One question that we keep getting over the past few months here, at A Team Rodent Services, is - are there actually more rodents in 2022, than in previous years? Many people come to us with this query, certain it must be their mind playing a trick on them, but unfortunately, that does not seem to be the case.

So we thought we’d pen this little post, not just to answer that main question, but to also explore the hows and whys of what’s happening to the rats in your city.

First things first, rodents have always been a problem for big city dwellers such as New York city rats. Visit newyorkcityrats.com to learn about rats in the subway. As humanity has grown and come to take up more and more space on this planet, so too have rodents learned to adapt and co-exist alongside us. Both rats and mice are highly versatile and resilient critters - they’ve got smart ways to go around our safe-guards. Where there’s some food, there’s a way, that’s a rodent’s motto.

But are there actually more of them in 2022?

Well, the answer to that is debatable, with arguments on both sides. But since there has been no census to determine the rodent population itself, well, we can’t really say whether there actually are more rodents or if it’s just hearsay.

But there seem to be more.

Yes, we hear that a lot, and we think that could be explained in a number of ways, chief among which… the pandemic.

As Covid-19 restrictions have lifted pretty much all over the world, people have started getting back to the old rhythm of life. More and more of us are going outdoors and enjoying entertainment, dining, and cultural activities like before.

Now, read what we said above again - rats are primarily driven by their need for food (like most of us, actually). This means that the more food there is in a given place, the more rats will come there. Over the past two years, with the pandemic raging across the world, there wasn’t a lot of food available in most outdoor spaces, since there wasn’t a lot of outdoor dining or socializing, in general.

But now, that’s over, and with the end of the pandemic, we’ve seen a surge in social activities and outings. Naturally. Coupled with the “ban” on indoor dining, and an increased number of outdoor dining areas and outings, well, it’s easy to see whence this “surge” of rats around the city. That’s because when no one was going anywhere to grab a bite, there was less food. Not just from you, but also from restaurants and fast foods, many of which were closed or working at limited capacity during the pandemic, and so had less production rates.

People also wore face masks, which meant a decrease in outdoor eating, period. Less food means fewer rodents, and so it’s natural now, as we go out more, and eat out more, to see an increase there.

It might also have to do with climate change.

Another possible explanation for the increased rodent population (this time, assuming there are, indeed, more rodents about) could be related to climate change. As the winters grow more mild across the United States, and the weather, in general, is warmer, this could very well mean there are more rodents. Because rodents, like most other creatures, are dependent on the climate to survive. If it’s an unnaturally cold winter, more rodents than normal will die. Likewise, if it’s a very hot winter, then fewer rodents than normal will die, which effectively translates to more rodents around the city.

So to sum it all up, anything is possible. Yes, there might be more rodents around your city, due to the warmer climate, and thus less extreme temperatures. Or it might just be a trick of the eye, as it were, at the end of a long and exhausting pandemic.

And if you’re wondering about the whole rats vs mice debate, both are rampant in most big cities? How can you tell them apart? Keep in mind that rats are larger, with bulkier bodies. On top of that, mice typically have long, slender tails, covered in fur, whereas rats have short, hairless tails.

BILLINGS – Big Horn, Musselshell, Yellowstone and Phillips counties are in stage 1 fire restrictions. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks follows the county’s lead in placing fire restrictions on its properties within a particular county.

Under stage 1 restrictions, building, maintaining, attending or using a fire or campfire at FWP sites is not allowed. People may only smoke within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site or while stopped in an area at least 3 feet in diameter cleared of flammable materials. People may cook on a liquid petroleum gas or propane stove that can be turned on and off.

Exceptions to these restrictions include the picnic areas at Chief Plenty Coups State Park in Bighorn County and Lake Elmo in Yellowstone County, where cooking fires are allowed in designated barbecues.

The following FWP sites in Big Horn County are under these fire restrictions: Big Horn Fishing Access Site (FAS), Mallard’s Landing FAS, Two Leggins FAS, Arapooish FAS, Grant Marsh FAS and Wildlife Management Area (WMA), General Custer FAS, Manual Lisa FAS, and Chief Plenty Coups State Park.

The following FWP sites in Yellowstone County are under these fire restrictions: Buffalo Mirage FAS, Duck Creek FAS, Blue Creek FAS, South Hills FAS, East Bridge FAS, Voyager’s Rest FAS, Gritty Stone FAS, Bundy Bridge FAS, Captain Clark FAS, Manual Lisa FAS, Broadview Pond FAS, Yellowstone WMA, Pictograph Cave State Park, and Lake Elmo State Park.

