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Big Sky September 23, 2011 Volume 2 // Issue #18

sPecial section:

HUNTING

Photo by Eric Ladd

Big Sky Weekly

Big Sky’s Locally Owned & Published Newspaper - distributed virtually everywhere

Big Horns football historic first win

Turf War:

Eminent Domain Heats Up

Wind energy summit

Hawkwatch in the Bridgers

media@theoutlawpartners.com

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September 23, 2011 1

Publisher of the big sky weekly

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2011 big sky chamber of commerce

Business of the Year September 23, 2011 Volume 2, Issue 18 CEO, PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Eric Ladd COO & SENIOR EDITOR Megan Paulson CREATIVE DIRECTOR Mike Martins Photo by Emily Stifler

MANAGING EDITOR Emily Stifler GRAPHIC DESIGNER Kelsey Dzintars

I picked my way down the trail from Practice Rock, savoring the evening light on the timber-covered hillside across Hyalite Canyon and the soreness left in my shoulders from climbing.

EDITOR Abbie Digel Editorial Assistant Taylor Anderson

The next morning I woke to a rainy, cloud-covered day. Laundry left to dry in the backyard drooped heavy and wet on the line, almost touching the ground.

Distribution Director Danielle Chamberlain VIDEOGRAPHER Brian Niles

Fall has arrived, and with it, primal rhythms and ephemeral beauty.

Designer/videographer Chris Davis

Frosty mornings mean hunting season is well underway. For me, it’s hard not to think about skiing. My snowmobile is busted, but I’m psyched to be the proud owner of a Moonlight Basin pass (seventh year running!).

community relations / account strategist Kacey Brown

Change is at our fingertips. It could be zero degrees on Oct. 1, or maybe I’ll still be rock climbing in a t-shirt on Nov. 1. We’ve had both in the last couple years.

CONTRIBUTors Tyler Allen, Erin Bills, Robin Brower-McBride, Eileen Connors, Jeff Daniels, Sara J. Groves, Allyson Hagen, Rene’ Kraus, Cameron Lord, Matty McCain, Troy Paulson, Dierdre Thornton, Brandon Niles, Ennion Williams, Jessie Wiese, Pat Wolfe

Editorial Policy

Outlaw Partners LLC is the sole owner of the Big Sky Weekly. No part of this publication may be reprinted without written permission from the publisher. The Big Sky Weekly reserves the right to edit all submitted material for content, corrections or length. Printed material reflects the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the opinion of Outlaw Partners or the editors of this publication.

No advertisements, columns, letters to the editor or other information will be published that contain discrimination based on sex, age, race, religion, creed, nationality, sexual preference, or are in bad taste.

Paper Distribution

Distributed every other Friday in towns across Southwest Montana, including Big Sky, Bozeman, West Yellowstone, Three Forks , Ennis, Dillon, Gardiner and Livingston.

ADVERTISING DEADLINE For October 21 issuE: October 14 CORRECTIONS The Big Sky Weekly runs corrections to errors we’ve printed. Please report them to emily@theoutlawpartners.com

2 September 23, 2011

If you haven’t stopped by Sola Cafe yet, then you’re missing out. Located on Willison and Kagy, it’s one of the most popular lunch and coffee spots in Bozeman. Their food is fresh and made from scratch daily. If you need something quick, use their drive through, or for a place to hang out, go inside and grab a Big Sky Weekly as you order.

Sola is open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week.

The low lying bushes in the talus field had started turning yellow and red, and smoke from wildfires still hung in the air.

Sales Director Frank Jordan

© 2011 The Big Sky Weekly Unauthorized reproduction prohibited

Distribution point of the week Sola Cafe

Love it while it lingers

At Outlaw Partners, we’re fast approaching the one-year anniversary of the time we took over the Big Sky Weekly and launched Mountain Outlaw magazine and explorebigsky.com. Have you read our publications this year? Let us know what you think!

Best wishes, Emily Stifler Managing Editor, Outlaw Publications emily@theoutlawpartners.com Letter to the Editor Parameters This is a platform for readers to express views and share ways they would like to effect change. The Weekly will run letters, positive or negative, of 250 words or less that are respectful, ethical, state accurate facts and figures, and are proofread for grammar and content. We reserve the right to edit letters. Please include: first and last name, address, phone number and title.

Send letters to emily@theoutlawpartners.com.

OUTLAW PARTNERS & THE BIG SKY WEEKLY P.O. Box 160250, Big Sky, MT 59716 explorebigsky.com (406) 995-2055 media@theoutlawpartners.com

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Table of Contents Community...4

Business Directory...24

Local News...6

Events...26

Regional...9

Collage...27

Montana...12

Classifieds...28

Sports...17

Travel...29

Youth...21

Environment...30

Outdoors...21 Health & Wellness...22 Business...23

Column...31 Back 40...32 Special Section: Hunting...33

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Big Sky Weekly

community

Ophir School’s native plant garden and interpretive path to be finished this fall On a sunny morning in early September, Jessie Wiese was headed down to Ophir School to water plants in the new garden.

Wiese, an ecologist, has lived in Big Sky for three years and was inspired to coordinate a native garden at the school when she noticed an area that hadn’t been reclaimed and was growing noxious weeds after a construction project.

So, in October 2010, Wiese applied for a Lowes school beautification grant.

The school received $5,000 in January, and Wiese has coordinated the effort ever since.

So far, with the help of a landscape committee and volunteers, Wiese has coordinated the installation of an interpretive path and a butterfly garden.

Last year, kindergarten, first and second graders painted rocks to line the path. This fall, fourth and fifth grade students will help transplant larger perennial wildflowers, wildflower seed and native grasses.

“We were trying to get the elementary school kids invested in the project so they will know to help maintain it in future years,” Wiese said.

Alan McClain from Big Sky Landscaping and Scott Hammond from Hammond Property Management standing next to the sign at the new Ophir School Garden. Both generously donated time and labor. Big Sky Landscaping brought many volunteers and equipment to the work day.

There will also be a phenology garden, which Wiese explains is a great place to do ecological studies on seasonal changes during the growing season.

To get involved in the project, contact Jessie at jessie.wiese@gmail.com. -E.S.

It’s that time of year again…Bear season

By Jessie Wiese

Big Sky Wekely contributor

Bear management requires a three-pronged approach for success: waste management, enforcement and education. The Big Sky Natural Resource Council is working on grants to begin tackling each of these components.

•

Keep lawns mowed and weeded.

•

Avoid using birdfeed during bear season.

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Plant non fruit-bearing trees.

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Harvest garden vegetables as they ripen and consider installing an electric fence.

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Keep your barbeque clean by burning off any residue after grilling and dispose of grease in grease trap after each use and store indoors when not using it.

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If possible, purchase a bear proof trash container.

•

Insist that restaurants and bars use bear proof containers.

•

Talk to your neighbors and friends about being more bear smart.

•

If you do encounter a problem bear, contact Fish, Wildlife and Parks. A plethora of information can be found at bearsmart.com.

Bear Smart Tips: •

•

•

Manage attractants by disposing of garbage properly and putting your garbage out just before the garbage truck comes, the morning of pickup.

Keep your doors and windows to your home and vehicle closed and locked. Consider installing handles on your house that are round and twist instead of the lever style handle.

Don’t store any kind of food (including bird or pet food) outdoors or in your vehicle.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

While the football team soared to their win over Two Eagle, over 40 community members gave up a bit of their weekend to help paint the bleachers at Bighorn field. The MountainView Hardware store donated supplies, The Hungry Moose donated food (as did other talented home cooks and shoppers – thanks to the Downer Family) professional painter Ian McConaughee of Expert Finishes supervised, and many volunteers, including teachers, custodians, principals and community members with no familial or employment ties to the school picked up their brushes and finished the job. Thanks to these volunteers, the new-to-Big Sky bleachers look new again.

- Barbara Rowley, School Board Vice Chair and volunteers organizer

4 September 23, 2011

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Big Sky Wyldlife/Young Life The new season for WyldLife will kick off their first Club Monday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. in the old gym at Ophir School. All middle school students are invited to come have fun, play challenging and messy games, eat snacks and meet young adults who will be there for them as they go through their teenage years. WyldLife will meet the first and third Mondays throughout the school year.

New this year will be a program for senior high students called Young Life. It will meet the second and fourth Mondays during the school year at the home of Anne Chiles, 119 Gray Owl Lane, starting Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. It will be an informal gathering of senior high students where they can mingle, have snacks and just hang out with their leaders.

Young Life is a non-denominational Christian outreach to middle school and high school students and has been reaching kids nationally and internationally since 1941. The program’s local purpose is to give the students a fun, safe and healthy environment to interact throughout middle school and high school.

Any questions call Taylor at 570-3097 or Whitney at 579-9329.

Big Sky Weekly

community

Governor Schweitzer - The Montana Way Guest editorial by governor brian schweitzer

Washington can’t seem to stop borrowing and spending.

Montana, on the other hand, is one of the only states in America with a balanced budget and a strong surplus. And we’ve done it six years in a row, with an average surplus of $389 million (in the previous twenty years before I was governor, the average was $68 million).

This tight fiscal discipline has allowed us to cut taxes, invest in education, and keep the government running. And unlike the Feds who got downgraded, Montana recently got its first bond rating upgrade in 26 years. Our credit rating has never been better.

How do we accomplish this?

We run government like a ranch. In ranching - my old job - you either pinch pennies or go belly-up, and when times are tough you tighten the belt.

Perhaps Washington should try it, by following our basic rules.

First, we challenge every expense. Rather than cut services, we cut overhead. When the recession came we found $80 million in savings which helped us avert a budget crisis. Small things added up. We renegotiated state contracts, turned down thermostats, auctioned off state vehicles, and canceled building projects and computer upgrades, and did dozens of other things to save money. We even saved by spending: we invested in our efforts to collect unpaid tax bills from out-of-state and foreign corporations, and it has paid back seven dollars for every dollar we invested.

Unfortunately, nobody pinches pennies in Washington. As a small example, I recently

visited a military base in Texas at which a private firm ran security. Why, with the toughest soldiers on earth, would the federal government spend extra cash to rent security guards rather than let troops take turns guarding the fort? Sure, it’s always easier to outsource things, but is it worth the billions spent? No doubt the lobbyists for the security firm sprinkled plenty of money around Congress to get the contract.

The federal budget contains thousands of similar line items. They should all be eliminated.

“Montana is one of the only states in America with a balanced budget and a strong surplus.”

Second, we always leave some grain in the bin, in case of drought. When we run a surplus, we set aside a chunk of it in a savings account, in case revenue declines the following year. This is always a big fight in Helena, since most legislators would rather spend the extra dough.

Just look at the newspaper. A few weeks ago, a leading GOP legislator was publicly criticizing me because one of our state agencies spent $28 million less than it was allocated by the legislature. In other words, we found a way to save the taxpayers $28 million, and he’s upset that we didn’t spend the money. A rancher he is not.

In fact, this person has a Washington, D.C. mentality. I cannot recall the federal government ever banking surplus funds in a protected account, even during the surplus-laden 1990s. They always come up with ways to spend the money. Well, if Washington ever digs out of the current hole and runs a cash

balance, Congress should put some grain in the bin.

Third, we treat our ranch hands with respect. Like other states, we’ve had to freeze employee pay and reduce the workforce. But many of the best solutions for cutting costs have come from state employees. So when we cut the state payroll, I cut my own salary. Sadly, many politicians, especially in Washington, seem to relish the opportunity to trash government workers. This is just cheap and ugly scapegoating. More to the point, it does nothing to produce bottom-line results.

Finally, we never spend money until we’ve found the lowest price. We don’t view government contracts as a way to take care of friends. Quite the opposite: we use our purchasing power to get the lowest possible rate. For example, when the real estate market softened, we told commercial landlords who rent space to the state that if we didn’t see rent reductions, we’d move to cheaper premises when our leases were up. Most complied, saving the state almost $4 million.

How does the federal government negotiate?

Consider Medicare drug purchases, a giant federal budget item. In 2003, in one of the greatest sweetheart giveaways ever dreamed up by the White House and Congress, they agreed to pay the drug companies retail rates for Medicare drugs, even when everyone knew they could negotiate lower, bulk prices. The cost to taxpayers? An estimated $600 billion a decade.

Now that the debt is the country’s top issue, Washington should try the Montana method, by doing what any rancher or family household does: save money, live by a budget, challenge expenses, find bargains and invest wisely.

We’ve shown that it works.

Big Sky Fire run report CPR and First Aid classes are offered at Station 1 as needed. Please call 995-2100 for information or to schedule a class.

9/4-1544-1640- Fire and EMS personnel responded to a person stuck in an elevator.

The person was removed from the elevator uninjured.

9/4-1645-1930- EMS personnel responded. Patient received ALS care and was transported to BDH. 9/4-1645-1930- EMS personnel responded. Patient received ALS care and was transported to BDH. 9/5-1645-1930- EMS personnel responded. Patient received ALS care and was transported to BDH. 9/6-1046-1048- Fire and EMS personnel responded to an alarm. The alarm was false.

9/9-1822-2210- EMS personnel responded. Patient received ALS care and was transported to BDH.

Outlaws at Ophir On Wednesday, Sept. 7 the Outlaw Partners assisted with Lone Peak High School’s Multimedia class. Pictured is Kacey Brown, Community Relations Manager for Outlaw, assisting students with a branding project. The students have since created their own media company, Mountain Media, and plan to assist the community with marketing projects and outreach, with the help of the Outlaw Partners. Check back for projects from the students in future editions of the Weekly.. - A.D.

9/11-0103-0345- EMS personnel responded. Patient received BLS care and was transported to BDH. 9/13-09:10-13:00-EMS personnel responded to a residence. The patient received ALS care and was transported to BDH. 9/13-13:52-14:58-Fire and EMS personnel responded to a vehicle collision. No hazard or injuries were found.

9/13-14:58-15:47-Fire personnel responded to a service call.

9/13-16:49-17:30-Fire and EMS personnel responded to an alarm. No hazard or injuries were found.

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September 23, 2011 5

Big Sky Weekly

local news

Breaking wind Montana hopes to generate interest in wind with conference in Big Sky

By Taylor Anderson

assistant editor, big sky weekly

Alternative energy production in Montana has yet to catch wind. But that’s not to say the state isn’t breaking some sort of ground in the matter.

Gov. Brian Schweitzer announced in early September that a Western Wind Transmission Leadership Summit will be held at Big Sky Resort Sept. 25-28, an attempt at generating interest and feasibility to connecting Montana’s wind farms to electricity grids as it struggles to harness its massive wind energy potential.

After generating its first megawatt of wind power in 2005, Montana’s production has since increased to 386 MW, 3.1 percent of the state’s power, according to American Wind Energy Association stats.

The numbers hardly compare to states that have been pioneering the field.

Texas, for instance, has the capacity to produce 10,185 MW annually, 26 times more than Montana. Iowa is the

nation’s next-largest producer at 3,675 MW. California, once the nation’s leader in wind production, has since fallen behind; at 3,179 MW it produces roughly twice as much as it did in 1999.

The nation as a whole creates 42,432 MW of wind energy. The top five states (Texas, Iowa, California, Minnesota and Washington) create more than 50 percent of that total.

That’s not to say Montana is neglecting the idea.

The state is currently 18th in actual wind energy generation. The AWEA estimates Montana’s total wind resources at 944,004 potential megawatts, or third in the U.S., but several complications have dampened its ability to increase quickly.

A major aspect of the upcoming summit in Big Sky is to generate ideas on how to solve the problem of transmitting the power from the farms to a power grid and, eventually, out of state.

Creating grids to transmit the energy is expensive and may take up sensitive areas, says Ken Dragoon, senior resource analyst for the Oregon faction of Northwest Power and Conservation Council.

“Building transmissions is tough.

That’s the nut to crack in Montana,” Dragoon said.

“Oregon and Washington wind development was due to renewable energy standards that those states have,” Dragoon said. “Montana has one too, but the standards are based on percent of demand and it doesn’t have the population of the other states.”

Until that problem is answered, Montana will continue to underperform.

The state has 2,327 MW additional wind projects waiting to be created, the AWEA says.

Wind production slowed in 2010, and only 11 MW were added in that year.

Montana set a renewable energy standard for its utilities companies to

To serve humanity

Big Sky welcomes new Fire Chief

By Abbie Digel

use 15 percent renewables by 2015.

Northwestern Energy, the company that services roughly two-thirds of the state, is on track to meet this standard by the end of 2012, says Kyla Wiens, energy advocate with the Montana Environmental Information Center.

About 98 percent of that company’s renewables come from wind.

The other one-third of the state’s utilities companies, which are rural electric cooperatives, don’t have to comply with the renewable energy standard.

Wiens didn’t want to comment on that issue.

Hydroelectricity remains by far the largest renewable energy source in the world today, creating more than five times that of wind energy.

The U.S. currently generates more wind electricity than any other nation, according to a World Wind Energy Association estimate from 2010. China is close behind, and has several projects in place that will ultimately make it the largest wind energy producer in the world.

