More Nebraska wild turkeys are getting new homes in Montana.

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission said in a news release Monday that Montana wildlife workers were in Crawford, Neb., last week to pick up 125 wild turkeys. The birds were captured Thursday on private property near Whiteclay in the northern Nebraska Panhandle.

The commission says there are plenty of turkeys in the Whiteclay area, but not so in the Great Falls area of Montana, where the state is trying to establish a wild turkey population.

Last year Montana received 91 Nebraska turkeys.

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Angela Jamison is a native Montanan and she grew up in beautiful Bozeman. I'm the mother of two girls and write a blog about our life here and taking in the simple pleasures of family and food.

It is 2016, a new year, a time for resolutions and reflection. A time of year when gym memberships are at a record high and everyone plans to make up for all the indulgence of the holiday season. This was very apparent as I walked into my usual yoga class on the Sunday after New Years Day. What is normally a fairly quiet class was packed wall to wall. Most were new faces, a few familiar. It took me a minute to realize why it was so busy this Sunday morning. At first I found myself annoyed as I kept scooting my mat closer and closer to the wall to accommodate the never ending trail of people making their way into the room. I quickly adjusted my mind set to feel happy for all these folks who were perhaps trying this for the first time. I was at yoga after all…a place where your energy is supposed to be positive. I realized the more people finding yoga the better. The Dalai Lama once said if every child learned mediation we could eliminate violence from our world. Now, I don’t know if this is true but I do believe yoga can bring something to everyone and a little more peace to the world and compassion to those around you.

I began my yoga journey about 15 years ago. On a whim my sister, a couple friends and I decided to give it a try and see what all the fuss was about. It was just four of us and the instructor, a sweet Russian lady with a thick accent making it hard to understand the already difficult Sanskrit language often used in yoga. We were tucked in the back of a small gym where we could hear the hip-hop music of people working out. This was a perfect first lesson in the yoga world-learning to block out any outside noise and focus in on what’s happening on your mat. Although those first few classes felt foreign I knew I was onto something special. By the time we were in savasana (resting pose done at the end of any yoga class) I felt better than I ever had. At that time I was only 23 so feeling good was a common occurrence…now pushing 38 I appreciate it even more. Throughout the years yoga has always been a part of my life. Sometimes with regular, weekly classes, sometimes with long breaks in between before I found it again. Watching the classes fill up this past week I felt happiness seeing the variety of people walking in to discover yoga.

Yoga is for everyone. Of course some think of it as only for hippies or just women or other extremes. This is simply not true. At yoga I see everyone. From young college students checking it out because it seems like the cool thing to do, to skiers popping in to stretch their aching muscles after a day on the slopes, to older folks trying to find a gentler way to take care of their bodies. There are all ages, all abilities and often equal amounts of men and women in the classes. That is the beauty of yoga, you go with what works for you. Just because the person next to you is whipping into headstand doesn’t mean you can’t settle back into child’s pose. It is for you to do what feels best at that moment.

Here in Bozeman we are so fortunate to have so many options when it comes to yoga. We have a couple of hot yoga or Bikram type yoga studios. These are not for the faint of heart. Having dabbled in this briefly I found it wasn’t for me. However, there are many who soak up all the healing benefits of practicing yoga in an intensely hot room for 90 minutes. Almost all the gyms in town offer yoga classes and even the Adult Ed program has wonderful intro to yoga classes. This is where I first learned about the world of Kundalini yoga…while sitting with others in what used to be the library of Willson School when I was a kid (that dates me for sure!) There are also several yoga studios making it easy to find a place for you. I have found my yoga home to be at Your Yoga…a laid back studio with a variety of classes offered and a perfect place to try yoga for the first time.