The following FWP sites in Phillips County are under these fire restrictions: Cole Ponds FAS, Bjornberg Bridge FAS, Alkali Creek FAS, Cree Crossing WMA, Sleeping Buffalo WMA, and Dodson Dam WMA.

There are no FWP managed sites in Musselshell County.

These restrictions at FWP sites will be in place until further notice. FWP urges people to use caution while they are out recreating due to dry conditions and fire dangers.

The Billings Symphony announced on Tuesday that Executive Director Ignacio Barrón Viela will leave the Billings Symphony to pursue another opportunity. The Reno Philharmonic has selected Barrón Viela as President & CEO, following a national search.
 
“We appreciate Ignacio’s work over nearly four years and all that he has accomplished in that time,” said Billings Symphony Board President Leslie Blair. “He truly put the Billings Symphony on the national and international map.”
 
During Barrón Viela’s tenure, he led the charge for the organization to adopt diversity, equity and inclusion policy and worked with Montana senators and the Spanish Consulate to bring foreign artists to Billings. He helped the Symphony acquire a downtown building, which was donated to the organization in 2019 by the Sukin family, and oversaw renovations and fundraising, including a major grant from the Murdock Charitable Trust.

 
“He created partnerships with national and local associations for grants and donations, cultivated donors with record-setting donations, and doubled our net worth and endowment, leaving our organization in excellent shape for continuing our success,” Blair added.
 
Under Barrón Viela’s leadership, growth in corporate and individual giving along with growth in grant and foundation support has allowed the Billings Symphony to more than double its net assets to $5.7 million and increase its annual operating budget to $1.8 million. Financial growth included a major gift in 2022 from Billings-based philanthropists and longtime symphony patrons John W. and Carol L.H. Green, who gifted $1 million to the Billings Symphony to sustain the executive director’s position — the largest individual gift in the organization’s history.

 
Barrón Viela also helped the organization navigate the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions placed on arts organizations across the country and paved the way in the nation with live-streaming concerts. He worked closely with Anne Harrigan, Billings Symphony Music Director, to produce high levels of musical performances in multiple venues, nearly tripling the organization’s event and concert output by launching the Sukin Series and digital and livestreaming programs and helping the organization launch its first Family Series.

 
“Ignacio worked closely with Anne Harrigan and the Billings Symphony staff to produce numerous outstanding programs for our patrons,” said Vice President of the Board Scott Brown. “He was instrumental in opening the door for the merger with Billings Youth Orchestra, which will expand our audience and promote symphonic music with the young artists of Billings. It’s been a pleasure working with him and getting to know him, not just as a nonprofit community leader, but as a friend.”

 
“I am proud of what we have accomplished together, along with Anne, the musicians, the staff and the Board,” added Barrón Viela. “I am going to miss everyone, but I am confident that the Billing Symphony has a great future ahead. There is a lot of vibrancy and excitement in the 72nd season and the continuation of our growth.”

 
The Symphony continues this growth trajectory with new positions opening in the 2022-2023 fiscal year, including the addition of personnel and youth orchestra manager and an executive and administrative assistant.
 
“I am honored to have been part of this journey with the Billings Symphony, and I wish Anne Harrigan, the musicians, the staff, the Board and everyone associated with the Billings Symphony all the very best as it commences its 72nd season,” added Barrón Viela. “I am proud that the mission to enrich lives through music has remained in the center, and that the growth has been proportional to the mission, and hopefully the community continues to support and value that.”

 
The Billings Symphony Board of Directors will advertise the position and conduct and nationwide search for the John W. & Carol L. H. Green Executive Director, and the position is posted to the Billings Symphony website. For additional information, visit www.billingssymphony.org.
 
* * *
 
Founded as the Billings Symphony Society in May 1951, the organization’s mission is to enrich lives through music. For more information, visit billingssymphony.org, the Billings Symphony office at 2820 2nd Ave. N., or call 406-252-3610.

PARADISE VALLEY, MONTANA  – In the first six months of this year, The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation has awarded more than 30 grants totaling $2 million to nonprofit organizations in Montana. The foundation’s chairman, Arthur M. Blank, whose Montana ranches include Mountain Sky Guest Ranch, West Creek Ranch, Paradise Valley Ranch and the Ranch at Dome Mountain, is committed to investing in local Montana communities. The grants will address critical issues such as pandemic relief, disaster relief, community well-being and youth development.

“The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation has long-standing relationships with organizations in Montana whose work addresses important needs in our communities,” said Tawnya Rupe, senior program director, The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. “Our work gives people in the community the resources and support they need during times of hardship and uncertainty. We are eager to continue our partnerships and giving to the residents we care about so deeply.”

