THREE FORKS – A daily fishing restriction will be in effect for the lower Madison River starting today, Aug. 16.

A hoot-owl restriction, which prohibits fishing between 2 p.m. and midnight, will be in place from the river’s confluence with the Jefferson River up to the Warm Springs Day Use Area. Water temperatures in this reach have exceeded 73 degrees for several consecutive days, meeting criteria for the fishing restriction.

Restrictions of this nature are designed to protect fish that become more susceptible to disease and mortality when stressful conditions combine, such as warm water temperatures, low flows and high angling pressure.

Anglers can help reduce stress and mortality for fish by following these practices when catching and releasing fish, though fish mortality may still occur:

• Fish during the coolest times of the day where permitted.
• Keep the fish in water as much as possible.
• Let the fish recover while releasing it.
• During times of high temperatures, consider fishing in areas with lower temperatures, such as larger lakes or reservoirs, or higher elevation waterbodies.

For the latest waterbody restrictions and closures, visit fwp.mt.gov/news/current-closures-restrictions/waterbody-closures.

What:
The Montana Pitmaster Classic is a 2-Day community event with lots of great food for sale or sample + free live music
Friday - Bozeman BBQ & Blues Night w/Andre Floyd (Montana's Original Blues Artist)
Saturday – BBQ Pro Demo Day + Official State BBQ Championship of the State of Montana (Officially Endorsed in 2017 by Gov. Bullock & sanctioned by the Kansas City BBQ Society)
 
When:
Friday - August 25th (5pm - 8pm)
Saturday - August 26th (10am - 4pm)
 
Who:
40+ BBQ Pitmasters from all over the USA & Canada 
 
Where:
Hosted by Kenyon Noble Lumber & Hardware - 1243 West Oak Street, Bozeman
 
Why:
A finger lickin’, mouthwaterin’, family friendly good time + a great community event to benefit & support the Gallatin Valley YMCA
 
The Montana Pitmaster Classic is a non-profit event created to increase awareness of the competitive world of barbeque & a community event that will benefit the Gallatin Valley YMCA. This event is a KCBS (KANSAS CITY BBQ SOCIETY) sanctioned competition where Kenyon Noble Lumber & Hardware of Bozeman is hosting over 40 professional and amateur contestants from all over the US and Canada. All these Pitmasters will be competing for the Montana State BBQ Championship in the categories of chicken, ribs, pork and brisket. The overall highest scorer in all categories of this competition will become the Grand Champion of the tournament and state champion which will make them eligible for the Jack Daniel’s World Championship BBQ contest in Tennessee which is one of the biggest barbeque competitions in the world. This year, the 2022 Pitmaster Classic Grand Champion, Beer Belly BBQ of Glendive Montana, will be there to try to bring a world BBQ championship trophy back to Montana!

 
Friday, August 25th is Bozeman’s BBQ & Blues night, and features over 20 of the competition teams serving a variety of specialty BBQ foods at their booths with blues from Montana’s Original Blues Artist, Andre Floyd setting the mood for a great family event. On this night, all cash is converted over to BBQ chips that can be spent at the serving booths. All BBQ chips spent throughout the evening are collected, counted and whichever team sells the most food will receive the award as People’s Choice of the Montana Pitmaster Classic! A large portion of the revenue generated from this 2-day event will going directly back into the community & the Gallatin Valley YMCA.

 
On Saturday the 25th is Pitmaster Competition day and from 10am – 4pm during the competition there will be plenty of BBQ food sampling and grilling demonstrations from the professionals from the biggest names in grilling and barbeque, such as Big Green Egg, Trager, Weber, and Pit Boss. Also, Pizza Ovens from Ooni & Gozney will be holding informative demo & live shop classes that will inform folks about innovative ways to produce great barbeque with ease. This year, Traeger Wood Fired Grills will be bringing in a special guest, World Champion Pitmaster Chad Ward, who will be delivering in-person demos + classes, sharing his tips & tricks for top-notch wood fired BBQ. After the competition, stick around until 4:30 and see who will be crowned the 2023 Montana Pitmaster Classic Grand Champion at the trophy ceremony.

 
www.montanapitmaster.com

BOZEMAN – A grizzly bear was euthanized Friday after a cattle depredation on private land in the Tom Miner Basin.

