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Last night the Dillon City Council started off with the approval of previous meetings minutes, then quickly moved along with Fire Chief Klose asking for the approval to appoint two new probationary firefighters, Shawn Horner and Marcus Osborne. With a unanimous vote, they were approved to the positions. Todd Hazelbaker, director of operations, began by giving his report of the city employees. He wanted to give credit to Christy Flintoff. Christy is the delivery driver for Meals on Wheels. This is a program that goes largely unnoticed in Dillon. They provide hot meals to 28 Dillon residents who may not be able to get a hot meal otherwise. Todd said in a recent delivery Christy came upon an elderly gentleman in need. She called 911 and stayed with the gentleman until help arrived. After doing this, she went on her way with the deliveries. Christy has also gone out of her way to provide food for residents out of her own expenses. Christy is one of those citizens that make Dillon such a great place to live. Next, Jim McIsaac and the Bicentennial Apartments donated money for the purchase of bulletproof vests to the Dillon Police Department. The vest wears down and deteriorates over time and the police had a couple that needed to be retired and replaced. During the Street and Alley Committee, the subject of a traffic study was brought up by Council Person O'Rourke, wanting to know if the traffic study will be done by the Chief of Police or by an Engineer. Council person Nye stated, "That the way I understand it, tickets that have been issued on Thompson Ave have been thrown out because there was no engineering study done; so there is no backbone to back up the ticket." From the discussion involving the council, the Chief of Police, and the City Attorney, the speed limit change on both Thompson Street, as well as Argenta street, were completed without the proper steps taken. To have a speed limit reduced, it would have to have a traffic study done by an engineer who is certified to do this type of work. In the past it was done by former Chief of Police Gutcheck, who did not have the power or authority to do this. The whole discussion begins at the 50 min mark of the video provided below.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will offer an online wolf trapping certification class on March 24, from 6 to 9 p.m. The class is required for trappers. To register for the class, please visit the FWP website follow the link “Wolf Trapper Education & Certification.” Because of current COVID-19 restrictions, the class will be online via Zoom. Students will be sent the Zoom address for the class after they register.

The new license year opens March 1, which means that is the day you can buy your 2021 hunting and fishing licenses and begin applying for permits and special licenses. The deadline to apply for deer and elk permits is April 1. Applications for most species – deer, elk, antelope, deer B, elk B, antelope B, moose, sheep, goat, bison, bear, turkey – can be made beginning March 1. Hunters and anglers can buy licenses and apply for permits on the FWP website beginning at 5 a.m.; click on “Buy and Apply.” Most FWP offices will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The licensing call center will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. from March 1 through April 1; after April 1, the hours will return to 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The call center can be reached at 406-444-2950. Remember, if you’re applying for a special license or permit, you will need to have a valid email address.

The Beaverhead County Board of Health met today (02/17/2021) to follow up on the new directives issued by Governor Gianforte. The meeting started off with a public health update from Sue Hansen: Beaverhead County has six active cases. Most coming in over the weekend. All residents in long-term care facilities have been given the second dose of COVID vaccine. Tuesday at 1 P.M. they will be doing a community vaccine in Lima and Wisdom for those who fall in the proper guidelines. The February 26th clinic in Dillon will have 450 appointment slots, this will include 200 first dose appointments and 250 second doses. The next discussion was around the Governors order 2-2021 . Board member Charlotte Quist pointed out that the order does not mandate the wearing of mask but highly recommends it. This brought up the same debate on the effectiveness of mask and the problems that follow with enforcing a mask mandate. Before voting on the mandate they heard from public comments, some from concerned parents and others just wanting more clarification on what the vaccine does and why they still need to wear a mask after the vaccine. After the discussion the board voted unanimously to follow the Governors directive and not impose stricter regulations.