AMB West Community Fund The Blank Foundation granted more than $1.3 million through the work of the AMB West Community Fund (“the Fund”). The Fund is managed by a group of associates from Blank’s ranches who volunteer their time to participate in grant-making decisions. Associates reviewed every grant application that was received and completed 46 site visits.

The Fund focuses on nurturing childhood, thriving youth, community well-being and COVID relief.

Highlights of the 2022 grants include:
• Community Health Partners: $470,000 grant for parental support from pregnancy to
graduation.
• Greater Gallatin United Way: $180,000 grant to continue supporting the Resilience Project.
• Mountain Shadow Association: $110,000 grant for the Lodge Grass Family Healing Center
planning.

Learn more about our 2022 AMB West Community Fund grants here.

Conservation Fund
The foundation’s Montana conservation fund supports programs, policies and leadership that enable human and ecological communities in the Paradise Valley to thrive. Through the conservation fund, the foundation invests in innovative projects and local staffing capacity that safeguard the natural resources of Paradise Valley for generations to come.

Recent grants include:

will provide certified chainsaw safety training to all MCC crew members.
• Western Landowners Alliance: $60,000 grant to launch the “Working Wild Podcast” that
highlights how working farms and ranches are partnering with researchers, agencies, and
conservation organizations to navigate the complexities of ranching in areas that have high
wildlife populations and other natural resource challenges.
• National Parks and Conservation Association: $10,000 grant to support the development and
launch of an indigenous scholar program that provides indigenous college grads an intensive
conservation leadership and mentorship year that includes internships with a Tribal Historic
Preservation Office, a national conservation organization and the National Park Service
(Yellowstone National Park).

Learn more about recent conservation fund grants here.

Flood Relief
To help support communities affected by the record flooding in Park County and beyond, the foundation made a $100,000 donation to the Southwest Montana Flood Relief Fund, a joint effort between the Greater Gallatin United Way and Park County Community Foundation.

COVID Relief
The foundation continues to support local needs in the community resulting from long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Child Care Connections: $84,000 grant to pilot a project to offer families and childcare providers
more flexible and sustainable support due to increased challenges in childcare access and
affordability since COVID-19 began.
• Help Center, Inc: $150,000 grant for capital campaign planning for the expansion of physical
space and services that have increased significantly since COVID-19 began.
• Park County Community Foundation: $150,000 grant to launch the Park County Nonprofit
ACTion Initiative. The initiative will support Park County’s nonprofits through challenges they
are continuously facing due to COVID-19.

About The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation
After more than 25 years and nearly $900 million in giving, The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation is committed to significantly accelerating the impact of its philanthropy over the next 10+ years. The foundation is currently on a journey of deeper learning and strategy setting for its new priority areas:

Youth Development, Democracy, Environment, Mental Health & Well-Being and Atlanta’s Westside.

Additionally, the foundation oversees a large portfolio of enduring founder-led initiatives.
Geographically, much of the work will continue to prioritize Georgia (with a focus on Atlanta) and Montana, while also considering the potential for greater national impact and influence.
Mr. Blank, chairman of the foundation, co-founded The Home Depot, the world’s largest home
improvement retailer, in 1978 and retired from the company as co-chairman in 2001.

For more information, please visit blankfoundation.org

On Monday, August 1, 2022 at 1:20 PM Gallatin County Dispatch received a call from a hiker on the M Trail.  The hiker advised that they had become separated from one of the members in their party and requested assistance from Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue to locate the missing juvenile hiker.

Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue volunteers from the Valley, along with AMR and Bridger Canyon Fire, responded to the M Trailhead.  Several search and rescue teams were deployed up the many trails of the M to attempt to locate the lost child.  While working the search, it was learned that the missing hiker possibly went past the M and continued on a trail above.  One search and rescue team proceeded to this area and located the hiker just under the M, descending the trail.  Volunteers provided the hiker with water and assessed their condition.  The juvenile was escorted down the trail to the trailhead parking lot and reunited with their group.  The group and the hiker had no further needs.

Sheriff Springer would like to remind recreationalists that even a quick hike may not go as planned.   Especially with the rising temperatures, bring plenty of water, a first aid kit, and extra supplies to support staying on the trail longer than you had planned.  It is also recommended that, if with a group, establish a point to meet if anyone becomes separated.

Photos courtesy of Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office.

