A Message from Our President Holiday greetings members,

It has been an action-packed month since our November meeting. We elected five new members to the 2018 board: Dan Brandborg (VP), Leslie Maiyo (treasurer), Dan Maiyo and Julie Schram (directors), and Lionel Lavallee (alternate state director). Four members are now off the board: VP Fred Weisbecker, treasurer Marilyn Rogish, director Taylor Orr and alternate state director Mark DeGrazier. I welcome our new crew and extend

heartfelt gratitude to Fred, Marilyn, Taylor and Mark for their many years of service to our membership. You are just the best!

Rita Atencio, Fred and Jan Bullock served ably as our nominating committee. Jan stepped up to conduct voting at the meeting and, after consulting with our parliamentarian Rebecca Jones, Jan handled that important task very well, despite our inability to follow her directions at all times—ha-ha! Way to go, Jan!

Several members have been honored for their community involvement: Bitterroot Disabled American Veterans recognized Joe Rogish for his service as a volunteer driver shuttling veterans to and from VA appointments in Missoula and Fort Harrison in Helena. Joe said it’s all about veterans helping their fellow veterans. Montana Wilderness Association honored Julie Schram, Christy Schram-Duggan and Ed Duggan with the 2017 Continental Divide Trail Crew Volunteer Award for their many years of packing supplies and gear in and out for CDT trail crews. Very impressive award and here is a link to their story in the Ravalli Republic: ravallirepublic.com/news/local/article_8ef8dade-73f2-507f-ad6d-31e4b7ffed1f.html

Next up is the Pantry Partners Christmas Food Pack that we help with every year. It takes place Tuesday, Dec. 19, 8:00 a.m. (or earlier if you want to help haul in food), at St. Mary’s Mission Parish (at the intersection of Ravalli and Charlos Streets). This is a great opportunity to help your community in the season of giving and lots of fun too.

I hope to see you at the food pack and our Dec. 21 meeting!

Karen Philips, President

Nag News Bitter Root Back Country Horsemen

Volume44 December2017 Issue12BACK COUNTRY HORSEMEN MISSION STATEMENT 1. To perpetuate the common sense use and enjoyment of horses in America’s backcountry and wilderness areas. 2. To work to ensure that public lands remain open to recreational stock use. 3. To assist the various government, state and private agencies in their maintenance and management of said resource. 4. To educate, encourage and solicit active participation in the wise and sustaining use of the back country resource by horsemen and the general public commensurate with our heritage. 5. To foster and encourage the formation of new back country horsemen’s organizations. 6. To cooperate with other B.C.H.A. organizations.

In this Issue

President’s Letter 1 Coffee/Hot Water List 2 Horse Sense 4 Back Country Kitchen 5 A Higher Standard 6 General/Board Mtg Notes 7 Ads & Services 12

DEADLINE FOR THE Jan 2018 NAG NEWS is

5 p.m. Jan 10, 2018

SUBMIT YOUR ARTICLES AND ADS TO:

lionel.lavallee47@gmail.com

*To improve accuracy please confirm all ads by deadline date.

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COMMITTEE CHAIRS AND MEMBERS CONTACT Audit & Budget Joe Atencio 961-4816/381-2705 Audio-Visual Equipment Ed Bullock 907-575-7878 Donations & Awards Rita Atencio 961-4816 Education Fred Weisbecker 546-8067 Election & Nominations Rita Atencio 961-4816 Equipment & Inventory Dave Welch 541 980 2883 Fair Bill Black 546-6492 Fundraisers Ed Bullock 907-575-7878 RTP Grant Committee Joe Rogish, Fred Weisbecker, Joyce Wesche 642-3246 Historian Laura McManus 642-3018 Issues Fred Weisbecker 406-546-8067 Memberships Bonnie Morgan 381-9021 Newsletter Lionel Lavallee 640-1242 Outreach Susan Slemp 821-2017/381-5910 Parliamentarian Rebecca Jones 415-264-5457 Programs Philip & Pam Torgerson 360-4933/360-3201 Projects Dan Brandborg, Joe Rogish 381-5643/484-643-3982 Social Melanie Lavallee 370-0752 Sunshine Cindy Beck 360-1165 Trail Rides Rebecca Banks 381-4486 Training Bonnie Morgan 381-9021 Youth Committee Ed Duggan & Christy Schram-Duggan 369-3140/503-729-2813 Website Nancy Pollman 406-546-6492

Our proposed BBCH Day Ride Schedule for club members is as follows:

No rides scheduled at this time.