Following the depredation, Wildlife Services with the U.S. Department of Agriculture captured the bear on Aug. 10. The bear—a 20-year-old male—was identified as having been captured and relocated previously due to cattle depredations. It also had significant tooth decay. Bears in this condition will sometimes prey on cattle as an obtainable food source, especially if they have a history of conflicts with livestock.

Considering these factors, and in consultation with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks euthanized the bear on Aug. 11.

This is the third management removal of grizzly bears in Montana’s portion of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Two male grizzly bears have been removed due to cattle depredations, and one female grizzly was removed recently after becoming food conditioned to unsecured attractants in Big Sky.

Grizzly bears in the lower 48 states are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Management authority for grizzlies rests with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, working closely in Montana with FWP, the Forest Service, the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Geological Survey, Wildlife Services and Native American tribes. This collaboration happens through the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee.

For more information and resources on bear safety, visit fwp.mt.gov/conservation/wildlife-management/bear.

On August 13, 2023, at 10:44am Gallatin County Dispatch received an agency assist request from Park County Sheriff’s Office.  Park County had received a call from the International Emergency Response Coordination Center (IERCC) after an emergency beacon activation reporting a climber had fallen and was injured about 200 feet from the summit of Granite Peak near Cooke City.  The climber was the guide in a group of 4 and due to the injuries, location, and experience of the other climbers, they were requesting help to extract the group from the mountain.

Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue volunteers from the Heli Team and Comms Team responded.  After a reconnaissance flight around the area, a GCSSAR paramedic was inserted near the climber’s location.  The medical assessment found the patients injuries didn’t require immobilization, which meant the patient was able to be flown to an awaiting Guardian Flight medical helicopter in a “screamer suit.”  The remaining members were ultimately flown off the mountain and back to the trailhead.

Just as the first mission was wrapping up, a call for help was received again from Granite Peak. A second group of climbers had a member of their group fall and sustain injuries. The injured party was short-hauled off Granite Peak and transported by a private party to a higher level of medical care.

Sheriff Springer would like to remind recreationalists that accidents can happen to anyone and being prepared with a GPS communication device can make all the difference. The backcountry is vast and rescues can take hours, so being prepared with proper equipment, extra clothing, food, and water, is essential in emergency situations.

Photos courtesy of the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office.

Montana State University and The Downtown Bozeman Association Presents:
The 11th Annual Community Cat Walk
 
Montana State University and the Downtown Bozeman Association present the 11th Annual Community Cat Walk on Friday, August 18th from 11 AM – 1 PM on Main Street in Downtown Bozeman.
 
MSU President Waded Cruzado, Champ, the MSU Spirit of the West Marching Band, students, student-athletes, and community members will make their way down Main Street to create “Bobcat Buzz” throughout the community. The group will visit businesses along the way, play the fight song and pass out Bobcat gear, treats for kids, and game schedules. Also, get a chance to meet the MSU Athletic Director Leon Costello and Football Coach Brent Vigen and get autographs from your favorite football, basketball, and volleyball players!

 
The walk will begin at 11 AM at First Interstate Bank located at Grand Avenue and Mainstreet and will move east down the south side of Main Street. Mid-way through the event, walkers will make a 20-minute stop at Soroptimist Park located at Rouse Avenue and Main Street for refreshments and player autographs.

 
Walkers will then head west down the north side of Main Street and will end at Wells Fargo Bank located at Grand Avenue and Main Street around 1 PM. Bobcat fans are encouraged to walk with us and spread Bobcat spirit!
 
This event is free and open to the public! It will take place rain or shine!
 
For more information, please visit www.downtownbozeman.org/catwalk & www.msubobcats.com  or call 406-994-6267 & 406-586-4008. 

BIG SKY, MT - (August 14, 2023) — There’s a new opening date in town, and it’s the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. This season (and all future years from here on out), Big Sky Resort is starting winter a little earlier, with a planned opening date to fall on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.  

