BOZEMAN – Montana’s five-week general hunting season for deer and elk reached a midpoint this week, with seasonably mild weather and lower-than-average hunter success rates in southwestern Montana.

Wildlife biologists with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks use check stations to collect data on hunter participation and success, as well as the species, sex and age class of the animals harvested. This supplements data collected through hunter harvest phone surveys each year. Hunters are required to stop at game check stations they encounter, regardless of whether they harvested an animal.

On Nov. 8 and 9—the third weekend of the general season—biologists operated five check game check stations in Region 3, including Alder, Cameron, Divide, Gallatin and Lakeside. They met with 1,099 hunters, who collectively harvested 40 elk, 28 mule deer and six white-tailed deer, among other species.

Hunter numbers were above average at the Divide and Cameron check stations, and below average at Alder and Gallatin. Hunter numbers ranged from 109 hunters at the Gallatin check station to 403 hunters at the Cameron check station.

Hunter success rates were within the long-term average at the Gallatin check station, and below average at Alder, Cameron and Divide. Hunter success rates ranged from 5.7 percent at Cameron to 12 percent at Alder.

This was the first time the Lakeside check station operated on the third weekend of the general season, so long-term averages have not been established.

Seasonably mild weather can make travel conditions favorable for hunters, but it can also make it challenging for hunters to find game. Harvest usually increases as winter weather leads to herds moving into lower elevations and other areas more accessible to hunters.

The handcrafted ceramic ornament—the first in a planned annual series—depicts a trumpet player outdoors in the Bridger Mountains, snow drifting softly around him. The reverse side features the Bozeman Symphony logo.

• The Snow Day: A Yellowstone Adventure (Picture Book)
• The Snow Day Coloring Book
• The Snow Day (Young Adult Novel)

 The Christmas Stroll has been one of the longest-standing Bozeman community traditions and with that, the Annual Poster Design Contest! The Downtown Bozeman Association put out a “Call for Art” for the official Christmas Stroll Poster in early fall, and this year bought a whole array of festive and wonderfully creative designs!

The winning poster captures the timeless spirit of Downtown Bozeman, blending heritage and heart with a glowing sense of community that shines brightest during the holidays. Meet the 45th Annual Christmas Stroll Poster Contest Winner – Ghassane Moutaoukil.

“Downtown Bozeman during the Christmas Stroll carries a light that feels both timeless and human — it’s not just from the bulbs strung across Main Street, but from the people gathered beneath them,” says artist Ghassane Moutaoukil, creator of the 2025 Christmas Stroll Poster.

“This design celebrates that warmth and connection. The glowing Hotel Baxter sign stands as a beacon for the community, a familiar landmark watching over families as they stroll through a winter night filled with golden lights, laughter, and snow.”

Inspired by the tactile quality of linocut and woodblock printing, Moutaoukil aimed to make the piece “feel handcrafted — a balance between traditional texture and modern clarity.” Every line and hue was chosen to “echo Bozeman’s harmony between heritage and progress, past and present.”



“Being selected for the 2025 Christmas Stroll poster is an honor that connects my work back to the city that shaped my creative voice,” he adds.

“My goal was to create a piece that feels timeless — one that captures the beauty, unity, and light that make Bozeman’s winter nights unforgettable.”

A graduate of Montana State University, Moutaoukil is a multidisciplinary artist, graphic designer, printmaker, and typographer whose work bridges digital precision with the soul of traditional craftsmanship. His art has earned international recognition, including being a four-time Adobe Design Achievement Award semifinalist in a single year and winning the 2025 Sweet Pea Festival T-Shirt Design Contest!

The 45th Annual Christmas Stroll Poster design by Moutaoukil will adorn all businesses' windows in downtown Bozeman and will be featured on all event marketing materials. In addition to the notoriety of having their artwork featured, a $200 cash prize will be issued to the winning artist, Ghassane Moutaoukil!