The 2011 inaugural Big Sky Business Conference and Exposition

editor, big sky weekly

By Robin Brower-McBride

After an extended application process and a cross-country road trip, the Big Sky Fire Department and community welcomed their new chief, Bill Farhat, on Sept. 13, in a formal ceremony outside of Station No. 1.

Big Sky Chamber of Commerce is kicking off the shoulder season with its inaugural Business Conference and Exposition, scheduled for Oct. 6 at Buck’s T-4 Lodge. This conference is open to the public and is one of the Chamber’s many efforts to help improve the efficiency and profitability of local businesses.

After the swearing in, conducted

by Carol Collins, the chair of fire department board of trustees, Farhat gave a hopeful smile and said he “has a lot to learn.”

Throughout the day, attendees will have access to several cutting-edge continuing education sessions on pertinent topics such as business transition, technology (website enhancement and optimization), social media strategy, online marketing and analytics, profitable niches and expansion, business financing and grants, human resources, and guerilla marketing.

Big Sky Chamber of Commerce

Farhat drove 27 hours to Big Sky on Sept. 12 from Southern Michigan with his wife Beth, and four daughters, who will start at Ophir School on the 14th.

Having only been to Montana for two extended visits during the application process, Farhat is excited to bring his family into the community. As for the fire department, he said, “there are all good changes happening here.”

Farhat has experience working in ski communities in Colorado, where he was a police officer in both Minturn and Avon in Eagle County, and enjoyed skiing at Beaver Creek.

“I wanted to get my family back into a small community in the mountains,” he said.

6 September 23, 2011

Photo by Abbie Digel

Farhat started his career in the fire service in 1989 in Buchannan, Mich. He has been in the fire service his entire working life, but has also served as a paramedic and spent 13 years as a police officer.

Before moving to Montana, he worked as the fire chief at the University of Notre Dame for four years.

The hiring process for Big Sky was the most thorough process he’d ever gone through, Farhat said. The Board conducted a two-phase process, with a written assessment, a simulated fire situation, and public presentations, including a presentation at a Fire Department public picnic, and an interview with the Board.

“I don’t know what I don’t know yet,” Farhat said. “But I won’t disappoint you.”

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The conference will also feature a trade show floor exhibiting several business enhancement and development oriented vendors. A social networking gathering for attendees and speakers will follow the day’s sessions.

This collaboration of regional businesses should benefit independent business owners, managers and staff alike. It will offer Big Sky businesses the ability to learn from and network with colleagues from across the region.

The agenda offers an opening keynote with national presenter, Jimmy Neil, a lunch and learn session with Prospera Business Network, in addition to morning and afternoon concurrent sessions featuring panel discussions with prominent business leaders who’ll share secrets and inherent knowledge, offering great options for all business types and interests in a local audience.

Registration information and a full agenda are available at bigskychamber.com/events or 995-3000.

local news

Morningstar moving its facility

Big Sky Weekly

Integrity.

Vision.

Craft.

New Morningstar Learning Center facility

By Taylor Anderson

assistant editor, big sky weekly

In a whirlwind move that emerged and solidified in less than a month, Big Sky’s Morningstar Learning Center has decided to purchase a new building for its childcare services.

“This is a big positive thing that’s happening,” said Shana Seelye, Morningstar’s interim president.

“Right now we are holding our tuition, and actually the purchase of this will lower our overhead.”

The move allows the group to increase enrollment by 40 to 43, based on a requirement that allots 35 feet for each student. Morningstar’s Administrative Director Whitney McKenzie said the potential enrollment increase would allow them to care for more infants and toddlers.

The group plans to purchase the 659 Spruce Cone Drive building from a local family in a deal signed Sept.

1 with Paul and Janet Cronin, and hopes to move in by the first week of October.

There is still much to do in terms of construction at the new building, and the group has asked for volunteers to step forward in the final rush before the early October deadline.

So far, several construction, electrical, and plumbing companies have offered their services, but there is still much to be done, Seelye says.

Benefits include larger space, lower monthly expenses, and an outdoor play area that didn’t exist at the old location. Seelye said the group would line the kids up at the old facility and walk to a nearby play-

Photo Courtesy of Amy Gale

ground.

The move comes after a bumpy few years for Morningstar, which included being denied any funding from the Resort Tax Board this year in June.

The learning center, which started in April 2006 after Big Sky’s former childcare center went out of business, received $300,000 from resort tax in 2008 and $175,000 in 2009 for constructing a building. But hopes of construction were dashed when the economy crashed.

“We were a victim of the economy just like everybody else unfortunately,” said Seelye, who took over as interim president after Laura Sacchi stepped down in August.

The group has entered into a private, 2 1/2-year financial deal toward funding the move, McKenzie said. Paying the monthly mortgage on the building rather than renting at the previous spot “significantly decreases overhead,” she added, but kept the specifics private to protect the owners of the last location.

After completely paying off the mortgage, the group, Big Sky’s only state certified childcare and preschool facility, will likely be in a more stable spot than in the past.

Talk of further expansion at the new site is too far down the road, McKenzie said. “We just want to pay off what we are currently getting into.”

“We’d love to [eventually] make it bigger and expand to accommodate more families” but that is too far on the horizon at this point.

406-995-2174 To view a video tour of this property visit: continentalconstruction.com/montana explorebigsky.com September 23, 2011 7

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regional

A colorful history

300-year-old timber reclaimed from Flathead Lake finding new life as beautifully stained bar tops, mantles and a bass guitar

By Emily stifler

money it could have provided their children and grandchildren.

During the log drives in the early 1900s in Northwest Montana, sawyers on the Flathead and Swan rivers hand-branded the large timber they cut before sending it downstream to Flathead Lake on spring log drives.

In 2004, Donetta contacted Alan Leener, whom she’d met in 1968 as a traveling women’s clothing salesman. When she asked Leener to help form a company to recover the sunken logs, he told her he was in the garment business and knew nothing about wood.

managing editor, big sky weekly

This marked ownership of the logs, and was also a way for lumberjacks to count and be paid for their work.

Timber bound for the Somers Lumber Mill, started by George DeVoe in 1901 and funded partly by the Great Northern Railway, was marked with a ‘Circle N.’

“Well, honey, you better start learning about wood, and damn quick,” Donetta said and slammed down the phone.

That was the inception of North Shore Development LLC, which When the logs reached Flathead later hired Northwest Management Lake, they were to oversee and barged to the implement the Somers mill on Northwest Management project. A natural the lake’s north Inc. will be showcasing resource planshore. The mill ning and project their Flathead Lake Hisused mostly implementation toric Timber on October Douglas fir for company, North13 from 5 - 8 p.m. at the the railroad west has offices in office of the Outlaw Partties it provided Moscow, Idaho, ners, 75 Center Lane, in Great Northern Deer Park, Wash., Big Sky Montana. Come Railway and, by and Helena and see the old-growth lum1910, produced Big Sky, Mont. ber and figure out how more than 30 these pieces of Montana million feet of Jim Cancroft, a forlumber annually. history can be transester with Northformed into lumber, floorwest Management, George’s wife has spent the last ing, slabs, mantel pieces Donetta worked three years figurand paneling. Refreshas the company ing out how to ments will be served. bookkeeper. She pull these logs out noticed they of the lake in an paid the sawyers for more logs than environmentally sensitive manner. showed up at the mill—a percentage of the logs were “sinkers” and are Cancroft helped write the Big Sky still on the bottom of the lake.

Forest Stewardship Plan and has implemented numerous forest health A fire destroyed both the mill and improvement projects. more than a million board feet of lumber in 1957. The mill was never North Shore spent four years in litigarebuilt, and the DeVoes often talked tion with the Montana Dept. of Natuabout the submerged logs and the ral Resources over ownership of the

Photos courtesy of northwest management

Custom hand-crafted Flathead Lake larch coffee table

Hand-made Larch spoon

Natural coloring from un-finished Flathead Lake pine and larch flooring

logs, and finally settled in 2009.

Subject to the Montana Environmental Policy Act, North Shore, under Northwest Management, can now collect the submerged logs. The branded ‘N’ logs belong to North Shore, and the other brands—and they’ve found many others—belong to the state. North Shore pays the state a royalty on all manufactured lumber.

In the past two years, Northwestern has pulled out nearly 1,000 logs, Cancroft says. He’s hired local divers to attach airbags or eyebolts to the logs, which are then winched up to a pontoon boat and trailered out of the lake.

After they’re measured, they’re loaded onto trucks and transported to a mill in Bonners Ferry, Idaho and to Hunts Timbers in St. Ignatius, Mont.

Northwest has contracted with these mills to produce specialty forest products like tongue and groove flooring, paneling, and rough cut lumber used for bar tops, mantles and doors.

Somers Bay, 1930s

A lot of the wood has reacted to being in the water, says Loren Pinksi, who’s helping distribute the lumber.

The larch has turned chocolate brown, with streaks of black, green and violet, while the pine has been stained peach, black, gray, charcoal

and blue. They even counted the rings on one big, twisted larch back to 1534.

Word about the project is getting around, Pinski says. They’ve already sold rough-cut lumber, fireplace mantles and doors around Montana.

A new brewery in Missoula bought a big slab of larch for its bar top, and a musician bought a piece to build a bass guitar for his son.

Cancroft, who admittedly loves wood, says that while salvaging wood from lake bottoms is not necessarily unique—it’s happening in the Great Lakes, for example—it’s the history, the environmentally sensitive manner in which logs are salvaged from the bottom of Flathead Lake, and the beautiful variety of colors of the milled lumber, that makes this Montana forest product so unique and special.

A shipment of flooring, paneling and rough-cut lumber has recently been sent from Hunts Timbers to Montana Reclaimed Lumber (MRL) in Gallatin Gateway. consultingforesters.com

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flathead-historic-timber

September 23, 2011 9

Big Sky Weekly

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Big Sky Weekly

regional 2011 Arc’teryx Bozeman Ice Festival registration opening Oct. 1 15th anniversary festival to celebrate history of ice climbing By emily stifler

managing editor, big sky weekly

For the past several years, Hyalite Canyon has been the most reliable, concentrated and accessible ice climbing destination in the country. That’s because it has more than 200 routes in a 3,000-acre square area, and the 14-mile access road has been plowed all winter since the season of 07/08.

Never been ice climbing and want to check it out? Need to hone your skills?

Registration for the 15th annual Arc’teryx Bozeman Ice Festival (Dec. 8-11) begins Oct. 1.

For the 15th anniversary, festival organizers are planning a special ‘retrospective’ theme to celebrate the 40-year history of modern waterfall ice climbing in North America.

The ice climbing festival will also help raise awareness and funds for Friends of Hyalite, a 501(c)3 nonprofit that supports the Gallatin National Forest’s efforts to manage recreation in Hyalite. The group’s primary focus is the road plowing in the winter. The plowing operation has been funded by the National Forest and Gallatin County the past couple years, but future funding is not guaranteed, and the group says it’s likely private money will be needed to keep the road open in winter. hyalite.org Climbing luminaries such as Henry Barber, John Bragg, Kitty Calhoun, Barry Blanchard and Will Gadd will give clinics and evening slide shows, and ice climbing legend Jeff Lowe will be a special guest.

Lowe, a Utah native, was known for making over 1,000 first ascents from the ‘60s through the ‘80s in North America, the Alps and the Himalaya. Lowe was the original pioneer of truly technical ice climbing in the ‘70s, and he pioneered mixed climbing in the 90s.

“Lowe was the most influential ice climber of all time,” said festival organizer and accomplished climber Joe Josephson.

“To have all these pioneers in one room will be the climbing event of a generation,” Josephson added.

Back by popular demand is the Thursday women’s clinic, as well as gear demos and other skills development classes. Because the daily limit for participants is 60, the clinics fill up fast, says Mike Cooperstein of Montana Alpine Guides.

The festival draws climbers from across the Northwest, and this year they’re doing a major push to market to metro areas like Seattle, Portland and Salt Lake City.

Kyle Rott climbing the Scepter in Hyalite Canyon

“There is no place in America besides Hyalite where you can show up any time between Thanksgiving and the end of March, and be guaranteed to go ice climbing,” Josephson said.

Photo by Emily Stifler

Two decades of Bowl for Kids’ Sake 2011 marks the 20th anniversary of bowling for Gallatin County kids, Big Brothers Big Sisters largest community fundraiser.

The event will be Oct. 14, 15, 21, 22 and 23 this year, and everyone is invited to join the fun.

Here’s how you can get involved: •

Register a team of five bowlers, raise pledges, and then celebrate with two hours of free bowling, pizza and great prizes. Prizes include an introductory flight with Summit Aviation, zip-lining, a $100 certificate to Gallatin Valley Mall and a night’s stay for two at the Sacajawea Hotel.

•

Sponsor a bowler or donate directly to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Gallatin County to help us continue our important work.

•

Be a “friendship maker” lane sponsor – get a free bowling team and great advertising for your company. Call 587-1216 for more info.

•

bigbrothersbigsisters.org

Montana FWP approves funding for fisheries projects FWP Wire SErvices

After receiving recommendations from a 14-member citizen panel, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has approved funding for a fisheries improvement project.

FWP approved more than $325,000 in funding for 12 Future Fisheries Improvement Program projects as advised by the panel. Outside funding for the project will total $720,000.

These projects will improve conditions for populations of native and sport fish species in Beaverhead, Fergus, Sweet Grass, Ravalli, Madison, Powell, Meagher, Park, Flathead and Mineral counties. Project sponsors will enter into a formal

agreement with FWP to maintain the improvements through responsible land-management practices.

Among the planned projects are fish screens on irrigation diversions, improved upstream fish passage through road crossings, riparian fencing and stream channel habitat improvements.

Applications for the next regular round of funding are due Dec. 1. Anyone with a restoration project that benefits wild fish is eligible to apply. Applicants are encouraged to work with local FWP fisheries biologists to plan the projects.

Application forms and additional information on the Future Fisheries Improvement Program are available at fwp.mt.gov.

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montana

Turf war

Eminent domain law pits Montana landowners against growth and big business

By Emily Stifler

Managing editor, big sky weekly

Marie Garrison is a fourth generation Montanan, a rancher and farmer, and a very concerned mother.

Garrison lives on a 4,500-acre ranch in Divide, south of Butte, with her husband and two young children.

It’s land her husband inherited from his family, and the Garrisons today run 350 head of mother cows there.

NorthWestern Energy has proposed to build a high voltage transmission line that would run through the Garrisons’ property on its way from Townsend, Mont. to a substation near Jerome, Idaho. The permit could be issued to the utility company in late 2012, at which time it could further negotiate with landowners and start condemnation proceedings, if necessary.

These evolved into votefor125.com, a statewide grassroots movement by citizens, lawmakers and organizations concerned about the future of Montana private property rights. They’re petitioning to get a ballot initiative, Initiative Referendum-125 (IR-125), on the November 2012 ballot that would repeal HB 198. The group would have to collect 24,337 signatures, representing 34 districts, before Sept. 30, 2011.

Eminent domain in Montana The power of public service companies to claim land for themselves is nothing new for Montana, which has had an eminent domain law since 1877.

Today, the law reads, “eminent domain is the right of the state to take private property for public use.”

It sets out 45 specific public uses for which this power may be exercised; among them roads, utilities, public buildings, water supply systems, agriculture, logging and mining. The condemner must show “by a preponderance of the evidence” that the public interest requires the taking.

domain statutes apply to all entities providing those 45 specified uses. Since some of these are only built by private entities (roads, utilities, mining and pipelines, for example), that meant private interests would be granted the state’s power of eminent domain. “[HB 198] doesn’t change the regulatory process, landowner compensation, due process, or the requirement to negotiate with individual landowners on such things as centerline and pole location within the state-approved corridor,” said Darryl James, Regulatory Affairs Manager for the MATL project.

Instead, it intends to “clarify and restore what was understood to be the law for over 100 years,” said the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Ken Peterson, RBillings.

NorthWestern’s ability to exercise the power of That’s a misrepresentation, says John Vincent, eminent domain for the Mountain States TransmisGallatin County Public Service Commissioner and sion Intertie (MSTI) was granted by House Bill a representative for IR-125. The eminent domain 198, which passed by the 2011 Legislature and law may be close to what it’s always been, Vincent was allowed to become law without says, but with 198, the manner in Gov. Schweitzer’s signature or veto.

“Big Sky is one area that probably is going to be which eminent domain is acquired is The new law allows private utility changed. companies to use eminent domain to more affected by eminent domain than condemn private property for public anyplace else in the NorthWestern system in “Before [the new law] you could get use and private corporate projects. a permit from the [Department of the short term.”

Landowners like Garrison argue this Environmental Quality], but that is an unprecedented infringement on didn’t give you eminent domain,” Vincent said. property rights, while proponents of the bill say it’s “Under the law, you went to the landowner to see necessary for economic growth.

