol have a place in your carry rotation? Read More Posted on Jun 30, 2023

Get Outside Volume XVI Exploring some new parts of the valley. Read More Posted on Jun 30, 2023

Flathead Valley State Parks Montana is truly a place of marvel! From the untamed wilderness to the local entertainment that it has to offer. There is always something to do in this wonderful state or an adventure you can enjoy with friends and family! Read More Posted on Dec 31, 2022

Classic Iron Volume XIV Shadow Systems Invades Snappy’s! If you are a regular reader of this column you may have noticed that my tastes in firearms tend to run toward older, classic guns or their reproductions. Rest assured that on our next go round we will once again look to the past as I have been shooting a couple of reproductions that we definitely need to spend some time taking a closer look at. Read More Posted on Dec 29, 2022

Get Outside Volume XIV On Saturday December 10th we kicked off the 2nd edition of the Heritage Muzzle Loader season. Based on what we have seen in the gun department, lots of people are planning on getting out and giving this season a try. Since muzzle loading is new to so many folks we did our best to stock up on rifles and muzzle loading accessories prior to the season. Unfortunately, we were unable to obtain enough product from our distributors to keep up with demand. Percussion caps were in especially short supply. By the time the season opened anything related to muzzle loading except for powder was gone from our shelves. Read More Posted on Dec 28, 2022

Master Seminar Series - Walleye 12-10-2022 Check out the recording of the Master Seminar Series Fishing for Walleye with Bob Hickey.
Recorded 12/10/2022 during Snappy's Fish on Ice Expo 2022. Read More Posted on Dec 22, 2022

Master Seminar Series Ice Fishing Electronics 12-10-2022 Check out the recording of the Master Seminar Series Ice Fishing with Electronics presented by Rob Weiker.
Recorded 12/10/2022 during Snappy's Fish on Ice Expo 2022. Read More Posted on Dec 22, 2022

Master Seminar Series Ice Fishing Safety 12-10-2022 Check out the recording of the Master Seminar Series - Ice Fishing Safety. Presented by Jim Vashro.
Recorded 12/10/2022 during Snappy's Fish on Ice Expo 2022. Read More Posted on Dec 22, 2022

Fish-On Ice for the Whole Family Fish-On Ice for the Whole Family. Snappy's is kicking off the ice fishing season this year with a focus on family. Read More Posted on Nov 17, 2022

Get Outside Volume XIII The rifle opener is nearly here. Are you prepared?
I don’t know how archery season was for you but for me, this year was definitely a bust. For a myriad of reasons (family obligations, work, being too picky……) I did not manage to put any meat in the freezer. In my short career as a hunter, this is the first time I have not had success during a season that I set out to hunt in. Truthfully, I really shut down for archery season about three weeks before it ended but by no means have I given up on the year. Read More Posted on Oct 20, 2022

Classic Iron Volume XIII Springfield Armory Mil-Spec 1911 In my last column we took a look at a very modern rendition of John Browning’s classic 1911 design. For this article we will be looking at a much more traditional take on the 1911 with the Springfield Armory Mil-Spec 1911. Springfield’s take on Browning’s masterpiece very much resembles the 1911A1 issued to our military troops beginning in 1927 up through the mid 1980’s when it was replaced with the Beretta M9. Read More Posted on Oct 20, 2022

Guidelines for Hunting, Fishing, Trapping and Recreating on State Trust land in Montana With the upcoming hunting season, many people will likely hunt state trust land at some point. These lands, which can provide great recreational opportunity, are managed by the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) for the benefit of the public schools and other public entities. In Fish, Wildlife & Parks Region 6 in northeast Montana, large areas of state trust land are found in central Valley and western Daniels counties. Read More Posted on Sep 9, 2022

Osprey FAQ For those of us that spend our down time watching and admiring Snappy’s resident Osprey, Dutch and Duchess, it has been a great learning opportunity to pick up on their habits, routine, even being able to understand some of their communication between them and their babies. Read More Posted on Aug 23, 2022

Get Outside Volume XII It’s hot out here. Time to get “Hucked” up! As we passed through the end of July and into early August the heat arrived with a vengeance. The last week brought scorching temperatures and made it easy for me to forget how cool and wet our spring and early summer was. Read More Posted on Aug 22, 2022

Classic Iron Volume XII Kimber Custom II Classic Two Tone 1911
A modern take on John M. Browning’s timeless pistol From the first time I shot my grandfathers old Colt 1911A1 I have had an on again, off again love affair with this classic war horse. It would take more than the space allotted for this column to even begin to cover the history of this iconic American pistol that has not really functionally changed since it was adopted by the U.S. Army in 1911. That is correct, I am talking about a pistol was first produced over a century ago and is still considered the finest fighting handgun ever produced my many shooters. Read More Posted on Aug 22, 2022

One Lonely Chick Read More Posted on Aug 2, 2022

Get Outside Volume XI Turkey Season is over. Guess I’ll head to Loon Lake and go fishing! Read More Posted on Jun 3, 2022

Classic Iron Volume XI Ruger American Ranch Rifle
300 AAC Blackout
Read More Posted on Jun 3, 2022

Kids Fishing Fair 2022 Awards Snappy's 20th Annual Kids Fishing Day Awards Read More Posted on May 11, 2022

Goslings Jump On 05/04/2022 we saw our goslings jump out of the nest. Read More Posted on May 4, 2022

Pond Cleaning Twice a year the pond needs a deep clean. Here is a quick peek at how we do that. Read More Posted on Apr 29, 2022

General Big Game Hunting Season 2021 Hunting Season Reminders for Northwest Montana. General big game hunting season starts Oct. 23, 2021. Read More Posted on Oct 20, 2021

Stage 2 Fire Restrictions In Effect As of July 26th, 2021 the Flathead area moved into Stage 2 Fire Restrictions Read More Posted on Jul 30, 2021

Hard Flathead Valley Trails Collection of great local hikes around the Flathead Valley: Curated by our Staff and Customers. Read More Posted on Jun 25, 2021

Moderate Flathead Valley Trails Collection of great local hikes around the Flathead Valley: Curated by our Staff and Customers. Read More Posted on Jun 25, 2021

Easy Flathead Valley Trails Collection of great local hikes around the Flathead Valley: Curated by our Staff and Customers. Read More Posted on Jun 25, 2021

Shopping For A New Binocular A binocular is one of those tools that end up proving to be nearly invaluable. From checking distant targets for a fellow shooter to scouting for deer in the early autumn and bird watching, a binocular allows you to see more and see better. There’s a lot to choose from in the world of enhanced vision, including magnification ranges, lens size, additional features and (usually the most important factor) price. Let’s take a look at what the differences are, and which type of binocular is right for you. Read More Posted on Mar 4, 2021

A Montana Landmark
For Over 75 Years

BLOG