BOZEMAN – A new season of “Working Wild University,” a podcast co-hosted by Montana State University Extension wildlife specialist Jared Beaver, will premiere Jan. 9 and examine the past 50 years of endangered species conservation in the United States.

On Sunday, January 7, 2024, at 1:42 p.m., the West Yellowstone Police Department dispatch center received a 911 call regarding a snowmobiler who sustained knee and back injuries when their snowmobile left the trail and struck a tree. The crash location was 11 miles south of West Yellowstone near Black Bear Canyon.

Volunteers from Gallatin County Search and Rescue in West Yellowstone, Hebgen Basin Rural Fire Department, Custer Gallatin National Forest, and Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks responded to assist with the rescue.

Rescuers made contact with the patient who was complaining of significant knee and back pain. The patient was quickly packaged and transported back to West Yellowstone in a specialized Snow Ambulance. After being evaluated by the HBFD ambulance crew, the patient chose not to be transported.

Sheriff Dan Springer would like to thank the group of passing snowmobilers who recognized the need for assistance and remained on scene with the patient until help arrived.

HELENA – Bobcat trappers in northwest Montana caught two lynx last week. Both instances were self-reported by the trappers and were subsequently reported to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.

Lynx are listed as a threatened species and protected under the Endangered Species Act. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has established an allowable incidental take for lynx in the lower 48 states. Of the two captures, one lynx was found dead in the trap (Dec. 27). The other lynx was released unharmed (Dec. 28).

The capture that resulted in the killed lynx was an illegal set. That incident remains under investigation.

Allowable take

Allowable take of lynx in the lower 48 is complicated. The concept of “allowable take” acknowledges that in states with bobcat trapping seasons, some incidental capture of lynx is possible. With “allowable take,” the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service establishes a number of incidental captures that would be “allowable” and still provide for the conservation of the species.

Allowable take of lynx in the lower 48 states is six trapped/captured or three killed/captured as a result of legal bobcat trapping within three consecutive years. Maine operates under its own allowable take permit and so is not included in the remaining lower 48 states. Recently, a lynx in Minnesota was killed in a trap, and two lynx were trapped in Idaho but were released during the 2021 trapping season. The current number of lynx incidentally trapped in legal sets stands at four captured and one killed in the three-year window.

If the allowable take number is met, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service would initiate a review to ensure conservation of the species.

In Montana

“We’ve worked hard to conserve lynx in Montana, including trapping regulations specifically designed to avoid capture of non-target species. We’re watching this circumstance very closely,” said Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Director Dustin Temple.

In the 2023 Wolf and Furbearer Regulations, the commission recognized lynx protection zones and special restrictions for trapping within those zones to minimize incidental capture of lynx. Trappers who inadvertently capture a lynx must release it unharmed if possible and report it to FWP within 24 hours, or if it’s wounded contact FWP immediately to “determine disposition and/or collection of the animal.”

Montana also has specific trapping regulations to reduce the potential capture of lynx. For example:

• Lynx Protection Zones (LPZ) prohibit wolf snaring on public lands.

• Wolf foothold traps in Regions 1 through 5 are required to have a minimum of 10 pounds of pan tension.

• No natural feathers or pieces of fur can be used in the LPZs so that lynx are not visually attracted to the set intended for another species.

• Bobcat and wolf traps set in the LPZs are required to be checked every 48 hours.

• Regulations for conibear traps are also more restrictive in the LPZs to mitigate the potential of catching a lynx.

• Additionally, all snares in the LPZs are required to have a relaxing lock, which decreases the lethality of the device.

HELENA – Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is forming an advisory council to help begin the process of developing a new statewide mule deer plan.

The Mule Deer Citizens Advisory Council (MDCAC) will consist of 10 to 12 people and will identify expectations for the new mule deer plan, which could include expectations for development process, management actions and goals, and results.

“As we begin the process of developing a new mule deer plan, we are really open to taking a different approach, if that’s what the public wants,” said FWP Director Dustin Temple. “I know landowners and hunters alike have concerns with the trajectory of Montana mule deer populations. This council will help put us on the right path to a fresh plan that addresses these concerns and others.”

In the past few years, the concern over mule deer numbers and management has grown due to a few factors, including mule deer population declines in areas of Montana, the expansion of chronic wasting disease (CWD), and proposed harvest regulations in some areas to address CWD. The Fish and Wildlife Commission has adjusted regulations in many areas to protect mule deer herds, but a more comprehensive approach is needed.

The MDCAC will represent a variety of stakeholders from around the state. The meetings will be facilitated to ensure they’re productive and efficient. The facilitator will look to reach consensus among members. The meetings will be public and have opportunity for public comment.

