All posts by nfpa

Grizzly bear deaths spike in Yellowstone region this summer

July 22, 2012Environmental Issues, Newsbear mortality, grizzly bears, Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team, Yellowstone National Parknfpa

It could just be statistical anomaly, but there have been 16 grizzly bear deaths in the Yellowstone region this summer. Most are natural losses, but they are much higher than normal . . .

Bear biologists are refraining from assigning a single reason for a two-fold increase in the rate of natural grizzly bear deaths in the Yellowstone National Park region.

Ten of the 16 grizzlies that have met their ends this summer have died of natural causes, according to data from the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team.

Historically, humans are to blame for more than 75 percent of the bear deaths in the first half of the summer. While the rate is just 37 percent this year, it is derived from a small sample size, and biologists aren’t jumping to any conclusions.

Continue reading . . .

Larry Wilson: North Fork summer in full swing

July 22, 2012Commentary, NewsFirewise, Fourth of July parade, Larry Wilson, North Fork Interlocal Agreementnfpa

The title pretty much says it. Larry covers everything from the Fourth of July festivities onward . . .

July has had a hot beginning, and not just because of the weather. As always, the Fourth of July parade at Polebridge started the real North Fork summer.

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Grizzly bear taste for chicken makes for conflicts — and dead bears

July 22, 2012Environmental Issues, Newschickens, grizzly bears, human-bear conflictnfpa

We mentioned this last year, but it bears repeating: Human-bear conflict is not just caused by garbage, dog food and bird feeders. There is a growing problem these days with unprotected chicken coops. The New York Times ran a story a couple of weeks ago . . .

Longing for fresh eggs, Levi and Nauni Griffith began raising chickens in their backyard. They started with a few, and eventually had 116. Until late last summer, that is, when a grizzly sow and her cub, filling the night with fearful growling, got in among the shrieking chickens and then lumbered off, leaving bits of 99 birds behind…

In northwestern Montana, as in much of the country, more people are keeping chickens. And bears of all kinds are developing a taste for poultry that lures them into populated areas, presenting a dangerous situation for both people and, especially, for bears.

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Montana FWP Commission approves new wolf hunt rules; allows trapping

July 15, 2012Environmental Issues, NewsMontana FWP Commission, wolf hunt, wolvesnfpa

To no one’s surprise, the Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks Commission approved new wolf hunt rules late last week, including a provision for trapping . . .

Montana wildlife commissioners approved new wolf hunting rules Thursday that allow trapping and the killing of up to three of the predators by one trapper.

The move came after the officials waded through thousands of written comments regarding management of the species that evokes strong emotions…

Wildlife managers will allow some trapping, lift most quotas and expand the length of the season…

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Park Service acquires Doody Ranch property in Glacier’s Middle Fork

July 9, 2012NewsDoody Ranch, Glacier National Park, National Park Servicenfpa

The Park Service has bought out the second largest remaining inholding in Glacier Park . . .

The National Park Service has acquired the second largest privately owned property remaining in Glacier National Park, the park service announced Monday.

The Trust for Public Land bought the 120-acre homestead property named Doody Ranch on the Middle Fork of the Flathead River near Harrison Lake. The property was purchased for $900,000 and sold to the park service for the same amount using royalties from offshore energy leases.

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North Fork Inter Local Agreement meeting this Wednesday

July 9, 2012NewsNorth Fork Inter Local Agreement, Sondreson Hallnfpa

This summer’s North Fork Inter Local Agreement meeting will be held this Wednesday, July 11 at Sondreson Community Hall near Whale Creek.

Programs for Fire Wise Day begin earlier at 9:30 am and run until noon.

The Inter Local Agreement provides for face-to-face contact with representatives of agencies whose policies and actions affect the North Fork. Inter Local Agreement meetings are held in the winter (in town) and summer (at the hall). Signatories to the agreement include the Flathead National Forest, Glacier National Park and the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.

Hamburgers/sausages will be provided at noon. You bring side dishes.

This meeting is hosted by the North Fork Preservation Association.

Here’s the agenda . . .

Inter Local Agreement Landowner Updates:

North Fork Compact
North Fork Landowners’ Association
North Fork Preservation Association
North Fork Road Coalition for Health & Safety

Agency Updates:

US Fish & Wildlife Service
MT FW&P
MT Department of State Lands
Flathead County
Flathead National Forest
Homeland Security (US Border Patrol)
Glacier National Park

Montana’s wolf trapping plan draws big response

July 9, 2012Environmental Issues, NewsMontana DNRC, wolf hunt, wolf quotas, wolf trappingnfpa

This year’s Montana wolf hunt proposal stirred things up a bit . . .

The public response to the plans for this year’s wolf hunt in Montana has been staggering: A whopping 6,500 comments have been received on the proposal set for approval Thursday by the Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission.

That far outnumbers the 1,500 comments received on the 2011 wolf hunt plan and just about doubles the comments FWP took on last year’s hotly debated proposal to relocate Yellowstone National Park bison, agency officials said.

Driving the renewed interest is a proposal to expand the hunt to include trapping for the first time, along with bow and rifle seasons.

Continue reading . . .

Flooding closes Inside North Fork Road

July 9, 2012Newsflooding, inside North Fork Road, Logging Creeknfpa

Logging Creek got over its banks a while back and closed the Inside North Fork Road . . .

The Inside North Fork Road, Glacier National Park’s oldest road, will need some repair work this spring before it can fully open. Logging Creek has braided into several channels just south of the Logging Creek Ranger Station, and the road is closed between Logging and Fish creeks.

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Idaho wolf season ends, sort of…

July 9, 2012Environmental Issues, NewsIdaho, wolf hunt, wolvesnfpa

The Idaho wolf season has ended, but not really . . .

The day after Idaho’s 2011-12 wolf hunting season ended, some parts of the state started hunting for 2012-13.

Private lands in the state’s northern panhandle region are allowed to keep the pressure on wolves through the summer, according to Idaho Fish and Game Commissioner Tony McDermott. The new season started Sunday, just after the June 30 ending of last year’s Idaho wolf hunt.

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Larry Wilson: Another outhouse bites the dust

July 9, 2012Commentary, NewsLarry Wilson, lightning, outhousenfpa

Larry relates a good outhouse story . . .

I don’t know why outhouses are the subject of so many stories. Maybe because they’re slowly disappearing from rural America, and even where they still exist, they have been replaced by indoor plumbing — even on the North Fork. Whatever the reason, there is one less outhouse on the North Fork today, and its demise is an interesting, and hilarious, story.

A Trail Creek summer resident went outside early one morning this week and immediately noticed that her frame outhouse was missing an entire wall. On closer examination, two walls had been ripped off the small building, and the firewood which had been in the otherwise unused outhouse was scattered on the ground.

Continue reading . . .