"Our shift to an earlier opening gives our guests and team members more time to celebrate opening day and Thanksgiving with family and friends, and more skiing to look forward to in November," said Troy Nedved, general manager, Big Sky Resort. 

Planned operating dates for the resort's 50th anniversary season are Wednesday, November 22 through Sunday, April 28, for a total of 159 ski days, the longest season in Big Sky history. 

Today marks 100 days until Big Sky Resort's (new) opening day. 

BOZEMAN — Montana State University is partnering with another iconic western brand for a new apparel line.

Wrangler, most known for its jeans and western wear, is producing a line of MSU-branded clothing, including shirts, hats and T-shirts. The new line will be available exclusively at the MSU Bookstore.

Wrangler worked in collaboration with Colosseum Athletics, a leader in collegiate manufacturing and the Collegiate Licensing Company, CLC, to design and produce the collection .

“Montana State is proud to partner with Wrangler, Colosseum Athletics and the MSU Bookstore to bring the officially licensed Bobcat Wrangler Collegiate Collection to life for our students, alumni and fans,” said Amy Kanuch, licensing and community relations manager at MSU. “Montana State celebrates our roots in western heritage and is excited to offer a fun new collection that showcases our Bobcat brand with the iconic Wrangler brand.”

The collegiate collection launched a year ago with schools in the South. MSU will now be a featured university in the second year of the collection.

The collaboration with Wrangler comes two years after MSU launched a line of clothing with another iconic western brand, the fishing company Simms, to produce shirts and hats with the trademarked MSU brand, Trout U, which are also available in the MSU Bookstore.

Alex Bisset has turned his writing talent into philanthropy by donating a portion of the proceeds from his book to the Bozeman Health Foundation to support the Bozeman Health neonatal intensive care unit fund. Published in June 2023, “The Destination Birth” is Bisset’s first book and can be purchased from the Bozeman Health Gift Shop, Country Bookshelf in downtown Bozeman, and online retailers including Amazon, Bookshop.org, Barnes & Noble.

                                                                       photos courtesy of Alex and Lauren Bisset

BOZEMAN — For expecting parents Lauren and Alex Bisset, the summer of 2022 was one for the books. Literally.

At 34 weeks pregnant, they headed West for Montana to spend quality time together before the birth of their new baby and to witness two of their closest friends exchange their I-do’s in Paradise Valley, Mont.

Thousands of miles from their home in New York, the destination wedding and babymoon quickly turned into an unexpected destination birth and, ultimately, an unforgettable journey of hope and determination that is now forever memorialized through the couple’s reflections and Alex’s own penning. Turning their story into philanthropy came in tandem.

“There were so many people that helped us along the way, and the care we received from Bozeman Health inspired us to pay it forward,” Alex said. “Sharing our story has been joyful and being able to give back adds another destination point to an already fulfilling journey.”

Thirty-eight days prior to her expected arrival, Everly Montana Bisset made her grand entrance into the world, fashionably early and in true Montana cowgirl form—ready to chase her next adventure on a cross-country train ride to the summer’s final destination: home.

Unlike the familiarity of bustling East Coast subway stations and short commuter railroads, the new parents boarded the train for their home destination, new baby in tow, a journey that would take them through the plains of eastern Montana to the sunset over the Hudson River.

New parents, Lauren and Alex Bisset, board the Amtrak in Havre, Mont. with their newborn, who was delivered at Bozeman Health 38 days prior to her due date and 2,157 miles from their home in New York City.

Lauren and Alex Bisset take a family photo from their roomette aboard the Amtrak.

The landscapes and 2,157-mile train ride were anything but mundane, all taken in from a 20 square-foot roomette. The small quarters left little wiggle room on one side, and time to pass on the other.

Minutes turned to hours as they reminisced the many twists and turns of events that landed them there, on a train taking them across the country—now chugging along somewhere in the middle of nowhere North Dakota.

They didn’t want to ever forget or let the memories of their twist-of-fate birth story fade. And as fate would have it, what began as a keepsake journal took a turn of its own one-year later in book form titled, “The Destination Birth.”

