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October 2006 |
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Tribal ID's Need to be updated - October 26, 2006
The Natural Resources Department
Division of Fish, Wildlife, Recreation and Conservation
staff encourages hunters to stop by the Enrollment
office at the new Tribal Complex and update their tribal
member identification cards if their current I.D. is out
of date. “Unlike a driver’s license, tribal I.D.’s are
not regularly updated,” said Tom McDonald, Division
Manager. “If you have a tribal I.D. without a picture
or you no longer resemble the picture on your tribal
I.D. please get a new tribal I.D.” he says. Tribal
member hunters hunting moose both on and off the
Reservation, hunting elk in the Ferry Basin Wildlife
Management Unit, or hunting bighorn sheep in the Little
Money Wildlife Management Unit are required to carry
their hunting permit and Tribal I.D. card on their
person. |
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2006 FALL MACK DAYS AWARDS - October 24, 2006
2006 Fall Mack Days on Flathead
Lake concluded October 21st with a fish fry and awards.
The final day events were held at the Blue Bay
Campground Pavilion.
Mack Day Events are sponsored by the Confederated Salish
and Kootenai Tribes and sanctioned by Montana Fish,
Wildllife & Parks as part of the ten-year Fisheries
Co-Management Plan between the tribes and the State of
Montana.
The goal of the plan is to restore a balance to the
native fishery of Flathead Lake by reducing the number
of nonnative lake trout under 30 inches in length. Lake
trout prey on native species such as bull trout and
westslope cutthroat trout. The cost-effective strategy
employed by CSKT and FWP is to rely on anglers to catch
and harvest the lake trout.
The number of entries in the Fall Mack Days event
increased over the past years and came to a total of 215
anglers who spent many hours over eleven /days fishing
for lake trout. Success of the event can be measured in
the number of lake trout harvested and donated to area
food banks. Total number of lake trout harvested was
4,370 with most of them being processed for area food
banks.
“The participation in the event was outstanding,” said
Cindy Bras Benson, Tribal Fisheries Specialist. “The
number of lake trout harvested shows the skill and
expertise of a great group of anglers.”
Over $15,000 in cash and prizes were given to anglers in
a lottery style drawing during the awards event. Top
angler award winner for $250 was Dean Vaughn of Charlo
with 192 lake trout entered. Second in the event was
angler Donald Schaeffer of Columbia Falls with 189 lake
trout entered. Paul Haines of Ronan came in third with
171 fish entered. Following in the top ten were Bob
Parot-Polson-with 168, Kevin Sparks-Thompson Falls-156,
Sid Bitney, Kalispell-149, Stacy Ross-Kalispell-136,
Marty Noyd-Missoula-133, Bernd Albrecht-Polson-121, and
Rodney Belcher-Kalispell-118.
Youth angler Baylan Connolly of Kalispell turned in 44
lake trout, Keegan Noyd-Missoula-43, Daniel Hunt-St.
Ignatius-15, and Ali and Bridger Gould-Kalispell-14
each, Austin Moran-Arlee-7, Stephen Naethe-Polson-6,
Frank Swan and Bryson Connolly-5 each, Mitchell and Emma
Decker-Corvallis, Joey Zanni-Lakeside-2 each, and
turning in one fish each were Rylee and Ethan Kobos-Kalispell,
Mikayla Lebert-Kalispell, Courtney and Garett Vaughn-Charlo,
Dylan Cooper, Jaiden and Parker Toth, Caleb Fredenberg,
Madison Foust, Tyler Iverson, and Isla Olson.
The first angler in the lottery drawing and winning a
cash prize of $3,000 was Jim Miller of Missoula, second
and winning $2,000 was angler and long time participant
Marty Noyd of Missoula, the $1,000 cash prize went to
repeat large fish winner Stan Ross of Kalispell, Dave
Sparks of Thompson Falls was the lucky angler winning of
$750. Fifth place winning check of $500 went to lady
angler Regina Parot of Polson, sixth place winnings of
$250 went to Lon Levitt of Kalispell, and winning $100
were Bernd Albrecht-Polson, Conn Hodgson-Kalispell,
Clyde Poole-Rigby, Idaho, Stacy Ross-Kalispell, Rodney
Belcher-Kalispell, William Barrett-Polson, Shawn
Madsen-Polson, Paul Lebert-Kalispell, Jim
Auger-Missoula, Dan Olsen-Kooskia, Idaho, Donald
Schaeffer-Columbia Falls.
