Killing Urban Whitetail Deer

Whitetail Deer are invading our cities out West. The term "urban whitetail" has been coined to describe these animals that live within the city and reproduce here as well. They don't just move down from the mountains during the winter months anymore. They live here year 'round.
The problems they cause include raiding of gardens and collisions with vehicles.

The City of Helena, Montana, proposed to kill 350 animals, which would be about half the estimated 700 that inhabit the city. That number was reduced to 50 in a pilot project approved by the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission. Helena is a city of 20,000 or so.

The project is underway. Collapsible traps are set up and baited with fruit, etc., and the animals are trapped during the night. Officials then collapse the traps to the ground. Fawns are released. Their mothers are killed. The animals are butchered and the meat is donated the local food bank, Helena Food Share.

The Mayor of Helena is Jim Smith. Here is his e-mail: jsmith@ci.helena.mt.us

Check out my Restless Retirement blog at Retired and Restless. You may also enjoy the Missoula Recreation scene at Missoula Outside

Farewell to James Crumley, Storyteller

James Crumley, the writer who created tough guy detectives and nefarious characters with offbeat approaches to life that matched his own, died on September 17, here in Missoula, at age 68.

Not only did I read his novels and appreciate his skills as a storyteller, I admired his attitude toward life. I wish I could imagine myself even half the writer that he was. The fact that he lived here and often included the local Missoula scene in his novels made for an added attraction in picking up one of his novels and quickly appreciating his talent with words, setting, mood, and characterization. In Crumley novels, the characters became the story; plot was secondary, and we loved it. Crumley found a lot of his inspiration at Charlie’s Bar (at the corner of space and time), here in Missoula.

Crumley published eleven novels. The most recent novel is The Right Madness which opens with a beautiful description of a Missoula evening here in western Montana. I think his best known work, if not his Best Work, is The Last Good Kiss. One of the most famous opening lines in all of hard-boiled crime fiction begins The Last Good Kiss, thus:

“When I finally caught up with Abraham Trahearne, he was drinking beer with an alcoholic bulldog named Fireball Roberts in a ramshackle joint just outside of Sonora, California, drinking the heart right out of a fine spring afternoon.”

Another of my favorites is Bordersnakes, set in the Southwest, which features his famous protagonists C.W. Sughrue and Milo Milodragovitch, two cynical, tough, detached, and totally unforgettable characters, teaming up to tell the story.

I only know that James Crumley died from “medical complications.” His family was with him at the hospital.

Although he wrote like a “tough guy,” he had a big, gentle heart. We will miss him.


Check out my Restless Retirement blog at Retired and Restless. You may also enjoy the Missoula Recreation scene at Missoula Outside

HOMECOMING WEEK !

What a terrific time of the year! Not only do we have the September weather, we have the University Homecoming Week, which began yesterday, on Sunday, September 14. (There was a little "kick-off" at Southgate Mall with the Dance Team and Monte, the Griz mascot.)

Wednesday evening at 8 pm will be the big pep rally and traditional "Singing on the Steps." The UM Marching Band will be performing along with the Cheerleaders and Monte again.

This guy, this mascot, does something like 450 appearances every year. (The duties are shared between two identical "Monte's")

There will be a big Homecoming Dance at the Holiday Inn Parkside on Friday night at 9 pm with the UM Alumni Jazz Band.

Homecoming Parade is Saturday at 10 am down Higgins Avenue, and then, of course, there is a big Alumni Tailgate party in the East Auxiliary Gym at the Adams Center, which is actually a pretty good way to watch the game with a bunch of other "crazies" who don't have tickets. The Tailgate starts at 11 am, and the game kicks off at 1:05 with the Grizzlies hosting UC Davis (the "Aggies")

You can find the complete schedule at the GrizAlum website.


Check out my Restless Retirement blog at Retired and Restless. You may also enjoy the Missoula Recreation scene at Missoula Outside

Missoula in September Best Weather in the United States

I know that San Diego touts itself as "America's Finest City" and brags that it has the best October weather in the continental United States. Ummm...I loved San Diego Octobers, and I lived there for 17 years. Beautiful autumn days of moderately warm weather and sunny skies, punctuated with clear and crisp evenings. No bugs, No clouds, No rain. Well, that describes Missoula in September...absolutely perfect weather. Now, admittedly, October in Missoula can begin to get nasty, with some overcast and too cool days, and nights down into the frost zone. Yes, October Halloween night is often really too cold for trick-or-treating...hoodies and parkas for all.

But back to September. This is just gorgeous. Had to put a photo or two on here just for effect, you know? (Note: clicking on photos will open up the full-sized shots, which are quite large.)

But truly, September is a great month for vacationing in Missoula and all of western Montana. Most of the tourists are gone and the highways are clear again. Once you are up in the mountains you can enjoy the beginnings of autumn color...any day in September! Football is in the air, hunting season is just around the corner, autumn fishing is the best of the year. Life is goo.

Goo? Oops. Good. Life is good. Here is a photo of Coby, our Lab-Rott cross who thinks he is a lap-cat. First camp-out without car sickness. Woo-HOO!!




Check out my Restless Retirement blog at Retired and Restless. This year's Presidential Election Race is covered in my political blog, Election Issues Decision 2008. You may also enjoy the Missoula Recreation scene at Missoula Outside