A group of Drummond landowners is considering opening pastures to wild horses from the federal Bureau of Land Management.

The BLM is seeking to create “ecosanctuaries” on private land to provide long-term homes for thousands of horses it can’t sustain on public lands. Drummond’s Rural Sustainability Organization has applied to create such a facility for up to 325 horses.

“We’re still finding out if it’s going to happen,” said Nancy Radke of the group, which has organized community projects in the Drummond area for 14 years. “We’re working with landowners to have different pieces of land available.”

The BLM estimates it has about 33,760 wild horses roaming on its lands in 10 Western states as of 2013. It’s already placed another 33,105 wild horses in holding pastures and 14,595 horses in short-term corrals. Horses from that latter group would go to ecosanctuaries.

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Montana has 145 wild horses on BLM’s Pryor Mountain land in the state, compared with 18,764 in Nevada. Wyoming has 3,459 wild horses on 16 federal range areas.

“Our horse management areas are at capacity, and this is way more cost effective than holding them in short-term facilities,” said John Hill of the BLM Missoula field office. “This is to provide for humane treatment for the horses.”

A 4.8 earthquake shook the northern part of Yellowstone National Park early Sunday.

The University of Utah Seismograph Stations reports the earthquake occurred at 6:34 a.m. about 4 miles north-northeast of the Norris Geyser Basin. The university reports it was felt in the Montana border towns of West Yellowstone and Gardiner, both about 20 miles from the epicenter.

There were no immediate reports of damage. There are few visitors in the park this time of year.

Yellowstone sees frequent small earthquakes. Since Thursday, there have been at least 25 recorded in the nation's first national park.

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Kathleen Clary Miller has written 300+ columns and stories for periodicals both local and national, and has authored three books (www.amazon.com/author/millerkathleenclary). She lives in the woods of the Ninemile Valley, thirty miles west of Missoula. 

By March first, I’ve already popped what is technically considered an overdose of vitamin D and killed any calcium absorption with enough coffee to sink a ship.  When I awaken at 9:00 in the morning and it is still so dark and snowy that I think what’s the hurry, then pray in order to pull back the covers but winter just won’t give up it’s time to focus on what I’m grateful for.  Give me a moment; I know I’ll think of something.

Silence.  There is nothing quite like the quiet of a thick blanket of freshly fallen snow.  And after months of it, I’m not as easily annoyed when my dear husband cranks up the volume on yet another action/thriller video.

Fresh air.  I am joyful while strapping on snowshoes then planting my trekking poles, pleased to be clad in something other than flannel pajamas which is all I’ve worn since a week ago when I threw on some jeans to go grocery shopping during the 20-minute window that the roads were plowed.  Out here in the Nine Mile Valley, our driveways are winter wonderland trails tantamount to any the rest of the world must travel to in order to participate in winter sports.  YAY!  As I breathlessly hike until my legs feel like rubber and my lungs burn, I thank God for arms and legs (I pray continually that they are not frost-bitten) and I feel deep gratitude seeing the final round in the bend that leads to my back porch.  I appreciate the time outdoors because I feel better afterwards (who wouldn’t?) back inside.

Indoors.  I feel so fortunate to have a roof over my head and radiant heating under my feet (I lie flat on the floor and gasp until my heart rate returns to normal).  Even the confused birds fight for entry at the sight of me thawing.  I hear them tap tap tapping at exterior logs, desperately trying to bore a hole into some semblance of spring. 

Hot water—lots of it.  A piping, long shower has been calling my name for two miles in the blizzard I misjudged to be a slight breeze and a light snow flurry.  I am eternally grateful for fingers that have feeling enough after 30 minutes to turn on the faucet.

Food.  Lunch will follow; how happy am I, that I can consume the same number of calories in one meal I otherwise would in a whole week were I simply sunning on some beach and getting no aerobic exercise! 

The fireplace.  No need to elaborate here.

Icicles are lovely works of nature’s art!  Pine branches appear no longer green but dark grey so that my daily view is every bit as stunning as a black-and-white Ansel Adams photograph!  There is so much glory to be recognized, even in such bleakness…until that moment when I realize that if I don’t see something red or yellow or bright blue very soon I’ll go stark raving mad.  