Potential members should be able to travel to two or more multi-day meetings between February and May of 2024. Mileage, lodging and meal costs associated with the meetings will be reimbursed by FWP. In selecting members, Director Temple will not give preference to any group or individual. Rather, he is looking for members who have various perspectives and a willingness and ability to work with other members toward consensus.

Once the council identifies expectations for a new mule deer plan, FWP staff will work on developing the plan through an expansive public process that will include scoping, ample public comment and other public engagement opportunities. The goal is to have a new plan completed by the end of 2024.

Anyone interested in serving on the MDCAC can fill out this form, contact the FWP Wildlife Division office at 406-444-3940 or email FWPWLD@mt.gov. Applications must be received no later than Jan. 31.

BOZEMAN — A Montana State University doctoral candidate has received funding from the National Science Foundation Arctic Social Sciences Program to support her dissertation research examining fertility and reproductive health decisions in response to climate change and adaptation policies in Greenland.

Malory Peterson received an NSF Arctic Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant in the Arctic Social Sciences program. The $58,000 award is from the NSF Office of Polar Programs.

“I’m excited because this community-based, engaged research is valuable,” Peterson said.

Peterson is a student in MSU’s individual interdisciplinary doctoral program studying community health and geography. Her research investigates how climate change and climate change adaptation policies affect reproductive decision-making by Kalaallit men and women in Greenland.

Peterson said decisions about reproduction and family size among the Kalaallit are influenced by the availability of social, economic and natural resources, as well as by climate change, which are increasingly affecting Kalaallit ways of life and local economies, including hunting and fishing.

The research is based in ecological systems theory, which suggests that an individual’s development is influenced by interconnected family, institutional and social systems. Her research also makes use of the principles of “community-based participatory research” — that is, research done in partnership with the community. 

As part of her work, Peterson conducted interviews in Greenland with 40 reproductive-aged men and women living in two communities, Paamiut and Nuuk. The interviews explored the participants’ perspectives on climate change and factors that influence their fertility decisions. Peterson also conducted in-depth interviews with 25 key stakeholders and policymakers in the hunting and fishing industries, ecotourism, government and health care to identify how policymakers consider fertility and reproductive health in climate adaptation planning.

Peterson is now analyzing the interviews with input from her Kalaallit community research partner, Augustine Rosing. The two recently presented their initial findings at the Greenland Science Week Conference, and this spring, they will share the project’s results with community members, scientists and policymakers and collect feedback. Peterson expects to have her research completed in the spring.

Peterson said that the research results will have implications for Arctic social science research and policy arenas, including health care, natural resource economics and sustainable development.

“In the broader context of global challenges related to fertility and climate change, this research promotes an equitable approach to solving complex problems of natural resource availability and population health,” she said. She added that the project advances historically underrepresented groups in science by engaging women and Kalaallit knowledge-holders as partners in research.

Peterson, who grew up in Oregon, received a bachelor’s degree in biomedical science from Colorado State University and worked as an AmeriCorps member and a certified sexuality educator with youth in a Denver crisis center. She later worked as an epidemiological investigator for the Hawaii State Department of Health. That experience, especially, led her to believe the work could be done in a more culturally sensitive way.

“I was pretty frustrated by the system,” Peterson said. “I was continually running into cultural mismatch in the type of sexual health communication provided to a patient and the cultural context they’re living in,” she said.

She began looking into academic programs and individuals conducting culturally adapted sexual health research, which is how she found Elizabeth Rink, professor in the Department of Human Development and Community Health in the College of Education, Health and Human Development and Peterson’s primary adviser. 

Peterson enrolled at MSU in 2019 and earned a master’s in community health before pursuing her doctorate. She also previously received an American Scandinavian Foundation Fellowship, which funded her first trip to Greenland in fall 2022. She is set to graduate with her doctorate in May and has accepted a postdoctoral position with an NSF-funded “Navigating the New Arctic” interdisciplinary research project with University of Alaska Fairbanks and Arizona State University.

“When Malory came to MSU, she began working with our Fort Peck tribal partners on our randomized control trial, We Are Here Now, which uses community-based participatory research as the foundation of the trial’s conceptual model,” Rink said. “She learned quite a bit about the importance of equitably engaging tribal partners in research that is culturally centered, contextually relevant and beneficial to them.

“When Malory suggested she stay at MSU for her Ph.D. and that she wanted to do her Ph.D. research in Greenland, I was confident that she had the (community-based participatory research) skills to work independently in Greenland with Kalaallit, moving between different languages, and navigating a completely different culture and new systems from what she was accustomed to here at MSU and with the Fort Peck Tribes.”