Join us for our Lunch n Learn: Featuring Ken Westman, CEO of Barrett's Hospital. Come and hear an update on how Beaverhead County has gotten through the pandemic and an update on various strains and vaccines. Get your questions answered! Great opportunity to reward your employees with a lunch out! Thursday, Feb. 18th at 12 noon at The Den. Menu: Baked Potato Hash! Baked potatoes w beef, peppers and onions in a rich beef gravy! Cost is $18/pp. RSVP at info@beaverheadchamber.org or click the link to pay via Square. See you there! https://checkout.square.site/merchant/9C524GER3KQXW/checkout/FISTPDEZG774SZW7KVA4QHCA

The University of Montana Western football team will opt out of the spring Frontier Conference schedule, Montana Western administration informed the conference on Tuesday. “As the pandemic has progressed, the health and safety of our student-athletes has always been our number one priority,” Montana Western Director of Athletics Bill Wilson said. “As each week has passed, it became increasingly clear to us that moving forward with the conference football schedule was going to be very difficult at best. With scheduled games taking place as early as March, we had to make this very difficult decision.” "The entire span of this pandemic has been extremely unpredictable and difficult in a myriad of ways,” head coach Ryan Nourse said. “My heart breaks for all of the seniors who did not get a full season to compete one last time before they move onto the next journey in their life. The current choice provides a clarity and flexibility to our players.” The fall 2020 football season was moved to the spring of 2021 in mid-August. As the winter progressed, the likelihood of practicing, let alone playing, proved to be increasingly difficult. “Geography, weather and facilities are not on our side at Western, Nourse said. “We have had a harsh winter here and to practice and play on a natural surface is not safe. Frozen synthetic turf is tough enough to play on, but not as challenging and potentially harmful as frozen dirt and grass.” Montana Western will still conduct a regular spring practice schedule. All the team's seniors will have the option to return next fall. “We have an opportunity to put together a consistent and effective training plan to prepare for the fall of 2021,” Nourse added. “This gives us the option to schedule potential scrimmages or exhibition games later in the spring if and when we can safely be prepared to play."

The Frontier Conference administrators have elected to keep the “NO Spectator Policy” at basketball contests in effect for the remainder of the season including the upcoming playoffs. The basketball regular season games concludes this weekend with final regular season games played Sunday afternoon Feb. 21. The Frontier Conference post-season playoffs begin with both men’s and women’s opening round basketball games on Thursday, Feb. 25. The women’s games begin at 5 p.m. MST and the men’s games begin at 7 p.m. The semifinal games for both men’s and women’s games will be Saturday, February 27 with same game times as the quarterfinal matchups. The women’s playoff championship game is Monday, March 1 at 7 p.m. and the men’s championship is Tuesday, March 2 at 7 p.m. In ALL post-season contests the higher seeded team will serve as the host site and home team. Any ties in the league standings will be broken via a conference tie-breaking system. The Frontier Conference league championship will be awarded to the team with the highest conference winning percentage and will receive the No. 1 seed for the post-season playoffs. The second place team will receive the No. 2 seed. The two top seeds receive a first round bye. The other teams will be seeded according to conference winning percentage with the No. 3 seed hosting the No. 6 seed and the No. 4 seed hosting the No. 5 seed in the opening round games. The bracket will be reseeded after each round with the No. 1 seed hosting the lowest remaining seed and the No. 2 seed hosting the highest remaining seed. The two winners of the semifinal games will play for the tournament championship at the site of the higher seed. At this time, volleyball conference play will also continue with the “NO Spectator Policy” in place with continuous review by the league’s administration as that sport’s season progresses. Match times will continue to be 7 p.m. MST on Friday evenings and 1 p.m. on Saturday afternoon’s unless otherwise noted. Football games are set to begin on March 13 and league administration will continue to monitor and update spectator attendance for this sport as well. Kickoff times are scheduled for 1 p.m. local time unless otherwise noted. “The Frontier Conference wishes to thank everyone for their understanding and support of our teams, coaches and student- athletes during these times,” Frontier Conference Commissioner Kent Paulson said. “We know this pandemic hasn’t been easy for anyone but please know that as a conference we are trying our very best to provide the student-athletes the safest and best experience possible.”

Max Clark of Montana Western was selected the Frontier Conference’s Men’s Basketball Player of the Week. Clark is a 6-foot-4 senior guard from Lawrenceville, Ga. Montana Western went 2-0 for the week sweeping their road series at MSU- Northern. The Bulldogs won Saturday night 82-71 and 65-63 Sunday afternoon. For the week, Clark averaged 29 points, six rebounds and 8.5 assists. He was 25 of 37 (3 of 6, 3-point field goals) from the field and 5 of 6 from free throw line. His 39 points Friday night was a career high. Also nominated and listed in alphabetical order; Shamrock Campbell of Carroll College, Sindou Diallo of Montana Tech, Marcus Stephens of the University of Providence and Maxim Stephans of Rocky Mountain College.