As we get further into this new year I’m sure the yoga classes will continue to ebb and flow. Some will fall in love and continue and some will move onto the next resolution. If you’ve never tried it, it is worth putting aside any worries of intimidation or fear and going for it. It is good in so many ways. Mentally for clearing your head and staying present. Physically to stretch and strengthen the one body we get in this life. Spiritually…no matter how you feel about this a side effect of yoga is feeling more spiritual. It will bring a sense of peace and calm in all aspects of your life. As you go about doing other things you enjoy….hiking, skiing, fishing, rock climbing…you will find after yoga you will actually enjoy it more. It teaches you to focus on the present moment and that can’t help but fall into other parts of your life. The next time you are walking on a trail or floating the river you will notice more, take in more and soak more up. An opportunity to call up the calm you felt in a class in a chaotic moment later in your day. This is powerful.

Whatever resolutions you made, or if you didn’t make any at all, think about giving yoga a try in 2016. Taking an hour to clear your mind and simply breath. It is so good. And, if 2016 isn’t your year for this maybe the next one will be. Yoga has been around for thousands of years, it’s not going anywhere.

Kristen Berube lives a crazy, laugh-filled life with her outdoorsman husband Remi and their three camo-clad children in Missoula, Montana. A graduate of Montana State University and the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, she loves being a mom and enjoys hiking, fishing, and camping.

“Confessions of a Camo Queen: Living with an Outdoorsman” is her first book.  Take a look at Amazon.

If you ever want to scare the life out of the “Rambo” in your life, mention the words…Gun Control. I can guarantee his body will convulse in shivers, he will hyperventilate, begin screeching in some inhumane language, and possibly start taking swings at anything and anyone. Look out!!!

Given current political drama regarding gun control, this is an EASSSSSY method.

Now that big game season is over and duck n’ goose season is drawing to an end, I need to have a few ways to distract the outdoorsman. Otherwise, he is bored. And anyone who knows men, knows that bored men are a badddd thing-almost as bad a man with a cold. Ahhhhh- now that’s some serious whining. Bored men though…they are annoying!!! They follow you around like a lost puppy and seriously cramp your style when you are trying to get anything done! Here are 3 tricks to deal with a bored outdoorsman…

Trick #1-

I know it is mean, but whenever the outdoorsman starts to bugging me, I just casually, under my breath mention GUNNNNN CONTROLLLLLLL!!!! If the outdoorsman continues to bug me, I will just say GUNNNNN CONTROL even LOUDER. This generally is not necessary, the first time, a mere whisper of gun control, usually does the trick to distract the outdoorsman from harassing me. This really is a great trick, because then the outdoorsman usually has to go do some anger-venting activity, like chopping firewood. This allows me to continue along on my merry way, undeterred, except for peeking at him with his shirt off while he is chopping wood. But that’s another story.

Trick #2-

If you need the outdoorsman out of your hair for at least half a day, tell him that you heard the government is going to start confiscating guns. Before you say it, hide behind a door or large object to avoid any damages to your person when he throws a hissy fit. I promise you, he will immediately run to his gun stash and begin caressing and lovingly talking to his metal “friends”. This is when you quietly mention, “Maybe you should go shooting for the day?” He will be gone as soon as his happy butt can load up his arsenal. Bye, bye honey, love ya!

Trick#3-

Easy peasy…simply tell him you will make him a “honey-do” list for around the house. He will vanish so quick that you won’t even know what hit ya’!

Even with these tricks, off season is a hard time of year so you better get working on that “honey-do” list, just in case you need it. God knows, there are plenty of things that probably need done around the house since he has been AWOL for monnnnthhhhssss!!!!

P.S. I think maybe we should start campaigning for mandatory outdoorsman tattoos….Outdoorsman should come with one of those handy “WARNING” labels; it really would prevent a lot of unnecessary drama. Don’t you think?

WARNING: Extremely volatile individual. Possible ignition from the mention of WOLVES or GUN CONTROL. If ignition occurs, quickly run away, scream for help, and spray product with a water hose. Beware of swinging fists, stomping feet, and angry tears.

