Montana – Page 5 – Syndication Server

Watch: Three mountain lions run alongside motorist on highway

Jay Kinsey was driving in central Montana last week when he caught up to three mountain lions running on a highway.

The accompanying footage shows the mountain lions, or cougars, pacing in a line before hopping over a guard rail into the snow and disappearing from view.

Kinsey then exits his car and focuses on the cats as they emerge from the base of a bush and walk farther from the road.

“It was definitely not something a guy comes across every day,” Kinsey, who lives in Lewistown, told MTN News.

He explained that he had previously seen crows and eagles feasting on a road-kill deer carcass and thought the distant objects might be more crows. “Then I noticed they were cats so I picked up my phone to [document the encounter] and show my wife and daughter when I got service.”

ALSO ON FTW OUTDOORS: Anglers land enormous Warsaw grouper after three-year quest

Kinsey told For The Win Outdoors that hunting friends told him he was watching a female mountain lion and two sub-adult kittens.

“I’d say they were right because she was always in the lead,” Kinsey said. “It was pretty neat to see. I’ve seen a few when out hunting deer and elk but never that close to them.”

The unusual encounter occurred last Thursday just west of Lake Sutherlin.

Startled moose injures elderly hiker on Montana trail

A hiker in Montana has suffered non-life-threatening injuries after being kicked by a bull moose that he and his companion encountered at close quarters.

A Montana hiker suffered non-life-threatening injuries last Wednesday after being kicked by a bull moose as he tried hiding under a fallen tree.

The surprise encounter occurred on U.S. Forest Service Trail 6317 (also called Jack Creek Trail) east of Ennis, according to a news release issued Monday by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.

Two men, in their 70s, saw the moose standing about 10 yards off the trail. Moments later, the animal charged in their direction. One hiker hid behind a tree trunk, while the other sought refuge in the branches of a fallen tree.

ALSO ON FTW OUTDOORS: Yellowstone grizzly bear tries napping outside in heartwarming video

The moose kicked at the branches, and the man, until finally fleeing into the woods. The injured hiker was treated at Madison Valley Medical Center.

While moose may appear docile, the large animals are powerful and unpredictable, especially during surprise encounters.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks posted warning signs in the area and reminded hikers to stay in groups when possible, and to make enough noise while hiking to alert large animals to their presence.

“If you encounter a moose, give it lots of space and don’t approach it,” MFWP stated. “If a moose charges or chases you, take cover behind something solid, such as a tree.”

–Generic moose image is courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Orphaned grizzly bear cubs get a home; that’s the good news

When grizzly bears and humans surprise one another in the wilderness, it’s quite often the bears that pay the dearest price.

A recent example is a story out of Montana, where three grizzly bear cubs were found huddled in a field on April 12 by a Pondera County rancher.

On Tuesday, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks explained that the cubs belonged to a momma grizzly that was euthanized after she had been shot by a hiker during a late-evening encounter near Dupuyer on April 9.

The sow, accompanied by one visible cub, bit the hiker in the thigh before the hiker shot the bear with a pistol. The hiker walked home and later received medical assistance.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks determined that the bear was defending its cub, or cubs, and not acting in a predatory manner. According to the Great Falls Tribune, the injured sow was located and euthanized the next day.

On Tuesday, FWP announced that after an exhaustive search for a suitable home, the cubs will reside at Bearizona Wildlife Park in Williams, Arizona. They’ll join 39 black bears and numerous other critters in helping to educate visitors about the importance of wildlife conservation.

FWP also explained that the bears were fortunate. Finding an accredited facility willing to house them required a six-week search and vetting process by FWP and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Finding homes for orphaned grizzly bear cubs has become increasingly difficult, FWP stated, and there may be cases when cubs have to be left in the wild or humanely euthanized.

With this in mind, the agency advises outdoor enthusiasts to always carry bear spray and avoid hiking alone or at dusk; to make enough noise to avoid surprise encounters, and to keep watch for bear tracks and other signs of bear activity.

For those who might be interested in learning more about the orphaned cubs, FWP will conduct a Live Facebook Event on Thursday at 11a.m. Mountain Daylight Time.

–Top image shows Ali Pons feeding one of the orphaned grizzly bear cubs; all images are courtesy of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks

Montana sports betting: Is legal sports betting available in Montana?

Is sports betting legal in Montana? We look at the latest information.

Yes, sports betting in Montana is legal.

Sports betting in Montana

Democrat Governor Steve Bullock signed two bills into law May 3, 2019, with one (HB 725) legalizing single-game sports betting. The other bill continued sports pools and pull tabs in bars/taverns, etc. … which were previously legal as an exemption to the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). Estimated revenues for the first full year of wagering in the state is $800,000, and there is a tax rate of 8.5 percent.