Find more of Moutaoukil’s work on their Instagram and website: www.behance.net/MGhassane. A full list of the 45th Annual Christmas Stroll activities and event details will be available on downtownbozeman.org/stroll soon!

HELENA – Applications for Recreational Trails Program (RTP) grants will be accepted from Nov. 12 to Jan. 16. RTP is a federally funded grant program administered through Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks that awards approximately $1.5 million annually.

Eligible activities include construction or maintenance of motorized and nonmotorized trails or trail-related facilities, purchase of trail equipment, and development of trail education or ethics programs.

Applicants may request up to $100,000 with a 20 percent required match. Grant applicants may include federal, tribal, state, county, or municipal agencies (including school districts), and private corporations, including nonprofits. An organization can submit only one grant application per grant cycle.

A webinar training and question-and-answer session will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 2 at 9 a.m. This session is highly recommended for new and returning applicants. The training will provide helpful information on program requirements, tips on writing a competitive application and using the grant management software to apply. Interested parties must register by emailing stephanie.adamscleme@mt.gov to receive a meeting link.

For more information on the program and how to apply, visit the Recreational Trails Program webpage or contact RTP Program Manager Stephanie Clemen at stephanie.adamsclemen@mt.gov.  

For TikTok influencers, travel isn’t just about exploring - it’s about finding visually captivating locations that inspire creativity and engagement. The United States is filled with diverse destinations that provide the perfect backdrop for viral videos, whether you’re into fashion, lifestyle, comedy, or cinematic travel content. Here are some of the best places in the USA every TikTok influencer should have on their radar. Travelling is the best way to get more organic TikTok followers;

Los Angeles, California – The Creator Capital
Los Angeles remains the ultimate playground for influencers. From the Hollywood Sign and Griffith Observatory to Venice Beach and Melrose Avenue, nearly every corner offers picture-perfect content opportunities. TikTok influencers can film stylish outfit transitions in front of the colorful murals or create aesthetic café vlogs in spots like Alfred Coffee or The Butcher, The Baker, The Cappuccino Maker. Plus, with countless creator houses and networking events, LA is the best place to meet other influencers and collaborate.

New York City, New York – Urban Energy at Its Best
New York City provides the perfect mix of energy, diversity, and cinematic views. The Brooklyn Bridge, Times Square, and Central Park are classic filming spots, but the real charm lies in hidden gems like DUMBO, SoHo streets, and the High Line. For lifestyle creators, trendy brunch spots in Manhattan and rooftop bars in Brooklyn are goldmines for day-in-the-life or outfit inspiration videos. The city’s vibrant culture ensures endless ideas for engaging, relatable TikTok content.

Miami, Florida – Beach Vibes and Aesthetic Skies
Miami’s tropical vibes and neon nightlife make it ideal for lifestyle, travel, and fashion influencers. The pastel Art Deco buildings of South Beach, the murals of Wynwood Walls, and the oceanfront sunsets are visually irresistible. TikTok creators can shoot luxury travel vlogs, fitness content, or poolside fashion clips. The city’s upbeat atmosphere, palm-lined streets, and clear blue waters make it a must for anyone curating an aesthetic and colorful feed.

Sedona, Arizona – For Nature and Wellness Creators
For influencers leaning toward wellness, nature, or spiritual content, Sedona is a hidden treasure. Its red rock landscapes and energy vortexes create an otherworldly backdrop for meditation, hiking, and self-growth videos. Sunrise shots at Cathedral Rock or slow-motion transitions among the red cliffs are guaranteed to capture attention. The peaceful energy of Sedona contrasts beautifully with the busy city vibe, offering a more mindful travel narrative.

Las Vegas, Nevada – Lights, Luxury, and Lifestyle
Las Vegas isn’t just for nightlife; it’s an entertainment paradise. From luxury hotels like The Venetian and Caesars Palace to the Bellagio Fountains and Neon Museum, every frame shines with glamor. TikTok influencers can shoot travel diaries, comedy sketches, or bold fashion transitions. With its extravagant events and themed venues, Vegas gives creators a chance to showcase personality, humor, and creativity all in one place.