The Two Rivers jail in Hardin that had as many as 250 inmates at its peak of operations is now in standby mode after its cells were emptied this week.

 The jail had no inmates on Monday. The facility has struggled to find inmate contracts for revenue since the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs dropped its contract in October.

Warden Ken Keller says the jail is now operating with six security officers and four administrators. There were about 39 employees a month ago.

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Kristen Berube lives a crazy, laugh-filled life with her outdoorsman husband Remi and their three camo-clad children in Missoula, Montana. A graduate of Montana State University and the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, she loves being a mom and enjoys hiking, fishing, and camping. “Confessions of a Camo Queen: Living with an Outdoorsman” is her first book.

As I sit here pondering life, while caressing my Christmas gift from the outdoorsman; you know, two new handguns, not one, but TWO; I think about what my New Year’s resolutions will be for the year 2016. I suppose I do have TWO hands but seriously? I guess I should be grateful it wasn’t a couple’s wild hog hunt like he suggests for every other winter holiday. You know then we would have BOTH gotten AR 15’s from “Santa”. I guess I didn’t know “Santa” was a member of the NRA.

So anyways… New Year’s resolutions on living with an outdoorsman.

I pledge to TRY and do the following:

1. I will try to refrain from eye rolling every time the outdoorsman wants to go for a drive…AKA- animal scouting in the guise of a merry little scenic drive.

2. I will get a new credit card in the outdoorsman’s name…with a low limit in an attempt to keep those fuel bills lower.

3. I will try to not murder him when he stomps across my sparkling hardwood floors with muddy, snowy, or bloody boots on.

4. I will attempt to not sprinkle the dirty duck feathers left in the kitchen sink from his cleaning session- on his dinner.

5. I will try to not wash his camo in lavender scented laundry soap when he makes me mad.

6. I will contain my “sighing” to weekends only.

7. I will try to suppress my giggling when he asks me if I like his new camo hunting clothes.

8. I will attempt to encourage his monster bull elk dreams, rather than suggest a trip to Hawaii.

9. I will at least try on the pink camo clothes he buys for me. He really is proud of himself.

10. I won’t hide his favorite duck calls, except if he really deserves it.

I cannot make any promises, but I can promise I will try. In return all I would like is endless foot rubs, chocolates and daily compliments. Maybe if the outdoorsman gives me about a gallon of hot coffee, I will attempt to survive a freezing cold duck hunting extravaganza because I know he is just dying to show me his superior caveman hunting skills. I think he secretly hopes that I will decide freezing to death is FUN and will want to go duck hunting every weekend…Sigh….Oops!! Sighing only on the weekends per resolution #6!

Wish me luck!!

“Confessions of a Camo Queen: Living with an Outdoorsman” is her first book. -

It is available for purchase at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1560376287/ref=tsm_1_fb_lk

Jenna Caplette migrated from California to Montana in the early 1970s, first living on the Crow Indian reservation. A Healing Arts Practitioner, she owns Bozeman BodyTalk & Integrative Healthcare. She says, " Health is resiliency, a zest for the journey. It’s about coming awake to the joy of being alive. As a practitioner, its a privilege to facilitate that healing process, to help weave new patterns of health & well-being. “ And by the way, healthier, happier people help create a healthier, happier world.

What is your favorite, most memorable photo from 2015? Which best evokes the year, makes you grin, or brings good moments poignantly alive?

For me, it’s the photo of my daughter on the set for Dead 7 in Butte. She has just met Nick Carter of the BackStreet boys, he’s bending over her, looking down with his vivid, signature smile, his hands on her shoulders as she sits. The best description of her look is deer-in-the headlights. I had spent the entire drive from Bozeman trying to prep her for not meeting any of the stars and within an hour of arriving Chris from N’Sync came to chat with the Zombie-extras. He called Nick over to meet Rose and — that’s the photo.