Coffee and Hot Water Volunteers: October coffee: Jan Bullock October hot water: Christy Schram-Duggan November coffee: Bill Black November hot water: Susan Slemp December coffee: Karen Philips December hot water: Chuck Miller

Bitter Root Back Country Horsemen 2017 Board

President Vice President Secretary Treasurer

Karen Philips 369-0725 Fred Weisbecker 546-8067 Kathy Stroppel 961-0096 Marilyn Rogish 642-3246

Directors: Bill Black (2017-18) 363-6834 Ed Bullock (2016-17) 907-575-7878 Jan Bullock (2017-18) 907-242-9853 Mike Costanzo (2016-17) 375-1340 Dan Brandborg (2016-17) 381-5643 Taylor Orr (2016-17) 930-5838 Joe Rogish (2017-18) 642-3246 Ed Duggan (2017-18) 406-369-3140 Tim Meyer (2017-18) 907-440-0841

Past President: Alan Lackey 505-603-8499 State Chairman: Brad Pollman 406-546-6491

State Directors: Chuck Miller (2017-18) 961-5453 Joe Rogish (2016-17) 642-3246

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Presentation to Bitter Root Backcountry Horsemen, December 2017 DAVE SCHILZ brings 28 years of backcountry packing experience with the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, Outfitting and Guiding, and personal pack trips to you in a slide show and narrative. Some highlights of packing and backcountry trail projects. As a student and teacher of packing, horseman and longtime Backcountry Horsemen member, feel free to ask questions and take advantage of his knowledge

Newly elected 2018 Board of Directors members (left to right): Julie Schram, Mike Costanzo, Kathy Stroppel-Holl, Leslie Maiyo, Joe Rogish, Karen Philips, Dan Brandborg, Dan Maiyo, Ed Bullock and Lionel Lavallee

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Hay Analysis (by Kyle Kelly, DVM Tammany Veterinary Hospital)

There are many reasons to do hay analysis for horses. Generally, healthy horses in good physical conditioning require a base set of nutrients and protein to maintain weight. Overall quantity requirements will vary over seasons, but otherwise are fairly straightforward. Some of the common reasons include

considerations around:

• feeding older horses • feeding overweight horses • feeding underweight horses • feeding pregnant mares • ration balancing – especially in the bitterroot valley to

determine the amount of selenium in the hay.

Performing the analysis is fairly straightforward; most veterinarians have a "hay core" sampler at the clinic they will loan to clients. To take a sample, the hay corer is simply driven into the middle of a hay bale and the sample column is extruded using a wooden dowel into the sample collection envelope. At Tammany Veterinary Hospital, we use an outside vendor – Equi-analytical (http://equi-analytical.com/) – for our forage analysis. Equi-analytical recommends 6 random core samples from multiple bales.

What you will get back from the company is a report that contains a great deal of information, including analysis pertaining to feeding livestock other than horses. Although all of the values have importance, we tend to focus on a few specific measurements to help make decisions about what types of hay to feed different horses, including possible supplements for deficiencies. Analytical results are typically reported on both an as sampled and dry matter basis (the difference between these two methods are detailed at http://equi-analytical.com/as-sampled-vs-dry-matter-results/). The values we look at are on a dry matter basis. So, now we address the question about which values are important for the horse. We look at %protein, %water-soluble carbohydrates or %NSC (these values include water-soluble carbohydrates+starch), %ESC (simple sugars+starch). There are no "normal" values for these measurements. It is important to remember that our goal is to match the hay profile with the specific horse(s) in question. Just because the hay doesn't hit the numbers we want for a specific horse certainly does not mean that its bad hay. The most important group of horses we are very stringent with, are those that are "easy keepers", overweight, and prone to foundering. For this group of horses we have specific numbers set for the NSC and ESC amount. We want the

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NSC amount to be <12% and the ESC to be <10%. The next values we check are protein. Generally for adults, we look for hay that is 10-12% protein. The protein value will vary based on the workload and age of the horse too. Younger growing horses typically require higher protein values. Nutritional values have been standardized by the National Research Council (NRC) for typical types of horses, including age, sex, existing health conditions, and workload. In addition to the above, the other analytical result we consider in the Bitterroot valley is selenium and Vitamin E. Hay grown in the Bitterroot valley can be deficient in these values.