HB 198 is being interpreted in different ways, with if you could negotiate a deal—if not, you went to the two sides arguing whether or not the process for the district court ... Now, all you need is a certifiGarrison says the family would lose 300 acres to the gaining the power of eminent domain has changed. cate of compliance from the DEQ.” MSTI line between the access road and the proposed 24 ‘Guy V’ structures, which take up half an acre Its proponents—backers of utility expansion Both sides agree that Montana, like all states, each. projects and big merchant transmission lines like needs an eminent domain law. They part ways MSTI—say that when the state put the law on the when it comes to how eminent domain should be “[But mostly], the health effects scare the heck out books, they identified a number of private parties obtained by a private individual or corporation for of me,” she said. “We have two small children and I (like telegraph companies, railroads, agriculture and a private, for-profit project. don’t care if it’s one in a million, if it increases their mining companies) as having the right to condemn likelihood of childhood leukemia or brain cancer, no private property for public use. So, in their eyes 198 Most new high voltage transmission lines are amount of money is worth it.” clarifies the original law that was in place for 100 market lines built to sell more electricity in a years. deregulated market rather than meet a public The Garrisons’ ranch already has three, 230-kineed for power in a regulated market or service area, lovolt wooden ‘H’ poles running across it. Her Opponents of HB 198 say this is the first time in Vincent said. husband’s grandfather sold those easements to the Montana history that a merchant (for profit) line has power company for $1 in the ‘50s, and the lines this power. They’re concerned it’s become too easy Proponents for the bill say the projects, many of which bring power to nearby Bannack and Dillon. to gain the power of eminent domain. propose utilizing wind power, are necessary for grid stability and economic growth in Montana; plus, they “That’s transporting power to the neighbors.

House Bill 198 pay substantial state taxes and provide jobs.

That, to us, is a public use,” Garrison said.

In a December 2010 Glacier County lawsuit, Dis“HB 198 is absolutely necessary if some of these projShe’s afraid HB 198 puts property owners in jeoptrict Judge Laurie McKinnon ruled that there wasn’t ects are going to go forward,” Peterson said. ardy of losing land to anyone who wants to come an existing statute conferring the power of eminent in and build something for profit. domain to a private entity.

The governor has called the bill “a deal with the Devil.” He had announced an amendment prior to In 2009, because of that concern, Garrison and Following McKinnon’s ruling, the group proposthe bill’s passing that would’ve required lawmakers to her neighbors started movemsti.com and Coning the Montana-Alberta Tie Line (MATL, another address HB 198 again in 2013. Gov. Brian Schweitzer cerned Citizens Montana, a website and organizahigh voltage power line), along with NorthWestern received the bill too late to amend it and instead let it tion to fight for landowners’ rights.

Energy and Montana Dakota Utilities, lobbied the pass, saying it protected the economy and jobs. state legislature, requesting that existing eminent

12 September 23, 2011 explorebigsky.com

Big Sky Weekly

montana Proposed transmission line upgrade in Gallatin Canyon Gallatin Canyon residents may soon be impacted by 198, as well.

The right of Montana property owners to have a level playing field when it comes to eminent domain and condemnation is too important to allow the automatic ‘trigger’ that a DEQ certificate of approval provides private individuals and corporations for private uses and profit, commissioner Vincent said.

NorthWestern Energy is acquiring property easements to upgrade the 69-kilovolt power line that runs south from the Jackrabbit Substation, west of Bozeman, down Highway 191, and into Big Sky to a 161-kilovolt

It’s about whether a corporation should have the right of eminent domain and the legal ability to condemn private land for a private project whose primary purpose is its own benefit and profit rather than meeting an objectively established public need.

The upgraded line is needed to support development in Gallatin Canyon, Big Sky and at the resorts, said John Fitzpatrick, NorthWestern’s executive director.

The Major Facility Siting Act

“Big Sky is one area that probably is going to be more affected by eminent domain than anyplace else in the NorthWestern system in the short term,” Fitzpatrick said.

If Northwestern lost the power of eminent domain by having IR-125 pass, Fitzpatrick says any landowner along that project could shut it down, Big Sky wouldn’t get the needed upgrade in services.

Property rights and IR-125

The DEQ uses the Major Facility Siting Act (MFSA) to determine a project’s worthiness, environmental compatibility, public need and location.

The MFSA was developed in the 1970s alongside the Montana Environmental Policy Act (MEPA). It instituted a regulatory and public engagement process to review linear transmission, public oil and gas facilities, energy generation, coal fired power plants and nuclear facilities.

Both Vincent and James pointed to major problems in this process.

Both federal and state eminent domain laws are designed to ensure that landowners are given just compensation if their property is acquired for public use.

“Although the MFSA has criteria to establish public need, they are, in practice, virtually meaningless,” Vincent said. He called the siting process a political process disguised as an objective, scientific, fact finding effort.

“Nobody wants to go through eminent domain because of the cost and time involved. It’s better to go talk to a landowner,” Fitzpatrick said. “You have to talk to landowners anyway… to give them a final written offer.”

It’s been 40 years since the DEQ has denied a certificate of approval for anything, Vincent added. “They always find a public need …because DEQ is an executive agency and will always do what the governor wants them to do.”

IR-125 is more about property rights than about compensation.

Vincent said that under former Gov. Martz, the DEQ found a public need justification for Holcim (the cement supplier in Three Forks) to burn tires for fuel in making cement. When the DEQ’s data on air pollution from burning tires was shown to be virtually baseless, they forced to reverse its decision.

“It wasn’t just about transmission lines,” said Marie Garrison, the rancher from Divide. “It was about who would want to come in here and take our land. It’s not right. It could be more than just the power company; it could be anything.”

House Bill 198, abridged

An act clarifying a public utility’s power of eminent domain; clarifying that a person issued a certificate under the Major Facility Siting Act has the power of eminent domain; and providing an immediate effective date and retroactive applicability date. Be it enacted by the legislature of the State of Montana: Section 1. Power of eminent domain. A public utility … may acquire by eminent domain any interest in property, as provided in Title 70, chapter 30 (the eminent domain law), for a public use authorized by law to provide service to the customers of its regulated service.

Section 2. Power to exercise eminent domain. A person issued a certificate pursuant to this chapter may acquire by eminent domain any interest in property, as provided in Title 70, chapter 30, for a public use authorized by law to construct a facility in accordance with the certificate.

Section 6. Retroactive applicability. [Section 2] applies retroactively … to certificates issued after September 30, 2008.

“MFSA is a badly broken regulatory tool,” said James from MATL. “It’s confusing to the public, and [in the case of transmission lines] it places the state in the role of project developer, rather than the objective role of regulatory review… If we had a siting process that worked, we wouldn’t be embroiled in this eminent domain debate to begin with.”

of energy bills statewide. As in the case of the proposed Gallatin Canyon power line upgrade, if a utilities company like NorthWestern Energy couldn’t exercise eminent domain and ended up paying a high price on legal negotiations or a new right-ofway, all ratepayers would absorb that extra cost.

Ideas for compromise are disparate.

“It could work better,” said Tom Ring from the DEQ’s Environmental Management Bureau about the MFSA. And policy changes are moving forward. Under SB 206, a bill sponsored by Sen. Llew Jones, R-Conrad, the MFSA will now provide more flexibility for landowners and project developers.

Implications of repeal If Montana voters repealed HB 198, the 2013 Legislature would likely address the eminent domain issue again.

Vincent hopes that under a new law, private interests would be required— both under the law and objective public interest criteria—to prove that a project benefits the public.

A repeal would have broad implications on the regulatory process for major projects like MATL and MSTI, James says. Investor confidence may suffer the biggest impact, he added.

Repeal could also drive up the cost

Rep. Ken Peterson says the bill was already a compromise, because they’d had “substantial input from everyone interested.” He doesn’t see any possibility for future compromise.

James sees room for improvement in the siting and environmental review processes, the way the state engages with landowners, and the way it responds to landowner concerns as the DEQ makes critical siting decisions.

“Before this bill was passed, we already had a compromise in place with the BLM and the DEQ and NorthWestern Energy as far as line placement,” said Marie Garrison. She suggested placing the utility projects on public lands.

“I make a choice to take care of my kids,” Garrison added. “For them to just come and slap this on our ground would put extra stress on my life.

That’s why I got in the fight, because I’m a very concerned mother.”

Proposed transmission lines: Mountain States Transmission Intertie (MSTI) NorthWestern Energy is awaiting permission to build a 500-kV, 1,500-megawatt transmission line that would run from Townsend, Mont. through the Whitehall and Butte areas to a substation east of Anaconda, then south along I-15 to south central Idaho. Energy carried on this line will be generated primarily from renewable sources, according to Northwestern. The line is meant to help bolster the western power grid.

Montana-Alberta Tie-Line (MATL) This 214-mile, 230-kV line will run between Lethbridge, Alberta and Great Falls, Mont. The line is “important for grid stability and opens tremendous opportunity for wind development,” said Darryl James, Regulatory Affairs Manager for MATL. At first, James says, the line would ship power north, but ultimately it would be used to send Canadian power to the southwestern U.S. The line was proposed by Tonbridge, a Canadian company soon to be acquired by Enbridge, the second largest power company in Canada.

Since 2009, MATL has negotiated easements with hundreds of landowners, and has initiated condemnation proceedings on more than 35.

Gallatin Canyon/Big Sky upgrade Due to a growing demand for electricity in and around Big Sky, NorthWestern Energy recently installed a new 25 megavare substation in the Meadow Village. They’re also planning to upgrade the 69-kV power line that runs south from the Jackrabbit Substation, west of Bozeman, down Gallatin Canyon, to Big Sky and the ski resorts. The new 161-kV line will support development in Gallatin Canyon, Big Sky and at the resorts, and the upgrade is estimated at $20 to $30 million.

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Big Sky Weekly

montana

State takes stab at teenage drinking Long-term project focused on reducing alcohol abuse in rural Montana Department of Health and Human Services

with substance abuse in Montana.

In a recent step toward curbing teenage drinking, the state has launched a community service program for kids charged with drinking tickets.

The DPHHS project divided nearly $9 million among six Montana organizations.

In Jefferson County, teens issued a minor-in-possession citation now participate in a new program called Restorative Community Service, in which charged teens work with a mentor on a community project. In the first nine months of the project, nearly 49 kids were referred to the program, accumulating 1,500 hours of community service. They helped with projects like constructing park pavilions, building a veteran’s memorial, planting flowers and cleaning buildings.

The vast community involvement at all levels was the key to the project’s success, according to Vicki Turner of the DPHHS Prevention Resource Center.

“Success in local communities across the state is changing the conversation and culture in developing and implementing local policies,” she said.

•

Rates of student binge drinking were reduced, including rates for American Indian students.

Prior to 2010, rates were significantly higher compared to the state and other rural counties.

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After two years, student DUI rates declined significantly and were essentially equal to other rural counties and only slightly above state rates.

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Percentage decreases between 2009 and 2010 in alcohol crashes were significantly larger than the statewide rates of alcohol-related crashes.

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High school students reported a significant increase in their self-perception of drinking being wrong.

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These counties had significantly greater increases in DUI arrests in 2008 and 2009, something the

DPHHS in September 2011 released a 200-page report that documents the work of the project.

The organizations are tackling issues like student binge drinking, DUI, and alcohol-related vehicle crashes. They reached out to county commissioners, tribal leaders, law enforcement and school superintendents to try and mitigate the problems associated

State unemployment rate up in August Montana Dept. of Labor and Industry

Montana’s unemployment rate increased by 0.1 percent in August, up to 7.8 percent. The U.S. unemployment rate held steady at 9.1 percent.

“After job gains in the first half of 2011, Montana’s economy slowed in the third quarter and shed some of the jobs added earlier in the year,” said Labor Commissioner Keith Kelly. “Montana’s economic recovery continues, but job growth is slow and unsteady.”

Total employment estimates that include payroll, self-employed and agricultural workers indicate a very small job loss of approximately 380 jobs. Payroll employment estimates indicate a job loss of 1,900 jobs. Payroll employment estimates are often more volatile than the total employment estimates.

The seasonally adjusted Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.4 pecent in August, with broad-based price indexes in all goods.

The CPI-U increased by 3.8 percent over the last year. The index for all items less food and energy (also called core inflation) increased by 0.2 percent for the third straight month.

Funding for the project was through the Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grant distributed by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, a federal agency that works with states and communities to develop comprehensive prevention systems that create healthy communities.

The report notes general themes that occurred in involved communities:

Similar stories have come from five other Montana communities in the last three years, thanks to the Montana Community Change Project.

In 2008, the Department of Public Health and Human Services awarded six Montana organizations funding to identify a specific alcohol abuse related issue in their community.

report calls one of the underlying contributing factors to Montana’s downward trend in alcoholrelated vehicle crashes.

43%

38%

Montana high school students who have had a drink of alcohol in the past 30 days

Graduation Matters Montana gaining traction Online resources, planning and material support community efforts to reduce dropout rate

By Allyson Hagen

Montana office of public instruction

This summer, Montana’s Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau took her initiative to graduate more students that are prepared college and careers on the road.

These efforts to support community-based strategies to reduce the high school dropout rate have resulted in local ‘Graduation Matters’ initiatives starting up across the state.

“In every community I visit, the support for our public schools and Montana students is clear,” Juneau said.

“Montanans understand that the economic success and future of our state is directly tied to student success.”

Starting this fall, half of the high school students in the state will have community-based Graduation Matters initiatives.

Supt. Juneau focused this summer’s efforts in Montana’s seven largest school districts and is working to expand Graduation Matters into smaller communities. Planning for the launch of these initiatives is currently underway in Billings, Bozeman, Belgrade, Butte, Great Falls, Helena, Kalispell and Townsend. Missoula is in its second year of the program.

14 September 23, 2011 explorebigsky.com

In order to support schools in their efforts, the Office of Public Instruction launched its Graduation Matters Montana website and social networking sites and released the ‘Starting a Graduation Matters Initiative in Your Town’ toolkit.

“As the agency that serves more than 141,000 students in grades K-12, it is one of my priorities to make sure we are including student voices in our advocacy and policy efforts,” Juneau said. “This generation spends a significant amount of their time online, and we have to reach students where they are and bring their voices into the debate.”

As part of Graduation Matters Montana, Juneau started the first-ever State Superintendent’s Student Advisory Board, in which 40 students from 31 communities came together twice last year to discuss dropout prevention and school climate issues. As a result of an advisory board recommendation, Supt. Juneau is launching an “I Pledge to Graduate” campaign where students make a pledge to themselves and a witness saying they will graduate from high school. graduationmatters.mt.gov Allyson Hagen is communications director at the Montana Office of Public Instruction.

Big Sky Weekly

montana

Montana congressmen fighting FWP seeks comment on to keep rural post offices interim bison relocation Rehberg released public comments environmental assessment Montana’s congressmen are procollected through his “Mail Drop big sky weekly staff writer

Montana fish, wildlife & parks

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is seeking comment on an environmental assessment of four interim locations and management for about 150 diseasefree bison pending the development of a statewide bison conservation strategy.

The interim locations include two Indian reservations and two wildlife management areas.

Tribal lands evaluated in the environmental assessment include the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation near Malta and the Fort Peck Indian Reservation near Wolf Point. Wildlife management areas assessed are the 5,800-acre Marias River WMA near Shelby and the 28,000-acre Spotted Dog WMA near Avon.

The bison are part of a project that began in 2004 aimed at determining if bison can be kept free of the bacteria that causes brucellosis, a disease that results in miscarriages in some pregnant animals, including domestic cattle, and bison and elk. The bison, which were repeatedly tested for the disease, are considered brucellosis-free, but to complete the feasibility study additional follow-up testing will continue.

The goal is to relocate up to 150 of the disease-free bison from the quarantine facility and from a temporary site at the Green Ranch near Bozeman, said FWP Wildlife Bureau Chief Ken McDonald.

A “no action” alternative would have the bison remain at these locations.

Should the animals be relocated to the WMAs, the bison would be held for an interim period pending completion of a statewide conservation strategy, which is expected by 2015. That conservation strategy would identify potential permanent locations appropriate for brucellosis-free bison.

No infrastructure costs are associated with the interim tribal lands under consideration. Infrastructure improvement costs up to $2 million are possible on the WMAs.

FWP intends to have staff on the wildlife management areas as necessary, McDonald said. They also plan to continue monitoring and testing the animals. Management plans would also include commitments by FWP or the tribes to respond to any escapes of bison from the facilities.

For more information and to comment visit FWP online at fwp.mt.gov and click ‘Recent Public Notices.’ Comments must be received by 5 p.m. on Oct. 19.

Wild bison exist in Alaska, Arizona, Utah, Canada and other places. Today in Montana wild bison that migrate north from Yellowstone National Park are found in winter near West Yellowstone and Gardiner. In years past, Yellowstone animals were used to help restore elk, antelope and other wildlife herds in Montana and the West.

More than 800,000 visited Yellowstone in August Yellowstone National Park

The park recorded 805,173 recreational visitors in August 2011, the second highest August visitation level on record. That’s down 5.8-percent from the 854,837 visitors to the park in August 2010. Park visitation for the first eight months of the year was also down compared to the record year of 2010, but nearly equal to visitation levels recorded in 2009.

