FORAGING -- As predicted after seeing bountiful blooms during June hikes, the region is enjoying a bumper crop of huckleberries from all reports.

With so many berries around, pickers can be picky.   No need to harvest small less-than-ripe berries. Be judicious if you use huckleberry pickers -- gently bump the berries off rather than stripping them off and damaging leaves and branches.

Better yet, use your fingers.

Have at it. 

Leave some for the bears.