Thursday, Sep. 8th, 2022

Nootropics for Kids: Cognitive Booster or Risky Drug?


Whether you’re trying to help your child stay awake during the day or help your kid ace their exams, taking a supplement to support brainpower might pop up on your radar. It’s not a surprise that nootropics, also called smart drugs or cognitive enhancers are on the rise. People use nootropics to feel more alert, enhance focus, increase energy, and improve memory.

Types of nootropics can range from natural stimulants like tea, coffee, or L-theanine to organic compounds and supplements like creatine monohydrate and vinpocetine. There are also synthetic compounds like piracetam that are available over the counter in the US. While smart drugs can help your child stay awake, reduce stress, and perform better in the classroom, it’s important to discover if nootropics are safe and beneficial for children.

Discover how nootropics for kids work and if nootropic supplements are brain boosters or a risky drug choice for your child. 

What Do Nootropics do?

A nootropic is any type of substance that can improve, change, or boost cognitive performance. A nootropic agent does this by stimulating or blocking certain neurotransmitters in the brain. For example, a nootropic can inhibit stress signals while sharpening and enhancing memory, creativity, and concentration.  

If you’re trying to get your kid into an Ivy League school or prep for an important test, a cognitive enhancer might seem like the answer. In fact, nootropics’ power to maintain concentration and increase the ability to rationalize and analyze information can seem magical.

A nootropic acts like an effective shortcut that helps your child succeed better than extra tutoring, smart educational materials, and increasing your involvement in your child’s academics. At the same time, most parents are concerned if it’s safe for a child to use a nootropic substance.

Do Nootropics Work?

A few small studies demonstrate that some kinds of nootropics can boost brain and memory function. It’s important to understand that nootropics haven’t been studied in large, controlled groups. Due to a lack of research and hard evidence, experts aren’t recommending nootropics as a safe and tested way to help children perform better in school.

While studies among older adults with memory loss report good results from nootropic use, most experts can’t say for certain that they work for everyone or that they’re safe for young, healthy adults or children to use.

Are Nootropics Safe for Kids?

The jury is out on whether nootropics are safe for kids.

According to Dr. Barry Gordon, who directs cognitive neurology and neuropsychology at Johns Hopkins Medicine, there’s “no strong evidence” to indicate that the wide range of memory-boosters for sale across the country really works.

Since human cognition circuits are a complex function, it’s not just that easy to create a smarter, more concentrated, and analytical child. Many studies only proved that believing in nootropics gave participants a placebo effect since they believed that the drug would help them perform better.

Other experts, such as Dr. Chris D’Adamo, the University of Maryland’s Director of research for the Center for Integrative Medicine, think that nootropics can help some people optimize brain function, particularly for people experiencing cognitive decline due to aging.

Can nootropics help your kid study better? Some types of supplements can help your child relax and perform better by boosting rational and analytical brain functions.

When it comes to children, it’s best to err on the safe side when it comes to cognitive-enhancing drugs. If you’re considering adding a nootropic to your child’s diet, it’s best to talk to a medical professional first even if the drug seems safe or recommended.

Risks and Side Effects of Nootropics for Kids

It’s important to know that nootropics can affect people differently depending on the type of supplement used, the dosage, age, and the health of the person. 

A bad reaction to a nootropic can include nausea and headaches. 

According to experts, a child’s brain is a fragile organ that is still undergoing massive development during childhood. That’s why over-the-counter boosters or some types of supplements could do more harm than good to a developing brain. By age 20, many experts agree that it’s safe to take most nootropics to hit those college exams.

Alternative Options to Nootropics

According to Medical News Today, much of the cognitive dysfunction observed in children can be traced to nutritional deficiencies.

If you’re trying to boost your child’s brain power, natural foods and safe, kid-friendly supplements are a better and less risky way to go. For example, taking omega-3 fatty acids, found in salmon and walnuts, can improve a child’s concentration, reasoning skills, and memory.

The good news is that improving your child’s diet and overall nutrition can support their overall health and provide important neurological support.

Add a Comment »

Bridger Bowl hires new General Manager


BOZEMAN
- It's official, Bridger Bowl has hired Hiram Towle as the new General Manager.  He will be coming to Bridger from Mt. Ashland outside Ashland, Oregon, also a non-profit ski area.

