Published 11.4.2008
Stint as fish biologist
puts the government on my back — literally
This time of year there’s a lot of talk
about having government on people’s backs. Usually they are referring to taxes,
regulations, and other so-called heavy-handed treatment. Pfft.
I know what it’s like to have government on my back, but not in the way these
concerned folks are referring to.
Try a stint as an endangered species fish biologist on for size.
I’d had a long history of doing this sort of work for the U.S. Forest Service
and Bureau of Land Management all over the West and Alaska, but like everyone
else, I wasn’t getting any younger.
I’d read the protocol the boss sent on monitoring endangered bull trout by electrofishing, and had done similar work in Southern Idaho
three years prior. What could go wrong? And besides, it was a posh capital city
gig in Boise, Idaho, out of the supervisor’s office known in government lingo
as the “SO.” We’d drive out into the forest by day in the Peoples’ Truck‚ and
back to town at night, with an occasional stay in some far-flung bunkhouse in
Yellow Pine, Stibnite, Lowman or some other hole in the hills. It would be like
a paid vacation.
“How far do I have to walk to get to these sampling sites?” I’d asked when the
fish bureaucrat called.
“Oh, a mile or two,” he said. “It’s a little remote in spots.”
“What about camping?”
“On occasion but not all the time. Drive times can get
lengthy for some sites.”
“Hmm. OK, I can live with that,” I said.
That didn’t sound so bad, and besides, there was a young kid with a strong back
to carry the shocker. Hell, the whole state of Idaho is remote, but the Forest
Service had roads just about everywhere. Piece of cake.
I knew I was in trouble when I walked into the office of the Boise National
Forest at the beginning of the summer, rounded the bend in the maze of
cubicles, and there sat the culprit: two Honda EX 350 gasoline generators.
I paused in my tracks staring at the machines, and beyond to the pile of nets,
and backpack frames piled beyond in the corner of the office.
What in the world were those for? Powering the camp?
Mike, the boss, quickly filled in the blanks.
“The conductivity of the water up here is so low, normal battery power isn’t
enough to do the job,” he said matter-of-factly.
As Astro, The Jetson’s
astute dog, would say, “Roh Roh.”
I moved to the map on the wall, where I found the remote pinpricks on the map
where I was to journey to carrying said machines, along with block nets, dips
nets, buckets, measuring boards and scales. My heart sank. It was a jumbled,
vast region of heartbreakingly steep and inaccessible topography. The sites
were miles from anything.
“We got all the easy stuff,” he said. “This is the fifth year of the program.”
“Lucky me,” I said.
There was wistful talk of helicopters, quickly dismissed by budgetary concerns
and so on.
I carried the generators as far as down to the parking lot and into the truck
for transport to the small engine repair shop for the preseason tune-up. That
was far enough for me.
So for those who think the government is on their backs, cry me a river to the
whine of the world’s smallest violin. They don’t know the half of it.
Mark A. York
Enterprise Staff Writter
Ebinger, Boniek,
Malone and Taylor sweep into office
A record number of voters turned out Tuesday in Park County to re-elect a Montana House representative, pick a new one and seat two new members to the County Commission.
Numerous federal, state and local offices were also decided Tuesday.
“Park County saw a record turnout,” said Park County Clerk and Recorder Denise Nelson Wednesday. “Seventy-seven percent (compared to) 71 percent in 2004.”
In Montana House District 62, which is the City of Livingston and surrounding area, incumbent Democrat Bob Ebinger defeated his opponent, Republican Neal Donaldson, by a margin of 2,798 to 1,853.
“I’m pleased and honored to be re-elected by the citizens of Livingston, Montana,” Ebinger said Wednesday. “I look forward to going to Helena to work in a bipartisan way for heath, education and resource development, both traditional and alternative.”
In House District 61, which is comprised of rural Park County and part of Sweet Grass County, incumbent and write-in candidate Bruce Malcolm of Emigrant lost his bid to hold onto his seat to Republican nominee Joel Boniek, of Paradise Valley, 3,377 to 1,246.
“A great responsibility has been given to me by the voters of House District 61,” said Boniek in an e-mailed statement Wednesday. “I take it very seriously, and will work hard to be worthy of that trust.”
One of the two seats up for grabs on the Park County Commission saw incumbent Chairman Larry A. Lahren, of Little Mission Creek, running on his record of change over the past four years. Lahren lost to former Montana State University Extension Agent Marty Malone, of Pray, 6,053 to 1,880.
“Thank you to everyone who voted for me and supported my campaign,” Malone said Wednesday. “I look forward to serving the people of Park County.”
“I have no misgivings. I stayed true to my bearings,” Lahren said of his term in office.
“I’m glad people could see through the spin on the Growth Policy and evaluated it right,” he said. “This saved Park County a lot of money. I’m glad for Park County and future generations.”
