HELENA – Nonresident hunters who registered to be placed on the Alternates List can now check their status on MyFWP: https://myfwp.mt.gov/fwpExtPortal/myDrawResult_input.action. Every year, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks gets several unused nonresident combination licenses (big game, general elk and general deer combination licenses) returned by customers. FWP resells these returned licenses through the Alternate’s List.

After registration for the list closed on June 30, the list was randomized. The hunter in the uppermost randomized position on the list will be contacted by email to finalize the purchase of the license, and so on until the returned nonresident combo licenses are exhausted.

MyFWP also allows nonresident hunters to check their position on the list.

The odds of getting a license from these lists vary greatly from year to year. Refunds and issuance may occur at any time after mid-July, but availability of these licenses increase between early fall and the opening of general hunting season in late October.

For more information, visit http://fwp.mt.gov/hunting/licensedraw/alternatesList.html.

Gallatin Valley Land Trust (GVLT) is thrilled to announce the completion of a conservation easement on the 791-acre North Bridger Bison Ranch in Sedan, Montana.

“This has been a long-time dream for our family,” said Matt Skoglund, founder and owner of North Bridger Bison. “We’ve wanted to conserve our land since we purchased it in 2018.”

North Bridger Bison is a family-run bison ranch that provides healthy, delicious, environmentally friendly, humanely field-harvested meat. Today, North Bridger Bison has about 125 bison in the herd. Matt field-harvests every single bison himself and sells it exclusively direct to consumer, with about half of their customers based throughout Southwest Montana.

“It’s been a pleasure to work with Matt and Sarah to conserve their ranch and rewarding to support a local family who is producing food for our community,” said GVLT Conservation Director Brendan Weiner. “Matt’s focus on regenerative agriculture, soil heath and water quality is apparent in the way he manages the land and the results are impressive.”

The easement protects productive agricultural land and wildlife, including elk, moose, deer, bears, sage grouse, antelope, and all sorts of birds and waterfowl. The spectacularly beautiful land sits adjacent to Bridger Canyon Road (Hwy 86), where the public can enjoy the scenic viewsheds. It’s also located next to another conservation easement, which creates a large block of conserved land.

Matt believes strongly in both public and private land conservation which led his family to pursue a conservation easement for their ranch, guaranteeing that the land will never be developed, and the wildlife will forever be protected.

“Working with GVLT was awesome,” Matt said. “When we look out at our land, and see wildlife, or see nesting waterfowl, and know that it is protected forever, that’s an incredible feeling. You can’t put a price tag on that.”

The Skoglund Conservation Easement was funded by the Gallatin County Open Lands program and the NRCS Sage Grouse Initiative. This is GVLT’s 121st easement bringing the total conserved acres to 51,939. What is a conservation easement? The Gallatin Valley Land Trust (GVLT) partners with private landowners to conserve working farms and ranches, fish and wildlife habitat, open lands and scenic views.  To protect these special places, GVLT uses conservation easements, which are voluntary agreements with landowners that limit development on a property while keeping it in private ownership.  Each easement is tailored to the specific property and runs with the title of the land in perpetuity. GVLT is responsible for upholding the easement’s terms.  Because a conservation easement limits development rights and therefore decreases the value of the land, landowners may be eligible to write off the difference as a charitable donation. In some cases, landowners receive financial compensation for a portion of the value of the conservation easement.  The public benefits from the protection of conservation values such as prime agricultural soils, wildlife habitat, river corridors and the overall character of our region.

About Gallatin Valley Land Trust

Gallatin Valley Land Trust connects people, communities, and open lands through conservation of working farms and ranches, healthy rivers, and wildlife habitat, and the creation of trails in the Montana headwaters of the Missouri and Upper Yellowstone Rivers. For more information, visit www.gvlt.org.

The antlers from four poached mule deer and the firearm used to kill them were confiscated from Brayden Reed by FWP game wardens.

BILLINGS – A Shepherd man lost his hunting privileges for 16 years and will pay fines and restitution exceeding $6,000 after pleading guilty to 16 state and federal charges of poaching mule deer and leaving some parts at a federal recreation area.

Brayden Reed, 19, pleaded guilty in Yellowstone County Justice Court to four counts of unlawful possession of deer, two counts of wasting game, three counts of hunting during a closed season, two counts of unlawful use of equipment, two counts of hunting without a license and one count of killing more than a limit of deer. He also pleaded guilty in federal court to the crimes of littering and resource damage.

