Animals of the Greater Yellowstone Region
Elk
	© Daryl Hunter - The Hole Picture Bull elk forages in a pond west of Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park Elk were named by the early settlers, but some people prefer to call it by the Shawnee name wapiti (WAA-pi-tea) meaning "white rump." The name "elk" is a bit confusing because in Europe, moose are called "elk." and the European "red deer" is the same as the North American elk, which muddies the water even further. Evidently the same naming scheme that called for the American bison to be called a buffalo. Elk were valued by the early settlers and Native Americans as a valuable food source, hides and fur for clothing, and antlers for utensils and trophies. Today elk are economically valuable for hunting and tourism they bring to the mountains of the west. At the turn of the century, commercial game hunters, hired riflemen and subsistence hunters had killed off most of the elk in the west. In 1910, the U.S. Forest Service estimated that fewer than 1,000 elk remained in Colorado. A 1918 survey of Forest Service lands in Idaho showed only 610 elk remained. Places where elk had been protected, these prolific animals rebounded quickly. The winters of 1897, 1909, 1911 and 1917 all coinciding with the loss of their traditional wintering grounds to cattle ranching were also very tough on them. About 10,000 elk starved in Jackson Hole during the winter of 1897, a decade before Jackson Hole became the home of the National Elk Refuge.------------------------> More.....
Mule Deer
	© Daryl Hunter - The Hole Picture Large buck mule deer on his winter range south of Jackson Hole Wyoming Mule deer can be found throughout the entire western United States, including the deserts of the American Southwest, Mule deer have large ears that move constantly and independently, as do mules, hence the name, "Mule Deer." This stocky deer has sturdy legs and is 4 to 6-1/2 feet in length and 3 to 3-1/2 feet high at the shoulder. Most Mule deer are brown or gray in color with a small white rump patch and a small, black-tipped tail. Mule deer their fawns have white spots at birth. Buck deer have antlers that start growth in spring and are shed around December, these antlers are high and branch forward and reach a spread up to 4 feet in width bucks are larger than does. The life span of a mule deer in the wild is 10 years, but mule deer have lived for up to 25 years in captivity. Mule deer can thrive nearly anyplace; their habitats include woodland chaparral, Sonoran desert, semi-desert, shrub woodland, Great Plains grasslands, shrub land forest, sagebrush steppe, and boreal forest. Mule deer are remarkably adaptable, of at least sixty types of habitat west of the 100th meridian in the United States, all but two or three are or once were home to mule Deer. Mountain mule deer seasonally migrate from the higher elevations of the sub-alpine forests they inhabit during summer to lower elevations of the mountain valleys and desert lowlands. Deer prefer rocky windswept buttes where it is easier for them to find food during the winter and that provide escape from predators as needed. ----------------------> More.......
Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep
	© Daryl Hunter - The Hole Picture A large Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep poses just north of Mammoth Hot Springs Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep make their homes in the highest parts of the mountains, where people find it difficult to go. The Grace and beauty of the Bighorn Sheep is a treasure to see if you are lucky enough to come across any. Their agility and grace in their steep and rocky home is a marvel to watch. Bighorns are considered to the most regal of all big game animals. Native Americans and early settlers prized bighorn meat as the most enjoyable of All-American big-game menu choices. The Native Americans also used the horns to fashion ceremonial spoons and handles for their utensils. Horns have also been popular for many centuries as trophies for proud hunters. The natural range of The Rocky Mountain Bighorn is from southern Canada to Colorado. During the summer they inhabit high elevation alpine meadows, grassy mountain slopes and foothill country, all near rugged, rocky cliffs and bluffs, allowing for quick escape from mountain lion, wolves or bears. In winter, Bighorn prefer south facing slopes from 3,000 to 6,000 foot elevation where annual snowfall is less and the sun and wind help clear off the slopes, because they cannot paw through deep snow to feed.-----------------> More........