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B a c k C o u n t r y K i t c h e n

Italian Roasted Garlic & Parmesan

Potatoes At this time of year, camping is pretty much over. We’ll concentrate on comfort foods

for a bit.

Ingredients • 2 pounds russet potatoes • ¼ cup olive oil (preferably extra-virgin but it doesn't

have to be), divided • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, crushed between

fingertips • 4 minced cloves garlic • salt and pepper • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided • red pepper flakes, optional • fresh chopped parsley, for garnish

Instructions 1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Generously

butter an 8x10-inch casserole dish. 2. Peel and cut the potatoes in half lengthwise then lay

each half flat and slice lengthwise into ½-inch wide half moons.

3. Place the potatoes in a big mixing bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of oil.

4. Toss with the seasoning, garlic, 1- teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper and half the Parmesan (plus a few pinches of red pepper flakes if you like).

5. Pour into the casserole dish and scoop out any spices or garlic left in the bowl.

6. Sprinkle a tablespoon of Parmesan over the top and drizzle with a tablespoon of oil.

7. Bake 30 minutes then remove from the oven and toss well. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan on top and drizzle with the remaining oil.

8. Bake 25 more minutes. Toss well and season to taste with more salt and pepper if needed.

9. Place them in a serving dish and pour any remaining oil at the bottom of the pan over them and garnish with a little fresh parsley.

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A H I G H E R S T A N D A R D by Dan Maiyo

Leslie and I took our annual trip to Yellowstone in October. We prefer this time of year because (a) the tourist swarm has dissipated; (b) the hospitality providers and park personnel are in a much better mood, (c) the weather is superb and; (d) wild life viewing is spectacular. In particular, as part of our continuing education since wolves were reintroduced, we have studied and educated ourselves on ecosystem development within the park. We consider the park a scientific/biological/animal behavior laboratory. We incorporate this knowledge as part of our understanding of horse/wildlife behavior.

Each visit brings new surprises, revelations, and ideas. This visit was no exception. Wolf, bear, elk, moose, and bison behavior and interaction continues to evolve. We invited a friend and her 28 year-old daughter from southern California to rendezvous and accompany us through the park. Having never had the opportunity to visit the park, they enjoyed viewing wildlife with us in the Lamar Valley. They also took a self-guided tour of the remainder of the park. We all enjoyed the Grizzly Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone, where grizzly bears and wolves can be seen up close and personal; and people are educated on the issues concerning these animals.

Which leads to a revelation/inspiration. I was initially dumbfounded to learn that these people knew not what a moose was, thought the bison’s quiet demeanor (as viewed from a car window) was indicative of behavior allowing approach to the animal, and were totally ignorant of what a riparian area was. Leslie and I were delighted to educate them with facts. Don’t get me wrong, this woman has a college degree, is a successful businessperson, and raised a daughter singlehanded. This has caused me to consider the bigger picture and the mission of the BCH, most notably: Purpose #4.

I am struck by the fact that a majority of educated people in this country and in the world are similarly unaware. Understanding animal/equine behavior and equine communication combined with knowledge of the complexity of ecosystems places the BCH into a unique niche. Rather than hike into wild places to work, hunt, fish, or smell the roses, BCH members largely use non-mechanized tools and horsemanship skills to accomplish these tasks/activities. Whether we know it or not, we are educators, and may be called upon without warning, at any time or any place, to enlighten the public and possibly open up a whole new world to them. As we represent our organization 24/7, those who have joined the BCH bring a higher standard. We are proud to be part of this group. The BCH will not only survive, but will flourish as long as we hold ourselves to this standard, and lead by example.

Bitterroot Therapeutic Riding Looking for a New Director Bitterroot Therapeutic Riding (BTR), a local 501(c)3, non-profit therapeutic horseback riding program, offers riding for all ages and disabilities and hosts a Special Olympics Equestrian Team. After 17 years managing the program, director Linda Olson is looking for someone to take over, relocate, and continue offering therapeutic riding to established clients in our community. She would provide support and fundraising efforts for the new director. Contact Linda Olson at (406) 880-6599 for further information.

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BITTER ROOT BACK COUNTRY HORSEMEN

DRAFT GENERAL MEETING MINUTES, NOVEMBER 16, 2017

The November 2017 general meeting of the Bitter Root Back Country Horsemen (BRBCH) was called to order by President Karen Philips at 7:12 pm. The meeting was held at the Corvallis School Cafeteria. Approximately 60 members were present. Karen led the Pledge of Allegiance to start the meeting.

