Welcome to Montana. Please Don’t Shoot the Pretend Animals

If you have ever made the drive between Missoula and Great Falls on Montana Highway 200 then you have driven by the big bull at Clearwater Junction. I was in the area last week and recalled a conversation about it not being there anymore so I had to snap a picture so that I could win an argument. With a woman. But what I haven't told her is that after a little looking into it, the big bull WAS not there briefly, earlier this year.

I still haven't been able to find out what year it was first displayed there, but I know that it has been there for at least 35 years because I have a picture of an old girlfriend with it from 1985.

Montanarightnow.com had a story on it that was very informative. The big bull had just gotten old and needed a makeover so it was hauled into Town & Country Autobody in Missoula. (I would have liked to have seen the written estimate for that job.) They hauled it into town on Mother's Day with the goal of having it back in time for the Fourth Of July weekend. Which got done on time.

The repair order included reattaching a horn, a fresh coat of paint and, are you ready with your "redneck music"? Patch thirty-two bullet holes. Thirty-two.

So, the iconic "Statue of Liberty of Western Montana" is back in its usual resting spot. With all of the upgrades, it should be there for many years to come.