1,000,000 800,000 600,000 400,000 200,000 0

July is typically the park’s peak visitation month, followed by August, June, September, and May. Yellowstone hosted a record number of visitors in 2010, when over 3.64 million people visited the world’s first national park last year, 10.55 percent more than 2009, which was itself a record year.

august recreational visitors

testing the U.S. Postal Service’s proposal to close 85 post offices and four postal processing facilities in Montana.

The postal service has proposed closing 3,700 retail offices and 250 processing facilities across the country.

The organization has an estimated $9 billion deficit for 2011, in spite of massive budget and job cuts in recent years. It’s considering defaulting on a $5.5 billion payment due for retiree health benefits this fall.

Closing the post offices would be “a death sentence for some towns” in rural Montana, said Democratic Sen. Jon Tester. “But postal officials don’t know that… The post master general is from Pittsburg and doesn’t understand life in small town frontier America,” he added.

Tester, Democratic Sen. Max Baucus, and Republican Rep. Denny Rehberg have fought the proposed closures in the past six months through letters, statements, legislation and campaigns to gather public input.

Montana Initiative.” The edited excerpts received by mail and at public meetings included opposition to the closures. People spoke about lack of cell phone service or internet connection; using the post office as a public place to get help; receiving medication such as insulin through the mail; and the next post office being 72 miles away.

In place of retail offices, the postmaster general has suggested “village post offices;” there is no further information on how many, their locations, or the services they would offer.

As part of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Tester proposed legislation that would require the Postal Service to pay for post office closures through its own revenue.

Tester’s provision would also prevent cutting mail service from six to five days a week, and prevent moving processing centers and other postal facilities without examining consequences and costs. The senator is also a member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee, which has jurisdiction over the Postal Service.

Montana awarded $7.6 million literacy grant -Montana office of public instruction

Montana schools will receive a $7.6 million federal grant for the 2011-2012 school year to advance literacy skills, reading and writing for students from early childhood through grade 12.

The grant was awarded to only six states.

The goal of the project is to dramatically improve literacy for all students and to provide support systems for districts, special education preschools and Head Start programs.

The Office of Public Instruction expects to award between 25 and 35 grants to school districts and Head Start programs throughout the state.

“Students who struggle with reading are at a higher risk of dropping out of school,” said Denise Juneau, Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Juneau’s office will use the grant to improve school readiness and success from early childhood through grade 12 in the areas of language and literacy development. She’ll put an emphasis on closing the achievement gaps among all student groups including low-income students, students with disabilities, American Indian students and limited-English proficient students.

“This grant is going to provide us with another tool to ensure Montana students are achieving at high levels and earning their high school diploma.”

The funding will go toward high-quality, engaging literacy instruction for children, efforts to decrease the number of high school dropouts, and toward implementing a data-driven decision-making process to collect, analyze, and use high-quality data to assess the effectiveness of literacy programs.

explorebigsky.com September 23, 2011 15

Big Sky Weekly

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Big Sky Weekly

Section 2: southwest montana’s

September 23, 2011 Volume 2 // Issue #18

Life // Land // culture sports

Bobcat wide receiver John Ellis breaks loose during a run.

Lady Miners return a volley. Photo By Emily Stifler

Lone Peak High School football Photo By Mike Coil

Photo by kelly gorham

Ophir Lady Miners

Ophir football team celebrates

Photo By Emily Stifler

Photo courtesy of Barb Rooney Starz

MSU quarterback Denarius McGhee runs in a touchdown. Photo by Kelly Gorham

explorebigsky.com September 23, 2011 17

Big Sky Weekly

sports

Big Horns win at home

Strong defense propels team to 23-12 win game stats Scores by Quarter: Qtr 1 - LP 8 and Billings 6 Qtr 2 - LP 7 and Billings 6 Qtr 3 - LP 0 and Billings 0 Qtr 4 - LP 8 and Billings 0 Final LP 23 and Billings 12 1st Downs LP - 13 Bil - 9 Fumbles LP - 1 (lost) Bil - 3 (one lost) Rushing LP - 34 attempts for 242 yards (7.1 per attempt) Bil - 24 attempts for 139 yards (5.8 per attempt) Passing LP - 2 attempts for 8 yards (4 per attempt) Bil - 18 attempts for 97 yards (5.4 per attempt) Photo by Mike Coil

By Mike Coil

big sky weekly sports writer

In their second home game of the season the Lone Peak High School Big Horns (2-1) surged to a 23-12 victory over the Warriors of Billings Christian (2-2) on Saturday, Sept. 17.

The Big Horns got going early when they scored first at 5:12 of the first quarter on a handoff from Horns quarterback Justin McKillop to Tommy Tosic who ran 40 yards down the left sideline for the score.

The Horns then elected to attempt the point after kick, which Tucker Shea made, adding two points. Six-man football awards two points for made kicks and one point for running the ball into the end zone.

The Warriors drove the length of the field at the end of the first quarter to score but missed their point after attempt, and the score at the end of the first quarter was 8-6 with the Big Horns in the lead.

With 7:32 left in the second, Lone Peak scored again.

McKillop handed the ball to Tucker Shea, who went 20 yards on the right sidelineand dove into the end zone. The point after attempt was a successful running play that made the score 15–6.

The Warriors then scored again before halftime on a pass play but were unable to convert for the extra point. That was the last score by the Warriors due to the hard-hitting defense of the Big Horns.

Late in the first half Horns linebacker Gunner Freeman prevented a Warrior touchdown with a solo open-field tackle of a Warriors running back who outweighed him by 85 pounds.

The Big Horns were up 15–12 at the half.

With 4:50 remaining in the game, Lone Peak added another touchdown on a pass play from McKillop to Shea, who went 30 yards down the left sideline. The extra point attempt by Shea was also successful for two points, putting the Horns up 23-12.

The Big Horns had one last chance to score when they drove to the within four inches of the goal line, but fumbled on the ensuing play. The ball was recovered in the end zone by the Warriors to prevent the score.

Since the first game in school history two weeks ago, the staff and parents had painted the grandstands blue and white. The stands were full during the game on this breezy fall afternoon.

After the game Warriors coach Paul Waggoner stated he thought his team played well, but the Big Horns defense was excellent. He also said the Warriors had been contacted two weeks ago to fill in this game for St. Regis, who had been unable to field a team and cancelled the game.

Waggoner said the Warriors play a number of games each year to help fill in the schedule for other teams that have a bye or when a team cancels.

Big Horns coach Tony Beardsley was very pleased with the outcome because last week the Warriors had scored 30 points against the No. 3 ranked team in the state.

“I think our defense played awesome,” Beardsley said. Beardsley also said his team had made great improvementover the last three weeks.

The teams remained scoreless in the third quarter as they both stiffened up defensively. Freeman again displayed his defensive skills with a pair of open-field tackles against much larger opponents.

There have been “vast improvements, especially defensively, and on special teams,” Beardsley said. “We still have a lot of work to do offensively, but the nice thing is the kids are learning how to play football. Tackling is better, [an] unbelievable change, and it’s all due to the kids’ effort.”

The Warriors were threatening early in the fourth, but Tosic intercepted a pass at the 10-yard line and prevented a Warrior score.

Visit explorebigsky.com for game coverage and videos.

18 September 23, 2011 explorebigsky.com

Total Yards LP - 250yds Bil - 236 yds Scoring by Player LP - Tommy Tosic 33 yd run (Tucker Shea Kick good +2), Tucker Shea 18 yd run (tucker shea one yard run conversion +1), Tucker Shea 9 yd run (Shea kick good +2) Bil - C. Garcia pass to J. Garcia for 22 yards (kick failed), C. Garcia pass to J. Garcia for 16 yards (kick blocked) Lone Peak High School is now 2-1 on the season and 1-0 in the Western “C” 6-Man Conference.

big sky weekly Player of the Week Away Game: Big Horns – 47 Eagles – 6

Running Back Tommy Tosic Home Game: Big Horns – 23 Warriors – 12

Quarterback Justin McKillop Big Horns Defense The Big Horns traveled nearly 300 miles to the Flathead Valley to play the Two River High School Eagles, 47–6. Big Horns Tommy Tosic and Tucker Shea scored multiple touchdowns during the game.

Trevor House and Gunner Freeman added scores of their own. The game against the Eagles was Lone Peak’s first conference game and subsequently its first win, improving the team’s record to 1–1.

“The team played much better [than the first game],” said Coach Beardsley. “We made huge progress defensively from game one. One of our biggest challenges is to improve our play-action passing game.”

Big Sky Weekly

sports

Ophir Miners win big in football season opener The Ophir Miners football team started its inaugural season with gusto on Sept. 16 with a commanding home win over Sheridan Middle School, 47–12.

Despite cold and rainy late summer weather, the Miners came to play. Holden Samuels, sixth grade, scored the first ever Miners touchdown, starting the flood and eventual win over Sheridan. Samuels had three touchdowns; Rhett Leuzinger scored twice; Chase Samuels and Howie Robin each scored touchdowns.

Stats provided by Barb Rooney Starz

Photo by emily Stifler

The Lady Miners have heart

By Emily Stifler

managing editor, big sky weekly

Whether the Ophir girls’ volleyball team wins or loses, the girls still have a really good time.

The bus ride from Big Sky to Monforton School on Sept. 20 was a lively affair, with the girls singing songs and chanting in preparation for their game against the Wildcats.

The Lady Miners looked sharp in warm up, and opened with a couple strong serves, scoring two points right off the bat. The players went from laughing and jumping up and down one minute, to serious the next.

The gym clashed with noise. A referee’s whistle echoed against the walls, and 75 onlookers clapped and shouted encouragement. Ophir’s fifth and sixth

grade team – having played earlier - sang coordinated cheers, having stayed after its own match with Monforton. The sound of shoe rubber squealed on the gym floor.

Despite solid play early on, Ophir went down 1–0 after the first set.

Although the Wildcats were up, the Lady Miners kept the energy and psyche high. The score was close early on, but Monforton pulled ahead and closed the final set 25–16 to win 2–0.

“Our girls play so hard, we just have to work on communication,” said Miners coach Whitney McKenzie after the game. “They’ve got big hearts.

We’re hoping we can pull out some wins the rest of the year.”

Photos courtesy of Barb Rooney Starz

A Case for Tebow gone 11-18 as a starter with the team.

By Brandon Niles

Big Sky Weekly contriubtor

Following the Denver Broncos defeat on the opening Monday night of this NFL season, fans have been clamoring for Tim Tebow to take over the starting QB role.

The incumbent, Kyle Orton, has shown flashes of ability at times and has piled up passing yards since his arrival in 2009. His prolific numbers have not resulted in many victories, however, and Orton has

Tebow was drafted in the first round last year after a stellar career at the University of Florida. Known as a raw prospect with tremendous talent and heart, many question his throwing mechanics and ability to adapt to the NFL style of play. But Tebow has always put forth a positive image, and he possesses an indefinable “it” factor that fans believe could propel him into the upper echelon of NFL quarterbacks.

Since Tebow was drafted, the previous coaching regime has been let go and former Carolina Panthers head coach John Fox has taken over. Some fans have even stated they are going

to erect billboards in Denver to try and persuade Fox to start Tebow over Orton.

Many would like Tebow to start because he seems like a good guy who has the star power to put people in the seats. But there’s also an excellent argument to be made for starting Tebow from a gameplay standpoint. The Broncos are not a very good football team right now, and are in a rebuilding process that should take a few years to get going.

Accumulating young talent and developing personnel for the long haul should be the Broncos’ primary objective. As a result, it makes little sense to continue with Orton, despite the fact he probably gives them a better chance at winning right now. It’s more important to see what Tebow can do. The team already knows what Orton brings to the table, and leading a rebuilding effort for the long-term

future of the franchise isn’t it.

Instead, the Broncos should start Tebow, let him learn and develop this season, and then re-evaluate the position heading into the 2012 NFL draft.

If this team were built in a way that an above-average QB like Orton could make a playoff push, then starting Orton would be the best move. However, with the current state of the team, the best move to make is to start the young players now and let them gain valuable experience while evaluating them as future pillars of the franchise.

Brandon Niles has done online freelance writing about the NFL since 2007.

His articles range from NFL news to team-specific commentary. A Communication Studies graduate student at the University of North Carolina Greensboro, Niles is also an avid Miami Dolphins fan, which has led to his becoming an avid Scotch whisky fan over the past decade.

explorebigsky.com September 23, 2011 19

Big Sky Weekly

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Big Sky Weekly

youth

A beacon of hope BYEP’s first formal graduation By emily stifler

managing editor, big sky weekly

When Emily Chambry first moved from Texas to Big Sky in eighth grade, she was not happy to be there.

“I was just lost,” Chambry said. “I didn’t know what I wanted to do in life.

I was mad at my mom for moving us to Big Sky, hated Montana, and didn’t know how to snowboard.”

Then she joined Big Sky Youth Empowerment, learned to snowboard, and graduated from high school a year early.

“It was fun hanging out with the mentors and learning how to do an amazing sport,” Chambry said.

Chambry was one of more than 50 atrisk teenagers from Bozeman, Belgrade and Big Sky that took part in BYEP’s new year-round curriculum, “the Approach.” Working in small groups, participants go snowboarding, skiing, climbing, rafting, do a high ropes course, and go to Yellowstone Park. The organization, which has been around for 10 years, aims to reduce negative behavior and increase positive risk taking and potential – all in the spirit of having fun.

Chambry is now a freshman studying psychology at MSU, something she said is due, in part, to her experiences talking with mentors at BYEP. On a Thursday night in early September, Chambry and 20 other students took part in the first-ever Big Sky Youth Empowerment Approach program graduation ceremony. Bozeman’s Beall

Park Arts Center had standing room only with an audience of over 130 attendees, as each graduate stood and made a statement about what the program meant to him or her. Many echoed Chambry’s sentiments: BYEP made me feel better about myself.

It taught me to be respectful, and taught me to respect myself.

BYEP is a family that teaches you about yourself.

It teaches life skills.

BYEP helped me make healthy choices and risks.

I learned how to turn the world into my own personal playground.

Every important life lesson I’ve learned, I’ve learned through BYEP. It saved my life and made me who I am today.

It helped me make friends.

From talking about drugs, sex and rock and roll, to shredding the gnar and being audacious…

It was a beacon of hope.

The room erupted in cheers, and Program Director Dave Granger appeared in front of the group.

Graduating from “the approach,” BYEP’s first tier, was not a free ride, Granger said. “They earned this graduation.” In a time when it’s hard to get

Photo by Emily Stifler

kids involved with youth programs, this program has a waiting list.

Founder and Executive Director Pete MacFadyen started BYEP in 2001 with five kids, five mentors, and a $5,000 budget. Now the program has more than 50 kids each season, 28 mentors in the winter, and an annual $500,000 budget. For MacFadyen, “it’s all about the kids.”

“BYEP is exceptional because everyone feels like they want to be part of it….

I’ve never been in a room with so many diverse people digging the same thing,” Granger said. He credits awesome mentors, unparalleled opportunities, strong community support, and the program’s solid mission.

demics, character education, life skills, and stewardship, and will meet weekly at MSU. Then Granger introduced the graduation speaker, Michael Leach, founder of the non-profit Yellowstone Country Guardians, which works to connect locals with conservation.

Leach spoke about Montana’s sacred landscape, and about how any opportunity to be with Big Sky Youth Empowerment students inspires him.

“You get one time to walk this earth,” he said.

Then he tasked the graduates to leave a legacy.

Granger also talked about “the Crux,” BYEP’s new second tier program, which will support high school juniors and seniors and help them develop skills to be autonomous, engaged citizens. The curriculum is built on aca-

“Go out and represent. Go out in your own community and make a difference.

Go out and be audacious,” Leach said.

“You have to be audacious to be a leader in the 21st century.”

The Madison and Yellowstone rivers have been fishing very well with grasshoppers this year. Both rivers have maintained excellent flows and are starting to get baetis hatches as the weather cools off.

Once the fall storm-fronts start rolling in, the streamer fishing will pick up and we’ll have more opportunities at large fish.

their own, with the run up out of Hebgen Lake.

outdoors

Fall fishing is here

By Ennion Williams

been treated to some excellent fishing conditions all summer.

Although the midday temperatures are warm, fall is in the air and that means the larger fish are starting to move. Across Montana, anglers are having success fishing the rivers with grasshoppers. Warm afternoons have provided the best action for dry fly fishing. Cool mornings and above average water flows have kept water temperatures in check this year.

The Gallatin River runs crystal clear and low in the fall, and fishing there can be finicky. This year with minimal rain, the river has not gone off color. With the clear water, presentations must be accurate and tippet needs to be very light. With the cooler temperatures in the morning, anglers are back to nymphing until it warms up around noon. On a cloudy day the fall baetis are out, and fish will be looking up. Down in the valley hoppers, ants and beetles have been working well. In the canyon the fish seem to be looking up more for mayfly patterns or attractors.

big sky weekly contributor

It seems to me the average size of the trout has increased a couple inches this year. This may be due to two years of good runoff and higher water levels.

