At least 26 cases of lyme in Montana through 2011 (per CDC)

Help educate your fellow Montanans about lyme....I hear often and have repeated myself (until a few nights ago when two nurses set me straight) that there is only one confirmed case in Montana. That was outdated by at least 2007----even the CDC acknowledges AT LEAST 26 CASES FROM 2006 TO 2011. Your chances of getting diagnosed if you live in Montana won't improve until doctors admit that its here (and that residing here does not somehow make you immune to it here or anywhere you travel).

http://www.cdc.gov/lyme/stats/chartstables/reportedcases_statelocality.html

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Election photo (funny) from Missoula, MT

My friend Heather's photo, posted on facebook today....it took me a minute to see what was funny

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Posted on facebook with the following message/info:
Awareness and Understanding can save the life of a bear.
https://www.facebook.com/Understanding.Bears . This page is non profit and for educational use. Allowing people the opportunity to "Understand Bears"

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Hungry Horse

Because of the hills, you can't see the buildings in this picture that make up the businesses of Hungry Horse.  But they are all pretty much contained within the section of road you see here.....this photo stretches from one end of town to the other.

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My boots!

I'm ridiculously excited about this ebay purchase.  I've been looking for these shoes for years.  I bought my first pair of these sometime around 1997 and with one re-sole they lasted until the toes got heat damaged about ten years later.  I've not really found a suitable replacement yet.  My current boots make my toes numb when I'm not walking, and just Thursday, as I was gearing up at work at a trailhead, I was lamenting my inability to find another pair of these.

My friend Christine in college also bought a pair.  I greased mine to waterproof them.  She wisely did not.  They were already waterproof, and treating mine ruined the awesome nubuk-ish finish they came with.  Still, they were my hiking and work boots (whenever I didn't need my whites) for over ten years.

Now I need to finally start listing stuff on ebay so I can pay for them.  They were a good deal, so maybe if I can sell three or four things I can cover it?  My feet have changed a lot since 1997, but this was worth the risk.

What I loved most about these boots was that they were stiff soled without being heavy and without being overly stiff at the ball of the foot.  I'm not proficient at describing gear, and maybe there are terms for what I'm trying to describe, but I proficient enough with the gear I've used to know what doesn't work for me (and I rely on my gear enough for my livelihood for it to matter).  The internet's current plethora of gear opinions might have saved me many hard lessons in my twenties, especially where my feet are concerned.  Many a first-year wildland firefighter might have been saved a lot of pain and blood back then.

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Holy cow! Glacier Park Magazine

This is quite worth diverting yourself with.  I've liked this author's photos and writing over time (and I'm not just saying that because the author/photographer put my daughter in the paper, nor because he wrote a great article about Westana, nor because I liked his article on our bear ranger program a few years ago--although I was out of town for the story with my daughter in it, so I'd have otherwise only seen my husband's photo text of her school event).  In this case, its his photography.  There are certainly photos in this gallery I'd want on my wall.

http://www.glacierparkmagazine.com/glacier_park_blog/glaciernationalparkblog.html

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July Loon Day ~ Stanton Lake with Katie

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Goddess River Trip (photos)

This post is overdue.  This is an annual river trip with an awesome group of women (mostly moms).  These are only a few of the pictures, cross posted on facebook and Turtle Medicine.

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Heather vs. Cougar (Mom vs. Mt. Lion)

This is Heather and her kids in a photo in the Missoulian with a well written article about her encounter.

Below is a link to Heather on the news.

http://www.nbcmontana.com/news/Mother-recounts-close-call-with-mountain-lion/-/14594602/15775552/-/12nuhprz/-/index.html

The other news link is here, but without video.

http://www.nbcmontana.com/news/Mountain-lion-stalks-4-year-old-at-campground/-/14594602/15729100/-/5vajm8/-/index.html

She was on the phone with me a few times during all of this and it was incredibly chilling (being three or four hours away) not be able to reach through the phone and help.  I called my friend Chris Hammond, a state biologist, to find out who the right people were for the Missoula area, and he started making calls and I texted him info and updates.

The campers in a neighboring site called 911, so I was interested to know later how the 911 response differed from the Fish Wildlife and Parks response through Chris's phone calls.  But there's nothing to compare because there was no response from 911 aside from a follow up call (hopefully they'll know to call the proper FWP personnel in the future).  I find that pretty freightening, given the situation that occured and then continued and progressed.

But Chris called Jay Kolbe who pulled over on his way home from work and awaited more info.  Then he or Chris called Bob Weisner who brought his hound and a trap and met Jay at the campground.  They handled the situation, but they also helped Heather feel safe, and for that I am so grateful.

From the end of the article in the second link:

"General tips for an encounter with a lion call for not running from or approaching the lion. Give the lion room to leave the area, and immediately pick up small children. Face the lion, talk in a calm voice, enlarge your image as much as possible and remain standing. If a lion attacks, fight back."

Photo by Hether's cousin, Jay Garza

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Montana Grizzly Bear Conservation ~ Local news links

Automated Bear trap by Alter Enterprise

These links are worth reading if you are interested in grizzly policy and/or in cooperative grizzly bear conservation efforts (of the more community/grass roots but still agency-involved variety).  Obviously both ends of this picture are necessary for successful conservation of any species, especially the species with a lot of 'charisma'.

Side note: If you are involved in wildlife biology or spend time around people who are, you are likely familiar with the term "charismatic megafauna".  If not, take a side trip to this link for more on the topic....and a look at one of at least a few reasons why you may hear this term used in a somewhat tongue-in-cheek-manner.

Back on point---why would charisma make conservation harder?  In many cases it may not; especially with non-predators.  But there are many species whose controversies help to keep them in the contemporary limelight (though most of these species, such as the grizzly bear, wouldn't ever be fully out of our sight or interest with or without controversy). And those controversies (usually due to fear for personal safety or livelihood, both which in any given situation may be unfounded, bu tare very likely to have merit in many cases).

Conservation efforts without local buy off and support often waste time and money, no matter how well-founded, and across the globe have historically even harmed the species they sought to protect.

Grizzly bear conservation in Montana over the past few decades is a darn good example of a lot of the pitfalls of conservation itself.  It's a great case study of ups and downs, but also of the challenges that befall even the soundest of approaches.  There are many things that have been done right in this great state and many twists and turns over the years that have really kept the saga....lively.  It'd take several articles to even attempt to do justice to this evolution.  I plan to give it a shot if and when time permits, but with the disclaimer that I am just a spectator, with a side-ward glimpse of just a snapshot of all of this.  But there's so much to be learned, and so many pivotal crossroads currently being approached, it's certainly worth a try.

As a starter, take a look at the following current articles for a current 'snapshot'.  Later, more history of whatever sort I can find to link to.

Hanna hosts Grizzly Bear Rendezvous to support grizzly management

Jack Hanna hosts 5th or 6th grizzly bear rendezvous, Bigfork Eagle article

What’s Next for Grizzly Bears?

State and federal agencies are working on a new management plan, Flathead Beacon article

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