Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
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Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is proposing a wide array of grizzly bear relocation sites to the Fish and Wildlife Commission following new statutory requirements set by the 2021 Montana Legislature. The proposed relocation sites provide options for relocating grizzly bears both inside and outside of three of Montana’s federally designated recovery zones – the Cabinet-Yaak Ecosystem, Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, said FWP wildlife division administrator Ken McDonald. “The idea is to have the commi...
The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission is considering adjustments to wolf trapping regulations for the 2021 season at its Oct. 28 meeting. The proposed changes are aimed at minimizing the possibility of non-target capture of lynx and grizzly bears. Both species are protected under the Endangered Species Act. The proposed changes look at more clearly identifying occupied grizzly bear habitat and adjusting the season dates for trapping and snaring in these areas. The proposed default opening day in areas likely to have grizzly bears would be...
Canyon Ferry Reservoir saw record-high use and increased visitors during the 2021 recreation season. Reclamation is proud to manage Canyon Ferry’s public federal lands, that belong to the American people, and exist for the benefit of all. Staff members at Canyon Ferry are working hard to maintain these areas and make improvements for recreationists to continue to enjoy these resources for many years to come. With this season’s record-high use also came record-high misuse, particularly at Fish Hawk Campground located on West Shore Drive. Reclama...
A small group of hunters shot and killed a grizzly bear in the backcountry east of Gardiner on Oct. 3. The hunters were processing a harvested elk near Bull Mountain during an early-season rifle hunt in Hunting District 316 when the bear appeared nearby and charged at the group. The hunters shot and killed the bear during its charge and were not injured. The bear was a 3- to 5-year-old female without cubs. Wildlife and enforcement staff from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and the Custer Gallatin National Forest’s Gardiner Ranger District met wi...
Staff from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and WWC Engineering will host a work session meeting as part of an ongoing process to develop a master plan for Missouri Headwaters State Park. The public is invited to attend. The meeting will include a project overview and schedule, results from a recent public survey about the park, and a park needs assessment. The meeting will be held over Zoom, and there will be time for public comments at the end of the meeting. The meeting will be Friday, Oct. 22, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Information on how to join...
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks staff at Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park are seeking volunteers to help with a post-season cleaning of the caverns. Volunteers in this event will get the chance to see the caverns up close as they work to reduce some of the impacts of visitors’ presence in the cave. The project will be Saturday, Oct. 2, and will begin with an orientation at 9 a.m. at the main (lower) Visitor Center. Staff and volunteers will then continue to the cave, toothbrushes in hand. During the season, algae, lint and dust have built up f...
Hunters will be able to obtain the 2021 Block Management Area (BMA) program information beginning Aug. 10. Hunters are encouraged to request their 2021 BMA Access Guide online and download or print individual BMA maps at fwp.mt.gov/BMA. By utilizing the FWP website fwp.mt.gov/BMA, hunters will have instant access to the Access Guide and up-to-date BMA maps and rules for every individual BMA enrolled in the program. “Obtaining these individual BMA maps and rules via our website are key to successfully utilizing the BMA program as not all r...
Additional fire restrictions are in place for properties managed by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks in several southwest Montana counties due to high fire danger. FWP sites in Silver Bow, Beaverhead and Madison counties have entered Stage-2 fire restrictions. FWP sites in Jefferson County will enter Stage-2 fire restrictions at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, July 31. FWP sites in Broadwater County have entered Stage-1 fire restrictions. This follows fire restrictions implemented by these counties. Stage-1 restrictions at FWP sites ban campfires except...
Stage-1 fire restrictions will be in effect until further notice at most Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks properties in Jefferson County beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, July 10, due to high fire danger. This follows Stage-1 fire restrictions being implemented by Jefferson County. Stage-1 restrictions ban campfires except where specifically exempted and allow smoking only in vehicles and areas 3 feet in diameter that are cleared of flammable materials. An exemption is in place for Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park, where campfires are allowed...
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks staff at Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park are proposing to replace and upgrade the septic drain field at the park. The new system would handle projected increases in visitation over the next 20 years. The existing drain field is insufficient to support the current number of visitors, which have recently increased. Visitation during the first quarter of 2021 at Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park was up by 78 percent from the same period in 2020 and more than triple the visitation during the first quarter of 2019....
Game wardens with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks are seeking information on two pelicans that were recently shot and killed illegally on the Jefferson River. The pelicans were found near the Limespur Fishing Access Site, about a mile upstream from the entrance to Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park. Wardens believe the birds were shot sometime between the afternoon of Saturday, June 19, and the morning of Sunday, June 20. Anyone with possible information is encouraged to call the FWP violation...
Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park will host a free talk entitled “Karst is Where the Heart is” on Friday, June 11, at 8 p.m. in the park’s campground amphitheater. Karst landscapes, from their towering mountains depicted in traditional Chinese paintings to their caves winding far beneath the Earth’s surface, have beckoned to humans since the beginning of recorded history. Take a journey through time to see how humankind has interacted with karst geology, an integral piece of our past, present and future. This is the third presentation in Lewi...