(Links at the end of article will take you to the new directives in place.) Governor Greg Gianforte this morning issued two new directives and an executive order. The first directive rescinds and replaces all prior directives implementing Executive Order 2-2021, which the governor issued on January 13, 2021. Consistent with the governor’s announcement on February 10, the new directive allows the statewide mask mandate to expire. Local jurisdictions may still choose to implement their own mask requirements. “Since January 5th, I have provided a clear, consistent path to rescinding the mask mandate,” Governor Gianforte said. “First, we need to start getting the vaccine to our most vulnerable. Second, we need to protect businesses, nonprofits, places of worship, and health care providers from lawsuits if they make a good faith effort to protect individuals from the spread of coronavirus and follow clear public health guidelines. We have met both criteria, and the statewide mandate expires today.” Governor Gianforte emphasized how providing incentives and encouraging personal responsibility are more effective than imposing impractical, unenforceable government mandates. On February 10, Governor Gianforte signed S.B. 65 into law which provides a liability shield to businesses, nonprofits, and others who protect their workers, their customers, and their clients from the spread of COVID-19. “We will provide incentives to protect the health and safety of Montanans, and we will emphasize personal responsibility. Since we’re not out of the woods yet, I will continue wearing a mask and encourage all Montanans to do the same to protect themselves, their loved ones, and their neighbors,” Governor Gianforte said. As of this morning, Montanans have administered more than 167,000 doses, and nearly 47,000 Montanans are fully immunized. The state remains in Phase 1B of its vaccine distribution plan, which the governor updated on January 6 to protect the most vulnerable Montanans, including people 70 years of age and older, Montanans 16 years of age and older who have severe underlying medical conditions, and Native Americans and other persons of color who are at a heightened risk of severe COVID-19-related complications. In keeping with Governor Gianforte’s January 13 directive which removed restrictions on hours of service and capacity for businesses, today’s directive continues to encourage businesses to adopt industry best practices or public health guidance to protect their employees and customers. Today’s directive also continues to promote the use of telehealth services, protect vulnerable Montanans from eviction or foreclosure, ease licensing for health care professionals, and reduce regulatory burdens. The second directive repeals the election-related directive dated August 6, 2020. The governor also issued Executive Order 3-2021 which rescinds Executive Order 15-2018. “Our Constitution makes it plain as day: the Legislature makes our laws, not the governor and not the courts,” Governor Gianforte said. “It’s the responsibility of our Legislature to determine how Montana’s elections are conducted, and it’s the responsibility of our Legislature to determine whether an individual must disclose donations to a nonprofit group.” “These issues are up to the Legislature now, which is where they should have been decided all along,” Gianforte said. View the directive implementing Executive Order 2-2021 ; Executive Order 3-2021 , and directive repealing election-related August 6, 2020 directive HERE.

Issued By Great Falls - MT, US, National Weather Service Affected Area Gallatin, Jefferson, Broadwater, Beaverhead and Madison Description WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 5 AM MONDAY TO 5 AM MST TUESDAY ABOVE 6000 FEET... WHAT...Snow expected above 6000 feet. Total snow accumulations of 1 to 4 inches expected at pass level and up to 6 inches in the higher elevations. WHERE...Gallatin, Jefferson, Broadwater, Beaverhead and Madison. WHEN...From 5 AM Monday to 5 AM MST Tuesday. IMPACTS...Plan on slippery road conditions. Patchy blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Slow down and use caution while traveling. The latest road conditions for the state you are calling from can be obtained by calling 5 1 1.