The remote control.  Thank you, Lord, for technology!  When I am on the brink of insanity I lift and push, desperately seeking any colorful entertainment that will lift me from this comatose slumber like the kiss from Sleeping Beauty’s prince.  The television engages, the screen lights up (a beacon of hope) and there it is!  Not exactly what I was continuously praying for: “Highlights from the Winter Olympics.” 

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances…”

1 Thessalonians 5:18

People in Billings are feeling pretty good, according to a 2013 survey released Tuesday by Gallup and Healthways that ranks the city of Billings as No. 1 in job satisfaction and No. 15 in overall well-being. 

Results from the survey come from over 178,000 interviews. Those interviewed were asked to consider areas of their life such as emotional health, physical activity, work environment, healthy behaviors and access to basic necessities. 

Out of the 189 cities that were ranked, Billings came out on top for job satisfaction and in the top 10 percent for well-being.

For Mayor Tom Hanel, those results come as no surprise. 

Hanel said Billings is very fortunate. In comparison to other cities, he said, Billings has a lot of resources at its disposal.

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Forty-nine miles of highway between Yellowstone National Park's West Entrance and Mammoth Hot Springs opens exclusively to bicyclists on Thursday at 8 a.m.

There is no bicycle access to Old Faithful or Canyon until April 18.

No services are available along the roadway, and cyclists should expect to encounter some vehicles, changing weather conditions, wildlife such as bison and grizzly bears and stretches of snow-covered road.

Bicyclists are required to ride single file. They are strongly encouraged to carry bear spray and should be prepared to turn around and backtrack when encountering wildlife on the road.

Cyclists are urged to call 307-344-2107 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays for updated road access information, or call 307-344-2113 for 24-hour weather information. Additional planning information is also available online at http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/springbike.htm.

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While wolf numbers are expected to remain relatively stable in the Bitterroot watershed, a state biologist said densities of the predator have been on a bit of an the upswing in the valley’s northern reaches.

That change may be the result of an earlier focus on wolf hunting and trapping in the southern Bitterroot, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks wolf biologist Liz Bradley said Tuesday.

The number of packs remains the same in the southern reaches of the Bitterroot, but there are fewer animals in each pack.

There are a few new packs in the northern Bitterroot and there tend to be larger numbers of wolves in each pack, Bradley said.

There are a total of 15 confirmed packs in the Bitterroot. Bradley expects the soon-to-be-released 2013 annual monitoring report will say that, at a minimum, there are 60 to 70 wolves in the watershed.

“Overall, over the last five years the numbers of wolves in the Bitterroot have remained steady,” she said. “The distribution has changed a little bit. There will be shifts from one year to the next.”

Bradley is currently working through information gathered during past wolf hunting and trapping seasons to determine what kind of impacts that activity had on different packs.

For instance, for years one of the packs she monitored was in the Welcome Creek area of the Sapphire Range. When the alpha female of the pack died, the male started a new pack in the Burnt Fork area.

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Jenna Caplette migrated from California to Montana in the early 1970s, first living on the Crow Indian reservation, then moving to Bozeman where she owned a downtown retail anchor for eighteen years. These days she owns Bozeman BodyTalk & Energetic Healthcare, hosts a monthly movie night, teaches and writes about many topics.

A few years ago, when wolves were still easy to spot in Yellowstone, a black trotted across the road in front of our car. As it came toward us, I grabbed my camera and started to shoot. 

He came. He went.

My images were out of focus. Not a single one of them was usable and I didn’t remember the experience of seeing that wolf at all. I just remembered obsessively snapping photos. 

Marsha Phillips, co-owner of Bozeman’s F-11 Photographic Supplies says, “Digital photography offers the ability to quickly take a lot of photographs. There’s an upside to that; the freedom to explore and experiment on how to capture the best images. The odds are good that you will capture a great image. 

“But, there’s a downside too. We’re amassing photographs without ever enjoying them. Unless you follow up, and edit your images, they become overwhelming.” There’s simply too many of them to wade through, it’s to easy to forget where that image of your daughter’s first time on a snowboard went, which camera card, which camera — your iPhone? 