Residents of Park County narrowly decided to keep the Growth Policy by 2,459 to 2,129.
The second open seat on the Commission found Park County Sanitarian Randall Taylor besting Stacy Sunvison 4,457 to 2,924. Both had said earlier that if elected, they would seek solutions to road, budget and waste management issues.
Current County Auditor Don Holland lost to Martha Miller in their race 3,794 to 3,308.
Miller will be in charge of monitoring the county’s spending for the next four years.
Twenty eight-year incumbent Clerk of District Court June Little successfully defended her office against first-time officer seeker and local businesswoman Belinda Schweigert by a margin of 5,854 to 1,848.
In Clyde Park Precinct 7D, Teresa Lehman defeated Duane E. Matthews for a seat on the Clyde Park Town Council 115 to 108.
District 3 Public Service Commission results have Democrat John Vincent of Gallatin Gateway narrowly losing to Roundup Republican Alan Olson in Park County by a margin 4,029 to 3,993.
With 95 percent of the vote counted in District 3, Vincent is leading Olson 43,458 to 42,889.
Park County results for president:
John McCain carried Park County with 4,349 votes, or 48 percent of the area vote, to 4,140, or 46 percent, for President-elect Barack Obama. McCain carried Montana 50 percent to 47 percent.
Park County results for statewide ballot issues:
Amendment No. 44, to invest 25 percent of public funds in the stock market, was rejected 6,264 to 1,917.
The university mill levy was favored 4,586 to 3,725.
Initiative No. 155 , the Healthy Montana Kids plan, was favored 5,935 to 2,489.
Park County results for statewide office:
Incumbent Democratic Governor Brian Schweitzer collected 5,547 votes to Roy Brown’s 3,008 in the county. Statewide, Schweitzer defeated Brown, 296,138 to 147,391.
In Montana’s U.S. Senate race, Park County voters favored Democratic incumbent Max Baucus over challenger Republican Bob Kelleher 6,088 to 2,515, or 68 percent to 28 percent. Baucus bested Kelleher statewide 326,412 to 121,901.
For Montana’s U.S. House seat, Republican incumbent Denny Rehberg received 5,280 votes in Park County, while Democrat challenger John Driscoll received 3,002. Across Montana, Rehberg buried Driscoll 292,426 to 144,474,
Democrat Steve Bullock bested Republican Tim Fox in the Attorney General’s race in Park County 4,344 to 4,014.
The Secretary of State results for Park County show Brad Johnson with 4,210 votes to Democrat Linda McCulloch’s 3,956. Across Montana, McCulloch leads Johnson 217,291 to 213,117.
In the race to head Montana’s Office of Public Instruction, Democrat Denise Juneau, with 4,004 votes, leads Elaine Herman with 3,557 in Park County. Across Montana, Juneau defeated Herman, 217,990 to 187,788.
For State Auditor, Democrat Monica J. Lindeen won 4,273 votes to Duane Grimes’ 3,929 in Park County. Lindeen won the statewide race 229,334 to 199,889.
Grizzly that attacked
hunter still not found
The sow grizzly involved in a shooting incident in the Cinnabar Basin near Corwin Springs Oct. 30 has still not been found.
“We did an extensive search of the area and did not find the bear or any evidence the sow had been hit,” said Kevin Fry, a Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks grizzly bear management specialist, Wednesday. “There was no blood trail. Any wound would have left traces in the area.”
Fry said he covered a wide area in the search, which took place four miles up Cinnabar Creek west of the Yellowstone River.
“We should have found something,” he said. “There are things that don’t add up. We are calling this a possible mortality, since there is always a chance the bear is deceased.”
The hunter shot the cub, which was found dead on scene last Friday, and believed he had wounded the sow during the incident.
In a telephone interview, the hunter, who wished to remain anonymous, disputed details of the incident reported in previous coverage.
He described an account reminiscent of the Tyrannosaur attack in the movie, “Jurassic Park.”
“I didn’t come upon the bears,” he said. “I was sitting in a clearing where the guide had placed me, waiting for an elk. She walked into me. She came within 12 to 15 feet, and I fired one shot from the hip. I thought it went through her and hit the cub, but she kept coming. Then my rifle jammed. I couldn’t get off another round. She came at me swatting and clawing, and cut my pants and boot.
“She was close enough now that I was sprayed in the face by her snot. It’s still on the shirt and pants I was wearing,” he continued. “I didn’t poke at her — I rammed the barrel of the rifle down her throat to stop her. She backed away. I was calm and managed to reload, but the rifle jammed again. Then she turned and ran away.
“I’m lucky to be alive.”
He had an issue with the Remington Arms Company, which manufactured the 700 series 300 Winchester rifle, and would be contacting them about the failure of the weapon to perform, the hunter said.
“The rifle jammed repeatedly in tests since then,” he said. “It’s a new rifle.”