Hiram has been in the ski industry for 20 years where he started off at Sunday River in Maine.  When asked about his background he said, "I grew up at a soulful community ski area from the age of two with a dad who was a dedicated patroller. It was there that I developed my love of the sport. I joined the ski industry to give back to the sport I love, and protect its purity and purpose that I saw being lost. I have learned without a doubt that areas like Bridger Bowl are the most important on the planet, providing affordable access to this life-changing sport. I am honored to join Bridger's passionate alpine community and add to the ski area's already stellar operation. I'll see you on the mountain soon!"

Bridger Bowl is excited to have Hiram join the team and have he and his family be a part of the greater community.

Comments 2

Trappers reminded of requirement for online course, in-person field day

HELENA – There are only two remaining trapper education field days left this year before trapping season for most species begins on Nov. 1.

As a reminder, to purchase a Montana resident trapping license, trappers must complete the Montana Trapper Education Course online or have purchased a trapper’s license in at least three prior years (in Montana or another state). The trapping course requires an in-person field day.

The trapper education course consists of an online component, an in-person field day, and a written test. This general trapper education course also satisfies the Montana wolf trapper education requirement.

The remaining field days are Sept. 17 in Billings and Oct. 15 in Kalispell. Trappers who still need to take a trapper education class must complete the online coursework and attend a field day if they wish to trap during the 2022-2023 trapping season.

To register for the online course and an in-person field day, go to https://fwp.mt.gov/hunt/education/trapping.

Volunteer trapper education instructors are still needed to help with field days. For more information or to be a trapper education instructor, please contact Wayde Cooperider at 444-4497 or at wacooperider@mt.gov.

Download a copy of the 2022 Wolf and Furbearer Hunting and Trapping Regulations for more information.

Important requirements
• Youth 6 to 11 years old who wish to trap must purchase a youth trapping license and are exempt from the requirement to take a trapper education course until they are 12. However, youth trappers are limited to trapping only mink and muskrat.
• Nonresidents are exempt from the trapper education requirement as they cannot purchase a trapper’s license to trap furbearers in Montana.
• Nonresidents who desire to trap wolves must still take the virtual wolf trapper education course (sign up for wolf trapper certification course here).
• Resident trappers who have purchased a trapper’s license during three previous seasons, but have not taken the wolf trapper certification course, must take the course to trap wolves.
• Resident trappers who have not purchased a trapper’s license in three previous seasons, but have taken the wolf trapper certification course, must take the trapper education course.

Add a Comment »

Wednesday, Sep. 7th, 2022

Tons of Reasons why Holidays at Golf Resorts are better than the Beach


A golf holiday is probably something that you have never thought of considering. Most of the time, we spend our vacation traveling without traveling. But did you know that golf holidays can be an all-in-one vacation bonanza? Sounds interesting right? Make sure to read down below on why you should book your golf holiday now.

More and more people are getting to know more about golf. A lot of beginners have been enrolling and excelling in the said sport. If you happen to be one of these people who have been currently hooked on the sport, then maybe booking a golf holiday might do you good.

In this article, we are going to give you tons of reasons why you should be booking a golf holiday for yourself and your family. Who knows, we might just be able to give you some of the best reasons you should Book a golf holiday ASAP.
 
Huge Savings

One of the important reasons why you should consider booking a golf holiday is the huge saving. Golf holidays are much cheaper compared to booking a beach resort. Many golf resorts come with similar amenities as beach resorts. Aside from that, you get the place mostly to yourselves. You can even play golf while your family is having fun on the beach. One of the best places that you can book is a cheap and luxurious golf resorts like Bermuda and Barbados. You get to enjoy playing golf in the sun while everyone can bask on the beach.

More Privacy and Space
 
Another important reason you should consider going on golf holidays instead of ordinary holidays is that you have more privacy and space. When we talk about summer holidays, often we see people on the beaches instead of gold courses. It means that you have less competition when it comes to booking and space. You don’t have to worry about being shoulder to shoulder with other people on the golf course. You can play to your heart’s content without worrying about anything else.

