Hunting Wrap Up
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THE LOCAL NEWS OF THE MADISON VALLEY, RUBY VALLEY AND SURROUNDING AREAS Montana’s Oldest Publishing Weekly Newspaper. Established 1873 75¢ | Volume 143, Issue 6 www.madisoniannews.com Thursday, December 4, 2014 Barrett named president-elect of Montana Senate Abigail Dennis ate running by assigning bills “I ran the senate for a house for the upcoming session. was elected to the senate. this area,” Schulz said. “It puts The Madisonian to committees and scheduling week last term and enjoyed “Since coming to the “My life revolves around her working very closely with [email protected] floor sessions, Barrett explained. it,” she said. “Things moved legislature 14 years ago, I livestock, water issues, wild- the governor and various depart- Barrett, who serves Sen- smoothly and I knew it was have either been the chair- life populations, public land ments in the state government.” Senator Debby Barrett, ate District 36, which covers something I could do.” man of a committee or elected issues, natural resource devel- Schulz said her position R-Dillon, was named president- Madison, Beaverhead and parts At a caucus meeting imme- to leadership,” Barrett said. opment, predators and private will give her a “front-row” elect of the senate last week. She of Jefferson diately following November’s “I wanted the opportunity to property rights,” Barrett said. seat to what is happen- will serve the position for the County, was general election, Barrett was have the leading position.” “Those issues are the focus of ing in the legislature. upcoming legislative session. vice speaker of nominated for the presidency Barrett was first elected to the bills I’ve sponsored dur- “She’s not someone who On the first day all the sena- the senate in the by Senator Matt Rosendale, the Montana House of Repre- ing my years as a legislator.” is going to sit back and watch tors are sworn in – Jan. 5, 2015 2013 legisla- R-Sidney. She ran against sentatives in 2000 – she served Madison County com- the world go round,” Schulz – Barrett must again be elected tive session. Senator Rick Ripley, R-Wolf eight years as the representa- missioner Dave Schulz concluded. “She is going to be by a majority of the 50 members That experi- Creek, and was elected by the tive for Beaverhead County, said Barrett’s new role a very active senate president.” of the senate before she formally ence generated Republican caucus as presi- where she lives and works on will benefit her district. Barrett said the Republican becomes president. The presi- Senator her interest in dent elect. Republicans hold a cattle ranch. When Barrett “Having someone in that dent of the senate keeps the sen- Debby Barrett the new role. the majority in the senate and termed out of the house, she capacity has obvious benefits to Turn to BARRETT on pg. 2 HUNTING WR AP UP Virginia City tourism benefit to Madison County Abigail Dennis impact those areas have to the The Madisonian greater region … we’re looking [email protected] at a broad economic impact.” Maybe the most meaning- Virginia City and Nevada ful finding shows that for every City are popular destina- dollar the state invested in the tions for Montana tourists towns, they got a return of $48, and out-of-staters. Now, a which is a 4,700 percent return Courtesy of FWP. recently released economic on investment, according to impact study about the towns Elijah Allen, executive director shows how they affect Madi- of the Montana Heritage Com- General big game season on son County as a whole. mission, which is the organiza- “Virginia City and Nevada tion that manages the towns. City are huge attractions for That $48 is distributed trend with years past visitors taking a back route to statewide, Allen said, and in- Yellowstone National Park,” cludes what the hotel industry, Abigail Dennis The Alder check station season than last year.” from the southwest To- said Rob Gilmore with the restaurants, retail shops and The Madisonian has only been operating for Waltee said that trend was bacco Root (Mountains).” Northern Rocky Mountain Eco- more make from the visitors. [email protected] two years – Waltee said he driven by two things: hunters On the other side of the nomic Development District, has been gathering produc- could harvest antlerless elk all county, FWP biologist Julie “I am hopeful that citizens the organization that com- Montana’s general big tive information and plans to season this year as opposed Cunningham ran the Cameron along with the Montana state pleted the study. “We’re trying game season drew to a close on continue running the check to the first two weeks of the check station. Though all the legislature realize that this to understand the economic Nov. 30, and Madison Coun- station next hunting season. season last year, and a storm “data crunching” from the historical site not only repre- ty’s two check stations