Online sportsbooks in Montana

Wagers can be made through the Montana Lottery app. There is a $1,000 maximum bet via the app, and the minimum age for betting is 18 years old.

Sports Bet Montana

Retail sportsbooks in Montana

While there are no physical sportsbooks located in any of Montana’s larger casinos, 180 kiosks or terminals were installed by the Lottery Commission, mostly in gas station casinos, bars and taverns. There is a $250 maximum bet via the terminals, but you can wager more on the app (see above).

For more sports betting information and betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com. And follow @SportsbookWire on Twitter and on Facebook.

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Badger moments: Jordan Taylor dominates Montana in 2012

Jordan Taylor thrives

The 2012 Wisconsin Badgers did what the 2011 team also did: They made the Sweet 16. This marked the first time ever that Wisconsin reached the Sweet 16 in consecutive NCAA Tournaments, a definite forward movement for Bo Ryan’s program.

In order for Wisconsin to reach the Sweet 16 in 2012, it first had to get through the opening round against the Montana Grizzlies. This was an East Region game under the (then-) new pod system which had various teams playing in geographically proximate areas on the opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament. Teams would then be funneled to the regionals in their proper geographic locations.

Therefore, even though this was an “East” Region game, it was played in Albuquerque at The Pit. Other teams from the Midwestern United States were higher up on the 1-68 seed list, which meant that Wisconsin had to be relegated to Albuquerque as the No. 4 seed. Vanderbilt was the No. 5 seed, so the Badgers — while not having home-court advantage — did not get placed in a site where the crowd would be heavily against them, either.

The complexity attached to this assignment, though, is that the Badgers played a first-round opponent which was, in fact, closer to the tournament site than UW. Montana had a shorter commute to New Mexico than Wisconsin. Given that Montana had won 14 straight games entering this contest, UW fans had reason to think this game could get tricky.

Jordan Taylor said, “Nope. I got this.”

Taylor was brilliant against Montana. Not only did he score 17 points, grab eight boards, and hand out six assists; as great as all those numbers were, he committed zero turnovers, perhaps his most eye-popping statistic.

Ryan Evans had 18 points and eight rebounds. Josh Gasser chipped in 12 points, and Rob Wilson added 10, but Taylor’s masterful control of the game at both ends of the floor was the main engine behind Wisconsin’s easy win. The Badgers led by 10 at the half and outscored Montana by 14 in the second half to cruise to the finish line.

The Niners used to be a Chiefs quarterback feeder system

For a while, Rutgers was a feeder system for the New England Patriots – or at least it felt that way because Bill Belichick liked every defensive back who went to New Jersey State University. Some general managers and coaches like to use specific …

For a while, Rutgers was a feeder system for the New England Patriots — or at least it felt that way because Bill Belichick liked every defensive back who went to New Jersey State University. Some general managers and coaches like to use specific schools as feeder systems because they feel comfortable. The Chiefs kind of used a feeder system from 1988 up until Patrick Mahomes graced the sideline at Arrowhead Stadium. That feeder system was the San Francisco 49ers.

Steve DeBerg quarterbacked the Chiefs from 1988 to 1991. He was drafted by the Niners in 1977 and played there until 1980. He started full-time in 1979. DeBerg had a few stops before he ended up in Kansas City.

It’s funny because Joe Montana took over for DeBerg in San Francisco in 1980. We don’t need to go over Montana’s great Niners career because it’s well known, but Montana did end up in Kansas City in 1993. There was only one season between the DeBerg era and the Montana era for the Chiefs. Montana stayed in Kansas City for two years. He was replaced in 1995 by Steve Bono.

Guess where Steve Bono played from 1989-1993 . . . yup, it was San Francisco. Bono only held on with the Chiefs for two years before they went to Rich Gannon and Elvis Grbac. Grbac was drafted by the Niners and backed up Steve Young until he went and signed with the Chiefs. That’s essentially four Niners quarterbacks in a row for Kansas City. Grbac stayed with the Chiefs until 1999.

Finally, the Chiefs took a little break from former San Francisco quarterbacks. They went with Trent Green who did know play with the Niners at any point in his career. That was followed by Brodie Croyle and Matt Cassel, but after that, it was time for the Chiefs to return to their roots. Those old 49ers’ quarterback roots.

Enter Alex Smith. Smith was extremely serviceable and led the Chiefs to multiple playoffs berths, but at this point, it had to be getting weird. Quarterbacks who had been drafted or played with the Niners had more playoff wins than quarterbacks who were drafted by the Chiefs. In fact, Mahomes is the first quarterback drafted by the Chiefs to win a playoff game in ages.

Now Kansas City probably doesn’t have to worry about getting a quarterback from San Francisco. That’s a good thing because Mahomes isn’t going anywhere and neither is Jimmy Garoppolo.