The chance to hunt a bighorn sheep in any hunting unit in Montana this fall, was worth $300,000 to a New York man. This isn't even the highest the tag has been auctioned off for, in 1994 it went for $310,000.
The Wild Sheep Foundation held their convention in Reno, Nevada in January. The tag was auctioned at that time, and James Hens was the highest bidder.
A wildlife biologist for Montana's Red Lodge area said that he has seen more grizzly bears so far this spring in the area, than he has any other time in 30 years.
Ready to hang up your business shoes and neck tie? Get away from the city and the traffic? For sale is the Lazy K Bar Dude Ranch, an 8,500 acre property, that also comes complete with its own mountain - 11,214 ft Crazy Peak, located in Sweet Grass County, Montana. The price tag, $9 million which the current owner says is undervalued by about a third.
Deb Freele was camping at Soda Butte Campground near Cooke City, Montana, 5 miles away from Yellowstone. Freele was doing what she loved most, camping and enjoying the outdoors. The last time she had been to Yellowstone she was just learning how to flyfish, 3 kids and a couple decades later she was back out there, more experienced with her angling skills.
For most people living in Montana, especially in areas surrounding Yellowstone, they know they have to be bear aware. However, there are many people who come from out of state to the gorgeous offerings of Montana and Yellowstone National Park. So much undeveloped and natural land, but this also brings the dangers of the wild. Last year 2 hikers were killed in Yellowstone, one after coming upon a sow and her cubs twice, and the other is still uncertain. He did know he was in bear territory though, as rangers had warned him the day before he was killed.
A lone wolf was seen around Kalispell Middle School on Sunday. A nearby resident caught some footage of the wolf that was in town, and several people reported seeing it. The FWP would like residents to remain calm. It is an uncommon event when a wolf comes into town especially in the middle of the day. It did happen, but is very unlikely to occur again. Kalispell has also had grizzly bears, mountain lions and black bears come to visit before. This is also part of living in Montana.
Wolf season is set to end in Montana, and quotas have not been met. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks extended the wolf season by a month and a half in December. Now they are considering doing that again for Unit 250 in the Bitterroot Valley area. This unit has a quota of 18 and only 6 wolves have been harvested. If approved the season will go on until April 1st.
In 2010 Montana adopted a Bighorn Sheep Conservation Strategy. The plan was to transplant bighorn sheep herds, hoping to increase the economy that comes with hunting and animal viewing. The sheep conservation was set to create five sustainable herds throughout the state, and also to help existing herds grow. After research Montana FWP biologists created a list that they brought to commissioners in the Spring of 2011 for some areas that would be most suitable for bighorn sheep herds.
There is a lot of activity going on at Elk Island National Park in Alberta. Bison are being branded after going through some medical testing, and receiving vaccinations, before their long journey to a home they've never known, but that their ancestors came from.