HELENA – Daily hoot owl fishing restrictions are being implemented for sections of the Shields, Madison, Ruby, East Gallatin, Clark Fork and Bitterroot rivers and Silver Bow Creek to reduce fish stress and mortality during high water temperatures.

Hoot owl restrictions prohibit fishing each day between 2 p.m. and midnight. These restrictions go into effect at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 2:

• Shields River: Shields River Road bridge to the confluence with the Yellowstone River
• Madison River: Madison Dam (Ennis dam) to the confluence with the Jefferson River
• Madison River: Eight Mile Ford Fishing Access Site to Ennis Reservoir
• Ruby River: Duncan District Road crossing to the confluence with the Beaverhead River
• East Gallatin River: Confluence of Rocky Creek and Bear Creek to the confluence with the West Gallatin River
• Clark Fork River: Confluence of the Bitterroot River to the confluence of the Flathead River
• Silver Bow Creek: The entire creek, from the confluence with Blacktail Creek at Montana Street in Butte to the confluence with Warm Springs Creek at the Gas City Road Bridge
• Bitterroot River: The entire main stem (which excludes the East and West Forks)

Hoot owl restrictions are currently in place for these waters:

• Gallatin River: from the mouth of the river to Cameron Bridge Fishing Access Site
• Beaverhead River: from the mouth of the river to Selway Park FAS
• Big Hole River:
  • Maidenrock FAS to the the river’s confluence with the Jefferson River
  • From Saginaw Bridge to Dickie Bridge
• Clark Fork: from the confluence with Warm Springs Creek and Silver Bow Creek t o the confluence with Flint Creek
• East Gallatin River: from Penwell Bridge Road to the confluence with the West Gallatin River at Nixon Bridge
• Jefferson River: the entire river
• Madison River: from the Warm Springs boat launch to the confluence with the Jefferson River
• Smith River: from the confluence of the North Fork and South Fork to Eden Bridge FAS
• Sun River: from the mouth of Muddy Creek to the Highway 287 bridge

Water temperatures in these areas have exceeded 73 degrees for three consecutive days, meeting criteria for the restrictions. The restrictions will remain in place until water temperatures allow for lifting the restrictions or until Sept. 15.

Fishing restrictions, such as hoot owl restrictions and full closures, are designed to protect fish that become more susceptible to disease and mortality when conditions, such as low flows and high water temperatures, combine with other stressors, including catch-and-release fishing. Restrictions may be put in place for other waterbodies as warm temperatures continue in the coming weeks. Anglers can find a statewide list of current restrictions at fwp.mt.gov/news/current-closures-restrictions.

All stress to fish at this time of year is cumulative, and anglers should consider fishing in cooler waters during times of low flows and high water temperatures in rivers. Anglers can help reduce stress for fish by following these practices when catching and releasing fish, though fish mortality may still occur:

• Fish during the coolest times of day, where permitted.
• Land the fish quickly.
• Wet your hands before handling the fish.
• Keep the fish in water as much as possible.
• Remove the hook gently. Using artificial lures with single and barbless hooks can make hook removal faster and easier.
• If the fish is hooked deeply, you may have to cut the line at the fish’s mouth or consider keeping it if regulations allow.
• Let the fish recover before releasing it.

An emergency safety closure remains in effect on the Yellowstone River from Mayors Landing FAS to Sheep Mountain FAS.

Final attendance numbers are in from the annual Big Sky Country State Fair held in Bozeman July 20-24.

The regional attraction drew 40,100 people; numbers were slightly down from 2021, with a decrease of 17%, from the 48,246 we saw in 2021. However, this was still a 22% increase in attendance from 2019. Despite the decrease in attendance, Food Row and Carnival sales held strong in 2022 with an increase of 16% and 10%, respectively. 4-H Market Sale also had an increase of 9.6% with another record-breaking sale.

See the full press release here.

HELENA – Wolf numbers and distribution continue to be stable across Montana, according to numbers released Monday in the 2021 Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Wolf Report.

“What the data shows us really isn’t surprising,” said FWP Director Hank Worsech. “Our management of wolves, including ample hunting and trapping opportunities, have kept numbers at a relatively stable level during the past several years.”

In understanding this report, people must keep in mind that population trends are monitored by the calendar year, in this case 2021, which is consistent with how FWP and other agencies have tracked wolf populations since the 1980s and how wolf populations are tracked in other areas. However, the wolf hunting and trapping season ended March 15, 2022. The harvest realized during this first three months of 2022 isn’t reflected in the 2021 wolf population estimate.

Another interesting aspect of the data is that wolf trapping efforts were down this license year from past years. This means fewer trappers were on the landscape. Potential reasons for this include unfavorable weather conditions during the trapping season.