 
A perfect surprise for an avid golf player

If you are someone who isn’t into golf but would rather surprise a family member who loves to play golf. This surprise can mean a lot to your loved ones. They get to enjoy the sport that they want all day long. In many golf resorts, everyone has the amenities that you can enjoy. It’s a perfect present for the whole family. Whether you are a golf player or not, there are still some enjoyable things that you can do in the golf resort. Golf resorts are complete with amenities. You can rest assured that they get VIP service on the golf course.

 
You deserve to play golf all day long

Another important reason why you should book a golf holiday is simply that you deserve it. If you happen to be working most of the days in the week and feel the need to take a break, then why not spend time playing your favorite sport? You can boast to your friends about the best scenery of you playing golf in the background. Who wouldn’t get jealous of that view?
 
Playing with the Pros

If you want to play with the best golf players during your holiday week, why not go to a golf resort? Believe it or not, tons of professional golf players would often spend their holidays in golf resorts. It allows them to unwind and play the sport that they love playing. So, if you want to know more tips about playing golf from professional players, I suggest that booking a golf holiday is the best choice for you.

 
Meeting like-minded people

Lastly, another reason why you should consider going on a golf holiday is to meet new people who play golf. You can meet new friends on golf courses, and you get to bond with these people and create a good rapport with them. It is different when you play golf with people who like to play the sport itself. You can even play in a friendly competition without offending each other. I tell you, it hits differently when you play with the pros.

 
Conclusion

Golf holidays are a go-to experience for new and old golf players. Aside from the fact that it can be cheaper, it is also equipped with amenities for both players and non-players. You get to enjoy the sport while your family enjoys the other services offered by these golf resorts. So why wait to ponder on where to go? Book your golf holiday now and enjoy the best days playing golf and basking on the beach all in one place.

Add a Comment »

Closures and restrictions lifted on several western Montana rivers

HELENA – While air temperatures remain hot, smoky conditions have caused water temperatures to cool down to meet the criteria to lift fishing restrictions and closures on several rivers in western Montana. The restrictions and closures will be lifted, Wednesday, Sept. 7.

All restrictions on rivers in Region 2, including the Bitterroot and the Clark Fork, will be lifted. In addition, restrictions on the Gallatin and East Gallatin in Region 3, southwestern Montana, will be lifted.

Angling restrictions are implemented based on several considerations: stream flow, water temperatures, angling pressure and other angling restrictions in the area that may divert use to waterways where circumstances are increasing stress on the fishery.

Before you go fishing, please be aware of the conditions. Numerous other rivers in Montana are also under fishing restrictions. For a full list, visit FWP’s website: https://fwp.mt.gov/news/current-closures-restrictions/waterbody-closures.

Add a Comment »

Montana State graduate student discovers hundreds of small galaxies with supermassive black holes


BOZEMAN
– A long time ago in galaxies millions to billions of light years away, gas and dust particles were ejected from their orbits around black holes and hurtled into space.

Later, on 21st century Earth, those particles’ optical wavelength emissions were picked up by a powerful telescope, recorded in an astronomical data bank and then analyzed by a Montana State University graduate student looking for the “smallest of supermassive black holes” in the universe – that is, those with masses around a million times that of our sun.

Through that analysis, Sheyda Salehirad identified 388 previously undiscovered small, low-mass galaxies, which are believed to harbor black holes smaller than those found in larger, high-mass galaxies. The fifth-year doctoral student in MSU’s Department of Physics in the College of Letters and Science was even more excited when she discovered that 70 of them are even smaller “dwarf galaxies” that potentially host yet smaller black holes, the study of which may provide scientists with significant insight into still-unanswered questions about how supermassive black holes form.

The results of Salehirad’s study have been accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal. Her paper is the first of its kind to extend such searches to southern sky regions, where she discovered some of the 388 far-distant, low-mass galaxies harboring supermassive black holes.

Astronomers categorize the mass of galaxies in terms of solar mass – that is, their masses compared to that of the sun. Small, low-mass galaxies are believed to harbor smaller black holes.

Scientists don’t know what “seeded,” or initiated, the first supermassive black holes, and they believe they are unlikely to make that discovery by studying existing supermassive black holes in massive galaxies. That’s because supermassive black holes grow over time, mostly by feeding on gases funneled down to them during the mergers of galaxies or by merging with one another, which also can happen when galaxies merge. Those processes likely obliterate clues about the origins of supermassive black holes, and so scientists believe studying smaller black holes in low-mass galaxies with quieter merger histories could uncover clues about the seeds of supermassive black holes.

