Sounds like, if you want to go picking in western Montana, it is best to get out there soon or you may not find any huckleberries!!
Hot weather changing Western Montana huckleberry season
Chances are, if you are a passionate huckleberry picker, you have your
spot – your secret spot – that you do not share with others. With our record-setting hot and dry June, the question is will your spot feature the same ripe output you’re used to.
“I think it really puts a burden on the plant. It’s a lot of stress, so we could actually see some of the plants shedding fruit, or having some poor development because of that,” Missoula County Extension Office Horticulturist Seth Swanson said.
He stressed that the season will be far from a total loss, but said you may have to search a little harder to find the good ones. One thing Swanson has found as he has hiked the trails around Western Montana is patches of huckleberries that are out sooner than usual, especially around the 6,000-foot level.
“Warm weather shed some of the snow quite a bit earlier this year, plus coupled with a lower snowpack. But, really those early warm temperatures – kind of prolonged warm temperatures – kind of sped up that development,” Swanson said.
He told MTN News that with the front end of huckleberry season starting early, it is almost certain that the back end will come sooner than normal.
“Maybe the third week of July, last year looking at some records of mine was pretty prime for picking, and I think we’re going to see that shifted a couple of weeks early. I’m seeing quite a bit out there right now,” Swanson said.
The bottom line is that if you plan on heading out to your secret huckleberry picking destination this season, don’t wait until it’s too late, and be prepared to spend a little extra time searching in order to fill your bags with your favorite purple summertime treat.
Read the full article from KBZK News
I certainly hope we can find huckleberries in other areas of the Pacific northwest!