Shiras Moose
	© Daryl Hunter - The Hole Picture A large bull moose grazes on an island in the middle of the South Fork of the Snake River. The Shiras moose also known as Wyoming moose, is the smallest of North Americaís moose however it is still quite large. The Shiras moose are found in Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, British Columbia, and in isolated areas of Utah, Colorado, and Washington. The Shiras Bull Moose has smaller antlers than the Canada moose. Its body color is a rusty-brown to black with pale-brownish saddle and its legs are gray to white. The Shiras cow moose are slightly smaller than the male and does not have antlers. The bulls can grow to seven feet tall at the shoulder and can reach10 feet in length. Mature Shira's moose weigh 600 to 1400 pounds. The cow moose weigh between 500 and 1200 pounds. Bull Moose have antlers that can span five feet and weigh up to 50 pounds. It has smaller antlers than the Canada moose and the antlers are shed between November and January. Breeding occurs from mid-September through mid-October. Cow moose attract males with both calls and the scent of estrous. Bulls as do all ungulates engage in fights with other bulls to win the right to breed the cow moose. Bull moose behavior during mating season includes scraping their antlers on trees, creating wallows to roll in, not eating causing large weight loss and they become more aggressive than usual and may charge at people and cars. More.....
Grizzly Bears
	Four Grizzlies, a sow (#399) and her three cubs in Grand Teton National Park The grizzly bear population within the Yellowstone ecosystem is estimated to be approximately 280-610 (Eberhardt and Knight 1996) bears. The park does not have a current estimate of the black bear population; black bears are considered to be common in the park. During the last 23 years (1980-2002), bears have injured 32 people within YNP. Grizzly bears and black bears were involved in 25 (78%) and 4 (13%) of the injuries, respectively. The species of bear could not be determined for 3 (9%) of the injuries. Three injuries occurred within a developed area, 2 occurred during a bear management handling accident, and 27 occurred in backcountry areas. Of the people injured while hiking, 57% were hiking off-trail. All (100%) backcountry hiking injuries involved people hiking in groups of less than 3 people. Bear Management Area restrictions reduce the chance of bear/human encounters and the risk of bear-caused human injury in areas with known seasonal concentrations of grizzly bears.-------------------------------> More
Wolves
	Wolf grabs a bite of lunch then chaces off ravens Perhaps more than any other member of the animal kingdom, wolves have historically played the villain's role. Misperceptions about wolves have abounded for centuries, historically, cultures worldwide, believed that wolves were so aggressive that they posed a risk to humans but, ironically, wolves are wary of humans because man has been killing wolves for millennia. Folklore is littered with proverbs and metaphors about this fearsome carnivore, from Peter and the Wolf in Russia to the wolfís mysticism in Native American culture; wolves have long been a powerful symbol. Even today, wolves engender excitement merely at the possibility of an appearance on the wilderness stage. The wolves of the Greater Yellowstone Region are members of the Canidae family, the Gray wolf (canis lupus), can grow to 4.5 to 6.5 feet in length. Adult males average about 100 pounds, but can weigh as much as 130 pounds. Females weigh slightly less. Gray wolves live up to 13 years old and can range in color from black, gray, or nearly white. A wolf pack is an extended family unit that includes a dominant male and female, called the alpha pair. In each pack, the alphas are usually the only ones to breed. Most packs produce only one litter of four to six pups per year. Pack sizes vary considerably, depending on the size of the wolf population in a particular area, whether they are feeding pups and the quantity of prey available. In the northern Rocky Mountains, packs average ten wolves, but the Druid pack in Yellowstone once had 37 members. The Druid pack later split forming several smaller packs. --------------------------> more
Black Bear - Ursus Americanus
