Author: Bill Walker

North Fork bear report from Justine

Sow grizzly bear spotted near Camas in northwestern Montana. - Montana FWP
Sow grizzly bear spotted near Camas in northwestern Montana. – Montana FWP

Posted a few days to Facebook by Justine Vallieres, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Bear Manager, Region 1 . . .

Hey everyone, sorry it’s taken me so long to reach out, but I wanted to apologize for not being at the interlocal meeting as I had some things come up that week. I also was out of the state recently for a bit so I am finally getting around to reaching out.

I am currently research and augmentation trapping. I have traps up the Deadhorse and Coal drainage, and I am also trapping up Hay Creek. The road that connects Hay to Red Meadow is currently closed for research and augmentation trapping. The roads are signed, but wanted to give a heads up. Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause!

As far as updates go for the interlocal meeting…we really did not have any conflicts up the North Fork this spring. It was just the normal reports of bears eating grass in yards. We know of at least one female with two yearlings and one female with three yearlings, and lots of individuals (to state the obvious), and also have one collared female for research up there.

There were no relocations of conflict bears up there this spring until last week. On July 25 there was an adult female relocated up whale Creek while I was away. She was caught on the east front near a cattle depredation, and was not the target bear. She is collared and has not been around homes.

That’s all I got for now! Thank you!

Larch that are turning brown should recover

Cross-posted from the North Fork Trails website . . .

Western larch leaves
Western larch leaves

Several folks have voiced alarm that a lot of larch are turning brown in the Red Meadow and Moose creek drainages. Elliott Meyer, Silviculture Forester for the Flathead National Forest’s Hungry Horse/Glacier View and Spotted Bear Ranger Districts, offered this explanation: Continue reading Larch that are turning brown should recover

First Aid/CPR/AED Course coming up Tuesday, July 22

First Aid/CPR/AED Class at Sondreson Hall, May 20, 2025 - W. K. Walker
First Aid/CPR/AED Class at Sondreson Hall, May 20, 2025 – W. K. Walker

Bob Lee will once again be giving his well-regarded First Aid/CPR/AED class in the North Fork this summer. It is an all-day course, starting at 9:00am and wrapping up by 4:00pm. The date is Tuesday, July 22. The course will be held at Sondreson Hall. Cost is $45/person. Bring your own lunch and drinks. Class size is limited to 10 people.

This class offers two-year American Heart Association (AHA) certification in First Aid, CPR and AED usage. If your job requires certified First Aid training, your current certification is expiring or if you just want to get up to speed on such things, this is an excellent way to get it done.

Contact Bill Walker, 406-407-2764 or wkwalker@nvdi.com to sign up for the course.

‘Montana-Nepal-Human Carnivore Coexistence’ presentation at the Hall, 7pm, June 24

On Tuesday, June 24th, 7:00pm at Sondreson Hall we welcome back North Fork neighbor, author, and world-renowned wildlife biologist, Diane Boyd. She will discuss wildlife-human challenges through the parallel lenses of Montana-Nepal-Human carnivore coexistence. A presentation of photos and videos will complement the conversation.

A short reading from A Woman Among Wolves and book signing will follow.

Snacks will be provided at both presentations and Q&As will follow!

Live band at the Summer Dance and Social, 7pm, June 23, at the hall!

The Unstrung String Band – Bill Rossiter of Whitefish on banjo, Al McCurry of Trego on guitar, and Marion Boatwright of Bigfork on fiddle.

The Unstrung String Band is coming back this Saturday at 7.00 pm at at Sondreson Hall.  Debo will lead the contra and square dancing suitable for all ages and abilities. The hat will be passed for donations to cover the band.  Forget the weather and come and have fun!

Issues for the 2025 North Fork Summer Interlocal

Some of the local and agency attendees at the Summer North Fork Interlocal Agreement Meeting on July 10, 2024 – W. K. Walker

In case some of you are North Fork residents/landowners, but are not on the Interlocal mailing list, Here’s a copy of a recent email about submitting local issues and concerns for discussion at the meeting…

Hi, folks.

This year’s Summer 2025 Interlocal  Agreement Meeting is hosted by the North Fork Landowners Association on July 9, 1:00pm, at Sondreson Hall. It is preceded by the annual Firewise meeting at 9:30am and lunch at noon.

For those of you new to this, Interlocal meetings are held twice each year, winter and summer. These semi-annual get-togethers are intended to encourage open discussion between North Fork landowners and neighbors, and local, state and federal agencies. In other words, it’s a big deal if you have an interest in the North Fork.

As a convenience (it’s not required), I’m serving as a central point of contact for issues that North Fork organizations and individuals would like to see addressed by the various government agencies represented at the meeting. If you’ll send me your issues via email to wkwalker@nvdi.com by the afternoon of Wednesday, June 25, I’ll see to it that they get passed on to the various organizations in enough time for them to prepare their presentations.

Please feel free to get in touch if you have any questions.

Bill

Two Bear Air at Sondreson Hall, Sun, June 8, 6:30pm

This Sunday, June 8th, at 6:30pm, Two Bear Air will be present at the NFLA membership meeting! Please join us for a demonstration and discussion at Sondreson Community Hall.

Note on parking: Please park close to the building, or along the North Fork Road. Do not park at the end of the parking lot closest to the road! this will allow room for the helicopter to land.