Missouri Headwaters State Park will host a free concert featuring Montana musician Rob Quist on Saturday, June 12, at 7 p.m. in the park campground. Bring your own lawn chair. A marshmallow roast will follow. The 2021 theme for the park’s Summer Speaker Series is “Significance of Public Lands.” Rob will kick off the series with his original music about the lives and history of the people of Montana, including “Close to the Land” and “America … Pass it On.” The park will host a different speaker every Saturday until Aug. 14, with different...
On Friday, May 28, Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park will host a free talk entitled “Hiking Jefferson County” at 8 p.m. in the park’s campground amphitheater. It will be presented by Vaia Errett, a local volunteer and hiking enthusiast. This is the first presentation in Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park’s annual Friday Summer Speakers Series, which introduces a new speaker each Friday at 8 p.m. throughout the summer. This trail talk will lead you through Jefferson County: into the hideaways of the Elkhorn Mountains, the granite knuckles of the Bo...
After having the event canceled in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Rockin' the Rivers is set to return in 2021. According to RTR office manager Jodie Petitt, the 2021 festival is scheduled to take place August 12 to 14 at the Bridge near Cardwell. Some of the headlining acts announced for the 20th-anniversary festival include Skillet, Lit, Saving Abel, Black Label Society, .38 Special, Black Stone Cherry, and the Georgia Satellites. Ticket and camping packages can be purchased at...
A grizzly bear was shot and killed Friday while Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks staff investigated the scene of a bear attack that happened Thursday near West Yellowstone. Thursday’s attack involved a 40-year-old West Yellowstone man, who was mauled just south of the Baker’s Hole campground, about three miles north of West Yellowstone. He was transported to Idaho Falls for treatment of severe injuries. He remained in serious condition Friday. FWP staff have not yet been able to talk with the man, who was alone during the bear encounter. The man...
It was a great start to the season for the Whitehall High School wrestling team. The Trojans picked up a 51-24 win over Florence and also defeated Big Fork 43-30. During the two duals Whitehall had a total of 13 pins. "Pinning your opponent is the ultimate domination, and I am proud of how many pins we earned this weekend. It was a good start to the season. Things are often a bit rusty at the start of the season, but the boys were ready and intense and performed well," said assistant coach...
The Whitehall High School football team will once again be well represented at the prestigious Montana East-West Shrine Bowl. The 2021 teams that were announced Christmas at Midnight include Trojan senior all-state players Dylan Smith and Flint Smith. The 74th annual game is scheduled for June 19 in Billings and will raise money for the Shriners Children's Hospital in Spokane. Whitehall Head Coach Dan Lacey said the Shrine roster has always been something he looks forward to seeing early...
Settings by All Things Montana in Whitehall recently had the honor of being a stop on the U.S. Small Business Administration "Peaks to Plains Business Resiliency Tour". The seven-day statewide tour highlighted the importance of supporting small businesses during the holidays. SBA Montana Director Brent Donnelly visited a business in each of Montana's 56 counties between December 10 and December 18. "When local small businesses succeed, they create jobs for families, infuse new revenues into...
While the Whitehall High School wrestling team may have been unable to compete in December, they used the change in the schedule to their benefit. The Trojans started practicing December 7 and according to Assistant Coach Steve Sacry, they have used the longer preseason to really lock in on team goals, strategies, and techniques. Whitehall will open the season on the road on January 2 at Florence. Sacry said they will not be wrestling any tournaments until Divisionals, but in wrestling, it's...
The Whitehall High School boys basketball team will jump right into conference play when they open the season Saturday, January 2 with a 5B District road matchup at Big Timber. Not only will this be the opening game for the senior-laden Trojans, but it will also be the first game at the helm for new head coach Mike Moulchin who had previously served in the top position for the women's program at Clark High School in Las Vegas. Moulchin who was hired in May said COVID has made this a season like...
Since the creation of Montana Rail Link's Project Sweatshirt in 2014, a total of 16,243 sweatshirts featuring school colors and mascots have been presented as a gift to students and staff throughout the state. Last Thursday, students, and staff in Whitehall received sweatshirts as part of the program runs in conjunction with the Dennis and Phyliss Washington Foundation. According to MRL Vice President of Corporate Relations Ross Lane, 2,082 sweatshirts were handed out in 2020. Along with the two...
The Whitehall Chamber of Commerce has announced the winners of their 2020 Christmas Lights Contest. The winner of the residential contest was Jerry Ward at 404 2nd Street, and the winner of the business contest was Settings by All Things Montana at 11 N. Main. The residential contest was judged through a ballot by local residents and the business contest was judged by NorthWestern Energy. "It's truly amazing to drive around our community and see so many took the time to spread some holiday...
Demolition work is continuing in the mill area at the Barrick Golden Sunlight mine in Whitehall. At a Community Transition Advisory Committee meeting last week, Mine General Manager Chuck Buus reported a significant amount of demolition has taken place including the removal of the mills and cutting of concrete pedestals. The work is to ready the facility for the Tailings Reprocessing Project. Buus told committee members in his opinion the permitting is going well, and they should have a date...
The Whitehall School Board of Trustees voted last week to approve BinaxNOW, a rapid antigen test for COVID-19. The use of the tests is voluntary for both students and staff. During a presentation, School Nurse Mary Beth Hunter stressed this is not mass testing, it is not asymptomatic testing, and it is not mandatory. She added a parent has to come in and sign a release and a staff member also has to agree to the testing School Nurse Krista Glaus told the board the rapid tests would allow them... Full story