	The black bear (Ursus Americanus) ranges across forested Canada from Newfoundland to British Columbia as well as much of the United States. A solitary animal most of the year, they pair up briefly during the mating season. Cubs remain with their mother for about a year, who protects which prevents them from being killed by the adult males.  Black bears swim well and often climb trees to feed on buds and fruit. They have a keen sense of smell, acute hearing, but poor eyesight. They can be seen at any hour of the day, but are most active at night. When very young, the cubs cry when afraid and hum when contented.  Black bears are omnivorous; their diet consists of about 75 percent vegetable matter, 15 percent carrion, and 10 percent insects and small mammals. Their love for honey is well known, and sweet, ripe corn in autumn also attracts them.  They have few enemies, but the one they fear the most is the Grizzly. Whenever their territories overlap, the latter is given a wide berth.---------------------------> More
Bison
	American Bison standing on bluff west of Grand Teton Park's Kelly road. The Grand Teton Mountain Range is in the backgrouns The Greater Yellowstone ecosystem is the only place in the lower 48 states where an endemic population of wild bison has survived since prehistoric times. Perhaps no other animal symbolizes the American West like the American bison. In prehistoric times millions of these quintessential creatures of the plains roamed the North America from northern Canada, south into Mexico and from Atlantic to the pacific. No one knows how many bison were in America before Columbus arrived but the guesstimate is about sixty million. They were the largest community of wild animals that the world has ever known. For a good part of the 1800s bison were considered to be in limitless supply. After the Civil War the push to settle the west was on, new army posts were established, coinciding with the westward push of the railroads. The army and railroads contracted with local men to supply buffalo meat to feed the troops and construction laborers. Bison were hunted nearly to extinction in the late 1800ís--------------------------------------------> More
Mountain Goats
	Mountain Goat kids browse and play on the snowy cliffs just north of Alpine Wyoming The Mountain Goats of the Greater Yellowstone eco-system make a home on the vertical planes of the Rocky Mountains where they cling and move around on the impossibly steep slopes of this unforgiving and barren terrain, Mountain Goats can survive on scant food in incredibly hostile environs. Mountain goats fit perfectly into the category of "charismatic mega-fauna." Their beauty, grace, and athleticism, is a treat to watch and their cute faces are always a thrill to see. The kids are precocious, able to move on steep slopes within hours of birth, an awe-inspiring site in itself. Although the Yellowstone Ecosystem has an abundance of Mountain Goat habitat, Goats are not endemic to the region. Between the 1940s and the 1960s, there were several hundred of the shaggy cliff dwelling creatures transplanted from western Montana to the Beartooth, Absaroka, Madison, Bridger, and Crazy mountains and the Snake River Range. Hundreds of them now inhabit the high country. Some of those animals are willing to leave their preferred high-elevation habitat to cross rivers, and valleys too colonize new places. There havenít been any transplants in the Gallatin Range, for instance, but goats thrive there today. -----------------------> more
Mountain Lion -Cougar (Puma concolor)
	Mountain lion returning to kill outside of Jackson Hole Wyoming The Mountain Lion cougar (Puma concolor), also puma, cougar, or panther, is a member of the Felidae family, native to the Americas. This large, solitary cat has the greatest range of any wild land mammal in the Western Hemisphere, extending from Yukon in Canada to the southern Andes of South America. An adaptable species, the cougar is found in every major North American habitat. The Mountain lions of Yellowstone region were significantly reduced by predator control measures during the early 1900s. It is reported that 121 lions were removed from the park between the years 1904 and 1925. Then, the remaining population was estimated to be 12 individuals. Mountain lions apparently existed at very low numbers between 1925 and 1940. They maintain a secretive profile in the Yellowstone region. Although the cougar population numbered in the hundreds during the early 1900s, controlled hunts between 1904 and 1925 decimated the population. Today, twenty to thirty-five mountain lions reportedly inhabit Yellowstone Park, but sightings are rare. Shy and elusive, mountain lions live solitary lives and practice mutual avoidance. Males and females interact for breeding when females are about 2 1/2 years old. Giving birth throughout the year, females can have litters of up to four kittens, but usually only one or two survive. Born spotted, the kittens stay with their mothers for about 18 months, after which time they will leave in search of their own home range.---------------------------------------> More

Today's Headlines
	Get this widget!