Weekend drawings of $500 each went to Rick
Pederson-Hamilton, Kevin Sparks-Thompson Falls, and Lon
Levitt-Kalispell. Largest lake trout winner Rick Skates
receives a check for $500. Smallest lake trout winners
were Richard Zimmer of Pablo and Marty Noyd of Missoula
each winning $250. Glee Bratt of Kalispell won $100 for
his early entry. Captain’s prize winner was Jeff Gould
of Kalispell. The “Over 100 Club winner of $500 went to
Mike Polkwoske of West Yellowstone, $300 to Marty Noyd
of Missoula, and $150 went to Don Schaeffer of Columbia
Falls.
Door prize drawing of $250 goes to Richard
Howe-Kalispell and $100 to Don Toth of Dayton. Youth
anglers Baylan Connolly of Kalispell receive a $150
savings bond for his entry of 44 lake trout and Keegan
Noyd of Missoula wins second with 43 lake trout. Bob
Wards and Sons of Missoula donated a $50 gift
certificate won by Jerry Benson of Plains. Winners of
$10 gift certificates donated by Sportsman’s Warehouse
were Marian Cooper, Chris Polkwoske, Mike Benson, Bill
Swaney, Amber Wock, Paul Haines, Lou Moore, Richard
Howe, Sid Bitney, Dick Zimmer, Dean Vaughn, Sandy Koness,
Jerry Willet, and Rod Briske.
The Mack Days committee would like to thank each and
every angler who participated and contributed to the
event. The Committee would also like to thank Bob Wards
and Sons and Sportsman’s Warehouse for their donations
and help. Additionally, the Committee would like to
thank the students of the Spring Creek School at the
Camas Prairie Ranch who helped to organize the fish fry
and cook the lake trout.
The Mack Days Committee especially thanks the
Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes for sponsoring
the events and the fisheries managers and biologists for
their dedication and commitment to bringing a balance to
the native fishery of Flathead Lake. |
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LEAD POISONED TRUMPETER SWAN - October 20, 2006
The Tribal Wildlife Management
Program staff received an injured Trumpeter Swan that
came from east of Charlo last week. The swan was a
cygnet that hatched this year in the Charlo area. The
bird’s parents were likely swans released as part of the
Tribes’ Trumpeter Swan Reintroduction Project.
Tribal Game Wardens were called about the Swan that had
a couple of small puncture wounds on its torso. A local
veterinarian x-rayed the bird and discovered several
pieces of shotgun shot in its gizzard.
The swan also exhibited some symptoms of lead poisoning.
A bird with lead poisoning can have physical and
behavioral changes, including loss of balance, gasping,
tremors, and an impaired ability to fly. The weakened
bird is then more vulnerable to predators, or it may
have trouble feeding, mating, nesting, and caring for
its young. It becomes emaciated and nearly always dies
within two or three weeks after ingesting the lead.
Lead is a toxic metal that, in sufficient quantities,
has adverse affects on the nervous system and
reproductive systems of mammals and birds. This metal,
found in most fishing sinkers and some shot is often
involved in poisoning wildlife such as trumpeter swans,
loons, ducks, geese and eagles.
“Only federally approved non-toxic shot is legal to hunt
migratory waterfowl and upland game birds on the
Flathead Indian Reservation. This regulatory change has
been in effect for nearly twenty years.” said Dale
Becker, Tribal Wildlife Program Manager.
When lead sinkers are lost through broken line or
carelessly discarded into the water or when lead shot
sinks into ponds, waterfowl such as swans, loons, ducks
and geese inadvertently ingest them. Birds can then
swallow lead when they scoop up small pebbles from the
bottom of wetlands. Others birds, such as eagles, ingest
lead by eating waterfowl or fish which have swallowed
lead sinkers or lead shot.