“Very simply, most of us can’t find the image we want when we want it.”

Sometimes you just flat out miss an event because you were so engrossed with snapping photos you weren’t actually present. Most people still use photographs to document life as it happens, as a proof of life, a memory of something sweet, special, important, or just because.  However, in order to improve or save a memory you need to do more than click it and forget it. 

For instance, take a close up image and it will help you to see differently, experience familiar terrain in a new light, remember an object better. Your camera can help you see in ways you never imagined, it invites you to notice, to look, to see and to focus.

So, focusing in and slowing down help us to see and to remember. Then, you need to interact with your images after you take them.  To do that you need to know where they are.  Your photos need to be organized and backed up. At the very least, take advantage of one of the services for automatic back up, like iCloud. Once the art of archiving images is lost and the images are trapped in the form of anonymous ones and zeros on digital storage, the memories and enjoyment are lost with them.

To complete the photographic experience, there should be some kind of hard copy output like a print, photo book, metal wall art, stretched canvas, textiles or photo jewelry. What makes prints a good option for you in the digital age? They’re inexpensive, easy to share, easy to organize and easy to store. They last. Your prints can tell a story without an internet connection or an electronic device.  They are especially compelling if you’ve labelled them.  Maybe that’s why a good, old-fashioned photo album has been the chronicle of choice for family history since the invention of the photograph. 

Since I missed seeing that black wolf, I’ve changed how I relate to what I see in Yellowstone and often let an experience be just for my eyes and heart so I can revel in the joy and awe they bring. When I do get out my camera now, its generally for a slowly unfolding sunset or something I want to focus in on, a stationary detail in a larger scene. And then, truly, my camera helps me to see. 

The first photographs were not literal representations of the world: instead, they were an interpretation of it. Today, photographs taken on an iPhone and apped with Instagram portray that familiar style. We’ve come full circle in capture, but not in output or printing.  Do something really important to preserve your family history so it can be shared and tell the stories that connect the generations.  Make prints.  Organize and back up.  You don’t have to do it all today.  Just start.  Maybe it’s time for the photo albums to be retro cool. Try it. I’m going to.

Brian D'Ambrosio is a writer/editor living in Missoula, Montana. D'Ambrosio is the author of more than 300 articles and five books related to Montana history, people, and travel.

Several people have said that the boxing scene in Montana is a joke.

But there isn’t a trace of a smirk on the face of promoter Hollis Huggins.

Boxing’s reputation is badly in need of a shot of pizzazz, and Huggins knows it.  

One of the steps in this resurrection takes place on April 5 at the Silver Spur Arena and Event Center in Belgrade.

Some boxing events end up looking like vaudeville shows – fans are treated to a bit of melodrama, a couple of comedy acts,  a tragedy, a dance act, and, lastly, a fight.

This one should be all fight.

In one of the night’s four professional bouts (the card includes several semi-pro matches and MMA competitions), Jesse Uhde (3-4), of Lakeside, meets Daniel Gonzalez (11-29), of Billings, for the newly formed Montana State junior middleweight championship (147-154).

Gonzalez is no stranger to long nights in the trenches. He has on numerous occasions gone six or more rounds; this will be Uhde’s first time fighting for six rounds.

“I’m going to be fighting really confidently,” said Uhde. “He’s fought 6, and 8, and 10 rounders many times, but I think that, skill-wise, and as far as speed and strength, I’ve got him beat. I’ve sparred for 12 rounds, and have been getting prepared for 10.”

Uhde is willing to trade punches without running away, and neither of the two fighters could ever be classified as overly-cautious. Gonzalez, 35, is a tough guy whose style will shed some blood on the trunks. (How tough is Gonzales? He was unavailable for comment because he is down in the mine shafts of North Dakota, working a straight five-day shift.)

“I’m not going to stand in front of him,” said Uhde, 35. “I’ve got twice the speed and I’m not planning on being easy to hit. If I do take a shot, I need to stay on my toes, and not get lured into a brawl. His game is to come forward – and keep coming forward.”