showed “Our harvest was up a front rolled in near the end of Cameron check station is not sents the early beginnings of Montana’s history and heritage average hunter success. little bit this year,” Waltee ex- the season and pushed some complete yet, Cunningham “The findings show “Generally speaking, we plained. “I checked 71 elk this elk down out of the mountains. said it was an above average but it contributes to the tour- just how much Virginia ism and economic stability of saw about the same number of year relative to 62 last year.” The majority of the year in terms of harvest. and Nevada City con- hunters as we did last year,” Though there were more hunters Waltee sees comes “We had a good num- Montana’s success,” Allen said. tributes to the overall “The findings show just how Fish Wildlife and Parks biolo- hunters earlier in the season, from the Gravelly, Snow- ber of elk, which is prob- state economy and gist Dean Waltee, who manned harvest distribution was differ- crest, Greenhorn and Ruby ably because we had a more much Virginia and Nevada City Madison County.” contributes to the overall state the Alder check station, said. ent than last year, Waltee said. Mountain ranges he said. liberal season type in the – Elijah Allen, “The bulk of the hunting “We had fewer elk har- “I’d say 85 percent comes area,” Cunningham said. economy and Madison County.” executive director, The state purchased the pressure came in the first two vested earlier in the year,” he from the middle and up- The more liberal sea- Montana weeks of the season and then said. “We had significantly per Ruby,” he said. “The Turn to V.C. on pg. 2 hunter numbers declined.” more harvested later in the remaining 15 percent are Turn to HUNTING on pg. 2 Abigail Dennis/ Weak snowpack means The Madisonian CARCASS An early cold snap this year followed by a large snowfall avalanche danger made the snow pack unstable. COMPOSTING Abigail Dennis to stabilize the snowpack,” Nevada City dump proposed The Madisonian Chabot said. “The facets on [email protected] the ground right now are not site for composting facility as bad as they were last year, The Gallatin National Forest but they’re still significant.” Abigail Dennis posting site include conservation Avalanche Center (GNFAC) list- Chabot said his fingers are The Madisonian districts, watershed groups, Mad- ed the avalanche threat level as crossed that the backcoun- [email protected] ison County government, ranch- ‘considerable’ for the Madison try will start to strengthen ers, the Montana Department of and Gallatin ranges on Mon- in the next month. The idea for a carcass Transportation, Montana Depart- day, Dec. 1, downgrading from “I’m more hopeful right composting facility in Madison ment of Natural Resources and a warning issued last week. now than I was last year at County has been kicked around Conservation, National Resource Avalanche conditions are this time,” he said. “What’s for two years – now, the diverse Conservation Service and Mon- prevalent throughout South- incredible and amazing partners involved in the plan tana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. west Montana, according about the snow is that stabil- have narrowed down a site they The proposed Twin to Doug Chabot, avalanche ity can change so quickly.” think would be conducive to Bridges site was abandoned specialist with the GNFAC. housing a composting facil- after the partners received “Two weeks ago, when Heading out in the ity – the Nevada City dump. public comment and a vari- we had a really serious cold mountains? “It’s the same process we ety of issues were raised. snap, all the snow on the If you are recreating in went through with Twin Bridg- “The main reason was the ground turned into sugary the backcountry, Chabot es,” Kris Inman with the Wildlife proximity to the (Twin Bridges) facets,” Chabot said. “Those recommends digging snow Conservation Society said, refer- airport,” commissioner Dan facets are really weak.” pits to check for the weak ring to earlier in the year when Happel explained. “There was Those weak facets were then facets at the ground layer. the Twin Bridges dump was still some resistance from the airport given the task of supporting “If you see that weak layer, a proposed site. “We want to get board, which made sense. more than three feet of snow in you have a problem,” he said. public input and give people an There was concern that the the mountains in Madison and “That layer isn’t everywhere. opportunity to ask questions and (facility) may attract birds.” Gallatin counties, Chabot said. You can get out there, but use tell us how they feel about it.” The group spearheading the “Basically, we’re look- extra caution, especially if The diverse partners involved facility received a $10,000 grant ing for small loading events you’re going on anything steep.” in organizing and facilitating the implementation of a carcass com- Turn to CARCASS on pg.