In state court he was fined $4,405 and ordered to pay the state $2,000 in restitution. He also lost his privilege to hunt in Montana for 16 years. Because of reciprocal agreements between states, he will not be able to hunt legally anywhere in most of the country. In addition, he will pay $400 on the federal charges. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks game warden Connor Langel, who investigated the crimes, also confiscated the rifle Reed used to kill the deer.

Reed was convicted of spotlighting and shooting two mule deer bucks on Oct. 2 and taking them to the federal Bureau of Land Management’s Ah-Nei Recreation Area, where he removed antlers and backstraps, then left the rest of the animals to waste. Also that evening, a live tree was cut down and burned and numerous beverage cans were scattered in the recreation area.  Damage to the recreation area was investigated by Bureau of Land Management ranger Jeff Herriford.

He is also convicted of spotlighting and shooting a third deer on private property, where he did not have permission to trespass on Oct. 8 and taking it to the Ah-Nei Recreation Area, where the backstraps were removed and the rest was left to waste.

Reed did not have a Montana deer license at the time of the poaching incidents, which occurred before the general deer season opened on Oct. 23.

Langel later found a fourth deer that Reed had killed illegally.

The case originated with information called in to 1-800-TIP-MONT, the FWP call-in line to report crimes involving fish, wildlife, parks and other natural resources. Anyone with possible information about such crimes is encouraged to visit https://myfwp.mt.gov/fwpPub/tipmont to provide details or call the FWP violation reporting hot line at 1-800-TIP-MONT. They may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000.

HELENA – The Fish and Wildlife Commission will meet over Zoom at 6 p.m. on Aug. 2 to consider a proposal to postpone the implementation of a commercial use cap on the Madison River.

In 2020, the commission adopted rules regarding recreational use of the Madison River. These rules included a commercial use cap that would limit fishing outfitting and guiding for each outfitter and guide to the number of trips they reported in 2019 or 2020, whichever is higher.

The commercial use cap is scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, 2023. However, commissioners have proposed moving that implementation date until after the commission adopts a method for allocating commercial-use trips to outfitters or a comprehensive river plan and rule package. This will be accomplished via future rule making efforts and commission action, all of which will involve ample public comment.

A commission-appointed work group developed recommendations for allocating commercial use trips and managing non-commercial use on the river. While commissioners did not take any action to implement these recommendations at their June meeting, they did instruct the department to gather public input on the recommendations. This public commenting process will occur later this summer and into the fall with the potential for informational work sessions including commissioners and work group members. Details will be posted on the FWP website when the meetings are scheduled and proposals released for public comment.

Comments on the proposal to delay the implementation of the commercial use cap are due by Aug. 5 and can be submitted online at fwp.mt.gov/aboutfwp/commission/august-2022-meeting, by email to madisonrivercom@mt.gov or presented at the Aug. 2 meeting. They can also be submitted in writing to:

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
Attn: Charlie Sperry
PO Box 200701
Helena, MT 59620-0701

Instructions for joining the Aug. 2 Zoom meeting will be posted at fwp.mt.gov/aboutfwp/commission prior to the meeting. For more information on the proposal, visit fwp.mt.gov/aboutfwp/commission/august-2022-meeting.

July 8, 2022, Bozeman, MT—Sweet Pea Festival of the Arts is seeking volunteers for their 45^th annual Festival August 5-7, 2022. The Festival, held the first full weekend in August in Bozeman’s Lindley Park, requires hundreds of volunteers. Opportunities include festival set up and tear down, manning admissions gates, the temporary box office, and flower show, selling Festival merchandise and assisting with children’s activities. Volunteers are also needed to assist with the set up and tear down of the Festival’s Bite of Bozeman, Wednesday, August 3, 2022.

Each volunteer shift is three hours in duration. Volunteers completing at least one three-hour shift will receive a special volunteer wristband for free admission to the Festival. For more information or to view and sign up for available volunteer openings, please visit the Festival website at https://sweetpeaafestivalofthearts.volunteerlocal.com/volunteer/

ABOUT SWEET PEA FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS:

The Sweet Pea Festival is a three-day festival of the arts held in Bozeman, Montana, since 1978. Festival dates are always the first full weekend in August with other events, such as Chalk on the Walk and The Bite of Bozeman starting off the festivities of Sweet Pea Week.  The festival includes everything from music, theatre and dance, to children’s activities, arts and crafts vendors from Bozeman and around the country, and adult painting workshops. The Sweet Pea Festival is committed to its mission statement of “promoting and cultivating the arts.”