“Some studies show that if we look at smaller galaxies that harbor black holes, we can understand how the seeds start,” Salehirad said. “The goal of our work is to observe as many dwarf galaxies that harbor active black holes as we can find, determine their masses and inform seed models.”

Her academic adviser, Amy Reines, assistant professor in the Department of Physics who studies dwarf galaxies and active black holes, said the results of the study are significant.

"Sheyda’s results are extremely exciting because these little galaxies hold clues to the origin of the first supermassive black hole ‘seeds’ in the early universe,” Reines said. “This work is also important for our understanding of how galaxies and black holes evolved together."

Salehirad met Reines while searching for a doctoral program in which she could further her study of gravity, the primary focus of her master’s studies in Minnesota. She visited Montana State because of its eXtreme Gravity Institute and quickly became interested in Reines’ work.

“She’s a very renowned person in her field,” said Salehirad of Reines. “It’s been a privilege working with her.”

Salehirad expects her findings to help scientists narrow the scope of possibilities about the origins of supermassive black holes until even more data become available. She said the James Webb Space Telescope “is going to change the game because it will provide data in other wavelength ranges” than the optical spectrum, but added, “until then, it’s important to make use of what we have.”

“It’s great to find something you’re looking for,” she said. “Discovery is always fun.”

Add a Comment »

Tuesday, Sep. 6th, 2022

Maximizing the Benefits of R&D Tax Credits


Governments across the world offer tax credits for R&D as a way to encourage businesses to put money into research and development. Investments in research and development (R&D) that result in new goods, improved existing products, services, processes, and procedures, or prototypes are encouraged for businesses of all sizes, from huge corporations to small startups, through the tax credit. Companies can use their money to speed up research and development, increase their workforce, and ultimately expand their operations.

​For firms, R&D tax credits are crucial since they significantly reduce the overhead of R&D. This savings may be re-invested in the company or used to lower tax liability. In addition, the R&D tax credit can incentivize firms to engage in additional R&D activities by allowing them to recoup a portion of their spending on R&D and reduce the payroll taxes they owe. This can contribute to increased innovation and enhanced goods and services for end users while also providing eligible small businesses and startups the opportunity to make the most of government credit.

How Do R&D Tax Credits Work?

Those businesses that invest in researching and creating products, processes, or services or improving existing ones may be eligible for a tax credit. Suppose you are investing money in your innovation. In that case, you are eligible to file a claim for an R&D tax credit, which entitles you to either a cash reward or a reduction in your corporation's tax liability. The potential for locating R&D is enormous; in fact, it can be found in every industry. And if this is your first time making a claim, you can typically make a claim for R&D tax relief for the two most recent accounting periods that have been fully completed.

​Companies operating in various markets can qualify for research and development tax credits. For your business to be eligible, it must be actively involved in activities that entail creating new products, processes, techniques, recipes, inventions, or software or enhancing current ones. The following types of businesses typically qualify for the R&D tax credit:

● Creating New Software
● Video Games, Computer-Generated Reality, and Augmented Reality
● Information Technology
● The Production of Food and Drink
● Automobile and Industrial Design
● Healthcare Technology
● Cloud Computation
● Architecture and Engineering
● Biotechnology and Drug Development

 

Maximizing R&D Tax Credits

Best methods for claiming R&D tax credits in the future should be established immediately. Examples include:

● Optimizing your organizational structure.
● Encouraging a creative mentality among employees.
● Keeping meticulous records.
● Knowing how to deal effectively with outside contractors and temporary labor.

 

‘​Tax credits for research and development are one form of government support for encouraging business innovation. An invention "virtuous circle" can be sparked by their presence. Though many forward-thinking companies claim R&D tax credits, few make optimal use of them.

Knowing there is room for improvement in your industry is the most obvious way to maximize your R&D tax credits. As we discussed above, if you see a product, service, or process in your business that you believe might use some enhancements, or if you see a need in your sector that you can fill, then, by all means, do so!