The 2021 Montana Legislature approved a suite of legislation that added more tools for hunters and trappers for harvesting wolves. The legislature also passed legislation directing FWP to manage wolves in a manner that would reduce numbers to a sustainable level above minimum recovery goals.

In response, the Fish and Wildlife Commission increased bag limits, allowed snaring outside of lynx protection zones, and extended the season. Additionally, the commission also set harvest threshold numbers in each FWP region and at a statewide scale that required them to reconvene if those harvest levels were met. Ultimately, the commission closed wolf season in southwest Montana early because the pre-established threshold was met.

“We are following the law,” Worsech said. “And are doing so in a way that provides certainty that wolf populations in Montana will remain off the Endangered Species List.”

By the numbers

The estimated wolf population in Montana at the end of 2021 is 1,141. This is down 40 wolves from 1,181 in 2020. This is not a statistically significant difference. In the last 10 years, wolf populations saw an estimated high of 1,256 in 2011 and a low of 1,113 in 2017. The small difference in these two numbers demonstrates a population trend that is very stable.

At the end of 2021, Montana had an estimated 192 wolf packs. This is down from an estimated 198 in 2020. In the last 10 years, estimated pack numbers have fluctuated from a high of 205 in 2012 to a low of 186 in 2017.

Methodology

FWP employed new population estimation methodology in 2007, called integrated patch occupancy model (iPOM). This methodology has undergone a scientific peer review both of its individual components and the cumulative process as a whole.

iPOM pulls together a variety of different sources of data, including information from FWP biologists, to produce population and distribution estimates. Another important source of data come from hunter harvest surveys that are conducted by FWP every year. These surveys ask deer and elk hunters if they saw wolves while hunting and, if so, where. These surveys are done after hunting season and are necessary to make an accurate estimate.

To see the latest wolf report and other wolf management information, click here.

On July 31, 2022, at approximately 7:50 pm, the Bozeman Police Department responded to Walmart at 1500 N. 7th Avenue, for the report of a shooting that occurred inside the store.  Upon arrival, officers treated the incident as an active shooter in progress due to the limited information known at the time, and immediately entered the building through a chaotic scene.  Officers located an adult male with an obvious gunshot wound and performed lifesaving measures on him along with members of American Medical Response (AMR) and the Bozeman Fire Department.  The male was transported by AMR to Bozeman Health Deaconess Hospital where he is currently being treated. He is expected to recover from his wounds.

 
While searching Walmart, officers located an adult male who identified himself as the shooter. This individual was initially detained, and is currently cooperating with investigators. The shooter was lawfully in possession of a handgun that is believed to be the only firearm used during this incident.  Our initial investigation suggests this was not a random act as the incident relates to a brief confrontation outside of Wal-Mart shortly before the shooting occurred. Our investigation team continues to gather evidence and identify witnesses, and further questions are being answered to determine whether charges will be forthcoming. We are not currently searching for any suspects or persons of interest and there are no further public safety risks associated with this incident.

The Bozeman Police Department would like to thank the members of the Montana Highway Patrol, the Belgrade Police Department, and especially the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office for their prompt response and assistance in this matter.  We would also like to thank American Medical Response, the Bozeman Fire Department and Gallatin County 911.

Persons with information that could help solve this crime may remain anonymous and could be eligible for a reward. If you, or someone you know, has information regarding this incident please contact the Bozeman Police Department Detective Division at 406-582-2010.

Walmart shooting investigation ongoing

Following the shooting at Walmart on July 31^st, the Bozeman Police Department, in conjunction with several other law enforcement agencies, has been actively conducting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.  As previously released, the Bozeman Police detained an individual who was identified as the shooter in the incident.  That individual and others have been cooperating with the investigation.  The shooter was later released pending further investigation.

Following these events the crime scene was processed and Bozeman Police Department detectives have interviewed numerous individuals, and obtained a statement from the individual who was shot. The investigation is ongoing, but the Bozeman Police Department does not believe there is further risk to the community.

The Bozeman Police Department understands that high visibility incidents such as this can cause a lot of interest in the circumstances of the case and how the situation is being handled.  We ask the public to understand that protecting the integrity of an investigation, along with Montana’s confidential criminal justice information laws, often mean we cannot comment on specific aspects of the case.  We take the safety of the public very seriously and have worked continuously to conduct a legally sound investigation that appropriately protects the rights of everyone involved. 

We would like to again thank everyone for their continual support in this incident and for the great investigative support offered to us by the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office, the Belgrade Police Department, and Walmart.