Hundreds of volunteers run and organize this annual event, a testament to the community’s desire for its ongoing success. All monies raised above what is needed to operate the festival are given back to the community in the form of grants for the arts, art education, and special projects in the Bozeman area. “Where art and community meet.”

Earlier this year, Bozeman, Montana’s Kitchen Dwellers released their third full-length album Wise River. Since the release, the band has skyrocketed to consistently packed out venues and festival appearances with no signs of slowing down. This past Sunday, July 3 following Billy Strings’ performance at Pier Six Pavillion in the Baltimore Harbor, the grammy-winning flat picker surprised fans by making a guest appearance at the Dwellers’ after-party at the 8x10. Strings joined the Montana based bluegrass outfit for a handful of tunes including a cover of Bob Dylan's “Tombstone Blues” and Bill Monroe’s song “Big Mon.” 

The Dwellers continue their East Coast run today at the Levitt Pavilion in Westport, CT and will tour throughout the summer making stops at iconic venues and festivals along the way. 

The quartet—Shawn Swain [Mandolin], Torrin Daniels [banjo], Joe Funk [upright bass], and Max Davies [acoustic guitar]—twist bluegrass, folk, and rock through a kaleidoscope of homegrown stories, rich mythology, American west wanderlust, and psychedelic hues. 
Among the many natural wonders in Montana, Wise River runs for about 30 miles through the Southwestern region of the state, cutting through the mountains and flowing into the Big Hole River. Beyond being a favorite spot for fly fishermen, it remains etched into the topography of the land itself.  Two hours away in Bozeman, Kitchen Dwellers equally embody the spirit and soul of their home with a sonic palette as expansive as Montana’s vistas. 

Bozeman, MT – On July 7th 2022 at approximately 0050 hours, officers responded to the area of the 4200 block of Brenden Street in response to what was initially reported as a medical call. Upon arrival officers located an individual with significant injuries. Medical personnel attempted lifesaving measures on the individual which were ultimately unsuccessful and the individual was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigation by the Bozeman Police Department determined that another individual had come to the residence, confronted the victim and stabbed him repeatedly. The victim later succumbed to his wounds. The Bozeman Police are still working on positively identifying the victim, who is a Hispanic male, approximately 18 years of age. The victim's name and information will be withheld pending notification to family members.

The Bozeman Police Department has arrested Francisco Padilla-Canales and charged him with Deliberate Homicide, Aggravated Burglary, Tampering with or Fabricating Physical Evidence, Aggravated Kidnapping, and Tampering With Witnesses and Informants, all felonies. Padilla-Canales was held without bond at the Gallatin County Detention Center.

Investigation shows this is an isolated incident and there was not, nor is there now, any concern for the safety of the general public. The Bozeman Police Department Detective division are continuing to investigate the incident. We would like to thank the members of the American Medical Response, Bozeman Fire, and the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office for their professionalism and their assistance in this incident.

HELENA – Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking public comment on a proposed project to conserve native Yellowstone cutthroat trout in the Mill Creek watershed within the Custer Gallatin National Forest. Mill Creek is the largest tributary to the Yellowstone River in Paradise Valley and originates in Absaroka Mountains. The project would entail removing brook trout using electrofishing to prevent them to spreading to the headwaters.

The project area is a stronghold for a core, conservation population of Yellowstone cutthroat trout at high elevation and at the northernmost extent of its range. Brook trout occupy this small spring creek, and brook trout are a primary threat to headwater populations of Yellowstone cutthroat trout.

A draft environmental assessment is available on the FWP website.

Comments can be emailed to FWPfishcomments@mt.gov or mailed to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Mill Creek Yellowstone cutthroat trout conservation, P.O. Box 200701 Helena, MT 59620.

The deadline for public comment is Aug. 5.

BOZEMAN, MT — HRDC is pleased to announce its current enrollment season is underway for the upcoming school year for preschool students ages 3-5. This no-cost Early Childhood Education program (ECE) is funded through a Head Start grant which provides space for 152 children in three dedicated schools located in Bozeman, Belgrade, and Livingston.

Designed to prepare students for kindergarten through a play-based learning approach in a natural environment, 94% of HRDC’s ECE graduates meet or exceed school readiness standards. Each child’s curriculum is individualized within an inclusive learning setting that supports all children, including those with disabilities.