Why Grading Matters in Montana

Gravel driveways around Bozeman take a beating every year. Spring thaw, summer dust, and deep winter cold can turn a short stretch of road into a small adventure. Many rural homeowners handle the upkeep themselves because it is part of the rhythm of owning land in Montana.

With the right equipment, the work gets a lot easier. A durable tractor grader blade smooths rough patches, rebuilds the crown, and keeps drainage working as it should. Whether you are maintaining a half-mile ranch road or a long gravel lane, a few grading basics can save time, reduce wear on your vehicle, and keep the drive looking cared for.

Know Your Driveway: Materials, Slope, and Trouble Spots

Before you fire up the tractor, study the surface. Every driveway has quirks, like soft shoulders after rain, shallow dips that collect water, or thin spots where clay starts to show. Walk the route after a storm, and you will see where runoff cuts channels and where tires carve ruts.

Pay close attention to the crown, the gentle rise in the middle that lets water drain toward the edges. Aim for a steady crown that is high enough to shed water without pushing vehicles toward the ditch. Mix matters too. Larger aggregate builds structure, and fines knit the surface together. If the blend leans too far either way, the surface either washes out or turns dusty and loose.

A short inspection now prevents hours of correction later. Once you know the weak spots, you can plan passes that put material where it counts.

Safety & Prep

Good grading starts before the first pass. Look over the tractor and attachments, tighten pins, check hydraulic lines, and confirm that the blade sits level. An uneven setup can undo the work in a single run.

Dress for footing and visibility. Wear boots with traction, gloves, and eye protection. If your driveway winds through trees or slopes toward a ditch, clear your line of sight before moving equipment. Slow speeds and small adjustments are safer and more effective than a few aggressive cuts.

Timing matters just as much. Bone-dry gravel scatters and refuses to reshape. Saturated ground turns to muck that never compacts. The sweet spot is slightly damp, firm enough to hold shape yet soft enough for the blade to bite.

Tools for the Job (and When to Upgrade)

The right tools turn a long, jolting afternoon into a few efficient passes. Most rural homeowners rely on a compact or utility tractor with a rear attachment for reshaping gravel. A tractor grader blade angles, tilts, and reverses, which lets you pull material from the edges, shave high spots, and rebuild the crown in one setup. For regular maintenance, it offers a good mix of control and simplicity.

If your driveway sits on a steep grade or funnels runoff, a box blade or land plane adds stability. Both carry more material and level broad stretches without tossing gravel into the ditch. For quick touch-ups, a shovel, a steel rake, and some patience still do the job.

Keep the blade sharp and clean between uses, and experiment with angle and tilt. Perfect is not the goal. A surface that drains and feels solid under your tires is.

Step-by-Step: How to Grade a Gravel Driveway

Start with the rough spots. Set the blade light to shave high spots and pull loose gravel toward the center. Go slow and overlap each pass so the surface blends instead of stacking ridges. Skip deep cuts. They chew into the base and leave waves that keep coming back.

Once the middle holds enough material, shape the crown. A gradual slope of about a quarter inch of rise per foot of width guides rain toward the edges without pushing vehicles sideways. Feather the edges by lifting the blade slightly as you move outward. This keeps gravel out of the ditch and maintains a clean shoulder where water can escape.

After reshaping, drive the length of the road and feel for soft spots or washboards. If anything seems uneven, make another light pass rather than a deep cut. Finish with a slow run down the center to blend everything together. The drive should feel firm underfoot and shed water to both sides.

Drainage Is Everything

Even the best grading fails if water lingers on the surface. Every rut and washout begins with poor drainage, so give this part of the job time and attention. Keep a steady crown down the center and make sure the edges fall gently into ditches or grassy swales. If the crown flattens, water will sit in the tire paths, soften the base, and create mud pockets that return after every storm.