He confirmed he wasn’t injured in the incident but said he was still shaken from the ordeal.
FWP tests elk for disease
While Montana grapples with managing the risk and stopping the spread of brucellosis, hunters and landowners are working together this fall to detect the disease in hunter-harvested elk.
According to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks documents, since 1981 nearly 7,000 elk have been tested by the agency for brucellosis exposure, mostly in the greater Yellowstone area north and west of the park. The results of those tests show brucellosis exposure rates that range from 0 to 5.5 percent of the herds.
“The blood test kits were sent out to registered hunters and are also provided at stations in the Shields and Paradise Valleys,” said Kevin Hughes, wildlife sciences lab technician at the Bozeman Office of FWP.
“I have kiosks set up at the major turnoffs on Highway 89 South,” said Ryan Easterday, a brucellosis technician with FWP. “There is a kiosk at 89 and Trail Creek Road, one at I-90 and upper Trail Creek, and one at the Emigrant Store. The kits contain a vial and syringe for drawing the blood. They just have to put the sample in the envelope and put it in the mail.”
Last year, cattle in a herd near Bridger tested positive for brucellosis. The infection was suspected to have originated in a herd from Emigrant, according to FWP.
Montana’s brucellosis-free status is in jeopardy due to two positive cases for the disease in a 12-month time frame. The livestock industry is fearful of the increased costs of testing with the loss of the brucellosis-free statues, local ranchers report.
“Brucellosis threatens to wipe out every rancher south of Interstate 90,” newly-elected Park County Commissioner Marty Malone said recently.
“Standing by in the face of today’s uncertainties and risks with brucellosis is not an option,” said FWP Director Jeff Hagener in a news release. “Montana’s livestock industry and ranching families are too important to this state.”
In Montana, brucellosis has been detected only in elk, bison and recently, cattle in areas surrounding Yellowstone National Park.
Brucellosis can cause pregnant cattle, bison and elk to abort their calves.
For more than 20 years, while FWP conducted low-level testing of elk for brucellosis exposure, most of the concern about possible brucellosis infections have centered on park bison, according to FWP.
Last year, FWP expanded testing, with hunter and landowner help, in six key areas — the Madison, Paradise and Shields valleys; and areas near Gardiner, Bridger and the Gravelly mountains.
This year, FWP states, it will redouble efforts to collect blood samples from hunter-harvested elk.
FWP will seek to pinpoint the location of the disease in wildlife, complete wildlife and livestock risk assessment, and then determine if wildlife or livestock management practices need adjustments.
“We encourage hunters to drop off an elk head or an udder at Fish, Wildlife and Parks Office in Bozeman, and at Colmey’s Veterinary Hospital at 5288 Highway 89 South in Livingston,” said Easterday.
Water Works building nears
possible sale
The Livingston City Commission voted four to one Monday night to reclassify the old Water Works building at 615 S. 10th St. as property that can be sold, a step that could pave the way for sale of the building to a private owner.
A group of Livingston citizens opposed the zoning change.
“This change is the first step toward the sale,” said Mary Murphy on Monday.
Murphy organized two petitions against the reclassification.
The building no longer supplies water for the city and as a result has fallen into neglect, according to a City of Livingston resolution approved Monday night.
Forty-two petitioners who live in the vicinity, led by Murphy, oppose the sale of the building because they believe its sale would diminish the use of riverfront park land in the South 10th Street neighborhood.
According to the appraisal done for the city by Kurt D. Holm, the building and property being considered for sale is valued at $123,000.
According to the petition, the signers support the preservation of the historical landmark Water Works building. They also claim the Water Works Park provides habitat for wildlife such as deer, ducks and geese. The petition also expresses support for the current public use of the park for soccer, sledding, skiing, boarding, biking, picnicking, croquet and volleyball.
The Water Works building’s front lawn contains a Japanese garden signifying Livingston’s sister city relationship with Naganohara, Japan.
In a letter to the Livingston City commissioners, Murphy wrote, “When I tried to collect signatures at the Civic Center garage sale, which represents a larger cross-section of Livingston, some people refused to sign the petition. The reason stated was they were against having to spend a lot of taxpayer money to renovate the building and remove liability from (an) underground tank.”
Murphy then circulated a new petition asking people to choose between the building and the park. Ninety-four percent wanted to tear the building down instead of selling it to a private owner, she wrote in her letter.
The conditions that a sale and renovation by a new private owner would have to adhere to include strict guidelines outlined by the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings for preserving the exterior look of the building, according to the City of Livingston documents. In addition, the water cisterns that are attached to the building must be filled in.
Livingston city code provides that the City Commission may sell real property upon a two-thirds vote of the Commission.
According to City Attorney Bruce Becker, the next step is a public hearing on whether the building should be sold. The property would have to advertised.