TRANSCRIPT OF ROBO CALL SENT BY MR. SHIPMAN ON 2/14/2021 AT 7:00 PM. Good evening, this is Randy Shipman, Superintendent at Dillon Elementary School District #10 with an important message regarding an update to our mask policy here at school. Starting tomorrow, per Governor Gianforte’s directive, we will have a change in our mask mandate here at school. The governor issued a directive on February 10th that went into effect on February 12th. In this executive order, Governor Gianforte has rescinded the mask mandate set in place by former Governor Bullock that we have been operating under since August 12th. Therefore, the mask policy that was adopted at the regular scheduled school board meeting on August 11th will be followed. It states that masks are required for all staff members while teaching when social distancing of six feet cannot be maintained. For student’s, masks are strongly encouraged, but are not required for in person learning starting Monday, February 15, 2021. Social distancing measures, hand washing and cleaning/disinfecting will continue to be emphasized as well. As it is critical to remain open and provide the benefits of in person instruction and provide key support services for our students, I have asked my staff and will ask our students to not become complacent regarding our mitigation strategies. We will continue to work hard in the areas of physical distancing, hand washing, cleaning and disinfecting, and in encouraging the use of masks. We will stay alert to students who exhibit symptoms and signs of Covid-19 at school and immediately send them to the office. We will continue to constantly remind students, and ourselves, that we need to stay home if we are sick. Additionally, the office will continue to assist county health in identifying close contacts here at school. Finally, adult visitors to the school will still be expected to wear masks while visiting our school and the signs explaining the requirements will remain on all entrance doors to the school. As our district remains committed to maintaining timely and relevant communications with staff, families and the community, please contact the office if you have any questions. Please check our website at www.dillonschools.org for any covid-19 updates. Just a reminder that all robo call transcripts can be found on our district school website and Facebook page. Finally, thanks to all of our parents and guardians for making our school year a success thus far. Remaining open full time five days a week has been our goal from day one and I greatly appreciate your help with achieving that goal. Thank you and have a great evening. Mr. Shipman

DILLON, Mont. – Montana Western lost 1-3 to No. 18 Rocky Mountain College in a Frontier Conference volleyball match from the Straugh Gymnasium on the Montana Western campus. Set scores were 17-25, 25-19. 22-25 and 19-25. Several long rallies highlighted the very competitive match. With the loss the Bulldogs fall to 1-4 while Rocky improves to 4-1. Cady Siemon led the Bulldogs with 19 kills and 22 digs. More defensive help came from Tannah Sellers with 17 digs and Morgan Kirch with 15 digs. Monique Rodriguez led the Rocky offense with 15 kills and a hitting percentage of .244. Defensively, five Battlin’ Bears recorded double-digit digs led by the Frontier’s leading defender Anya Embry with 28. Montana Western and Rocky square off again, Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. in the Straugh Gymnasium. Photo Credit Terri Haverfield

The Rotary Club of Dillon will be selling ice melt tickets today and tomorrow at Town and Country as well as Safeway's. We sat down with Mike Blando of the Rotary Club and found out how the contest works and how they give back to the community.

University of Montana western head volleyball coach Katie Lovett has announced the signing of five student-athletes to NAIA letter's of intent for the 2021 season. Kaylee Fritz (5-7 - S - Glacier HS - Kalispell, Mont.) Kaylee Fritz is a setter from Kalispell, Mont. and will graduate from Glacier High School this spring. The team captain and 2019 all-star is a three-time all-conference selection and was named second-team all-state. She holds multiple school records: Aces in a four-set match (8), Career-Assists (1829), and a 0.365 Attack Efficiency. The multi-sport athlete was also team captain of the basketball team her junior year and has won letters in basketball, volleyball and track. She also excels in the classroom, being named Academic All-State selection seven times. "We are excited to have a player like Kaylee joining this program. Her efforts to contribute on and off the court are unmatched by most," Lovett said. "She is a phenomenal athlete and brings the type of grit that we are all about." Kelsey Goddard (5-7 - L/DS - Shadow Ridge HS - Las Vegas, Nev.) Kelsey is a defensive specialist from Las Vegas, Nev. and will graduate from Shadow Ridge High School this spring. Her senior season was cut short to due COVID. As a junior, she was named second-team all-conference and second-team all-region. As a freshman, she received the Mustang award for the highest caliber of play. "Kelsey is a quick defender who reads well, and has solid serve receive,' Lovett said. "She is a player that will help elevate our defense and will be a great fit on and off the court with our team." Taylor Peterson (5-8 - S - Evanston HS - Evanston, Wyo.) Taylor is a setter from Evanston, Wyo. and will graduate form Evanston High School this spring. The team captain received 4A West All-Conference honors as a senior and is a two-year letter winner. She is also the team captain of her club team, MP (Millennial Program). She is an officer in the National Honors Society and will graduate in the top five percent of her class "Taylor is a great setter with a ton of potential. She has a great touch and can place the ball consistently," Lovett said. "We are very excited for Taylor to grow with this program in the upcoming years." Jazmine Smith (5-11 - OH/MB – McMinnville HS – Mossyrock, Wash.) Jazi is an outside hitter and middle blocker from Mossyrocky, Wash. and will graduate from McMinnville High School this spring. In 2019 she was named all-state honorable mention, first-team all-league, player, and athlete of the year. In 2018 she was named first-team all-league and received player of the week honors. "We can't wait for Jazi to join the team next year," Lovett said. "She has a quick, heavy arm swing that will help our offense and she brings a high level of play to the program." Josie Thomas (5-11 - OH - Gardiner HS - Gardiner, Mont.) Josie is an outside hitter from Gardiner, Mont. and will graduate from Gardiner High School. She is a three-time all-state and all-conference selection in volleyball and also earned all-conference honors in basketball. Academically she is a member of the National Honor Society and is a three-time academic all-state selection. "Josie is a great person who will elevate everyone around her," Lovett said. "She is hardworking and is someone who will never settle for anything less than her best."