Clearing ditches and culverts is part of the same task. Remove debris that blocks flow and check that outflow points stay open beyond the road’s edge. A light grading pass along the shoulders restores the transition from crown to ditch without building berms that trap runoff. Low-profile edging, like timber, steel strip, or stone set just below grade, keeps gravel contained without creating berms that dam water, and these practical ways to border a gravel driveway help preserve the crown while leaving clear paths for runoff.

Attention to drainage pays off quickly. A well-shaped surface dries faster, stands up better to traffic, and breaks the cycle of patching the same ruts each season.

Seasonal Strategies for Montana

Montana’s seasons give driveways a workout, so adjust your routine to match conditions.

Winter: Keep a thin, packed layer of snow on top of the gravel instead of scraping bare. That buffer protects the base from plow damage and makes spring recovery easier. If you use a blade, set it just high enough to leave that cushion.

Mud season: When frost leaves the ground, the surface softens. Hold off until it firms up a little. Working wet gravel deepens the mess. Once it is slightly tacky, use light passes to reshape the crown and fill holes with material pulled from higher spots.

Summer: Dust control takes the lead. A touch of moisture helps gravel compact. Spread fresh fines and drive over them when the surface is slightly damp so the top layer locks up.

A steady seasonal rhythm keeps small problems from turning into weekend-long repairs.

DIY vs. Call a Pro

Grading a driveway is not complicated, but it does take judgment. Routine touch-ups like smoothing ruts, reshaping the crown, and clearing ditches fit into a homeowner’s weekend. If you have a compact tractor and some time, keeping up with small fixes prevents larger problems.

The work changes when the base begins to fail. Deep potholes that return, sections that hold water no matter how you grade them, or areas that sink after heavy rain point to a deeper issue. When the gravel layer mixes with subsoil or drainage stops working, the job calls for heavier equipment and experience.

Use clear cues to decide. Look at the scope, safety, the tools you have, and how quickly damage is spreading. For outdoor projects, choosing when to handle repairs yourself or call a pro often comes down to risk, the need for specialized machinery, and whether the fix affects drainage or the driveway base.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

A few small missteps can undo hours of grading. Working when the surface is too dry or too wet is at the top of the list. Dry gravel scatters without reshaping. Saturated soil turns to soup that never compacts. Aim for that in-between moisture, firm yet slightly pliable under the blade.

Overgrading is a common mistake. Cut too deep and you peel off the compacted base that gives the drive its backbone. Keep the blade light, shave the highs, and blend material in thin layers. Big bites trigger erosion, leaving you to chase new low spots.

Watch the crown and edges. Flattening the center or building berms along the sides both interfere with drainage. When you add new gravel, mix coarse and fine so the top layer locks together.

Quick Checklist & Next Steps

A short checklist keeps the work efficient and helps spot trouble before it grows:

• Walk the driveway after heavy rain to see where water stands or cuts channels.

• Check the crown and make sure the center still slopes toward the edges.

• Clear ditches and culverts so runoff can move freely.

• Tighten bolts and pins on the grader blade before each use.

• Work in light passes instead of deep cuts to protect the base.

• Add gravel selectively, more near low spots, less where the crown holds firm.

• Avoid grading when soaked or dusty to prevent loose surfaces and rutting.

A little consistency goes a long way. Regular attention keeps the drive smoother, improves drainage, and extends the life of the gravel. When the surface feels solid underfoot and dries quickly after storms, your grading rhythm is in a good place.

Keep It Simple, Keep It Solid

Gravel driveways will always show a little wear, which is part of living where weather shifts fast and seasons leave a mark. Steady habits and a light touch with the blade turn upkeep into routine maintenance rather than major repair. Over time, the surface holds its shape through freeze, thaw, and summer heat, and the drive feels right every time you pull in.