National Interest or Commentary
	A Deist Among The Mormons • By Daryl L. Hunter What I think of the Mormons and why Mitt Romney should be President! I live in a beautiful rural valley of 700 people in eastern Idaho and after I came to live here I found out that Utah isn’t the only place that is fifty percent Mormon..............................As a compulsively inquisitive geo-political junkie I decided to look through the Book of Mormon so I could learn a little about the belief of my neighbors. As with any outsider looking into another’s faith, I found many outlandish passages that would require faith to swallow, however, this is a characteristic that all religions share. What I have learned of my Mormon neighbors in the years since my voyeuristic venture into the sacred book of the LDS Church is more telling. My anecdotal experiences have revealed to me that I couldn’t have better neighbors or live in a finer community....................................................Although I canít achieve faith, I admire, and may be envious of those who do. One of the problems I find in my on going analysis of life and faith is the paradoxical dichotomy of religion that fosters the Achilles Heel of human nature, ìtribalism.î The tribalism of religion pits one religion against another, hence 99% of the worlds problems. The tribalism of Evangelicals is undermining the ability of their conservative brethren, the Mormons, to carry forward the flag of conservatism and I find this as an affront to common sense. -----------------------> More   North Yellowstoneís Winter Road • By Daryl L. Hunter Winter in Yellowstone is truly a wonderful thing to experience, its deep snows, bitter cold, abundant wildlife and stark beauty can imprint memories that can last a lifetime....................Access to Yellowstone in winter is the problem, it has become illegal to take a private snowmobile into Yellowstone and very few of us have snow coaches of our own or are capable of marathon ski expeditions too access Yellowstoneís winter wonders, but it is not as inaccessible as many think........................... The snowmobiling destination resort of Cooke City and Silver Gate Montana need groceries regularly to keep its citizens alive so Yellowstone Park maintains winter access to these communities. US-212 can be accessed through Yellowstoneís north entrance in Gardner Montana, so Yellowstone visitors can access a smidgen of Yellowstoneís treasures in winter by car.----------------------------------------> More Immigration response from Senator Larry Craig to Daryl L. Hunter and My open letter response to Senator Craig Dear Daryl: • Because of your past contact concerning immigration reform, I wanted to get back to you on recent developments in this area. On May 25, the Senate passed S.2611, the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006, following several weeks of highly-charged debate.................. Dear Senator Craig • I agree, we must bring them out of the underground economy and send them back to Mexico where their current employer can get them a legal visa so they can return legally. Oh, I guess that isn't what you meant, you meant, bring them out and give them amnesty! Environmental Challenges for the Ranching Community My grandfather used to love to tell the story of a preacher who came to the ranch to visit. "My goodness, Joe, you have a beautiful place," said the minister. "The green grass blowing in the wind, the cottonwood trees filled with singing birds, the abundant wildlife, and the sparkling streams, it is amazing what you and the good Lord have done."............Yes," my grandfather said, "It is beautiful. But you should have seen it when the Lord was doing it by himself." English Translation of Ayman al-Zawahiri's letter to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi - scary and informative! And it doesn't appear that the Mujahedeen, much less the al-Qaida in the Land of Two Rivers, will lay claim to governance without the Iraqi people. Not to mention that that would be in contravention of the Shura methodology. That is not practical in my opinion.You might ask an important question: What drives me to broach these matters while we are in the din of war and the challenges of killing and combat? My answer is, firstly: Things may develop faster than we imagine. The aftermath of the collapse of American power in Vietnam-and how they ran and left their agents-is noteworthy. Because of that, we must be ready starting now, before events overtake us, and before we are surprised by the conspiracies of the Americans and the United Nations and their plans to fill the void behind them. We must take the initiative and impose a fait accompli upon our enemies, instead of the enemy imposing one on us, ..........more Montana Governor Schweitzer’s plan to convert coal to gas • by John S. Adams You don’t have to be an independent trucker to feel the gas squeeze these days. With crude oil prices hovering close to $70 per barrel and gasoline topping $4 per gallon in some parts of the United States in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Americans are looking for answers to the nation’s growing fuel crisis. Govennor Brian Schweitzer believes Montana is sitting on the answer.....more Farm Bureau Blasts Misleading Ethanol Report WASHINGTON, D.C. • The American Farm Bureau Federation today expressed serious concerns regarding a study it believes may be intentionally slanted in an attempt to discredit the positive role home-grown renewable fuels are playing to boost the nation’s domestic energy supply. Alternative Fuels Mean Economic Freedom • By Frank Priestley Big Oil has America in a headlock and it’s high time for our government to step up and do something about it. That something is to support renewable, clean-burning alternative fuels like ethanol and biodiesel. Big Oil has America in a headlock and it’s high time for our government to step up and do something about it. That something is to support renewable, clean-burning alternative fuels like ethanol and biodiesel.