We have received word from Activities Director, John English, that the last 5 remaining home games for the Dillon Beavers will allow an additional 100 general admission seats in the B.W. Lodge Gymnasium. Tickets will be sold on a first come first serve basis. Sales start at 4 P.M. before each game at the gymnasium.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has offered internships to college students for 30 years. Opportunities in 2021 can be found on our FWP website at: https://fwp.mt.gov/aboutfwp/employment ; click on “Internships.” College students are given an opportunity to gain practical experience in their field of study by serving as interns for the agency. Students take what they learn in the classroom into a hands-on setting in the career world. Through this combined learning program, students become better prepared for the world of everyday work. Students usually receive academic credit and a grade while completing practicum requirements through their college. Students are urged to contact their college career placement office for current postings of announcements or visit the FWP website. Most application deadlines are in early March. For more information or questions, contact Debbie Cheek, statewide intern coordinator, at 406-439-8299.

Governor Greg Gianforte today signed Senate Bill No. 65 into law. The new law shields businesses, health care providers, nonprofit organizations, and places of worship from coronavirus-related lawsuits, provided they take measures to protect individuals from COVID-19 and follow public health guidelines. “On January 5th, I addressed how critical it is to protect businesses, nonprofit organizations, places of worship, and health care providers from lawsuits if they make a good faith effort to protect individuals from the spread of the coronavirus and follow clear public health guidelines,” Governor Gianforte said. “And the legislature delivered.” Governor Gianforte continued, “On January 5th, Senator Fitzpatrick introduced SB 65, and within a month, it cleared the Legislature with bipartisan support. I want to thank every legislator – Republican and Democrat – who recognized the importance of protecting businesses, nonprofits, and others that protect their workers, their customers, and their clients.” Senator Fitzpatrick, the bill’s primary sponsor, joined Governor Gianforte with Senate President Mark Blasdel, Speaker of the House Wylie Galt, and Rep. Mark Noland in celebrating the bill’s signing. “As an attorney, I know how important it is for folks to be protected from frivolous lawsuits. If you’re taking reasonable and responsible precautions to protect your employees, your members, your customers from COVID-19, you shouldn’t have to worry about unnecessary litigation. At the same time, this bill doesn’t give anyone a free pass and it makes clear that Montanans are protected from bad actors. There’s no immunity from lawsuits in the event someone is intentionally or recklessly creating a situation that leads to serious COVID-19 problems,” Sen. Steve Fitzpatrick, (R., SD-10) said. “It’s fitting that the first major piece of legislation signed by our new Governor is key to getting Montanans back to work and kickstarting our recovery from the economic devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic. With Senate Bill 65 signed into law, we’re beginning the Montana Comeback,” Senate President Mark Blasdel (R., SD-4) said. “The Montana House worked quickly to ensure that Senate Bill 65 was one of the first bills to reach Governor Gianforte’s desk. This is a priority bill for Republicans to get Montana’s economy opened up and protect businesses, churches, and individuals from COVID liability. I am glad to see the Governor signing it into law today,” Speaker of the Montana House Wylie Galt (R., HD-30) said. “We need folks to be allowed to get back to work. In order to do this, businesses must have protections from frivolous lawsuits. That is why I was honored to carry Senate Bill 65 through the House and thank Governor Gianforte for signing it today,” Rep. Mark Noland (R., HD-10) said. Organizations representing Montana businesses welcomed Governor Gianforte’s signing of SB 65. Todd O’Hair, president and CEO of the Montana Chamber of Commerce: “Liability protections related to COVID-19 emerged as a top issue for the Montana Chamber and the businesses we represent within weeks of the pandemic arriving in our state. On behalf of the business community, we'd like to extend our thanks to Governor Gianforte for his leadership in getting this bill to the finish line. SB 65 and its signing, is an important step in rebuilding our state’s economy.” Brad