Wildlife Biologists say that lead poisoning does not
have to happen. Sinkers and shot don’t have to be made
of lead. Ecologically sound and inexpensive alternatives
are locally available.
Becker stated, “Waterfowl and pheasant hunters have
switched to non-toxic shot types to help wildlife
managers address the lead poisoning issue, but old lead
shot is still present in the subsurface soils of most
wetland basins, and most fishing lures and weights are
still made of lead.” For more information on how lead
effects wildlife contact Dale Becker. |
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TRIBAL BROWNFIELD PROGRAM CONTINUES GREAT WORK -
October 18, 2006
In 2003, the Confederated Salish
and Kootenai Tribes began a Tribal Brownfield Response
Program and for the past three years it continues to
grow strong.
According to Marlene McDanal, the Solid and Hazardous
Waste Specialist II “A Brownfield is defined as real
property being inactive, discarded, and scarcely used
manufacturing and business facilities where growth or
restoration is difficult by actual or suspected
environmental contamination.”
As stated by McDanal the program ensures the protection
of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes natural
resources by inspecting the exterior boundaries of the
reservation for illegal or abandoned sites that might
comprise of solid and/or hazardous substance such as
Illegal dumping that consists of waste materials that
are unknown until investigated, these materials may have
the probability to contaminate the natural resources of
the reservation, and may cause severe health risks to
the public.
The program “conducts inspections through methodology
that consist of; sample collection, laboratory and
chemical analysis, field investigation, research,
observations, documenting, interviews, and inquiries.
This assists the program to ensure that the safety of
the tribes’ natural resources is met” said McDanal
After soliciting proposals for completion of Phase II
Environmental Site Assessments at three Brownfield sites
an environmental consulting firm Geomatrix with offices
in Missoula was selected to complete the Brownfield
Assessment Phase II Environmental Site Assessments.
These sites include the:
- Old St. Ignatius/ Wood Cock Dump,
Sabine Road, St. Ignatius, MT 59865
- Elmo Cash Store, 77070 Hwy 93,
Elmo, MT 59915
- Old Char-Koosta News Bldg.
If you need to report a potential
Brownfield site or would like an environmental site
assessment done at a potential Brownfield site or would
like information available in the public record please
provide the site location and contact information to
Marlene McDanal, the Brownfield Coordinator at mmcdanal@cskt.org
, or P.O. Box 278, Pablo, MT 59855. The Brownfield
coordinator can also be reached at (406) 675-2700. The
Natural Resources Department offices are located at 301
Main Street in Polson, Montana. Normal office hours are
from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday thru Friday. Closed
most holidays
More Illegal Dumping on the
Reservation
Illegal dumping issues continued to plaque the tribal
natural resources department throughout year as Marlene
McDanal, the Tribal Solid Hazardous Waste Specialist II
has cleaned up several illegal dumps located throughout
the reservation. Illegal dumping also known as open
dumps is a problem and a major health concern for the
reservation.
McDanal stated that the problems create “an increase in
materials in the waste stream of illegal dumping/open
dumps makes illegal/open dumps dangerous to human health
and the environment.”
Concerns of illegal/open dumps include: attracting
children and pets, children can be hurt by sharp
objects, come into contact with toxic materials and/or
contagious pathogens. Open dumps also attract insects,
rats, bears, birds, and raccoons which can attack and/or
spread disease. Open dumps can degrade the land within
our reservation; by destroying fish & wildlife habitat,
threaten cultural lands, and demean natural resources
such as recreational facilities.
“Please keep our precious children, environment, and
cultural lands safe and healthy. If you witness Illegal
dumping activity please notify the police or call me at
675-2700 extension 7215” McDanal said. |
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October 23rd thru October 29th, is Lead Poisoning
Prevention Week. - October 17, 2006
Lead is a toxic metal that can be
present in the paint, soil, dust and water in your home.
If you have a child under the age of six, you should be
alert to the danger of lead poisoning in your home
environment. Your children can get lead in their bodies
in different ways.