Intermountain Regional News
	Legal Challenge to Wolf Delisting is Irrational By Frank Priestley, President - Idaho Farm Bureau The reintroduction of Canadian gray wolves into Idaho, Wyoming and Montana is arguably one of the most successful projects of its kind ever undertaken. In just over 12 years, these incredibly efficient predators multiplied over 15 times the number reintroduced, far exceeding what the top federal biologists predicted................................In spite of the fact that the top federal wolf biologists agree the population is recovered, 11 environmental groups are mounting a logic-defying legal challenge, arguing the wolf population is not yet sustainable.   The Wolf: Icon Of The Wilderness Perhaps more than any other member of the animal kingdom, wolves have historically played the villain's role. Misperceptions about wolves have abounded for centuries, historically, cultures worldwide, believed that wolves were so aggressive that they posed a risk to humans but, ironically, wolves are wary of humans because man has been killing wolves for millennia. Folklore is littered with proverbs and metaphors about this fearsome carnivore, from Peter and the Wolf in Russia to the wolfís mysticism in Native American culture; wolves have long been a powerful symbol. Even today, wolves engender excitement merely at the possibility of an appearance on the wilderness stage.............................Since reintroduction the wolf population of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is thriving. In the ensuing years the wolf population grew to 650 wolves by 2002 and more than 1,500 today (January, 2008). The wolves are growing at a rate of about 24 percent per year, according to federal counts. This prolific animal population has grown exponentially beyond the wildest dreams of environmentalists and fulfilled the nightmares of the regions hunters, and ranchers...................................the Fish and Wildlife Service would allow ranchers and trappers to obtain permits to kill wolves so that livestock depredation from wolf over population, will stay minimal. -----------------------> More Ski Jackson Hole • Among the granite escarpments of the legendary Grand Teton Mountain Range, lucky skiers and snowboarders find exciting exceptional skiing and riding opportunities on Rendezvous Mountain at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. This awesome mountain offers 2,500 acres of wild beauty and a breathtaking 4,139-foot vertical drop, at one time the largest vertical of any ski resort in America. Jackson Hole is more than an ordinary winter resort. Skiers and riders of all abilities enjoy Jackson Hole. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort flaunts some of the most difficult terrain on the continent. Advanced skiers and riders meet their match on the two peaks. Beginner and intermediate skiers can enjoy the Resort's 22 miles of machine-groomed runs. Biofuel Dynamics and Rural Economies by Frank Priestley A group of scientists called CAST (Council for Agricultural Science and Technology) recently released a detailed research paper titled, ìConvergence of Agriculture and Energy: Implications for Research and Policy,î that takes a comprehensive look at how biofuel development will affect our economy and environment..................two new ethanol plants with a combined 70 million gallon per year capacity are planned for construction in Cassia and Minidoka counties. the economic impacts of each new ethanol plant includes millions of dollars invested in construction and annual operating costs of between $59 million and $112 million INL reports hydrogen fuel breakthrough • IDAHO FALLS For years, the idea of converting diesel fuel into clean hydrogen gas was a science-fiction pipe dream. But the announcement Wednesday in Idaho Falls that an eclectic team of researchers has accomplished that feat means hydrogen-powered electricity on a commercial scale might be on the horizon.
Idaho News
	Idaho Examiner News-feed Two wolves from the Druid Pack in Yellowstone National Park Mad Dash For Yellowstone • By Daryl L. Hunter Santa Clause was good to me this year, and a Canon 400mm 5/6L telephoto lens dropped down the chimney and this little boy couldn't wait to put that hunk of glass to work. I had a long weekend for the New Yearís holiday, and the kids were out of school so a trip to Yellowstone was nearly possible if Murphy's Law didn't rear his ugly head. Winter in Yellowstone is truly a wonderful thing to experience. Its deep snows, bitter cold, abundant wildlife and stark beauty can imprint memories that can last a lifetime, and I have been anxious to share it with my boys. Access to Yellowstone in winter has become problematic since it has become illegal to take a private snowmobile into Yellowstone. So instead of accessing Yellowstone from the south entrance, outside Jackson Hole close to my home, the trip mandated a mad dash for north Yellowstoneís winter road, an eight-hour drive away. I had a hunch that this might be a good time for serendipity to dish me up some wolves for my photo portfolio. --------------------------------------> More Eight Men Claim Sexual Encounters With Senator Larry Craig Eight men say they either had sex with Sen. Larry Craig or were targets of sexual advances by the Idaho lawmaker at various times during his political career, a newspaper reported. One of the men is the former escort whose allegations disgraced the Rev. Ted Haggard, former president of the National Association of Evangelicals, the Idaho Statesman reported Sunday............................................But in a statement e-mailed to The Associated Press on Sunday, the senator said the newspaper's report was "completely false" and he accused the paper of careless journalism.-----------------------> More Shocking data shows • by Greg Losinski IDAHO FALLS- When you mix 200 volts of electricity with water youíre setting the stage for some shocking results and that is just what Fisheries biologists with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game found during their recent population surveys on the South Fork of the Snake River.† Each year, researchers use electrofishing equipment to assess populations near the Conant Valley.† This is the year theyíve been waiting for to learn how well the cutthroat population is responding to the efforts to save the famed fishery. Success for species and People • by Senator Mike Crapo† Teddy Roosevelt first applied the term "conservation" to the process of wise-use and preservation of natural resources. A century later, conservation laws have successfully restored species like the American bald eagle, gray whale and peregrine falcon to sustainable populations. This is a terrific start to the greater goals of preserving wildland resources, which is the intention behind the Endangered Species Act (ESA). These goals have strong public support, including mine. The many people in Idaho, other western states, and in the East who support the Act are continually working out better and better ideas for achieving the goals of the Act. Senators Mike Crapo and Larry Craig want renewable energy program fully funded Washington, DC – An agricultural program that promotes renewable energy use will build on its success if funding remains steady for it, according to Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Larry Craig. The Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvement Program (also known as Section 9006), is currently funded at $23 million a year to provide grants and loans to farmers, ranchers, and rural businesses to help them purchase renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements.