Griffin, president of Montana Retail Association and Montana Restaurant Association: “Restaurants and retailers across Montana have worked hard over the last year to keep their doors open while also protecting the health of their staff and customers. SB 65 is a critical to getting our economy going again, and I thank Governor Gianforte and the bill’s sponsor, Senator Fitzpatrick, for getting this legislation across the finish line.” Steve Snezek, executive director of Montana Building Industry Association: “Since the start of the pandemic, home building professionals have taken seriously their duties to protect their clients’ and employees’ health as we work in to keep folks safe and comfortable at home. SB 65 allows home builders to continue their work for Montanans with the assurance that observing best practices for COVID safety are a defense from unnecessary litigation.” Cary Hegreberg, president and CEO of the Montana Bankers Association: “We are extremely grateful to the Legislature and to Gov. Gianforte for recognizing the importance of getting this bill passed and signed into law as quickly as possible. Bankers throughout the State have worked tirelessly for a year now working with families and business owners struggling to make financial ends meet, and SB 65 goes a long way in minimizing liabilities for just trying to do the right thing.” Ronda Wiggers, on behalf of National Federation of Independent Business, Montana: “Montana’s Main Street businesses breathed a collective sigh of relief after Gov. Gianforte signed SB 65 into law today. The Governor’s action sends a clear message that he will not allow Montana small businesses to become victims of frivolous lawsuits. I commend Senator Fitzpatrick for shepherding this vital piece of legislation through the Legislature, and thank the Governor for signing it into law. Small businesses can now turn back to their normal, everyday struggles of keeping their doors open and working towards Montana’s economic recovery.” After the signing of SB 65 Gianforte stated he will be lifting the state issued mask mandate on Friday, but stressed that county ordered mandates will be left up to the individual counties.

In anticipation of the Great Backyard Bird Count, scientists from Montana Audubon will offer a virtual birding class on Wednesday, Feb. 10, at 7 p.m., through the platform Zoom. Every February, birders around the world count and report bird sightings from their own backyard. The 2021 Great Backyard Bird Count will occur Feb. 12 through Feb. 15. All of this data is compiled for scientific research. The class will cover the basics of eBird (an online database of bird observations), backyard birding and how to participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count. To register email corie.rice@mt.gov .

A social media post on the Beaverhead County Animal Shelters Facebook page announced yesterday they will be closing the thrift store located on East Center St. The post reads: It’s the end of an era, as the sun sets on the animal shelter thrift store, which will be closing at the end of February. This move will help to streamline our mission and allow us to focus our volunteer resources and community presence on the goal of rescuing, rehoming, and supporting pets. We are so appreciative of the work that Judy Carlson and her thrift store staff have put into running the store for so many years, and we owe a huge debt of gratitude for the generous donation of the store space from community member Betty Grosse. We're heading into 2021 with a new and very engaged board of directors and have every confidence that these changes will positively impact the shelter and the Dillon community (please note that people's property taxes will not be affected). Moving in a fresh new direction will take a village, and we're surrounded by an incredible one!

During a special meeting held Feb. 8, the Montana Fish & Wildlife Commission extended the late elk season in hunting district 580. The season will be open through Feb. 15 and is for antlerless elk off National Forest Lands. The meeting was held in response to landowner concerns expressed to FWP that shoulder season harvest is down this season due to mild winter weather. A 595-00 B license is required. Any hunter that holds a 595-00 B license can also use an unused general license during these seven days. The 595-00 B license is currently available as a surplus sale (approximately 400 are still available). Hunters are reminded to ask first before hunting on private land. For more information on access opportunities, hunters can go online to fwp.mt.gov , click on “hunting” and then on “hunt planner map.”