On any account, anglers this year have

This is a great time of year to venture into Yellowstone National Park. Fall colors are coming out, and the elk go into their mating ritual. The northeast corner is a great fall destination for the tributaries to the Yellowstone River in the Lamar Valley. The Madison and Firehole rivers also come into

There are many angling opportunities this time of year. The tourist crowds have thinned, and many of the locals are in the woods looking for elk. This is a great time to get out and have the river to yourself. As always, stop by your local fly shop for up to date information and have fun!

Ennion Williams is a professional Fishing Guide and Outfitter in Big Sky. He can be reached at (406) 579-7094 or at ennion3@yahoo.com.

He also runs Big Sky Local Foods. bigskylocalfood.com

explorebigsky.com September 23, 2011 21

Big Sky Weekly

health & wellness

The other side

Big Sky physician sees benefits in certain forms of alternative medicine By dr. Jeff daniels and diedre Thornton big sky weekly contributors

As a physician, I’ve seen many ways to approach any particular medical question or problem.

Having trained in traditional Western medicine, and having based my practice on these values for the past 35 years, it’s been hard for me to accept some of the alternative concepts, and I’ve kept a skeptical “distance” from them.

Over the past few years there’s been a lot of news about how alternative forms of medicine should be given a chance because some of these concepts have been proven scientifically beneficial.

I recently met an alternative practitioner who has changed some of my views.

Dierdre Thornton, a certified colon hydrotherapist, advocates the use of enzyme supplements and probiotics to keep the colon, and ulti-

mately the patient, healthy.

I met her through a patient who had serious, long-term constipation.

I’d offered this patient everything I could think of, short of surgery: medication for chronic constipation, manipulation of the diet, and bowel cleansing preps, all to no avail.

“If a person is ill, no matter what is wrong, the first thing to understand is that something is out of order with his or her enzymes,” according to the book Enzymes the Fountain of Life by Doctors D.A. Lopes, R.M. Williams, and K. Miehlke.

But since Thornton began working with this patient, she’s started feeling normal and has healthy colon physiology for the first time in many years.

For Thornton, this is valuable information. Enzymes could be the key to a healthy properly functioning colon.

Thornton believes in enzymes and quotes work by medical doctors and other researchers. I haven’t checked these references for scientific validity, and I wonder how many of those enzymes are digested in the stomach before they reach the colon. However, for my patient, Thornton’s help was right on the mark.

Most Americans eat high calorie, processed, and preserved foods that our enzyme supply struggles to break down, Thorton says.

If we’re able to digest and break down our food, Thornton says, it enters the small intestine in a useable, enzyme-rich state. This allows us to get more nutrition out of what we eat, and is the reason European scientists suggest that enzymes are important in disease prevention.

“Think about how food decomposes,” she says. “If you leave a sandwich out on the counter overnight, it starts to break down. Now think about if you add heat and water and bacteria to that sandwich and let it sit out overnight.

The sandwich would rot a lot faster.

This is what happens to food in the

colon without the proper enzymes to digest it. It sits and becomes toxic.”

She believes probiotics are also very important to colon health. Probiotics are good bacteria that support healthy colon function by helping break down undigested food containing contaminants and bad bacteria. A human should have up to nine pounds of bacteria in the body, mostly residing in the intestine at a ratio of 85 percent good to 15 percent bad.

Since Thornton learned to administer digestive enzymes and probiotics, her clients have needed 90 percent fewer colonics to restore balance in the digestive tract, she says.

The most important thing to remember about digestive health, Thornton says, is that what goes in must come out in a timely fashion.

Dierdre Thornton is a certified colon hydrotherapist at Spruce Haven Wellness Center in Bozeman. Dr. Jeff Daniels is at the Medical Clinic of Big Sky.

Public health and the environment By erin bills, MPH

Big sky weekly contributor

Montana is known for breathtaking natural beauty and a presumably pristine environment. Our natural resources have helped sustain our state’s economy for generations.

However, this has come at a high cost to the health of our environment and communities.

Evidence of increased health concerns related to environmental hazards are abundant in Montana: the ongoing tragedy of Libby, the proposed Coal Bed Methane project in Eastern Montana, and pesticide use on agricultural land near Great Falls.

The environment and our health are intimately connected. As defined by the World Health Organization, environmental health is the assessment and control of all physical, chemical and biological factors external to a person including related factors impacting behavior. Considering that environmental health hazards make up a significant portion of the noncommunicable disease burden in our state and worldwide, attention must be directed to this issue.

The incidence of non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer has increased in

the past 30 years. In Montana, cancer rates are higher in rural counties compared to more developed counties such as Gallatin or Missoula county. * Many environmental factors may be causing or exacerbating these conditions, including decreased air quality, access to clean water, and increased exposure to toxins.

Based on the bioaccumulant nature of these toxins, investigating disease mechanism of cardiovascular disease, cancer, developmental defects, neurodegenerative diseases, and genetic susceptibility (just to name a few) is of essence. Although epidemiological data has suggested an increased incidence of disease rate, there are many confounding factors such as study design, race, age, smoking status, and other lifestyle choices that must be considered.

Deaths due to asbestos related disease (ari) are

Major air pollutants common in Montana include lead, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, tropospheric ozone, and toxic pollutants such as dioxins and asbestos. The source varies by process and/ or reaction, but predominant sources of air and water pollution in rural Montana are a result of pesticide use in agriculture, wildfires and byproducts of the mining and oil industries. The Environmental Protection Agency recently reported that 80 of the 177 common air pollutants—specifically formaldehyde, benzene, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons —have been

22 September 23, 2011 explorebigsky.com

linked to cancer. These pollutants do not remain in the air and routinely end up in the soil and water, creating numerous exposure routes.

40-60x

higher in Libby, MT than the expected national average

This does not mean we should ignore the surmounting evidence.

Consider Libby, Montana, where over the past decade, many cases of asbestos related disease (ARD) have been documented. The Agency for

Toxic Substances and Disease Registry has confirmed contamination of the town and surrounding area.

Mortality studies conducted by this agency concluded that deaths due to ARD were 40 to 60 times higher in Libby than the expected national average. The true disease toll may not be known for decades because of the long latency period for ARD. This high death rate in Libby, plus rural factors such as access to care, a lack of primary care providers, and economic forces, spurred regulatory action. In June of 2009, the EPA declared Libby a Public Health Emergency, the first in United States history. This declaration, under the 2009 Patient Protection Affordable Care Act, extended Medicare coverage to Libby residents afflicted with ARD. While this may sound like a health policy success story, it may not have been necessary if we knew then what we know now about environmental health. *National Cancer Institute, State Cancer Profiles Erin A. Bills, MPH, is a public health consultant living in Big Sky. She has worked extensively with the community of Libby, Mont., and is dedicated to improving the health of Montana’s rural populations.

Big Sky Weekly

business

This is how Big Sky gets into hot water.

International water education conference big sky weekly wire services

Nearly 200 people from almost 40 countries gathered in Southwest Montana Sept. 13-17 to discuss how education can lead to sustainable solutions for global water issues. The Sustaining the Blue Planet: Global Water Education Conference hosted general sessions and interactive workshops exploring innovations in water education; water sanitation and hygiene; technology and water education; and water education in corporate sustainability.

NASA Educator Astronaut Ricky Arnold, Harvard University Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology Dr. Frank Hu, and Danish actress and humanitarian Connie Nielsen are among the featured speakers.

Arnold presented the conference’s opening lecture, providing his view of the “Blue Planet” from space. Dr. Hu—along with researchers from the International Chair on Cardio-metabolic Risk —presented the results

of new research about hydration and childhood obesity. Nielsen—who stars in the new Starz drama Boss opposite Kelsey Grammer—discussed her work on sustainable sanitation solutions with the Human Needs Project in the dense, informal settlements of Nairobi, Kenya.

Other presenters and participants represented international organizations like UNESCO and UN Habitat, multinational corporations including Intel, Microsoft, Google, Nestlé Waters and Abbott, government agencies such as NOAA and NASA, and primary and secondary schools as well as colleges and universities both in the U.S. and abroad.

Project WET Foundation, a Bozeman-based nonprofit, sponsored the conference. This foundation is dedicated to educate children, parents, teachers and community members worldwide about water.

Project WET is active in all 50 states and in more than 50 countries. projectwet.org/blueplanet

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Seven businesses win 2011 Montana Family Business Awards MSU News Service

Businesses from Bozeman, Great Falls, Miles City, Ronan and Three Forks are winners of the 2011 Montana Family Business awards, which is in its 18th year.

The businesses, which range in size from fewer than 10 employees to more than 50, will receive their awards at the 2011 MSU College of Business State Farm Insurance Family Business Day on Oct. 7 at the Holiday Inn in Bozeman.

Southwest Montana businesses included are: Billion Auto Group, Montana Monster Munchies, Harrington’s Bottling Company of Bozeman and Headwaters Seat Covers of Three Forks.

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Big Sky Weekly

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The dining room at Rainbow Ranch Lodge has received Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence. The destination guest resort in Gallatin Canyon was featured in the Aug. 31 issue of the magazine for its extensive and finely crafted wine list, along with the complete list of the 2011 award winners.

With a current collection featuring more than 200 labels and a cellar collection of approximately 1,500 bottles, the lodge was recognized for its extensive selection.

“We are thrilled to be recognized for our dedication to cultivating a wine selection that showcases world-class wines from California, the Pacific Northwest, and many other regions from around the world,” said Steve Kuntz, food and beverage director at the Lodge. The Ranch’s sommelier Emily Todd carefully chooses wines to showcase the culinary team, Kuntz notes.

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EVENTS big sky

All Saints in Big Sky Special confirmation service Big Sky Chapel Sept. 25, 9:30 a.m.

Thomas English and Shirle Wempner two person art show Creighton Block Gallery Sept. 15 -Oct. 6 Gallatin Canyon Women’s Club meeting “Eagle Mount: What do we do?”

Home of Jennifer Reed, 146 West Pine Cone Terrace Sept. 28, 1 p.m.

Summer season closing at Big Sky Resort Sept. 29 Wine Tasting Creighton Block Gallery Sept. 29, Oct. 6, 13, 20, 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.

Inaugural Big Sky Business Conference and Expo Buck’s T-4 Lodge Oct. 6, 8:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Chamber of Commerce Board Meeting First Security Bank Oct. 11, 8:30 a.m.

Bozeman American Indian Heritage Day MSU-Bozeman, Centennial Mall Sept. 23, 10:45 a.m. - 2 p.m Climbing Mount Logan,

slideshow, fundraiser for Planned Parenthood Holiday Inn Sept. 24, 7 p.m.

Reel Rock Film Tour The Emerson Center Sept. 24, 7 p.m.

SHOOTING FROM THE LIP: THE LIFE OF SENATOR AL SIMPSON

By Donald Loren Hardy Bozeman Public Library Sept. 29, 7 – 8 p.m.

Beyond Brokeback: A staged reading with music, poetry Bozeman Public Library Oct. 1 7 – 9 p.m.

Big Sky Weekly Planning an event? Let us know! Email abbie@theoutlawpartners.com and we’ll spread the word.

Bozeman Canine Classic’s 1m fun run/ walk East Gallatin recreation area Oct. 1, 10 a.m.

Three Rivers Defense Workshops 1 E. Main Street, Suite #205, Avant Courier Building R.A.D. Rape Prevention Workshop Oct. 4,11,18, and 25, 6-9 p.m.; alternative date: Oct. 8, 9, 10 a.m.

- 1 p.m. and 2-5 p.m.

Women’s Basic Personal Safety Workshop October 11, 2-5 p.m.

3riversdefense.com Digital photography with the experts Museum of the Rockies Oct. 8, 1 – 5 p.m.

Opera Bozeman Run Lindley Park Oct. 8, 8 a.m.

The Exchange – Consignment sale Of clothing and household items Gallatin County Fairgrounds Oct. 8, 8 a.m.

Raw Deal Run and Fun Walk To benefit Sweetgrass Health and Wellness Raw Deal Ranch Oct. 15, 10 a.m.

American popular music: the stories unveiled Museum of the Rockies Oct. 19, 6 -7 p.m.

west yellowstone Free Fly Fishing Clinics Jacklin’s Fly Shop Sept. 10, 17, 7:30 p.m.

West Yellowstone NAIFC Qualifier/Hebgen Lake Scouting Weekend Kirkwood Resort & Marina Sept. 25, 7 a.m Yellowstone National Park Fee Free Days Sept. 24

West Yellowstone Old Faithful Cycle Tour Sept. 24 Limited to first 350 riders Pancake Breakfast fundraiser for Caleb Madrigal Povah Center Sept. 24, 7:30 – 11 a.m.

National Public Lands Day – volunteers needed Rendezvous Ski Trails Sept. 25, 9 – 4:30 p.m.

Livingston to gardiner

Banned Books Week September 24 - Oct. 1

Banned Books Week is the only national celebration of the freedom to read. It was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries. Over the past ten years, American libraries were faced with 4,660 challenges. The challenges have occurred in every state and in hundreds of communities. A challenge is defined as a formal, written complaint, filed with a library or school requesting that materials be removed because of content or appropriateness.

According to the American Library Association, out of 348 challenged in 2010, the 10 most challenged titles were: 1. And Tango Makes Three, by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson

The Dirty Shame – outlaw country Chico Hot Springs Saloon Sept. 23, 8 p.m.

2. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie

Piano Music at Rosie’s Roost Sept. 24, 29 Oct. 1, 6 – 9 p.m.

5. The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins

Open Mic @ the Silvertip Sept. 26, 6-9 p.m.

8. Nickel and Dimed, by Barbara Ehrenreich

Sonic Boom @ Two Bit Sept. 29, 10 p.m.

10. Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer

Silver Gate Town Party Sept. 30, 7 p.m.

Pete and Rachel Feigley – bluegrass Pine Creek Lodge & Café Sept. 30, 7 p.m.

Crazy Mountain Productions “Amadeus” Black Tie Gala Shane Lalani Center of the Arts Sept. 30, 6 p.m.

Eagala (EAP) Model of Equine Assisted Therapy Demonstration Gardiner Rodeo Grounds Oct. 1, 5 p.m.

Speakeasy- sultry blues Pine Creek Lodge & Café Oct. 1, 7 p.m.

Discussion on Cormac McCarthy’s All the Pretty Horses Tumbleweed Bookstore and Café 7:30 p.m., Oct. 6

Photographer Allen Russell is now showing art prints at a new gallery at Crazy Mountain Digital Photography in Livingston. Russell loves exploring back roads, wondering what the world around the next curve, and his photographs capture real life through people and animals in their own environments. He’s a Fellow of The Royal Geographical Society and member of The Long Riders Guild and American Society of Media Photographers. He lives and works out of his ranch west of Livingston. allenrussellphoto.com

26 September 23, 2011 explorebigsky.com

Celebrating the Freedom to Read!

3. Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley; 4. Crank, by Ellen Hopkins 6. Lush, by Natasha Friend 7. What My Mother Doesn’t Know, by Sonya Sones 9. Revolutionary Voices, edited by Amy Sonnie

During the last week of September every year, hundreds of libraries and bookstores around the country draw attention to the problem of censorship by mounting displays of challenged books and hosting a variety of events. Stop by the Big Sky Community Library to see the display of banned books. bannedbooksweek.org

Harvest Celebration at Chico Hot Springs Fundraiser for Western Sustainability Exchange Oct. 7, 6 p.m.

Little Jane and the Pistol Whips Pine Creek Lodge & Café Oct. 8, 7 p.m.

Exit 288 – rock Chico Hot Springs Saloon Oct. 7, 9:30 p.m.

Blue Slipper Theatre presents “Frankenstein Inc.” Oct. 8 - 30 Call for tickets and times 2227720 Pine Creek Church Annual Harvest Sale/ Auction Pine Creek United Methodist Church Free lunch 222-489 Oct. 12, 12 p.m.

Montana Rose Trio Chico Hot Springs Saloon Oct. 14, 9:30 p.m.

Raw Deal & Fun Walk Sweet Grass Health & Wellness 6M Run, 3M Run-Walk 1M kids Run, Halloween Costume Contest, Chili Feed 932-3090 Oct. 15

Shields River Lutheran Church

Auction of Arts & Crafts Oct. 15, 7 p.m.

578-2212 Prairie Wind Jammers Pine Creek Lodge & Café Oct. 15, 7 p.m.

Virginia City 3rd annual international day of felt - Felt United

The Elling House Oct. 1, 9 – 4:30 p.m.

Spirit story telling by Ellen Baumler

Explore Montana’s darker places Oct. 8 Barb Ryman – contemporary folk

The Elling House Oct. 13, 7 p.m.

Big Sky Weekly

big sky artscape The Annual Big Sky Artscape held in the Big Sky Town Center featured live mural painters, DJ sets and an Alley Cat Bike Race, with proceeds going to Gallatin Valley Skate Association for the new park in Big Sky.