Wyoming News
	Living the Wyoming Way Ever look at a newcomer and think, "If they only knew how we did things here in Wyoming"?....................................Enter the Wyoming Humanities Council, a group putting together "Welcome to Wyoming," a guide for newcomers. The idea was introduced last year during a series of "conversations" held around the state on different topics by the council.........................................An emerging theme: Newcomers should observe and listen.................................While buying a table and chairs at a local thrift store and trying to load them into his car, a man walked by and asked if he needed help." Before I knew it, this complete stranger had loaded my table and chairs into his pickup truck and was enthusiastically offering to follow me to my place, which he did," Dougherty said. "I remember taking a right turn at a stop sign and thinking, 'If I was in New York, this guy would take a left turn.' But he didn't. The stranger had no ulterior motives, just kindness. Wyoming commission approves gray wolf management plan By Bob Moen • Over the objections of environmental groups, the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission unanimously approved a plan Friday under which the state would manage gray wolves once the animals are no longer under federal protection. ''This state has a reputation for being able to manage wildlife and manage them well,'' commission president Bill Williams said. ''I think we have to ask everyone to take a bit of a leap of faith here.'' Wyoming's plan will be submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which rejected the state's first proposal for not adequately protecting wolves. The federal agency must approve the state plan in order for it to move forward with removing special protections for wolves under the Endangered Species Act. The agency has already approved---------------------> More Construction jobs jump over 2006 levels The Wyoming Department of Research and Planning has just released employment data for October The data show that the construction sector in Wyoming added 2,800 jobs, compared to October 2006. The new jobs translate to a growth rate of more than11 percent. According to the release, it is possible that the warmer-than-average weather contributed to job gains in construction. Overall job growth in Wyoming continued at a steady pace, despite the recent slowdown in the natural resources and mining sectors, with an increase of 9,500 jobs, up 3.4 percent from the previous year.
Montana News
	Senator Jon Tester advocates troop withdrawal while admitting ignorance By Mike Dennison • “We need to start pulling troops out - no ifs, ands or buts about it,” said Tester, D-Mont. “It's just a matter of how it's done, how orderly it's done. We need to let (Iraqis) know it's going to change there..............................................“We went to the places that the military took us,” Tester said. “I'm not in any way intimating that I'm an expert on Iraq because I've been here for a day. You just about have to be boots-on-the-street, packing a rifle to know what's really going on.”.....................................................Tester said he met with U.S. soldiers, including some from Montana, one of whom told him that if the U.S. military pulled out now, “the country would collapse.”------------------------ More Tourism promotion pays off for Montana • By Marti Bara Out-of-state tourists, or nonresident visitors as we like to call them, last year alone spent approximately $1.9 billion in Montana with a total economic impact of $2.6 billion when considering the residual spending effects of suppliers and employees. That's a tremendous influx of revenue into our economy. Looking at how the nonresident travelers spent their $1.9 billion in 2003 helps illustrate the businesses that benefited from visitors to the Big Sky state: Senator Johnson Joins Ethanol Across America "Senator Johnson has shown he can work with members on both sides of the aisle," said Senator Burns. "Ethanol Across America is about all of us working together, for a common goal."

Search the Web Search the Upper Valley Free Press
Island Park ID | Swan Valley ID | Star Valley WY | Jackson Hole WY | Directory Teton Valley ID | Idaho Falls Id | Yellowstone Park | Grand Teton Park Archives | Submit Articles Or Photos | Contact Us | Advertise With Us | Home
Site Design by