Uhde said that he plans to mix his punches well, directing most of them to the head, but switching occasionally to the body. Uhde the slugger plans to become Uhde the boxer.

“Both Jesse and Danny are two good fighters, who will mix it up and bang,” said Huggins. “Neither of these two guys will disappoint. Danny takes on all comers, and he has fought some great prospects. These guys are warriors. And it could be something of a crossroads fight for these guys. Somebody is going to take a new belt home and gain a lot of confidence to move forward.”

Huggins said that the Montana junior middleweight belt could become one of the most coveted titles in state sports. He already has a challenger lined up to fight the newly minted champion, perhaps even as early as September.

The main event features Mexican fighting legend Yory Boy Campas in an eight-round middleweight bout with a hardnosed Ukrainian named Mikhail Lyubarsky.

Other action will see a four-round match featuring former Montana lightweight champion Chris Asher against Eric Mafnas; Cotton Root battles Kevin Tjaden in a four-rounder.

Born in Kiev, Ukraine, Lyubarsky fights out of Hollywood, California. He owns a 3-15 record and has not won a fight since 2006.

Campas hopes to dispatch of Lyubarsky early and move on to at least one more bout as a major-gate attraction. 

But that’s jumping the gun.

Getting past the Ukrainian is no minor hurdle. At 25, he doesn’t plan on going down in a heap, trapped underneath a prone body. He plans to fight.  

“I’ve got nothing lined up past Yory Boy,” said Lyubarsky. “He’s my focus. I do have upsets on my record, including Donald Goodwin. I happened to be fighting in other guys’ backyards a lot, and it’s hard sometimes to get a fair handshake.”

Lyubarsky is more than a boxer; he is a student and historian of the sport. He has sparred with some of the best in the game, and he is training vociferously at the Hollywood Gym. He has fought in seven different weight classes.

“I’ve been away for the past three years,” said Lyubarsky. “I kept asking myself why I wanted to be involved in a sport that hasn’t given me love in return. Boxing wasn’t paying the bills. I love the sport, really. I’m back for Yory Boy. I believe in my power, and I believe in my conditioning and my training, and I know what is at stake.”

Lyubarsky understands the stakes, and so, too, does Huggins. As do all of the sponsors who’ve graciously supported Huggins. That list includes Insty-Prints of Belgrade; Mystery Ranch of Bozeman; Little Stinkers Septic Services; the Holiday Inn Bozeman; Belgrade Studios; North Star Services; EZ Auto Sales; AFT Salvage; Ressler Motors; Buds; The Art of Contrology; The Spotted Horse Café; Ben Thiede; and Doctor Green Thumb.

With Helena’s lightweight prospect Duran Caferro staying active, and another potential card discussed in September, maybe, just maybe, all that talk of the great passing of boxing will be rendered obsolete.

General tickets are $20 in advance or $30 at the door. Ringside tickets are $40 and tables for six are $450 and tables for eight are $800.  Tickets are available at the 49er Diner in Livingston, Belgrade Pilates, Insty Prints of Belgrade and the Three Forks Market. For information, call 406-209-1386 or 406-596-0416.

Montanans from all over the state will gather in the small town of Elliston tonight for what can only be described as a classic small-town tradition.

Hundreds of people will file into Lawdog’s Saloon to purchase hunting licenses for $15 apiece. But these licenses will not be used to tag elk or wolves.

These hunters are looking for something far more elusive, and far more mystical.

Bigfoot. Sasquatch. The Hairy Man.

“It’s crazy, but it’s fun,” said Beck Henne, who owns Lawdog’s with her husband, Bill, a former law enforcement officer.

Lawdog’s hosts the hunt each year as a way to herald the coming of spring.

It’s exactly what it sounds like: A man dressed up in a Bigfoot costume hides in the woods while hundreds of people stumble through the dark to find him.

The first lucky hunter to uncover his concealed figure receives a $150 prize.

All hunters receive a “hunting kit” when they get their license, Henne said. The kit includes “Bigfoot bait” — beef jerky — a whistle, a small flashlight and more.

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