Photos by Kelsey dzintars

explorebigsky.com September 23, 2011 27

Big Sky Weekly

Classifieds help wanted The Hungry Moose Market and Deli Now Interviewing for P/T and F/T Year Round positions in grocery and deli Applications available at the store or online hungrymoose. com 406-995-3045 --------------------------------------------Opening at the Medical Clinic of Big Sky for receptionist/patient coordinator. Previous medical background helpful but not required.

Must be computer savvy, have the

ability to multi task, work well with others and maintain confidentiality at all times. Bring fax or resume to the Medical Clinic, 11 Lone Peak Trail - suite 202 - FAX 406-9932965 or mail to PO Box 160609, Big Sky, MT 59716

for sale CHEAPEST HOUSE IN BIG SKY 2265 Little Coyote 3 BD, 2 BA, Golf Course Views Call Big Sky Sotheby’s 406.995.2244

OUR FALL SALE IS ON! Fall hours: Tues.-Sat. 9-5 Closed Sun. and Mon. 406.995.4818 • san@wildwoodbigsky.com

WILDWOOD NURSERY

Hwy 191 just south of the Big Sky stoplight

wildwoodbigsky.com

For Sale - brand new furniture from a model home in Big Sky in Spanish Peaks. 4 Bar Stools, Couch, Entertainment Center, Cabinet and King Bedding. Call 406-993-5381.

--------------------------------------------‘95 Artic Can Snowmobile 580 XTR - parts. $150 fat skis,extended track, contact emily@theoutlawpartners.com

for rent Office Space - Executive Office suites available in amazing building in Meadow Village, Big Sky - $300 to $500/mth depending on terms and office size. Each office has private door, shared conference rooms, shared kitchen space. Terms Negotiable. Call Eric 570-0639 -----------------------------------------STILLWATER - LG. STUDIO 1BATH $750. Extremely nice, fully furn. Gas FP. Lg flat screen TV. Short walk to lifts. Big Sky base area. Pets nego. 1 yr lease preferred + utilities. Chris 425-478-1720 -----------------------------------------HILL STUDIO - $675 REMODELED top floor, view, walk to lifts 1 yr lease, Chris 425.478.1720

Housing wanted Searching for a dog-friendly longterm lease in Big sky or Gallatin Canyon. 2 or 3 bedrooms needed.

Contact Taylor@theoutlawpartners.com

business opportunities What if you could take $250 & turn it into $5,000 or even $20,000 month after month?

How would earning $20,000 over and over change your life?

SEC approved company new in MT For more information email phone # to weatlhtoday@q.com

Want to advertise?

$10 Classifieds Contact Outlaw Partners at (406) 995-2055 or media@theoutlawpartners.com

Growing in Big Sky for 31 years

LEGAL

NOTICE OF PASSAGE OF RESOLUTION OF INTENTION CREATE THE BIG SKY MOUNTAIN TRAILS, RECREATION AND PARKS SPECIAL DISTRICT PURSUANT TO MONTANA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 7-11-1001 ET SEQ. AND ADMINISTERTED BY INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT PURSUANT TO MONTANA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 7-11-101 ET SEQ,TO EXPAND THE BOUNDARIES OF THE EXISTING PARK DISTRICT CREATED BY RESOLUTION 16-88, STRIP THE PARK DISTRICT OF ITS EXISTING TAXING AUTHORITY, AND ENTER INTO AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH GALLATIN COUNTY FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF THIS PARK DISTRICT AND A CONTIGUOUS PARK DISTRICT LOCATED IN GALLATIN COUNTY. Notice is hereby given that on September 6, 2011 the Board of Commissioners of Madison County, Montana, adopted Resolution No. 30-2011, which is a resolution of intention to create the Big Sky Mountain Trails, Recreation and Parks Special District. Such resolutions are on file with the County Clerk and Recorder and include a general description of the territory included in the Big Sky Mountain Parks, Trails and Recreation District. It is intended that two park districts in Gallatin and Madison County will be self-funding and will not have any taxing authority.

Any owner of property lying within the boundaries of the proposed district may appear before the board and show cause why the district should not be created at a public hearing that will be held at 1:00 p.m. on October 18, 2011, in the Commissioners’ Conference Room of the Broadway Annex, 205 N. Broadway, in Virginia City, Montana, or may send or email a written objection to the creation of the district at any time before the date of said hearing. Written objections shall be mailed or submitted to: Madison County Commissioners, P.O. Box 278, Virginia City, MT. 59755 Please contact the County Commissioners’ office at (406) 843-4277 with any further questions

28 September 23, 2011 explorebigsky.com

Big Sky Weekly

travel

10 days in paradise – travel in North Queensland, Australia Part Two: Cairns

By René Kraus

big sky weekly contributor

On day three of our Australian adventure, my travel companion and I left Sydney and headed to Cairns (pronounced ‘cans’), a two-hour flight north. Cairns, and the nearby resort town of Palm Cove, was our base for the remainder of our Australian trip. My friend’s son (traveling in from Singapore), met us there and stayed with us for the remainder of our trip.

Founded in 1770 by British explorer James Cook, Cairns is now known as the official gateway to the World Heritage site, the Great Barrier Reef. A composite of over 3,000 reef systems that extend 1800 miles along the Queensland coast, this natural wonder is larger than the Great Wall of China and is the only living thing seen from outer space.

A provincial, tropical city, Cairns is home to just over 150,000 residents. It is a port city, which attracts tourists for excursions to the reef, and is also a hub for the thriving sugar cane industry. Massive cane fields stretch north and south of the city, wedged between the Coral Sea coast and the foothills of the Great Dividing Range of mountains.

The port also serves as a transit point for minerals and the abundant produce from the nearby Atherton tablelands, fertile farmland for growing bananas, coffee, mangos, tea and peanuts.

The Cairns Esplanade

Cairns has many signs of recent urban sprawl, and its architecture is a mixture of styles that include traditional Queenslander plantation homes, as well as newer glass and steel structures such as the City Centre Mall and the Reef Hotel and Casino. Not to be missed is the rooftop of the Reef Hotel, where colorful tropical birds fly freely around a netted park, and rangers give daily demonstrations in the huge, open-air aviary.

Farmers’ Market

The backbone of Cairns is the Esplanade, a wide pedestrian passageway that runs for several blocks past cafes, shops and galleries, and ends at the city beach. The beach has a series of saltwater pools set among landscaped park areas, and is a gathering spot for families and tourists. Because of the high concentration of crocodiles in the water here, the pools offer a lovely and safe alternative for swimming and sunbathing.

On Thursdays and Fridays, a block-wide farmers’ market features abundant produce from the tablelands, live music, and vendors hawking strings of pearls, handmade soaps, t-shirts and cut flowers. There, we waited to sample a local treat – a vendor pressed stalks of recently cut sugarcane and poured the

Marina Restaurant

Photos Courtesy of René kraus

juice into a glass with lime. The drink was delicious.

One late afternoon, after lunch at an open-air restaurant at the marina, we discovered the bats. Nestled in the huge palm trees lining the Esplanade and throughout the city are huge colonies of fruit bats. These are impressive animals, both in size – their wingspan can reach up to three feet –and in their sheer numbers. During the day, they hang upside down among the fronds; some sleep but many are awake and screeching. We waited until dusk and then watched in amazement as the air became choked with hundreds and hundreds of bats taking off from the trees and flying overhead in a feeding frenzy. (Search YouTube for ‘Cairns Bats’.) Spectacular!

As Cairns stretches north, the city melds into a series of beach communities, known as the Northern Beaches. These communities are accessible from the main freeway, Captain Cook Highway (named for Capt. James Cook) and include Machans Beach, Holloways Beach, Yorkeys Knob, Trinity Park, Trinity Beach, Kewarra Beach, Clifton Beach, Palm Cove and Ellis Beach. We headed to my vacation home in lovely Palm Cove, where our adventures would continue.

explorebigsky.com September 23, 2011 29

environmental column

THE W E S T MAY B E W I L D,

but it’s not uncivilized

Individuals can create immediate solutions for global warming

By Eileen Connors

big sky weekly contributor Eye in the Sky Photography

R&R SPECIAL Celebrate fall harvest with a relaxing getaway to Rainbow Ranch Lodge. It’s the perfect time to take in the gorgeous Gallatin River valley scenery, experience all of the great activities without all of the crowds, and get rejuvenated at The Outpost Retreat. Toast the evening with a bottle of Four Vines Zinfandel and take a keepsake -RR wine opener home with you. $165 a night for Pondside Deluxe rooms $185 a night in a Riverside rooms Bonus Offer: Book by September 30th and receive a complimentary upgrade to a Riverside room (a $20 value).

Offer valid for new bookings October 1 – November 30, 2011. Subject to availability; excluding holidays; pre-paid, non-refundable, and non-transferrable.

Visit EscapeToRainbowRanch.com for full details and reservations RAINBOW RANCH LODGE

EscapeToRainbowRanch.com • 1.888.540.6612 Five miles south of Big Sky entrance on Hwy 191

Global warming, and the need to prevent it, makes headlines regularly.

Regardless, the problem continues to run away unabated. The bottom line is, everyday we add more greenhouse gases to the troposphere, which retain more heat, warming the planet.

For people who experience temperature differences of 100 degrees annually, a few degrees change in Earth’s average temperature doesn’t seem like an issue.

But it is a big deal, because similar to your body temperature raising a few degrees, Earth is a living entity.

Global warming is already creating more and stronger natural disasters like drought, wildfires, hurricanes and flooding. It’s also increasing the spread of diseases; for example, the West Nile virus is now in Montana.

Global warming is not climate change; global warming creates climate change.

Some people wonder if global warming is real. Some don’t believe it is. Even if global warming were a farce, every-

thing we do that is believed to cause it creates so many other environmental and health problems.

But clean energy, which will help stabilize and reduce global warming, won’t be common for at least a decade.

What’s perhaps even more important is individual cooperation.

Everyone can be responsible today by simply changing habits. The key is to stop using disposable products.

We utilize manufacturing, packaging, transportation and disposal processes, emitting greenhouse gases 24/7.

Conservation will also produce needed results on the short term. Only turn your heat on to a responsible level.

Don’t let hot water run down the drain.

Drive responsible cars minimally, because every gallon of gas you burn emits 20 pounds of carbon dioxide.

With so many cars driving less than a mile for every pound they emit, driving is a huge global warming contributor.

Lets Stop Conveniencing Ourselves Out Of A Livable Planet. Learn this and so much more at EnvironmentalEducator.org & highly rated app.

two amazing properties ONE AMAZING PRICE

$388,000

takes both

Call Jeff 406-539-2855 Brokers offered 3.5% commission for buyer. Lots packaged for sale together; will consider selling separately.

30 September 23, 2011 explorebigsky.com

Winter - Mountain • • • •

Summit View Phase 1, Lot 5 1.11 acres in Big Sky’s Mountain Village Lot includes existing water well - 15 gal/min.

Spectacular views - Head-on panorama of Lone Mountain • Skiing only minutes away

summer - golf course • Meadow Lot, Block 1, Lot 9 • .25 acres • Located on the 13th tee box of Big Sky Golf Course • Private cul-de-sac road • Par 3 at your doorstep

Big Sky Weekly

column

New guy in town Perspectives on Big Sky By cameron lord

big sky weekly contributor

I’ve only lived in Big Sky for a couple of months, so I never suspected I might already be spoiled. We seem to be adaptive creatures, however, and for me, it took traveling to the other side of the country to truly appreciate what I already have right here at home.

Last weekend, I flew to Washington, D.C. to visit old friends and check out the Virgin Mobile FreeFest music festival. I was excited to catch up with everyone, enjoy some new bands, and people-watch urban dwellers, for a change. The trip delivered on all of these points in spades, but I had to wait until returning to Montana to experience the greatest benefit of all.

My flight arrived in Bozeman around 11 p.m. I walked wearily out of the airport and tracked down my car in the dry, moonlit night.

My body told me it was 1 a.m. Eastern time, well past my bedtime, and I wasn’t looking forward to the long drive home to Big Sky. However, as I cruised past Four Corners, my perspective started to change.

As I drove through the canyon, the mountains seemed to glow in the dark.

Under the full moon, my surroundings revealed a new identity I’d never seen before. I consumed the landscape in a new light, until the headlights of an oncoming truck reminded me that I did, in fact, have to focus on driving.

some restaurants do italian food. some do chinese food.

WE DO BIG SKY FOOD

The truck passed, and I returned to my solitary commute. As I rounded the next bend in the road, I looked over to see the Gallatin River’s rapids exploding bright white. The turbulent water captured the full moon’s rays, refracting light in every direction. I’d never seen anything like it, and I was suddenly grateful for the midnight drive.

With the Gallatin entertaining my periphery, I reflected on how fortunate I am to live here. It occurred to me that I’d already started taking for granted my spectacular surroundings and the endless array of outdoor activities at my disposal.

A shift in perspective often reveals a new side of the same thing. Having seen Big Sky from a different vantage point, I find myself more appreciative of my surroundings and eager to enjoy the fall while I still can. With winter knocking on the door, it’s time to go outside.

we deliver 4069952305

serving breakfast lunch & dinner

explorebigsky.com September 23, 2011 31

Big Sky Weekly

For the Big Sky Weekly, the Back 40 is a resource: a place where we can delve into subjects and ask experts to share their knowledge. Topics include regional history, profiles of local artists and musicians, snow and avalanche education, how-to pieces for traditional or outdoor skills, and science.

Noun: wild or rough terrain adjacent to a developed area Origin: shortened form of “back 40 acres”

Hawkwatch Tracking the fall migration over Southwest Montana

By Tyler allen

big sky weekly contributor

With a powerful pair of binoculars scanning the northern skyline, wildlife biologist Brian Connelly froze as he spotted a dark object above Ross Peak.

“Got one . . . Above the second knuckle of Ross, coming in fast!”

The female Cooper’s Hawk took two strong wing beats and within minutes was gliding powerfully past Ross Peak, riding the thermal lift from a hot September day, just before noon in the Bridger Mountains.

For 21 years, the helicopter pad on the ridge at Bridger Bowl has served as an observation deck to track the fall migration of raptors through Southwest Montana. Equipped with binoculars, keen eyesight, and lightning-fast identification skills, two wildlife biologists spend late August to late October watching the flight path of North American birds of prey.

Situated directly in a migration path called the Rocky mountain flyway, the Bridger observing station will count anywhere from ten to 100 raptors in a day. An average of 2,400 birds of prey will fly over the Bridgers during the fall migration, mostly seen between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when the heat of the sun creates the greatest thermal lift. The more lift that birds take advantage of means less energy expended during their long journey south.

The Bridger site is one of many scattered throughout the western U.S. Data collected here are compiled with other locations (most of them administered by an organization called Hawkwatch International), to track changes in populations and species distribution of migrating raptors. But the Bridger location is unique for a number of reasons, one of them being a very charismatic and very large bird: the golden eagle.

More golden eagles are counted over the Bridgers than at any other observing station in the United

Observers track a raptor migrating south over the Bridger Mountains. Photo by Tyler Allen

States. Over 1,000 of these impressive creatures, which have a wingspan up to seven feet, are counted here every fall. On their way to New Mexico, Texas or northern Mexico from summer breeding grounds in Canada, they’re visible with the naked eye soon after they pass over Sacagawea Peak.

Two decades of observation here has shown a decline in the population of these magnificent birds.

In the early 1990s, 1500-1800 golden eagles were counted every season. Now the number of individuals using this flight path has dwindled to just over 1,000.

This reduction is likely attributed to habitat loss in their southern wintering grounds, with oil and gas development playing a major role, says Steve Hoffman, Executive Director of Montana Audubon and founder of Hawkwatch International.

Something else that distinguishes the Bridger site is its accessibility. The close proximity to Bozeman allows it to reach a broader segment of the public.

Observer Brian Connelly, Executive Director of Montana Audubon Steve Hoffman, and Observer John Martineau atop the observation deck at Bridger Bowl. Photo by Tyler Allen

32 September 23, 2011 explorebigsky.com

A red-tailed hawk

Bridger Bowl ski area has played a helpful role supporting this station throughout the years, allowing access to the patrol shelter atop the ridge in case a storm rolls in, as well as continued sponsorship of the Bridger Raptor Festival every October.

While the public is welcome on the observation deck any day of the counting season, Raptorfest usually attracts 60-80 hardy hikers up to the ridge during the second weekend in October. This annual migration celebration educates and inspires families in Southwest Montana. One of the biggest draws is the allure of seeing live raptors – injured birds that cannot be released back into the wild – in the hands of bird biologists. This can instantly change the way kids look at wildlife, and maybe change the way they view and interact with nature for the rest of their lives.

So with a pair of binoculars, and a sturdy pair of shoes, you can join our local raptor experts this fall as they watch one of this continent’s great migrations.

