Montana Untamed

A little over a month ago, the world watched in horror as fast-moving flames leveled the idyllic oceanside town of Lahaina on the Hawaiian island of Maui. The fire had started just that day but winds from a distant hurricane swept the flames into a firestorm that killed more than 100 people, making it the deadliest American wildfire in more than a century. Similar things happened around Montana this summer, thankfully with no deaths reported. But there were other similarities between them: A new fire grows rapidly, fanned by hot and dry winds, to quickly threaten a town. And that happened as Montana has seen a remarkably quiet season for wildfires by some measures. On this episode Joshua Murdock, outdoors and natural resources reporter at the Missoulian talks about the River Road East Fire outside of Paradise, Montana.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On September 1, the U.S. Interior Department announced that the last energy lease in the Badger-Two Medicine area had been relinquished. This piece of ground surrounded by the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, Glacier National Park and the Bob Marshall Wilderness, was considered sacred to the Blackfeet. It was also considered so valuable by the Louisiana-based Solenex LLC energy company, they held onto the lease through seven presidential administrations, two federal court fights and 40 years of negotiations. When we last talked about the Badger Two-Medicine a year ago, it was on its way to a second round before the Washington, D.C. Court of Appeals.  On this episode, Rob Chaney, managing editor of the Missoulian, fills us in on what has changed.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you were a grizzly on the move, where would you go and how would you get there? As the federally protected bears roam farther each year beyond their recovery zones, more Montana communities are seeing grizzlies for the first time in decades. Eventually, wildlife managers hope that two separate populations centered around Glacier and Yellowstone national parks could connect. And the species’ recovery plans target the bears expanding to other places, too. Now, a new study from the University of Montana shows how the animals might do that. With me today is Joshua Murdock, outdoors and natural resources reporter at the Missoulian.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks recently released the results of two hunter surveys. One was sent to 5,000 residents and another to 800 nonresidents. The surveys asked questions about the state’s management of elk and mule deer, two iconic species in the state. Brett French, outdoor editor at the Billings Gazette, recently wrote about the results of the survey. Since the story on the FWP survey came out, Montana Backcountry Hunters and Anglers examined the methodology the agency used. The group contends that counting neutral responses to the survey as those satisfied with the state’s elk management sways the calculation to FWP’s favor. On this episode French, talks about the survey and subsequent blowback to the results.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ailments like brucellosis and chronic wasting disease have become well-known in hunting circles over the past few decades. Both are known to infect elk and be spread by close contact between infected animals.  That’s why it seems ill-advised that Wyoming operates winter feedgrounds for elk. Spread across the western third of the state, the sites congregate elk allowing brucellosis and CWD to spread. Right now.  The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is taking public comments on its newly unveiled feedground management plan. To learn more about the issue, we’re talking with Brett French, outdoor editor at the Billings Gazette.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last June south-central Montana suffered a historic 500-year flood. High water wiped out bridges and roads in Yellowstone National Park and the Custer Gallatin National Forest, as well as destroyed private homes and bridges.  On August 4th, more than 400 days later, the Forest Service has restored access to one of the most popular areas in the Beartooth Mountains – East Rosebud Lake. Here to talk with us today about the recovery efforts is Brett French, outdoor editor for the Billings Gazette.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The summer of 2003 pushed Glacier National Park’s fire response to new frontiers. There had been many fires before, including some catastrophic events. But rarely did so many parts of the park get so threatened by so many different kinds of challenges. And rarely did firefighters attempt some tactics that proved essential then, but might not be possible now. Twenty years later, we look back at the fires of 2003 and what has changed. On this episode, Rob Chaney, managing editor of the Missoulian, re-visits the fire season and talks about what has changed since.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s like school for elk hunting and the classroom is the Snowcrest Mountains. The bonus is it all happens on a backpacking expedition.  I am referring to a new course offered by Montana Wilderness school called backpacking skills for aspiring hunters. The Bozeman-based school has been taking students on expeditions for ten years with a mission of providing “empowering expeditionary wilderness courses to youth that foster personal growth and cultivate a conservation ethic through connecting with remote landscapes and wild places” In the last couple of years they have offered this course that takes a fundamental approach to backpacking skills but adds the technical skills pursuing large game in the backcountry. On this episode, Ryan Peters, wilderness program manager for Montana Wilderness School talks about the course.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From trains and horses to snowmobiles and jet-skis, national parks have had to deal with disruptive technology in wild places. The latest controversy circles around the popularity of e-bikes. These battery-assisted bicycles make it possible for new crowds of tourists to attempt adventures they might have been too old, young, infirm or inexperienced to try before. That puts new pressures on the National Park Service, which has to evaluate e-bike impacts on wildlife and wild places, as well as what kind of resources and amenities the e-bikers need. With me today is Rob Chaney, managing editor of the Missoulian newspaper, who’s traversed Glacier National Park via e-bike and pedal powered bicycles before. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Last Best Place has been discovered. Across the state, tourists and second-homeowners pull up alongside trucks with stickers of Montana’s outline and the words: “WE’RE FULL.” They stroll through shops with coffee mugs, t-shirts and hats displaying similar sentiments. But the same tourists and transplants inject money into local economies, facilitating jobs and businesses. The tension, however, comes from the flip-side of growing visitation to the Treasure State: strain on emergency response, crowded recreation facilities, traffic and other overburdened infrastructure. And often, locals are left with the bill after visitors go home.  That double-edge sword of being a desirable outdoor recreation destination is known as the “amenity trap,” according to a new report from Bozeman-based Headwaters Economics. The report looks at the benefits and burdens faced by towns whose riches in outdoor recreation have brought a wealth of visitors too. With me today is Joshua Murdock, outdoors and natural resources reporter for the Missoulian and a former reporter at the Idaho Mountain Express in Ketchum-Sun Valley, Idaho, who recently wrote about the report.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.