Peterson said her work is motivated by a desire to support communities, especially as they experience the effects of climate change.

“I don’t think, as a society, we will be able to tackle climate change challenges if we’re only motivated by fear,” she said. “One of coolest parts of getting to learn from people in Greenland is what does it look like to be motivated by opportunity, to have faith in positive opportunities from change and have faith that your community will be resilient? I’m personally grateful I get to learn.”

BOZEMAN – Registration is open for spring semester programs offered by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Montana State University. Programming includes courses, lectures, workshops, field trips, special events and book discussions for the intellectually curious age 50 and older.

OLLI is offering nine noncredit enrichment courses for the spring 2024 semester. The titles include:

• The Perplexing Law of Privacy in the United States.
• Reframing Rural: Rural Representations in the Media and Rural Issues in the West.
• Weighing the Scales of Freedom: Communities in Conflict.
• The Prophetic Passion of Leonard Cohen.
• Experiencing Russia Through Film.
• Our Constitutions, Federal and State, Plus a Few Others to Boot.
• Gardening Under the Big Sky.
• Modern Art.
• Microbes in Sickness and in Health.

OLLI courses are typically offered once a week during a four to six week period. Course costs range from $40 to $75 with an OLLI membership.

This spring, 10 Speakers Series lectures will occur from 3 to 5 p.m. on Mondays. Topics covered include the history of the ski industry, citizen science, Greco-Egyptian goddesses and Montana entrepreneur Nelson Story. Special interest groups, travel programs, “How It’s Made” tours, behind-the-scenes previews of art performances and a series of category-defying events and programs called OLLI Extras are available for members.

Members can participate in online programs offered through the Osher National Resource Center for the spring semester. Topics covered include the history of public libraries in the U.S., Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Nero Wolfe and misinformation.

OLLI offers free community programs, including the monthly “Friday Forum” and evening lectures in partnership with the Belgrade Community Library. A semester reception is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 9 at the Pilgrim Congregational UCC in Bozeman from 4 to 6 p.m.

Spring programming will include in-person and online options. Recordings of several programs will be available to members. For more details about spring programs, visit montana.edu/olli/offerings.

An OLLI at MSU membership is $45 annually. To join or register for courses or programs, visit montana.edu/olli/register. Sign up for OLLI’s free weekly e-newsletter at montana.edu/olli/newsletter to receive program updates and announcements.

BOZEMAN – Montana State University assistant professor Eric Sproles, an expert on snow and water science, told a national audience Tuesday that this year’s warm, dry weather in the western United States is exactly what scientists would expect to see given current conditions in the Pacific Ocean.

Sproles, in a live interview with CBS anchor Errol Barnett, said the weather is warmer and drier than usual because of the periodic phenomenon known as El Niño, which causes warm waters in the Pacific to push the jet stream south of its usual position. El Niño results in mild winters in the northern U.S. and wetter conditions in the Gulf Coast and southeast regions of the country.

Sproles said during the network’s “Climate Watch” segment that when precipitation does occur in an El Niño year, it’s often in the form of rain rather than snow, resulting in below average snowpacks.

In the western U.S., Sproles said, “snow is our savings account” that slowly recharges groundwater and streams as it melts in the warmer months. A dry winter may impact agriculture and hydropower generation later in the year, he said.

Asked whether the West should brace for a difficult wildfire season ahead, Sproles said a lack of snow may enhance fire conditions but that it’s too soon to make fire predictions.

He said recognizing that a drought is occurring can help western communities evaluate whether they will need to “tighten the belt a little bit” in terms of water usage in the months ahead.

Sproles is an assistant professor in MSU’s Department of Earth Sciences in the College of Letters and Scienceand director of the Geospatial Snow, Water and Ice Resources Lab and Geospatial Core Facility.

Picture this: the crisp morning air, the rustle of leaves beneath your boots, and the adrenaline running through your veins as you embark on the ultimate hunting quest. With your level of preparation, you’re expecting a successful day out in the fields, which may turn out not to be the case. Even the most experienced big game hunters sometimes confess to moments of unpreparedness and poor hunting performance. Below we share some of the top tips and tricks that will help you succeed in your big game hunting adventures.

Prepare Your Gear

Whether you’re coming from a long hunting break or are cleaning up for the next successive hunting adventure, your gear needs to be in shape before you set out for a hunt. Big game hunting is especially demanding when it comes to picking your gear. You have to select the right rifle, binoculars, boots, and ammunition for a successful hunt.

The terrain, hunting ground and the weather are key factors to consider when choosing your hunting gear. You may have to bring your tent in case it rains or decoys and overalls for wading into a pond. A night prior to your hunting day, ensure your magazines are unloaded of all ammunition and cleaned. You can hang them safely on a wall mounted magazine holder for easy access when you need them.

