Local briefs
Real Encounter Stunt Team to perform in Libby and Troy
The widely acclaimed Real Encounter Stunt Team will be performing five times in Libby and Troy area on March 11-13.
School assemblies are slated at Troy and Libby Elementary Schools on Monday, March 11, Libby Middle High School on Tuesday, March 12, and Kootenai Valley Christian School on Wednesday, March 13.
In addition to the school assemblies, they will perform for the public in the Libby Elementary School Gym at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 12.
The Libby Evangelical Association of Pastors and Libby Baptist Church are the local sponsors for this event.
Real Encounter competed in Season 9 (Episode 902) of America’s Got Talent. Their performance consisted of driving up ramps and flying 25 feet in the air while performing flips onto another ramp 75 feet away.
"As a ministry, we combine exciting elements and personalities in the area of Moto Stunting, Street Bike Stunting, Freestyle Motocross, Mountain Bike Stunting, Flatland BMX, BMX Jump Team, DJ and production simply as a means of connection with the culture," according to the group's mission statement.
Winter-spring birds, botany and basics of animal tracking class
Wildlife biologist Brian Baxter is hosting an outdoor educational program on Saturday, March 16.
The program includes winter-spring birds, botany and basics of animal tracking class.
"We will focus on finding and identifying winter-spring birds in their normal and migration habitats (raptors, waterfowl, woodpeckers, shorebirds and songbirds); identifying coniferous and deciduous trees, shrubs, plants and lichens; and search winter-spring field sites in snow, mud and sand for tracks and sign left by mammals and birds," Baxter said.
Designed for observing wildlife during the transition of seasons, this will be the last class in the Winter Ecology Series sponsored by Libby Hostel Base Camp offered in 2024. Meet at 9 a.m. in Libby for coffee and a quick briefing, then it’s off to several field sites of diverse habitats.
Participants must register by emailing b_baxter53@yahoo.com or calling 406-291-2154.
It is only open to adults and pets are not allowed. Limited slots for individual attention.
Hunting for male mountain lions closes in Lion Management Units 100 and 445
HELENA – By order of the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission, the hunting of male mountain lions has closed in Lion Management Units 100 and 445, except for Limited Special License holders, one-half hour after sunset on Wednesday, March 6.
The mountain lion quota in these LMUs has been met. For more information, visit FWP's website at fwp.mt.gov/hunt/by-species to check the current quota status, or call the toll-free number at 1-800-385-7826.
Changes to moose, antelope seasons in southeast Montana
As hunters prepare for the license year beginning March 1, they should be aware of some regulation changes to antelope licenses in FWP Region 7, as well as a new moose season.
New in 2024, hunters can apply to hunt moose in Region 7, with one either-sex tag available, valid anywhere in the region.
For hunters looking to pursue antelope in FWP’s Region 7, either-sex and doe/fawn licenses are no longer valid region wide. In December, the Fish and Wildlife Commission voted to divide Region 7 into a north and south unit using the Yellowstone River as the boundary for antelope hunting. The commission also passed a regulation to have separate either-sex and doe/fawn antelope licenses for the north and south units.
Antelope hunters will not see new hunting districts in the 2024 Deer, Elk and Antelope Regulations now posted on FWP’s website, but will instead see different licenses valid in either north or south of the Yellowstone River.
- North tags will be: 007-21 (either-sex) and 007-31 (doe/fawn)
- South tags will be: 007-20 (either-sex) and 007-30 (doe/fawn)
- Archery only either-sex tags are the same: 900-20 (first and only choice as well)
Hunters who are used to hunting both sides of the Yellowstone River will need to pay particular attention to this change.
The deadline to apply for antelope licenses is June 1, though you may apply beginning today. Antelope licenses are drawn later in the summer after biologists complete their summer surveys of antelope populations.
Additional doe/fawn tags (available sometime in August):
- Will only be available to those who drew 007-20 (no longer those who drew any R7 antelope tag)
- License number has changed to 705-30
- Licenses will only be valid in HD705 (no longer both 704 and 705)