Keeping meticulous and orderly records is also highly advised. Naturally, you need to provide thorough documentation in support of your application, and you should also keep this documentation for your reference. Be prepared to demonstrate your dedication to your chosen field by documenting your involvement in relevant projects and pursuing relevant technological and scientific developments. Another crucial step is to maintain a detailed cost journal. Prototype and trial costs, as well as payments to connected parties like subcontractors, can fall into this category.

While on the topic of employee compensation, it's preferable to pay directors actively participating in the projects a salary rather than a dividend since wages are eligible for tax deductions. To get the most out of R&D tax credits and ensure that you don't miss out on any necessary funds, it's essential to have a thorough understanding of what qualifies as a claim. Discuss the matter with your accountant, or look for one specializing in R&D tax credits. Expert accountants will talk to you about your company and its activities to see if any projects qualify, and then they will write a report to back up your claim.

The Advantages of R&D Tax Credits

No restrictions

​Because there are no restrictions placed on the types of industries that can apply for R&D credits, any and all types of companies are encouraged to do so. There is a common misunderstanding that the only sectors that are eligible to apply for the tax credits are those that fall within the scientific and technological professions. This is because the tax credits are intended to be utilized to grow research or technology within your industry.

Not reimbursable

The tax credits are essentially interest-free financing for your company. They make it possible for your business to attract private capital, which can stimulate economic growth.

Driving Creativity

​Because of the amount of money you get to save because of R&D credits, you'll be able to position your business at the forefront of innovation. This is not only in the country but also on a global scale.

There is no required minimum claim

​You can make a claim for whatever amount that you have spent on research and development initiatives that meet the requirements, even if you run a small business with a limited budget.

Make a claim for a variety of expenses

The process of claiming research and development (R&D) credits involves a range of charges, some of which include subcontracting, the creation of prototypes, and technical analysis. According to HMRC, the following are the primary expenses that can be included in your tax return claim:

● Money spent straight on hiring and retaining R&D specialists
● Research and development personnel contracted from outside sources
● R&D software that was outsourced
● Research and development software that was outsourced yet ultimately found its way into prototypes
● Participating Humans in a Clinical Trial
● Non-renewable resources (for example, water, fuel, and power)
● Group effort
● Independent research contributions

Add a Comment »

Logan Health donates land for new Montana State nursing education building in Kalispell


BOZEMAN
— Logan Health has signed a letter of intent to donate land for a new nursing education building in Kalispell to be built with a portion of a $101 million investment by philanthropists Mark and Robyn Jones to Montana State University.

“We’re excited to be involved in this investment in the education for our future nurses. There’s no better training than learning alongside the highly qualified, experienced nurses at Logan Health, and we’re honored to host nursing students from many programs within the state,” said Logan Health Medical Center President and Chief Nursing Officer April McGauley. “This new facility will help increase the number of graduating nurses, which will help us better serve our patients.”

In August 2021, Mark and Robyn Jones announced a philanthropic investment of $101 million to Montana State University for the construction of new, larger, state-of-the-art educational facilities on the five campuses of its nursing college in Bozeman, Billings, Great Falls, Kalispell and Missoula. This investment provides the first opportunity to have university-owned facilities in Billings, Great Falls, Kalispell and Missoula, which currently utilize leased facilities.

MSU’s nursing college, now named the Mark and Robyn Jones College of Nursing, provides baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral educated nurses but has been unable to significantly increase its number of graduates due to limited space. With the Joneses’ philanthropic investment providing new facilities in five cities across the state, the college aims to fill the state’s projected shortfall of nurses by 2030.

“Montana State University’s ongoing partnership with Logan Health is critically important to our nursing college’s efforts to meet the state’s projected shortfall of registered nurses,” said MSU President Waded Cruzado. “We are grateful to Logan Health for this incredible gift and equally grateful for their continued partnership.”

Logan Health will provide land located on the north side of its Kalispell campus for the new nursing education building.

“We are pleased to be part of this project and are excited to have enhanced nursing education on our campus,” said Logan Health President and CEO Dr. Craig Lambrecht. “Partnerships like these offer significant benefits to our community and will positively impact patient care for years to come.” 

Mark and Robyn Jones are the founders of Goosehead Insurance Inc., which has offices across the nation. Founded in 2003 by Robyn Jones, Goosehead now has more than 2,300 offices in the U.S.