September 23, 2011 Volume 2 // Issue #18

Photo by Mike Coil

Big Sky

Photo by Mike Coil

SPECIAL SECTION:

Hunting news...34 Tech tips..36 tales...39 antelope...41 waterfowl...42 call of the wild...45 Food & Dining...47 Elk infographic...48

Photo by pat wolfe

Photo by Emily stifler

Photo by Mike Coil

Photo by Mike Coil

explorebigsky.com September 23, 2011 33

Big Sky Weekly

hunting news FWP seeks comment on proposed deadline change for elk and deer permits

Conservation group recognizes Tester for work on hunting access

Big sky weekly wire services

Big sky weekly wire services

The Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission is seeking public comment on a proposed change in the application deadline for special either-sex and bull elk permits and special buck deer permits. Beginning in 2012, the application deadline for these special permits is March 15.

The previous deadline was June 1.

The proposed earlier deadline would enhance customer service for residents and nonresidents who apply for special elk and deer hunting permits,

according to the FWP. Benefits would include: hunters will know where and when they’ll hunt in mid April instead of late July; more time for hunters to make vacation and hunting plans; hunters could contact landowners earlier in the season for permission to hunt on private property; elk and deer special permit hunting districts will be listed on the drawing applications.

Comments must be received by 5 p.m. Sept. 30. Send comments to Hank Worsech, FWP licensing bureau chief, at hworsech@mt.gov.

Montana ‘Hunting Companion’ proves useful online resource for hunters

By Sara J. Groves The Montana State Library and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks have partnered to provide easily accessible information to help hunters have a safe and successful hunting season.

The website is designed as a streamlined access point for the basic information hunters need to be successful. The site was launched in response to librarians reporting an increased need from their patrons for assistance in finding hunting information online.

“The site launched in time for the 2010 hunting season and quickly became one of our most popular resources,” said Jennie Stapp, information officer and digital library director at the Montana State Library.

FWP, the Montana Base Map Service Center, and the library.

New features for 2011 include harvest and hunting reports, updated land ownership maps, and a video overview of the site.

It was the first web site to go live as part of a large project by the library that will condense all of Montana’s most important geographic and natural resources information and make it available in easy-to-access subject guides, such as hunting, fishing, mining, water resources, and farming and ranching.

Information on broad subjects is often found in multiple sources, including the web sites from state and federal agencies.

The “Hunting Companion” is designed to provide answers to four common questions:

“As librarians, our goal is to help people find the information they need easily and quickly,” said Stapp.

• • • •

The “Hunting Companion” can be found at msl.mt.gov/hunting.

What can I hunt?

When can I hunt?

Where can I hunt?

How do I hunt?

The site has an easy-to-use interface and simplistic design, and provides information from resources ranging from

Sara J. Groves is the Marketing and Communications Coordinator for the Montana State Library.

2011 Block Management information For the 2011 hunting season, hunters will have access to nearly nine million acres of land statewide through the Block Management Program administered by Fish, Wildlife and Parks. This program provides public hunting access to private and isolated public land free of charge, while assisting landowners in managing hunting activities. This year some 1,300 private landowners are participating in the program.

The Hunting Access Guides and block management maps can be viewed and printed from the FWP website. Or, order online a copy of the Hunting Access Guide for the area you plan to hunt.

34 September 23, 2011 explorebigsky.com

The Boone and Crockett Club recently recognized Sen. Jon Tester for his leadership in improving access for hunters nationwide.

Rarely in the club’s 123-year history has an individual outside the club been recognized, but club officials say the Montana senator stands out for his persistent and remarkable work on behalf of sportsmen and women.

In a ceremony held at the national headquarters of the conservation organization, Boone and Crockett Club president emeritus Lowell E. Baier presented Tester with a plaque and words of gratitude specifically for the senator’s leadership in the Making Public Lands Public Act (S. 901). a Tester’s legislation would provide funding for improving public access to existing federal lands.

“America’s public lands are some of the best in the world, and they’re where we pass on our outdoor traditions to our kids and grandkids,” Tester said. ”But we’re seeing too much of this land blocked, surrounded by private land with closed gates.”

The secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior would be required to utilize 1.5 percent, or a minimum of $10 million annually, of their Land and Water Conservation Fund budgets to acquire public access to existing federal lands.

If passed, the bill has the potential to open hundreds of thousands of acres of federal public land to hunting, fishing and other outdoor recreational activities each year.

Nearly half of all hunters use public lands. But a report to Congress shows more than 35 million acres of land administered by the Bureau of Land Management and the US Forest Service have inadequate hunting access. Lack of access to hunting grounds is cited as the main reason why hunters drop out and cease contributing to conservation.

“Hunting is vital to conservation.

Proper access is vital to hunting,” Baier said. “Senator Tester understands this heritage and why it’s even more important now than it was in Roosevelt’s time.”

Boone and Crockett Club is among many hunting, fishing and conservation organizations supporting the Making Public Lands Public Act. boone-crockett.org

Tip-Mont works for Montana by reducing common violations Every hunting season, some individuals knowingly or unwittingly violate the state’s game laws. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials urge hunters to take the time to review Montana’s hunting rules and regulations, and to report any violations. Some of the most common game reports include: •

failure to obtain permission from landowners before hunting on private property

•

wasting any part of a game animal suitable for food

•

discharge of a firearm from a public road

Violations can be reported to TIP-MONT on 1 (800) TIP-MONT, 1 (800) 847-6668. Callers may be eligible for cash rewards and they can ask to remain anonymous.

Rifle sight-in

Manhattan Wildlife Association public sightin and turkey shoot days are Sundays Oct. 2, and 16, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Big Sky Weekly

hunting news

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation grants for Montana conservation projects underway Wolf-related research on elk productivity and survival in the Bitterroot Valley, plus a variety of forest, weed and habitat management efforts, headline a slate of projects selected for 2011 grants from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

The new RMEF grants total $210,705 and affect Beaverhead, Broadwater, Deer Lodge, Flathead, Gallatin, Granite, Missoula, Lewis and Clark, Powder River, Powell, Ravalli and Sanders counties.

“We expect the Bitterroot Valley research to help build the body of science needed to effectively manage both wolves and elk in the future… These projects could add over 9,400 acres to the 693,373 acres that we’ve already helped to conserve or enhance in Montana,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO. Nationally, RMEF hopes to impact about 100,000 acres in 2011 to reach the six million-acre lifetime mark in lands conserved or enhanced for elk and other wildlife. These grants will help fund the following 2011 projects, listed by county: Beaverhead County—Remove encroaching conifers from aspen and mountain mahogany stands, and treat noxious weeds such as spotted knapweed, houndstongue and musk thistle, to improve elk habitat in the Rattlesnake Creek and Little Sheep Creek areas of Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest.

Broadwater County—Remove juniper encroaching into native grasslands by prescribe burning 845 acres of elk and bighorn sheep habitat in the Crow Creek/Elkhorn Mountains of Helena National Forest.

Deer Lodge County—Improve native grasslands for elk and other wildlife by treating with herbicide 1,429 acres of spotted knapweed in Stucky Ridge area of Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest.

Flathead County—Treat weed infestations in elk winter range in the Spotted Bear River, South Fork of the Flathead River and Bob Marshall Wilderness areas of Flathead National Forest (also affects

Sitka gear moving to Montana next spring Sitka is the only camouflage clothing that’s functional, according to hardcore Bozeman bowhunters. It’s what you’d wear out skiing or ice climbing, but it’s camoflauged for hunting.

Founded in 2005, Sitka Gear was an idea spawned when Jonathan Hart climbed 3,000 vertical feet in the dark, in intermittent snow flurries and driving sleet. Cold and wet, listening to bull elk bugle around him, Hart stopped behind a whitebark pine to rest and decided discomfort like this was unnecessary.

Now Hart is moving the company from Northern California to Bozeman. They plan to be here, in the heart of North American hunting country, by next spring. -E.S.

Powell and Lewis and Clark counties); continue ongoing weed management program using aerial and ground herbicide applications, mechanical controls and biocontrols (insects) on 550 acres in Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge.

Photo courtesy of RMEF

Gallatin County— RMEF volunteers will help remove approximately 20 miles of old barbwire fencing to improve habitat for elk in the Bozeman and Hebgen ranger districts of Gallatin National Forest.

Sanders County—Improve elk summer range by thinning trees and prescribe burning 302 acres in the Beaver Creek area of Kootenai National Forest.

Granite County—Prescribe burn 1,800 acres, and spot treat weeds on 100 acres, to improve elk winter range in the Rock Creek/Butte Cabin area of Lolo National Forest.

Projects are selected for grants using science-based criteria and a committee of RMEF volunteers and staff along with representatives from partnering agencies and universities.

Missoula County—Prescribe burn 540 acres to remove conifers, rejuvenate brush and native grass forage for elk and other wildlife in the Cooney, Rumble and Smith creek areas of the Swan Range in Flathead National Forest.

Powder River County—Improve habitat for elk, deer and other species by prescribe burning 1,500 acres of ponderosa pine forest in Ashland Ranger District of the Custer National Forest.

Partners for 2011 projects in Montana include Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, University of Montana, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service and other agencies, organizations, corporations and landowners.

Since 1985, RMEF and its partners have completed 688 different conservation and education projects in Montana with a combined value of more than $124 million.

Ravalli County—Thin small trees and prescribe burn to enhance forage in important elk winter range in the West Fork of the Bitterroot River/Soda Springs area of Bitterroot National Forest; conduct scientific research on elk productivity, survival and recruitment in areas where wolves are present in the Bitterroot Valley.

RMEF is leading an elk country initiative that has conserved or enhanced habitat on over 5.9 million acres—a land area equivalent to a swath three miles wide and stretching along the entire Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. RMEF also works to open, secure and improve public access for hunting, fishing and other recreation. Get involved at rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

RMEF in Big Sky Big Sky resident Kelli Delzer tagged her first elk when she was 13. She still loves to hunt and believes fiercely in land conservation.

She and her husband Pete are longtime supporters of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and both of them, as well as their three grown children, are life members.

Near Big Sky, in the mid-90s the Foundation was part of a larger land exchange project in which they coordinated with the Forest Service and FWP to protect land that might otherwise have been developed. Notably, RMEF acquired 640 acres in the Taylor Fork drainage, and 6182 acres in the Porcupine Drainage.

It’s not just about the elk, Kelli says. It’s also about protecting wildlife habitat, in general.

“I believe in the mission statement, which is basically ‘conserve, protect and enjoy,’ ” Kelli said. “We hope to instill that belief in others,” she added.

Pete is the Chair of the Yellowstone-Taylor Fork Chapter of RMEF, and with help from fellow volunteers and committee members Kelli, John Flach, and Angela Search, they run the Big Game Banquet in West Yellowstone every June. None of the group’s volunteers, committee members, or donors are paid or receive any other services for their work.

She and Pete plan to take their grandchildren hunting one day, and they believe that without the RMEF land acquisitions, that may not be possible because of the rate at which land is being lost to development.

The Yellowstone-Taylor Fork Chapter is the smallest in the state, Kelli says, but that doesn’t mean it lacks support. She noted many individuals, foundations, and local establishments that donate to the Foundation’s local efforts. -E.S.

explorebigsky.com September 23, 2011 35

Big Sky Weekly

Tech tips Photo by Emily Stifler

Mule deer

Very sharp hearing, pretty good sense of smell. Eyesight not as good. Habitat: open sage and high mountains.

Whitetail deer

Generally all around spooky. Be careful with scent, movement – everything. Most people use a tree stand with whities. Habitat: river bottoms and alfalfa fields.

Antelope

Eyesight is their main defense. If they can’t see you, you can hide behind a ridge and sneak up on them. They don’t have a very good sense of smell. Habitat: prairie.

Elk

Elk are smart, have good hearing and a good sense of smell. Eyesight not as keen.

When they do smell you they’re going to run to the next drainage, so stay downwind. Get ready to put your time in and cover some country. Habitat: timbered mountains. After the snows hit they go down into the valley bottoms.

Getting dialed for rifle season

By Pat Wolfe

big sky weekly contributor

land ownership maps at gis.mt.gov/Montana Cadastral Mapping Program

Sight in your rifle

Secret spots

This is critical for success. If your rifle isn’t sighted, you’ll miss a shot, or worse, wound an animal. Once you’re sighted in, practice shooting from different positions – prone, sitting, standing. When you’re out hunting, you don’t always have time to get a dead rest, so you want to be comfortable shooting from different positions. You can also carry a shooting stick or add a bi-pod to your rifle.

Look into block management areas, obscure pieces of state land and BLM squares. Sometimes the animals move from private land into these little squares. These are usually less popular with other hunters because they’re not as easy to access or un-marked.

Get up early

If you slip and hit your scope when you’re out hunting, go back to the range and shoot again to make sure you didn’t bump it out of whack.

Be in place somewhere you think is going to be good right at first light. Stay out ‘til last light. Big game is crepuscular, which means they’re active during twilight.

Go scouting

Weather

Go out and cover some ground. Look for fresh sign such as tracks, scat and rubbed trees. Get to know the terrain of the area where you want to hunt, and try figure out where the animals are. Use your binoculars or spotting scope, letting your eyes do the walking.

This is also a good way to get in physical shape for the season.

When it’s hot early season, animals will need to be close to water. If it’s raining or snowing, they tend to move more, so that’s a good time to be up, looking around, glassing. If it’s windy they’ll hole up, so look in protected places where they’re bedded down, and glass midday for bedded bucks. Snow will push both elk and deer down to lower elevations.

Know your quarry

Be patient

Get after it

Understand the animal you’re hunting. See sidebar for info on big game behavior.

Wait for the right shot to present itself. You want to make sure you take a good clean broadside shot so you don’t wound the animal. It is your responsibility as a hunter to make a clean kill.

Get ready to put in some work if you want to be successful. Plan on hunting more than just a few days a year. The more time you spend out among game, the more you get an innate sense for where they’ll be and how they act.

Maps Good maps are important for researching where you want to hunt, and finding your way around when you’re out there. I use Google Earth google earth for pre-scouting, and quad maps and a GPS when I’m hunting. The Montana Cadastral Mapping website has

Keep a cool head Stay calm when you’re about to shoot something so you don’t mess up. Once you do get something, take the time to deal with the meat properly so you don’t waste anything.

36 September 23, 2011 explorebigsky.com

Author Pat Wolfe with a bull elk he shot during bow season in 2011. photo courtesy of Pat Wolfe

Pat Wolfe is co-owner of Stronghold Fabrication, a Bozeman-based metal and fine blacksmithing shop.

Big Sky Weekly

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Big Sky Weekly

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38 September 23, 2011 explorebigsky.com

Big Sky Weekly

Tales

A first bird

By Matty Mccain

big sky weekly contributor

Moving to Montana opened my eyes to many things: -30 degree winters, the most beautiful mountains I have ever seen, and the excitement of bird hunting. I started hunting when we moved here eight years ago; primarily antelope, deer and elk, but then I was introduced to upland bird hunting.

My first few years of bird hunting involved me trampling through the woods, sagebrush, grain fields, or anywhere I thought I might run into a few birds. Mainly, I took my shotgun for a walk in some beautiful country.

Finally, I got my first hunting dog, Schmoo. A pound puppy from Baker, she isn’t from hunting stock. She is part Lab and part Brittany spaniel, and my companion, hunting buddy and little black princess.

Although my wife Summer doesn’t hunt, she’ll pack out an elk, butcher and package the meat.

She’s come on many walks with the guns, mainly to spend time with me. Now that we have Schmoo, it’s more of a family activity and a reason to run the dog.

After three years of taking walks, the day came.

It was a lovely cool September day, and we spent the morning wandering around trying to decide

where best to look for grouse. After a few hunts with no luck, we continued pressing on through the pines and sage. As the day wound down, we took a drive to give Schmoo a break, but we still had one more short romp to go. As we geared back up with water, guns and dog, we figured there was no chance of us getting any birds that day.

Suddenly Schmoo’s tail and entire body started to take on a new appearance, senses heightened, hair on edge: she became a hell bent, wiggling black bird hunting machine.

In seconds, we covered most of a field and were headed toward the woods. Then, up from the sage flew four grouse. Schmoo bounded around, and I brought up good ‘ole Betsy and dropped two of them. To my side I heard a BOOM and then a SQUEAL! I turned to see my wife jumping up and down like a little girl with the biggest glow on her face and the widest smile ever.

Schmoo appeared from the bushes with a bird tight in her grip; it was Summer’s trophy. As Schmoo dropped the bird, Summer was still glowing. All those years and miles had paid off.

Ending the day on a good note, we headed home to feast on bacon wrapped grouse and a few well deserved cold beers. And of course an extra scoop of food and love for that wonder dog, Schmoo.

Photos by Matty McCain

Summer and Schmoo

Hunting then and now: ‘We didn’t even have bear spray’

By Troy Paulson

big sky weekly contributor

When I was 16, my dad and I drove west to Montana from South Dakota to meet my uncles and elk hunt for a week in the Beartooth Mountains.

This was my first ever elk tag. I was a South Dakota resident, but my family was from Montana. My dad’s cousin was from Belgrade, and he went into the Beartooths every year for the early season September rifle hunt.

Before we left, we’d heard about a grizzly that mauled a hunter in a camper, so we were on edge. I know a lot more about grizzlies now, but back then (1996) I had no idea. We didn’t have bear spray.