Scout and Stalk Your Hunting Spots

Scouting and stalking actually happen before and during the hunting sessions. If you’re doing this before your hunt, you’d want to find out about the hunting territories and borderlines, so you know where to set up your tents and what to hunt. You’ll also be learning about hunting factors like wind direction and camouflage so you know how to position yourself during the hunt.

During the hunt, you can scout your target game to learn their behavior, footprints, and scent so you can follow and attack without blowing your cover. Good scouting and stalking skills will ultimately bring in the admired success. However, you’ll need time and consistency before you can master the skills.

Perfect Your Aim

Successful hunting is all about hitting the target. One of the areas you should invest most of your training time is in shooting and target practice. Shooting practices not only get you the skills to aim perfectly but also help you build a bond with your weapon.

You will know how to react when your weapon jams and how to adjust your shooting positions accordingly to find the right angle. All in all, you’ll equally master the patience of tracking your target and the stability of taking an accurate shot.

Check Your Hunting License

A lack of a hunting license would jeopardize your return to hunting on opening day. If yours is expired, ensure you renew it on time or register for a new one if you’re going into new hunting grounds.

The best way to secure your hunting rights is to apply for a lifetime license that accords your lifetime hunting rights on a specific spot every year for the rest of your life. You could also include an ‘additional privilege package’ that allows you to access the stated privileges for the rest of your life.

Your hunting success is as good as your preparation and your agility during the hunt. Getting the best results starts by learning your weak areas and working towards improving them. Remember always to exercise care and caution even after you’ve trained exhaustively.

HELENA – Groups or individuals interested in constructing or improving a community fishing pond have until Feb. 1 to apply for a Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ Community Pond Program grant. The objective of the Community Pond Program is to enhance public fishing opportunities in or near Montana communities by providing funding that may be used to construct or improve a public fishing pond.

A total of $200,000 in grant funds is available for projects on ponds that offer public fishing opportunities. Past projects include building habitat structures, dock installations, pond dredging, ADA-accessible angling amenities and the purchase of aerators.

Applicants must provide at least 30 percent of the total project cost, which can include contributions such as heavy equipment time, construction materials, labor, engineering services and more. Anyone wishing to sponsor a project may apply.

Since 2003, the Community Pond Program has funded projects that benefit young anglers and their families by providing locations where individuals of all ages can learn angling skills. Additional information on the Community Pond Program, including a grant application form, click here.

Applications, which are accepted each year, must be received on or before Feb. 1. Applicants are required to contact their local FWP fisheries biologist to obtain project support. For more information, contact Michelle McGree, FWP Program Officer, at 406-444-2432 or mmcgree@mt.gov.

BOZEMAN — The City of Bozeman won eight grants in 2023 totaling over $28 million in support of efforts across multiple divisions. The list of grants includes:

• $24 million – Kagy Blvd Reconstruction
• $1.6 million – Creation of Year-round Composting Program
• $900,000 – Adult Drug Court
• $750,000 – Transportation Alternatives Capital
• $265,000 – Transportation Alternatives Preservation
• $250,000 – Safe Streets for All Study
• $20,000 – Historic Preservation
• $19,770 – Child Exploitation/Human Trafficking Investigations

“We’re thrilled to see these grants come through to expand our services. Funding is so often a barrier. Having outside funding come through allows staff to better serve residents without relying solely on local dollars,” explained City Manager Jeff Mihelich.

The grants span the Transportation & Engineering, Municipal Court, Community Development and Police departments.

The Transportation & Engineering department won the bulk of the grants with the $24 million grant secured to reconstruct Kagy Blvd. They also won a grant to expand the composting program to include year-round food waste; a grant to fill in three sections of shared-use paths along Flanders Mill, E Valley Center, and N 19^th Avenue; a grant to extend the life of shared-use paths throughout the city through pavement preservation; and a grant to expand the Streets Are For Everyone (SAFE) Plan.

In Community Development, the City was awarded a grant from the Foundation for Montana History to conduct a National Register Multiple Property Documentation for buildings that were designed by Fred Willson, a prominent architect from 1909-1954 who designed over a hundred buildings around town.

Municipal Court won a $900,000 Department of Justice grant to start a misdemeanor DUI treatment court to serve DUI offenders. The Bozeman Police Department’s grant helps fund equipment, technologies and training related to investigations into human trafficking and child exploitation to ensure the safety of children in the Bozeman area and learn more about how large a problem human trafficking is in the region.

Those interested in learning more about the grants can reach out to the City Manager’s office at 406-582-2306.