According to Rich Janssen, CSKT Environmental Protection
Manager children can get lead poisoning from eating
paint chips or soil that contains lead. It can happen if
they chew on surfaces that have been painted with
lead-based paint such as imported painted toys, Venetian
or mini blinds or window sills. Lead poisoning can come
from kids putting their hands or objects covered in lead
paint in their mouths. Also, if your children eat
certain candies or canned foods imported from Mexico,
they might be exposed to dangerous amounts of lead.
Children who have lead in their bodies are at serious
risk of damage to the brain which can lead to
developmental problems such as decreased intelligence,
hearing loss, and learning disabilities. Some common
symptoms of lead poisoning are headaches, abdominal
pains, clumsiness, irritability, and tiredness, but a
child with lead poisoning might not show any symptoms at
all. The only way to be sure if your child has lead
poisoning is through a simple test that measures the
amount of lead in the child’s blood.
Thankfully, you have the power to protect your child
from the harmful effects of lead. Here are five easy
steps that you can take to prevent your child from being
exposed to lead in your home:1)
Ask a doctor to test your childrens blood for lead, even
if they seem healthy. Your doctor can explain what the
test results mean and what action should be taken.
2) Feed your children healthy, low-fat foods high in
calcium, iron and vitamin C. These nutrients help to
prevent lead from absorbing into your child’s growing
bones.
3) Ensure that your children wash their hands before
meals and after playing. Also, do not let them eat
imported candies suspected of containing lead.
4) Wipe down window sills, banisters, floors and other
surfaces in your home with a damp cloth or mop at least
once a week. This will clean up any lead dust that might
be present in your home. Put the material used for
cleaning in a plastic bag for disposal.
5) If your home was built before 1978 and has peeling or
chipping paint, have your home tested for lead and fix
any hazards you may have. Contact your local health
department for guidance on how to safely fix lead-based
paint hazards in your home.
Your commitment to these simple steps will not only
protect your child from the harmful effects of lead, but
will ensure a brighter future for your community.
For more information on lead and lead
poisoning, contact the National Lead Information Center
at 1-800-424-LEAD (5253), c Contact the National Lead
Information Center (NLIC) at 800-424-LEAD (424-5323) to
speak with an information specialist as staff members
are available Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 6pm,
Eastern Time, or visit EPA’s website at
www.epa.gov/lead.
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CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE TESTING PROJECT INFO -
October 9, 2006
The Confederated Salish and Kootenai
Tribal Wildlife Management Program is beginning the
third year of a chronic wasting disease (CWD) testing
project. The chronic wasting disease-testing project
will assist wildlife managers in assessing the health of
resident wildlife.
The results of the project will allow the Tribal
Wildlife Management Program to examine both deer and elk
reservation wide. These findings will assist in
determining whether to continue the monitoring process
or proceed with a more active management plan.
"CWD has not been found within wild populations of free
ranging deer or elk within the state of Montana," said
Stephanie Gillin, Tribal Wildlife Biologist. "This grant
provides an opportunity to proactively examine resident
populations.’’ added Gillin.
The Tribal Wildlife Management Program will collect the
brain stems deer and elk or testing. The collection
process will begin October 9, 2006 and continue
throughout the hunting season. Hunters are asked to
assist this project by dropping off deer and elk heads
with the first and second vertebrae intact to the Tribal
Wildlife Management Program. If you harvest a buck or
bull and would like to keep the head or want to keep the
head of your harvested animal for any reason, simply
call and we can either work with the taxidermist, meat
processor or collect our sample on site.
“While we do not anticipate finding CWD on the
Reservation at this time, our concerns are for the
continued health of big game.” according to Gillin.
Deer and elk brain stems must be fresh and examined
within 2 days of harvest in order to collect a sample
for this project. Deer and elk heads can be dropped of
at the Tribal Wildlife Program office at the old Mission
Valley Power Office in Polson or call us to make
arrangement for an alternative drop site.
For more information about CWD or to participate in this
CWD testing project contact Stephanie Gillin or Germaine
White at 883 -2888. |
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