Hayden is an adult male Swainson’s Hawk who was rescued after he was hit by a car on an Idaho highway.

See Hayden:

Montana Audubon Center brings in program to teach about raptor conservation

“They’re not able to return to the wild, and because of that, we are able to take them in as rescues. We use them in educational programs to teach folks about the incredible wildlife that we have right in our own backyard and give folks an opportunity to see a lot of these species up close,” said Melissa Hill, Buffalo Bill Center of the West’s Live Raptor Program Manager.

He now lives at the Draper Natural History Museum in Cody as part of their raptor experience, helping educate visitors about the birds of prey that call the Western US their home.

On Saturday, Hayden and those from the museum came to the Montana Audubon Center in Billings to teach a lesson in conservation.

“We’re trying to get people to be more knowledgeable about raptors and raptor migration. It’s a really cool and rare opportunity to get a live hawk here,” said Montana Audubon Center Events Coordinator, Halei Akins.

“That might kind of create a spark that will make them interested in wildlife around the globe and hopefully start thinking about some of the actions that we take on a daily basis that we don’t think about could have a big impact on the entire world around us,” said Hill

The aim is to teach attendees to the lesson on how to prevent raptors like Hayden from dying of human-related causes in the wild.

Those from the program say using alternatives to lead ammunition, paying attention behind the wheel, and not using poison to kill rodents are some of the best ways to help.

“Anything that is going to make the world a better place for us typically makes it a better place for wildlife as well,” said Hill.

Those at Montana Audubon say the goal of this event and all of their events are to inspire Montanans to give a hoot about birds and all wildlife.

“When the community is more in touch with our ecosystems and the outdoors in general, they tend to be more involved. And we hope that especially for the kids coming out here, it makes a difference in their mindset and in their connection to the world around us,” said Akins.

A postcard that came under fire from Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen is not a violation of Montana’s code of ethics or other campaign laws, Commissioner of Political Practices Chris Gallus said Friday in response to a complaint.

In a letter rejecting the complaint, Gallus said the mailing could be viewed as partisan but that doesn’t mean it creates a violation under his jurisdiction.

Last week, a Harlowton voter filed a complaint alleging the Secretary of State’s Office should not have used taxpayer dollars to pay for the postcard, which said “only citizens should be allowed to vote.”

The Secretary of State’s Office has not responded to a question about the cost of the postcard or how many Montanans received it. Montana has nearly 785,000 registered voters.

The postcard announced a partnership with the federal government to “strengthen election security” and featured a picture of Secretary Christi Jacobsen and President Donald Trump.

The complaint said the postcard pushed a false narrative that “elections are rigged” and “someone other than citizens” are voting.

However, Gallus said the complaint does not clearly allege any violation of statute over which he has jurisdiction. He also said elected officials have a responsibility to communicate with citizens, and voters elected the Secretary of State based in part on her political leanings.

“Expecting that all communication following an election would be devoid of a political bent so as to avoid any criticism or open debate is unreasonable and impracticable,” Gallus wrote in the letter.

Gallus said he wanted to address the complaint in detail because his office has received numerous inquiries about the postcard in relation to “the use of government funds or resources.”

“Montana’s elected officials routinely provide communications to Montana citizens which under a certain lens may appear to be political,” Gallus wrote. “Montana laws do prohibit the use of public resources for political purposes.”

But he said he and staff in his office reviewed the mailer, and it does not appear to violate any provision of the Montana Code of Ethics or any campaign regulation because it “does not have a political purpose” as defined by law.

In making that determination, he said, he looks for words that solicit support or opposition to any political committee; nomination or election of a person to public office; or passage of a ballot issue. That means language such as “vote,” “oppose,” “support,” “elect,” “defeat,” or “reject.”

Gallus said his office also looks at whether material depicts a clearly identified candidate, party or ballot issue “in a manner that is susceptible of no reasonable interpretation other than as a call for the nomination, election or defeat” of the candidate or issue.

Gallus said it is a high bar, and the postcard doesn’t meet the threshold. He said neither Jacobsen or Trump are currently running for office, and the mailing doesn’t include any express words of support.

“Public officials have associated duties, which include communicating with constituents,” Gallus wrote. “For Montana’s Secretary of State, this means communicating with all voters regarding elections, voting and the SOS positions on citizen only voting, which she appears to be doing here.”

In a subsequent news release, the Secretary of State’s Office said it had identified 23 potential non-citizens who had voted. A spokesperson did not answer questions about when they most recently voted, what counties they had voted in, or what the next steps would be.

Missoula County Elections Administrator Bradley Seaman said earlier the 23 potential non-citizens indicated the current system is working well; it represented 29-one-thousandths of 1 percent of voters.

Seaman also said it is important to address those findings as soon as possible. He pointed to a recent tied vote in Missoula County where one vote would have made a difference. (In that case, a council race, the Missoula City Council made the appointment.)

To vote in Montana, people need to be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old before the election, and a Montana resident for at least 30 days before the next election.

Jacobsen mailer question_Beley response letter (1)

GREAT FALLS — Governor Greg Gianforte on Friday today praised the federal Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) proposed decision to cancel grazing permits authorizing bison grazing previously issued to the American Prairie.

Mixed reaction to BLM decision to cancel American Prairie Reserve bison permits

“Today’s decision by BLM is a win for Montana’s ranchers, our agricultural producers, and the rule of law,” Gianforte said in a news release. “For years, we have raised serious concerns about the federal government’s failure to listen to the folks who live and work the land. By proposing to cancel these permits, BLM is finally acknowledging that federal overreach cannot come at the expense of our local communities and the production agriculture that feeds our nation.”

Gianforte said the proposed decision marks a “significant victory” for agricultural producers and rural communities across Montana and the United States, reversing a prior federal authorization that allowed APR to graze non-production bison on over 63,000 acres of federal public lands.

“This administration will always stand with our farmers and ranchers against federal overreach,” Gianforte said. “We will continue to protect our way of life and ensure that Montana voices are heard in Washington, D.C.”

American Prairie CEO Alison Fox responded to the decision by calling the outcome “unfair, deeply disappointing, disruptive, and inconsistent with long-standing public-lands grazing practices in Montana.”

Fox said in a news release, “Our organization and conservation model remain resilient, but that does not negate the fact that this creates uncertainty for all livestock owners who depend on public lands for grazing. We have followed the law, complied with every requirement, and prioritized transparency at every step.”

Fix emphasized that her organization is merely seeking equal treatment under the law, not special treatment or a change in precedent. Fox noted, “We have had permission to graze bison on BLM land since 2005, and have done so successfully for the past 20 years.”

Beyond land stewardship, American Prairie’s bison program has delivered significant and measurable benefits to Montana communities. The herd has helped feed Montana families through hundreds of public harvests, and local organizations have raised more than $150,000 over the past decade by raffling donated bison harvests — funds that stay in local communities.

Fox said American Prairie is reviewing the decision and determining its course of action, and will continue to advocate for a public-lands grazing system that is lawful, predictable, and applied equally.