It’s not a particularly great photo of Rose. She’s too shell-shocked. But it is a photo of a moment when a dream came true — and I got to be part of that! In fact, I helped to make it happen.

I asked some of the staff at F-11 Photographic Supplies about their photo-of-the-year choices. Briana Bell says hers is “one taken OF me, with my phone. It reminds me of time spent with my nephew, breaking the rules a bit and blowing bubbles in the house. We wanted to see what it looked like when a bubble popped and took turns taking photos of each other, trying to capture that moment.”

Briana’s other favorite photo instantly “reminds me of a trip to California, time spent with family and the smell, feel, and sounds of the beach. I was also really happy with the progress I made in my workflow. Taking the photo with the Fuji Xt1, importing it to and editing it on my iPad.”

Brooke Welch couldn’t just choose one either. She captured the moment of her son Desmond's first real smile. She says, “He just looked up at the camera and smiled at me.” The other is, well, her cat. “ She's getting old so I'm trying to make sure I capture as much of her as I can. Who doesn't love tiny kitty toes?”

Kendall Roth made a long exposure of the ocean off the Oregon coast. The water looks dreamy, ethereal. She used a variable neutral density filter, says she’s really happy with how the image turned out; is proud of it. Oh, and going to the Oregon coast for the first time was pretty nifty too. She says the photo reminds her of the sound and smell of the ocean, of how vast and strong it is.

Chris Swaim took some sweet shots at Hyalite at night, capturing some shooting stars and a galaxy.

Ian Bell chose a photo taken at the same spot exactly 6 years apart from when he took his first Bozeman photo before coming at MSU. This year’s image “represents my 6 years being in Bozo that I can reflect upon.” Apparently that’s a good thing.

Maureen Evans celebrated her husband’s Shawn’s 50th birthday. There’s A LOT of candles on his birthday cake. She says, “This photo reminds me of the fun he had that night with his closest friends.”

Logan Schaefer shared a photo of his son trying out a tricycle, his face alight with delight. Schaefer used an app called Color Pop to change the photo to black and white and bring the red, white and blue of his shirt and his hat back into the photo. It’s an eye-catching, good moment.

The act of looking through the year’s images is a good way to linger in memory, to review your year as you embark on this new one.

Do something special with your favorite photos. There’s an impressive variety of options available for photo gifts. We made a pendant of the photo of my daughter and Nick Carter. She wears it, shows it off, tells the story ALOT. For now, it’s one of her most cherished possessions.

Marsha Phillips, F-11 Photo co-owner, is starting 2016 by heading out on a photo safari. What’s your commitment to your photography in 2016? What do you want to learn, how do you want to grow as a photographer? What new equipment do you want? While you mull, you might get going on your best photo for 2016. You don’t need a major event, you can start with something as simple as a photo-a-day visual journal.

Want more ideas? Join the Glass House Photography Group, Monday, January 25th at 5:45 PM for 365 photo challenges to keep your creative juices flowing. These tips for daily practice help any level of photographers stay motivated about their photographic skills and put an interesting twist on documenting daily life. The group meets at F-11 Photographic Supplies, 16 East Main in Downtown Bozeman. The evening cost is $5. There’s no need to pre-register. Start the new year off with a creative photo project, and the next, and the next. Learn more at f11photo.com.

Some elk have made a habit of crossing Interstate 90, so the Montana Department of Transportation has put up electronic signs to warn drivers. 

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials say the elk herd regularly hangs out in the hills near the highway between Manhattan and Logan.

Montana Highway Patrol says at least two elk have been hit so far this winter, and the Gallatin County Sheriff's Office also reports deputies chasing the animals off the highway.

And, as FWP regional supervisor Sam Sheppard points out, "it's not a good thing to hit an elk going 80 miles per hour."

The electronic signs will be on between 5 p.m. and 8 a.m. DOT spokeswoman Lori Ryan says permanent signs will be installed within the next few weeks.

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