Time Capsule This week 23 years ago: Bison Range activities, Bear management, Polson girls golf at states

Lake County Leader, October 16, 2003

Specific activities being negotiated for Bison Range

MOIESE - Negotiations between the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and the U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service is ongoing for the performance of certain programs, functions, services and activities - not total management - of the National Bison Range Complex.

"People have high anxiety that the tribes would be getting complete management of the Bison Range," said Paul Hoffman, deputy assistant for Fish and Wildlife and Parks. "That's not what's being negotiated."

At a minimum, the Bison Range will still maintain a Fish and Wildlife Service manager, and will still be run under the powers and regulations of the National 10 Wildlife System Improvement Act, Hoffman said. 

"We're just dancing around the semantics," Hoffman said. 

In his role as the lead facilitator of the negotiations, he makes sure negotiations proceed in good faith, and that "everybody plays nice in the sandbox," he said.

Currently, negotiations are focusing on proposed specific activities at the Bison Range and Ninepipe and Pablo refuge systems within the Flathead Reservation.

Functions may include management of tribal employees and payroll for those employees, biological activities such as bird and waterfowl banding and various fire, maintenance and visitor services. 

Other opportunities may include the tribe's participation in long-term planning and student training for career employees … 

Fall is a busy time for bear managers 

POLSON - Each fall, black and grizzly bear activity picks up as bears of both species prepare for the upcoming winter. Bears begin searching out food sources and foraging at a greater rate than during the summer, increasing the risk that they will find unnatural food and come in conflict with people.

When they find "food, natural or unnatural, they will hang around until the food source is consumed or eliminated," said Art Soukkala, a Tribal Wildlife Biologist who specializes in bear management.

When unnatural items, such as garbage, pet foods or other food sources are available at a site repeatedly, the bear will develop an immediate dependence upon the food source and will return regularly until the food source is no longer available. When these return visits are in someone's backyard, the potential for conflict is high. "The conflicts will continue," said Soukkala.

"The only long-term solution is to eliminate the attractants or make them unavailable to bears."

Soukkala emphasizes that even if people do not mind a bear in their yard, eating pet food, or tipping over their garbage, they should try to prevent it. The bear is learning a behavior that will not be tolerated by neighbors. As bears get more used to feeding around people, they tend to get more aggressive and eventually often have to be killed…

Polson girls takes second at state golf 

POLSON - The host Polson girls golf team made a statement at last week's Class A state golf tournament, tying with the Whitefish girls at 739 to finish second as a team.

Colstrip won the team title at 716, and Billings Central's

Racheal Warren shot an 80-75-155 to win the tournament individual girls championship by seven strokes.

But with four sophomores and one senior, the young Polson girls let the rest of the state -- especially Whitefish — know that this year's finish is just a taste of things to come.

Jen Orchard and Kristine

Samsel led Polson by earning medalist honors. Orchard shot 88-86-174 to finish sixth and Samsel charged back after a disappointing 96 on Friday to shoot 87 in Saturday's final round and finish tied for tenth.

"Jen (Orchard) had her best two days of the year back to back," coach Bill Owen said.

"And Kristine Samsel was pretty disappointed after the first day, but she put together a nice round of 87 to be a big part of us finishing in second."

Sami Beaver finished 91-95-186, followed by teammates Cassie Dellwo, the team's senior, at 101-95-196 and Stephanie Rowold at 109-103-212.

Despite her youth, Beaver proved to herself, her teammates and coach that perseverance, patience and a short memory go a long way in golf…