Community Briefs

Small Landowner Seminar, Nov. 8

MISSOULA - Join the Montana Farm Bureau Federation as they kick off their Annual Convention with a small landowner seminar, Nov. 8 from 12:30-4:30 p.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn, Missoula. The seminar three sessions of panelists that have built successful agricultural operations on small pieces of land. Learn about their operations, gain insight into how to market your product and learn what types of financial assistance are out there. All sessions will end with an opportunity for the audience to ask questions. To learn more about the convention, visit http://www.mfbf.org.

Swan Valley AARP, Meeting Nov. 9

Swan Valley - Join the Swan Valley AARP Monday, Nov. 9 at noon at the Swan Valley Community Hall for the monthly gathering including a Thanksgiving dinner and music.

Local residents Rodger Thompson and Katie Wright will provide a musical program.

Turkey will be provided for the lunch at 12:30 p.m. Attendees are asked to bring a potluck item to share. Hosts for this month’s meeting are the Sue and Bob Cushman.

Missoula County Tax Bills Now Available

MISSOULA - Missoula County tax bills will be mailed the first week of November to all area residents. Tax bills are now available online. Instructions to access these bills are below. Taxes are due Dec. 10, 2015.

Montana law requires that taxes are due within 30 days after the tax notice is postmarked. Tax payments will be accepted as early as Oct. 31.

To access tax bills online:

• Visit: https://csa.co.missoula.mt.us/itax/.

• Searches can be completed by last name or tax ID.

• After the query has run, click “Show Current Tax Bill” within the middle of the screen.

Electronic versions of the bill can be saved or printed from this window.

Public Comment Sought on Proposed Commercial Use Fee Rule

HELENA – Montana State Parks announced that public comment is being sought on the proposed Commercial Use Permit Fee Rule. Public comments will be accepted through Friday, Nov. 27 at 5pm.

The Montana State Parks & Recreation Board adopted the current fee rule in December 2013 and an updated fee rule is needed. The proposed fee rule would simplify existing fee rule categories, eliminate categories and associated fee ranges that are no longer relevant, and re-evaluate the existing fee structure.

Commercial Use Permits are required for commercial activities at a Montana State Parks such as filming, photography, water based outfitting, guided tours and special events.

The complete Commercial Use Fee Rule can be viewed at: http://1.usa.gov/1M0v6An. To comment online visit stateparks.mt.gov and click on “submit comments” or by direct link here: http://1.usa.gov/1M0v6An. Send comments by mail to: Commercial Use Comments c/o Montana State Parks P.O. Box 200701, Helena, MT 59620-0701.

Donations Provide Free Bear Spray to Some Blackfoot BMA Hunters

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) partnered with Counter Assault and the Montana Chapter of the Sierra Club again this year to get free bear spray and safety tips into the hands of hunters headed to two Block Management Areas (BMAs) in the Blackfoot Valley.

“The Blackfoot is an area where black and grizzly bear habitat overlap, and many of the same spots that are attractive to hunters are also spots that bears tend to concentrate,” said Jamie Jonkel, FWP Region 2 Bear Management Specialist.

To reduce the chance of bear and hunter conflicts, FWP Block Management staff share safety tips with those headed to Shanley and Dick Creek BMAs and, for the sixth year in a row, a free can of bear spray, thanks to donations from the Montana Chapter of the Sierra Club, along with discounted bear spray prices offered by Counter Assault.

And as part of the larger bear aware effort in the Blackfoot, hunters must also store food and all other potential bear attractants (such as garbage and pet and livestock food) in a bear resistant container on BMAs that allow overnight camping.

Jonkel also points to the important role that Blackfoot landowners, residents and hunters continue to play in sharing bear updates and safety messages.

“There is huge value in the information sharing on current bear activity that goes on between those that live and spend time in the Blackfoot,” Jonkel said. “We hope that this heightened bear awareness, combined with getting bear spray in the hands of more hunters, will help to keep prevent more and more bear conflicts.”

Food Storage Emphasized for Hunters 

KALISPELL – With the general deer and elk rifle season in full swing, hunters and other recreationists are reminded to properly store game meat, food, livestock feed, garbage and all other attractants in a bear-resistant manner.

• When not present, all food and attractants, including game meat, must be stored in either a hard-sided camper, vehicle trunk or cab, enclosed horse trailer, approved bear resistant container, suspended at least ten feet above the ground and four feet from the vertical support or by using an approved electric fencing system.

• Wildlife carcasses that are within one-half mile of a camp or sleeping area must be stored in a bear resistant manner during night-time hours.

• Hunters are encouraged to carry and know how to use bear pepper spray and to have it in reach when dressing out an animal.

• Hunt with a partner and be alert for signs of bear activity.

• Field dress, butcher and pack out meat as soon as possible.

• Separate the gut pile from the carcass and be mindful of keeping gut piles and cutting up the carcass away from trails and roads so not to attract bears and create a safety hazard for other hunters.

For more information visit the Flathead National Forest web page, http://www.fs.usda.gov/flathead and click on the Bear Country Safety link. Download the “Hunting Safely in Grizzly Country” brochure from the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks website, http://www.fwp.mt.gov.