“Our staff is second to none,” said Sara Savage, HRDC’s Associate Director and Director of Early Childhood Education. “The team of educators we have is highly qualified with each teacher holding a bachelor’s degree or higher in childhood education. In addition, our licensed, award-winning schools include hands-on support from classroom aides, nutrition aides, and volunteers from our parent community. Each student’s needs are met from a whole-child perspective which includes developmental screenings and early intervention protocols as necessary.”

Kathy Piatz, HRDC’s Early Childhood Education Program Manager added, “We know children thrive when they have a strong support system inside and outside their home. That’s why we are focused on providing for the healthy development of children and the strengthening of their families through parent education opportunities, family events, and more. We make time to build relationships with our students’ families. The more involvement during the early education years,the better the outcome is for children throughout their entire education journey including the college enrollment stage.”

Annual community-wide demand for placement in HRDC’s ECE program has been historically strong. Family eligibility is income-based and includes households with incomes below 130% of the Federal Poverty Line. However, for those families experiencing homelessness or economic hardship, or who are without stable housing, or who receive Social Security Income or public assistance such as TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) or SNAP (Supplemental Assistance Nutrition Program), eligibility is automatic. This also holds true for children living with foster parents or who are in the care of a family member other than a parent. Approved eligibility spans two years regardless of any change to a household’s situation. For families that exceed the income eligibility threshold, a waitlist is kept should openings become available.

Further augmenting Head Start students’ success is an underlying program tenet which provides family members and other connected community members with opportunities to expand their own knowledge and skillsets. This is offered through various channels including employment opportunities at the schools themselves as well as financial support for staff members to obtain teaching certification and other related degrees. At least a dozen current HRDC Early Childhood Education staff members currently have, or have had children in the program, and many of them have received support to further their own education — a true win for families and the community at large.

Interested applicants can visit https://thehrdc.org/early-childhood-education/ for an online application or call 406-586-9652 for more information. Applications are in English and Spanish,and interpreters are available upon request. To learn more about employment opportunities, visit: https://hrdc.bamboohr.com/jobs/.

For families impacted by Covid and in need of financial support with childcare, HRDC applied for and received an ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act of 2021) grant from the City of Bozeman which allows families to access between $200 and $500 per month to help offset childcare costs. The funds can be utilized at any licensed childcare provider and families receive no-cost financial coaching while participating in the assistance. Eligibility for this program is also income-dependent and families with the greatest need are prioritized. Applications for childcare assistance administered by HRDC can be obtained by contacting hdavid@thehrdc.org.

HRDC is a private, not-for-profit Community Action Organization focused on building a better community through its nearly 50 initiatives aimed at combatting poverty in southwestern Montana. HRDC’s Early Childhood Education program believes every child deserves a head start and provides services in education, health, nutrition, mental  health, and disability support.

Donors, volunteers, and community members can learn more at https://thehrdc.org/

BOZEMAN – Family Promise, the nation’s leading nonprofit addressing family homelessness and early learning is thrilled to announce the gift of a home donated by an anonymous community member. The home will be the 11th transitional housing unit owned or operated by Family Promise. In addition, Family Promise operates three emergency shelter locations and Rising Stars Early Learning Center.

The 2500 square foot “Sunrise Home” will become part of Family Promise’s Stabilization Program, for families that have graduated from emergency shelter. By providing transitional housing, coupled with comprehensive case management, families will be equipped to successfully navigate Bozeman’s unique housing environment.

Families can stay in transitional housing for up to two years. This length of time provides consistency and stability for children, gives families time to create and implement a savings plan, and builds a positive rental history. Families will continually be working towards finding permanent housing during their participation.

According to Family Promise Executive Director Christel Chvilicek, “We are so incredibly grateful that, in this housing market, this person made a legacy gift that will support families and children for years to come. Their donation will not only changes lives but will allow this important work to carry on in our community and perhaps inspire others to make a difference.”

When in transitional housing, families will pay rent based on their income, and is increased every six months. Half of the rent supports the cost of maintenance on the home. The other half is placed in a saving account that is returned to the renter upon graduation. Transitional housing is imperative to Family Promise’s ability to serve families experiencing homelessness and ensure long-term stable housing. When families graduate, the have a rental reference, money for a down payment and first of last months rent.

To learn more about the impact of Family Promise in our community, visit familypromisegv.org or call (406) 582-7388.