The Joneses, who have a home in Whitefish, have said their intention with the $101 million is to help address one of the most defining challenges of our time: access to health care, particularly for residents of rural and frontier communities, where there is low population and high geographic remoteness.

The Joneses’ philanthropic investment — the largest ever given to a college of nursing at the time, as well as the largest private gift in the history of the state of Montana — will:

  • Provide funding for new, university-owned facilities at each of the MSU College of Nursing’s five campuses in Bozeman, Billings, Great Falls, Kalispell and Missoula. Equipped with modern classrooms and state-of-the-art simulation labs, nursing students will hone their critical thinking and practice their skills in these new facilities.
  • Establish five endowed faculty professorships — the first in the history of the MSU College of Nursing. These endowed professorships will position MSU to attract top faculty talent during a nationwide nursing faculty shortage.
  • Develop an endowed scholarship fund that will allow the MSU College of Nursing to keep the cost of nursing education affordable for all students.
  • Support the development of a certified nurse midwifery program at MSU, which would be the first and only program of its kind in the state, for preparing doctoral level nurses who will significantly increase the number of specialized maternal health care providers capable and willing to provide services to rural and remote communities in Montana.

Logan Health is a nonprofit, 603-bed health system based in Kalispell. While the main medical campus is located in Flathead County, Logan Health draws from a total service area covering 13 counties, nearly 40,000 square miles and a population of more than 600,000. The health system consists of six hospitals, more than 50 provider clinics and a host of other health care services, including the nation’s first rural air ambulance service (A.L.E.R.T.), which it has maintained for more than 40 years.

The Logan Health land donation will go before the Montana Board of Regents of the Montana University System for approval.

Founded in 1937, Montana State University’s Mark and Robyn Jones College of Nursing offers bachelor’s, accelerated bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral-level nursing education to produce nurses, nurse leaders, nurse educators and nurse practitioners for Montana. Great Falls was the first location where upper division, clinical nursing education was offered, followed by the establishment of the Billings nursing campus in 1939, Missoula campus in 1976, and Kalispell campus in 2002. While nursing majors have taken prerequisite courses in Bozeman at MSU since 1937, upper division or clinical nursing education was first offered at the Bozeman campus location in 2004. 

Montana State is the largest producer of registered nurses in Montana and is the sole provider of doctoral nurse practitioner education in the state. More information is available at montana.edu/nursing

Add a Comment »

5 Tips to Safely Meet Someone Online


The world of online dating is the primary way people meet each other these days. Online dating has its benefits, including the chance to meet people you wouldn’t otherwise come across in your daily life. At the same time, when you date someone you meet online, safety has to be a top priority. From looking up someone’s basic information online to verify they are who they say they are to doing a full background check, there are certain things you can do to improve your safety. The following are five things to do before you meet someone from an app or website. 

1. Talk On the Phone

If you’re thinking about meeting someone in person who you’ve come across on a dating site or app, one of the first things you should do is talk to them on the phone. If you haven’t already, make sure you do it before meeting in person. There are reasons this is important. First, you want to make sure that the person sounds the way you would expect and that the things they tell you on the phone match what they’ve shared in messages with you. You’ll get more of a feel for their personality, you’ll have a better idea of whether you’re being catfished, and you can make sure that you still mesh well when you’re talking compared to how you got along in your messages. The faster you can take things offline, the better. It’s not a good idea to put a lot of time and effort into any relationship where the person seems reluctant to take things offline. This is a big red flag unless there’s a major logistical reason you can’t talk on the phone and meet in person somewhat quickly. It’s much easier to assess whether you actually see someone as a potential partner when you meet in person. 

2. Confirm Claims

When someone tells you things about themselves online, you have options for confirming those details. For example, you want to make sure the person you’re talking to actually exists. You can do a check of their name, and you can also do a quick background search. You can check for criminal records, and you can also look at places like LinkedIn, if they have one, to ensure things line up. If someone tells you they’re a successful doctor and you can’t find a digital footprint to verify this, chances are there’s an issue that you need to look into further before meeting in person. 