My dad’s cousin had been in a few weeks prior to set up camp up over Daisy Pass. He’d hung some horse feed from a tree, and put up a wall tent. The day we went in, we rode Sydney Opera House

15 or 20 miles. Going down a steep pass like Daisy was terrifying because I’d never ridden horses in the mountains before.

My dad had borrowed two horses from my mom’s brother. My dad rode a small horse named Three Docks, and I was riding a big powerful bay called George. At the end of our ride, we had to go up this really steep hill. My dad had to get off and walk Three Docks up the hill. The other horses were switch-backing, but George decided he didn’t need to switchback and just went straight up. My uncle had been telling me how to ride a horse, saying to lean forward going uphill, but I just sat back and held on.

As we got closer to camp, we started noticing piles of bear scat.

Then, mixed in with the scat was horse feed. Pretty soon the piles turned just to horse feed. We got to camp, and found claw marks on the tree where the feed had been.

We realized rain had weighted the

feed down so much a black bear was able to reach it. The bear had likely gorged on it until it’d overstuffed itself.

That first night we set up camp, put up the electric fence up for the horses, had dinner, and went to bed.

My dad’s a diabetic, and in the middle of the night he had a low blood sugar attack and woke me up.

When my dad has an attack, he’s a little disoriented. Plus it was the middle of the night.

“Troy, there’s a grizzly bear outside,” he said.

I heard a growling noise outside of our tent.

Dad had brought his 45 pistol along, and he was getting it out, ready for the bear to come through the door.

Listening to this bear sound, I opened the door and peeked my head out. The moon was bright,

and I could see across to where the horses were, thinking they were frightened.

I looked around and heard the growling still, then realized two tents over it was my uncle snoring really loud.

“Aw, shit,” Dad said.

We got some sugar in him and went back to sleep.

We didn’t see any elk that week, but we saw just about every other kind of wildlife – mule deer, black bear, moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goats. That trip hooked me on elk hunting anyway, and I’ve been out every year since.

Troy Paulson moved to Montana after college and still loves elk hunting in the mountains. He lives in Belgrade with his wife Megan and is an avid bow and rifle hunter.

explorebigsky.com September 23, 2011 39

Big Sky Weekly

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Big Sky Weekly

antelope

2011 Antelope season hunting outlook continue to have low recruitment (reproduction and survival Antelope hunters are expected to of fawns for a least a year). Since have good hunting opportunities blue-tongue, a fatal virus spread by in Montana’s western and central biting midges, moved through the counties, but antelope numbers are area three years ago, summer counts substantially down to the east in have shown 15-30 fawns per 100 FWP Region 6 near Glasgow and adult antelope in the eastern half of FWP Region 7 near Miles City, as this region, where FWP normally are the number of tags given out by expects the FWP. 60-80 Antelope season dates fawns per Antelope 100 adult numbers in 900 series: Aug. 15-Nov. 13 antelope.

Southwest Montana fish, wildlife & parks

Archery: Sept. 3-Oct. 7

Montana are FWP General: Oct. 8-Nov. 13 slightly down, Region 6: but overall the Populatrend there in tions here the past five years has been upward, are 70 percent lower than last year said Quentin Kujala, FWP wildlife due to high winter mortality. In management section supervisor. response this, FWP sharply reduced The cumulative effect of two long, the number of licenses in many difficult winters in Eastern Mondistricts. Very few individuals from tana has negatively affected populathe 2010/2011 fawn crops remain tions there. in these herds, according to FWP survyes. It may take the population Here are some details: a long time to rebuild.

FWP Regions 2, 3 and 4: FWP biologists report that antelope numbers remain mostly good in FWP Region 2 in the Deer Lodge Valley and in FWP Region 3 in Western Montana. In Region 4 headquartered in Great Falls, antelope hunting is expected to be average at best.

FWP Region 5: Antelope populations north and east of Billings

FWP Region 7: In Southeast Montana antelope numbers are 57 percent below the previous 10 year average. Winter survival was also severely impacted here by last winter’s harsh conditions. The 2011 fawn to doe ratio here was 47 fawns per 100 does, compared to the longterm average of 73 fawns per 100 does.

Taxonomy of the Antelope Montana’s antelope are actually pronghorns. The pronghorn is not a deer, antelope or goat, even though its scientific name, Antilocapra americana, means American antelope goat. The genus the antelope is in, Antilocapra, is unique to America and has only one species in it. It resulted from joining the Latin antholop, meaning pronghorn, and capra, meaning goat.

Other common local names for antelope include prong-buck, goat, speed-goat and loper. The Mexican term is berrendo meaning pinto. The pronghorn’s closest genetic relative is the giraffe! That said, here in the Rocky Mountains we continue to refer to the pronghorn as an antelope—even if the animal has no connection to the ungulates of the same name in Asia and Africa.

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Big Sky Weekly

waterfowl Waterfowl season schedule Federal survey results show habitat conditions and population numbers are generally very good for migratory birds – all duck numbers are 35 percent above the long-term average, with mallard numbers 22 percent above the long-term average, and pintail numbers up 26 percent from last year.

Central Flyway Youth Waterfowl Season: Sept. 24-25.

Duck, Coot and Tundra Swan (500 permits only) Season: Oct.1-Jan. 5.

•

Ducks: Daily bag limit of six ducks or mergansers, possession limit twice the daily limit. Daily bag limited to no more than five mallards, no more than two of which may be hens; two redheads, two scaup, two hooded mergansers, three wood ducks, two pintails and one canvasback.

•

Coots: 15 daily, the possession limit is twice the daily limit.

Goose Season: Oct. 1-Jan. 13.

• Dark Geese: Daily limit of four, the possession limit is twice the daily limit.

• White Geese: Daily limit of six, the possession limit is twice the daily limit.

Falconry • Ducks and coots: Sept. 21-Jan. 5.

• Geese: Oct.1-Jan. 13.

Pacific Flyway Youth Waterfowl Season: Sept. 24-25.

Scaup Season: Oct.1-Dec. 23.

General Waterfowl Season: Oct. 1-Jan. 13.

• Ducks: Daily bag limit of seven ducks or mergansers, possession limit twice daily limit. Daily bag limited to no more than two hen mallards, two pintails, two redheads, one canvasback, and three scaup.

• Coots: The limit is 25 daily and in possession.

Goose Season: Oct. 1-Jan. 13.

• Dark Geese: Daily limit of four, the possession limit is twice the daily limit.

• White Geese: Daily limit of six, the possession limit is twice the daily limit.

Swan (500 permits only) Season: Oct. 15-Dec. 1.

Falconry: • Ducks, coots, and geese: Oct. 1-Jan. 13.

Canada goose facts Life expectancy—up to 20 years Weight—five to 12 pounds Nesting Location—smaller subspecies nest in northern Canada. Geese that nest in Montana are the larger nine to 12 pound subspecies.

Eggs—geese generally lay about four to seven eggs, called a clutch Incubation—eggs hatch after about 30 days Young geese—called “goslings” Migration—Migrate as family groups. Large flocks are made up of many families and non-breeders.

Age at first nesting—two or three years.

42 September 23, 2011 explorebigsky.com

Duck and goose hunting outlook Montana fish, wildlife & parks

Waterfowl hunters can anticipate some good hunting this fall with the duck factories of North America producing a record high number of waterfowl, according to federal waterfowl surveys.

The opening date for the general waterfowl season is Oct. 1, with the Youth Waterfowl Season the preceding weekend on Sept. 24-25.

This year, the combined population of 10 primary duck species on the traditional spring survey areas totaled an estimated 45.6 million—a record high for the survey that dates back to 1955. It’s an 11 percent increase over 2010 and 35 percent above the 50 year long-term average.

Among the ducks important to Montana, mallards, the most sought-after species in the state, were up nine percent from last year at 9.2 million—22 percent above the long-term average. Gadwall numbers were nine percent higher than last year and at 80 percent above the long-term average.

Pintails, which have been down in numbers, showed a 26 percent increase and were 10 percent above the long-term average. Redheads reached a record high, 106 percent above the long-term average. Canada goose numbers in Montana should be similar to last year.

Overall pond numbers for Prairie Canada and the north-central U.S. combined were 22 percent higher than last year and 62 percent above the long-term average.

The framework for federal waterfowl regulations is established in early August.

Montana’s waterfowl regulations were presented to the FWP Commission via an Aug. 31 conference call. flyways.us

Migratory birds There are over 860 species of migratory birds in North America. Only 58 are designated as game species with established hunting seasons. The rest, more than 800 species, have no sport hunting seasons and are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

Big Sky Weekly

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Big Sky Weekly

2 a rt i st s h ow

Thomas English and Shirle Wempner september 15 – october 8

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“morning shadows” by thomas english 30” x 40”

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“

10:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. tuesday – saturday. sunday and monday by appointment. big sky town center | 406-993-9400 44 September 23, 2011 explorebigsky.com

Call of the wild

Elk calling champ:

Big Sky Weekly

Over 3 decades building in Montana

Follow the ‘ARC’ to hunting success Rocky mountain elk foundation

You might expect a top elk caller to focus his hunting advice on proper call selection, volume, tone, timing or teamwork. But the winner of the 2011 Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation/ Leupold World Elk Calling Championships says perhaps the most critical step to calling in elk is how you set-up to intercept an approaching bull.

Corey Jacobsen of Boise, Id., is the reigning and three-time world champion elk caller, as well as a consistently successful bowhunter. A mechanical engineer by trade, Jacobsen also operates a website dedicated to elk hunting, elk101.com.

Jacobsen offers the following key advice on calling elk into bow range: “Set-up might be the most critical step.

It always plays a major role in determining the outcome of a hunt. I can’t count how many hunts have been blown by a bad set-up—too much brush to shoot through, not enough cover to hide in, no shooting lanes, inconsistent wind currents, caught in the open, the list goes on and on.

“I always repeat one word to myself when I’m setting up on a bugling bull: ARC. “The meaning of ARC is twofold. First, a bull will often approach your set-up by circling downwind. I like to visualize a straight line from the caller to the bull, then draw an imaginary arc on the downwind side. This is the path a bull will likely follow as he comes in.

Always try to set up along that arc.

“The second thing ARC means to me is ‘Always Remember Concealment.’

Elk survive by three main senses: sight, sound and smell. Conceal yourself from these senses every time you set up. Set up in front of brush or trees and

allow your camouflage to break up your outline (and give you a clearer shot than if you’re positioned behind cover).

Clear the area where you set up. This will eliminate the chance of snapping a twig as you shift your weight or draw your bow. Obey the wind! No argument, no excuses. If the elk smells you, the hunt is over. No amount of cover spray, odor eliminating gear or luck will make your scent disappear from a bull’s nose if the wind is going straight towards him. Keep the wind in your favor, always!

“Hunting with a partner is an incredibly effective way to call a bull past your set-up and increase the chances of getting a high-percentage shot. If you’re the shooter, use a rangefinder to determine distances to trees, stumps or rocks around your set-up, thus eliminating any guessing when the elk shows up.

“Finally, be sure to draw your bow only when the bull’s vision is obstructed, when his head is turned or behind a tree. Few things are more frustrating than having a perfect set-up and everything coming together, only to have it all fall apart at the moment of truth!”

In the RMEF/Leupold World Elk Calling Championships, amateur callers have 30 seconds to mimic cow and bull sounds. Professional competitors like Jacobsen are required to make specific calls including standard bugles and cow calls as well as breeding calls. Judges score each competitor anonymously.

Winners in the six divisions of competition receive prizes and cash ranging from $500 to $2,500.

The 2012 competition is slated for Feb. 2-4 in Las Vegas.

The event helps raise awareness of RMEF elk, habitat and conservation initiatives.

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NFL & COL

Big Sky Weekly

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OPEN DAILY AT 11:30 A.M. LUNCH & DINNER 46 September 23, 2011 explorebigsky.com

LOCATED IN THE BIG SKY TOWN CENTER big sky, montana 406-995-3830

Big Sky Weekly

food & dining

Maple venison, or elk sausage INGREDIENTS 3 lbs venison/elk 1 lb fatty pork shoulder or .5 lb lean pork and .5 lb pork fat 2 t dried thyme 1 t dried marjoram 1/2 - 1 t cayenne (depending on how spicy you like it) 2 T kosher salt 2 T rubbed sage 1 T ground black pepper 8 T (1/2 cup) real maple syrup (or more) 1/4 cup cold water Materials Big bowl Big spoon Meat grinder Optional: gloves Trim the venison/elk of all bloody areas and tough connective tissue, cut it and the pork into cubes, and run through the coarse plate of meat grinder.

Add the spices, ice water and maple syrup to the ground meat and mix thoroughly using your hands. Regrind through the fine plate.

This sausage is good when it is stuffed into casings, but is excellent as a hash or patties.

Don’t keep in the fridge for more than a couple days. It stores well in the freezer for at least three months.

Maple sausage hash with zucchini, bell peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes and black beans. Served with warm tortillas and sharp white cheddar cheese. Photo by Emily Stifler

10 tips for processing wild game 1

Hanging meat for aging and tenderizing is usually preferred but if you don’t have a temperature-controlled environment between 35 and 50 degrees, the process becomes risky. Get the meat cut, packaged and into the freezer ASAP.

2

5

3

6

Wild game can be aged and tenderized later using an alternative process. Remove a package of meat from the freezer and allow it to partially thaw. When the meat begins to soften and become covered with slushy ice crystals, put a tally mark on the package and refreeze. Then repeat. When a package has three tally marks, it’s ready for cooking.

The four basic tools for butchering are simple around-the-house tools. You will need a good sharp knife, a whetstone to keep the knife sharp, a hacksaw and a cutting board. You may also wish to use rubber gloves.

4

Cleanliness is crucial. Rinse the skinned carcass or quarters and pat dry before you begin cutting. Wash your tools with soap and water

you don’t want to eat – and toss it into a bucket or trashcan lined with a plastic bag.

before you start and clean your knife after each sharpening. If it’s not too cold, set up a cleaning table outside and use a hose with a high-pressure nozzle.

Reduce the animal to individual muscles or groups of muscles (see diagram). Start by removing the legs. Rear legs are jointed and fit into a socket in the hip. Front legs fit onto the chest mainly with muscles and tendons. The rest of the animal basically is ribs, neck and spine, and meat can be filleted from these areas. Remove back straps by slicing down the center of the back and boning along spine outward onto ribs. Don’t forget to take the tenderloins from the inside spine.

Use another bag or tub for clean trimmings or cuts for grinding into burger. Freeze this bag of meat and take it to your butcher for grinding later.

9

If you have a vacuum-type food sealer, use it. Otherwise, wrap meat in cellophane and then butcher paper. Double wrapping is better.

Mark each package with the date and type of cut.

Expect finished meat to weigh less than 50 percent of the animal’s live weight.

10

If your deer or elk came from an area with chronic wasting disease, special instructions may apply. Check out cwd-info.org

Don’t try to make chops. Without professional-grade saws and butchering tools, just cut meat off the bones to make steaks, roasts, stew meat and jerky. When cutting a muscle into finished pieces, cut across the grain of the meat.

7

8

Trim away bloodshot meat, connective tissue, membranes, cartilage and fat – anything

Adapted from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation information. For more photos, charts and breakdowns of cuts, visit rmef.org/hunting and click on “Carnivore’s Kitchen.”

explorebigsky.com September 23, 2011 47

Big Sky Weekly

Your hunt for knowledge ends here.

The ultimate ungulate Infographic by Kelsey Dzintars

Fast Facts

2010 Elk distribution & Population in Montana

Who’s Who

fwp.com

Bull: Male elk Cow: Female elk Calf: Baby elk Spike: Yearling bull elk

Size Bull: 700 pounds (315 kg) 5 feet (1.5 m) at the shoulder 8 feet (2.4 m) from nose to tail Cow: 500 pounds (225 kg) 4 1/2 feet (1.3 m) at the shoulder 6 1/2 feet (2 m) from nose to tail Newborn calf: 35 pounds (16 kg)

A set of antlers on a mature bull can weigh up to

40 pounds

Elk Distribution

Follow that deer!

How old is my elk?

Premolars

(Population Estimate = 117,880)

Incisors

Molars

elk are relatively easy to age up through 3½ years, when their incisors are still developing. Elk chew from side‑to‑side and slowly wear down their molars and premolars. The canines and incisors become short‑ er. For example, the two front incisors on an 8½-yearold can have as little as ½ inch of tooth left before the gum line.

ELk in HIstory

Near the Rocky Mountains east of Choteau, Montana, you can stand on a trail used by red deer thousands of years ago. This trail, which anthropologists call the Old North Trail, was also used by other animals and ancient people who crossed the Bering Land Bridge as they followed red deer from Asia to North America.

The elk that live in North America today are direct descendants of those red deer from Asia.

FAIL!

European settlers reduced the north american elk population from 10 million to less than 100,000 by 1900

elk in the wild have an average life span of

8-12 years Thank you to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation for providing all this badass knowledge about elk.

Find out much more at rmef.org

48 September 23, 2011 explorebigsky.com