Turning their story into philanthropy came in tandem, the couple said, as a way to express gratitude for the care they and their newborn daughter received. In honor of this care, the Bissets have committed to donate a portion of book sale proceeds to Bozeman Health Foundation’s NICU fund to support enhancements to patient care, innovations, training and specialty equipment.

“I speak on behalf of the entire NICU when I say how grateful we are for Alex and Lauren’s support in recognition of the high-quality care they and their newborn received with us, which is a true testament to our staff,” said Stacey Verhoeven, the NICU’s supervisor. “This gift will directly support the ongoing care of our most vulnerable young patients, which is of utmost importance.”

In addition to the percentage of proceeds from books sold online, Bisset is donating 100 percent of the proceeds of books purchased directly from the Bozeman Health gift shop.

About the author
Alex Bisset, author of “The Destination Birth”
Alex Bisset was born and raised in Fairfield, Connecticut and has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin—Madison. Alex considers his family and friends to be most important to him, and spending time with his daughter brings a smile to his face every day. He is an avid outdoorsman and adventurer, and loves to exercise, stemming from his time spent as a member of the University of Wisconsin Men’s Varsity Rowing team. “The Destination Birth” is Alex’s first book.

About Bozeman Health Foundation
Bozeman Health Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Bozeman Health, southwest Montana’s leading integrated, not-for-profit health care system. The foundation secures, manages and stewards charitable gifts to support the mission of Bozeman Health, all of which benefit the people of southwest Montana. Learn more at bozemanhealthfoundation.org.

About Bozeman Health
Bozeman Health is an integrated healthcare delivery system serving an eight-county region in southwest Montana. As a nonprofit organization, governed by a volunteer community board of directors, Bozeman Health is the largest private employer in Gallatin County, with more than 2,400 employees, including 250 medical providers representing 40 clinical specialties.

 BIG SKY – A grizzly bear was captured and euthanized earlier this month after repeatedly seeking and accessing unsecured attractants in Big Sky.

Over the course of several weeks, the bear became accustomed to accessing garbage stored in bear-resistant containers that were not secured. The bear also found unsecured food in a vehicle. Attempts to haze the bear after attractants were stored properly and secured with electric fencing were unsuccessful.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks staff captured the bear on Aug. 4. In consultation with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, FWP euthanized the bear on Aug. 6 because it had become conditioned to seeking food from unnatural sources, which creates human safety risks. The bear was a female grizzly without cubs, estimated to be between 3 and 5 years old.

Unsecured attractants, such as garbage and bird feeders, can lead to human safety risks and property damage from bears. Relocating bears that have associated human activity with food usually leads to further conflicts and safety risks because bears often return to the same area where they were captured to look for food. Unfortunately, bears in these situations can’t be rehabilitated.

Montana is bear country. Grizzly bear numbers continue to increase, and grizzlies are becoming more widespread in Montana, increasing the likelihood that residents and recreationists will encounter them in more places each year. Bears also become more active in late summer and fall as they spend more time eating in preparation for hibernation.

Avoiding conflicts with bears is easier than dealing with such conflicts. Here are some precautions to help residents, recreationists and people who work outdoors avoid negative bear encounters:

• Keep garbage, bird feeders, pet food and other attractants put away in a secure building or certified bear-resistant container. Keep garbage in a secure building until the day it is collected. Certified bear-resistant garbage containers are available in many areas.
• Never feed wildlife. Bears that become food conditioned lose their natural foraging behavior and pose threats to human safety. It is illegal to feed bears in Montana.
• Carry bear spray and be prepared to use it immediately.
• Travel in groups whenever possible and make casual noise, which can help alert bears to your presence.
• Stay away from animal carcasses, which often attract bears.
• Follow food storage orders from the applicable land management agency.
• If you encounter a bear, never approach it. Leave the area when it is safe to do so.

Grizzly bears in the lower 48 states are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Management authority for grizzlies rests with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, working closely in Montana with FWP, the Forest Service, the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Geological Survey, Wildlife Services and Native American tribes. This collaboration happens through the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee.

For more information and resources on bear safety, visit fwp.mt.gov/conservation/wildlife-management/bear.