3. FaceTime or Ask for a Picture

The person you’ve been talking to online has likely already sent you pictures of themselves, or you’ve seen them on your dating profile, but it’s easy to steal images from elsewhere and pass them off as your own. You can check out the pictures they’ve sent you so far with a reverse image search. It’s also a great idea to do at least one FaceTime or video call before meeting in person to again, make sure you aren’t getting catfished. You can also ask them to take a picture where they’re doing something that would be very hard to replicate, like holding up a sign with the date. 

4. Meet in a Public Place Where You Feel Comfortable

When you meet someone for the first time, you always want to meet in public. Never have your first meeting be at either of your houses or anywhere that’s not completely public. It can also be a good idea to suggest somewhere that’s your “turf,” like your favorite neighborhood coffee shop. You want to choose a place, if possible, that you’ve been to before, so you feel comfortable and know your way around. When you know seemingly little things like what you want to order from the menu or where the bathroom is, not only will you feel safer and more comfortable, but it can help the meeting go better. Speaking of meeting at your favorite neighborhood coffee shop, a first meeting that’s casual is best. If you go for a dinner date as your first meeting, you run the risk of having to spend more time with someone than you end up wanting to. You want a date that, if you feel like you need to, is easy to get out of. 

5. Tell Someone Where You’ll Be

Finally, you want to make sure you let at least one family member or friend know where you’re going to be and who you’re meeting. You should also let them know when you get home because, at the end of the day, no matter how common online dating is these days, you’re still meeting a stranger for the first time. 

Add a Comment »

Friday, Sep. 2nd, 2022

Wolf hunting and furbearer trapping regulations available online

HELENA – Wolf and Furbearer Trapping and Hunting Regulations for the 2022-2023 season are now available online. Print versions will be available at FWP offices and other outlets in a few weeks.

Hunters and trappers will notice these regulations were combined into one book this year.

A couple of things to point out in the regulations include:

  • Trapper education is required for any resident trapper who has not purchased a trapping license for three years in their lifetime (does not need to be consecutive). This does not apply to those trapping for the purposes of livestock or property protection.
  • Wolf trapping dates in occupied grizzly bear habitat may open prior to Dec. 31. Check FWP website for status of trapping dates beginning Nov. 21.
  • Wolf trapping quotas are set statewide, by trapping district, and by wolf management unit 313. See page 15 of the regulations.
  • Wolf snaring is prohibited on public land within Lynx Protection Zones(LPZ). See page 13 of the regulations for additional information on LPZs.
  • The capture of any animal that cannot be lawfully trapped, including domestic animals, must be reported to FWP within 24 hours.

Wolf season dates are:

  • Archery: Sept. 3 - Sept. 14
  • General: Sept. 15 - March 15, 2023
  • Trapping: Nov. 28 - March 15, 2023. These dates do not apply to occupied grizzly bear habitat as depicted on page 14 of the regulations. For these areas, the wolf trapping season will start on Dec. 31 unless otherwise determined by FWP due to evidence the majority of bears in these areas have begun hibernation. Trappers should be aware that grizzly bears exist in much of the western half of Montana and should always be prepared to encounter a grizzly bear while trapping. For more information see page 15 of the regulations.

Furbearer season dates are:

  • Trapping Districts 1, 2 & 3
    • Beaver: Nov. 1 - Apr. 15, 2023
    • Bobcat: Dec. 1 - Feb. 15, 2023*
  • Trapping Districts 4, 5, 6 & 7
    • Beaver: Sept. 1 - May 31, 2023
    • Bobcat: Dec. 1 - Mar. 1, 2023*
  • Portion of Trapping District 6
    • Swift Fox: Nov. 1 - Jan. 15, 2023*
  • Fisher, Marten
    • Where open: Dec. 1 - Feb. 15, 2023*
  • Mink, Muskrat, Otter
    • Nov. 1 - Apr. 15, 2023*

 

*May close earlier when the quota is reached.

Add a Comment »

News Comments

This is so typical of a sign in, which we should not have to do to check if we or some one in our party got a permit. I have been working or "creating an account" for 30 minutes and just get the same ...

Smith River permit drawing results available

Sunday, Mar. 10, 2024

Why not leave those cheerful, colorful garlands up longer? What’s the rush?

Main Street Closed Jan 2

Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023