Guests: Kathleen Wilson, Dennis Mooney

BUSINESS Minutes (Kathy Stroppel-Holl): There were no corrections to the October minutes. Joe Rogish motioned and Ed Bullock/Ed Duggan seconded to accept the minutes of the October 2017 general meeting as they were printed in the newsletter. The motion carried.

Treasurer’s Report (Marilyn Rogish): Marilyn presented the November treasurer’s report and noted the state and national dues have been submitted. Lionel Lavallee motioned and Sandra O’Brien seconded to accept the November treasurer’s report. The motion carried.

CORRESPONDENCE AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Karen thanked Bill Black and Fred Weisbecker for conducting the Sep and Oct general meetings.

Sue Pearson spoke about Pantry Partner’s Christmas Box Pack Day on Tue, Dec 19, 8 am, at St. Mary’s Family Center, Stevensville. Show up at 7:45 am. About 200 families have applied, and she expects 350 by Pack Day. Brad Pollman will head up the packing – need help to pack boxes and unload trucks. Many of the volunteers are BRBCH members, with high school students carrying the heavy loads. Sue requested help to make reminder calls to the families 2 days prior to the distribution and passed around a caller signup sheet. Brad provided directions to the Center and asked people to park at the nearby Catholic Church.

Kathy S-H said the Bitterroot Humane Association is hosting their annual Festival of Wreaths fundraiser on Sat, Nov 18, from 5:30-8 at the Bitterroot River Inn. Contact the Humane Association for tickets. BRBCH has supported BRHA with a donation in honor of members who have passed away.

Karen noted that Joyce Wesche is passing a hat (provided by Gene Burocker) to collect funds for Haven House, which BRBCH members have supported for many years. Tonight’s collection totaled $198.

Karen thanked the people who helped plan and prep the Thanksgiving meal. She then introduced the new chairs for Parliamentarian, Rebecca Jones, and Social committee, Melanie Lavallee. Karen thanked both for filling these positions.

COMMITTEE REPORTS Education: Fred Weisbecker said there was no update on education.

Issues: Fred explained the process that the Forest Service (FS) goes thru for timber sales, including a public forum to discuss projects. Fred will put together info on the Gold Creek project area and see if any funds can be generated to help with that project, perhaps thru Stewardship Project funding from the logger who wins the timber bid. He provided some numbers for the recent West Side project timber sales.

Projects: Joe Rogish noted that 2018 project planning will start in the spring. All data have been submitted to the FS so BRBCH can be paid. Karen complimented Joe for his reporting efforts and noted the FS was very pleased with his reports.

State Directors: Chuck Miller said the next state meeting is in December in Missoula. He talked about the National Park Service proposed fee increases, which are intended to help with maintenance backlog. He provided a website (https://parkplanning.nps.gov/proposedpeakseasonfeerates) for people to comment on the fee increase. He noted 80% of the fees stay with the park. He then spoke about how BCHA is joining with other groups to write a rule for sale of public lands. Updates to the BCH MT constitution will be coming in the future.

Membership: Bonnie Morgan said membership fees are due for 2018; membership runs from Jan to Dec. Fill out and submit the membership form to Bonnie. She encouraged members to check the box on the form to receive the newsletter digitally to save copying/mailing costs. Specify phone numbers if more than one number is listed. She noted that anyone with dues paid for next year is eligible for the Dec raffle. If you have a horse-related item to put in the raffle, let her know. Discussion ensued on the limits of liability that the club is responsible for.

Training: Bonnie M said if you have lost your any of your training cards, let her know; also, check the posted training list for correct info. If you have training from another source, send her a picture of the card. The FS will hold first aid/CPR (FA/CPR) classes in Jan/Feb – there could be a maximum number of people who can attend. Julie Schram noted that Connie Long is a FA/CPR trainer and if

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she can travel to teach, then we wouldn’t be limited in how many people can attend. FA/CPR certification is good for 2 years, and saw training is good for 3 years. Bonnie noted the application for the Smoke Elser Packing Clinic is in the Nov newsletter. The completed applications go to Chuck M/Fred W for review and selection. Four applications have been submitted to date. She passed around a signup for people who want to teach at Wilderness Skills Weekend, which may be in May 2018.

Program: Taylor Orr spoke about the Dec speaker, Dave Shiltz, who will talk about packing. He’s a lifelong packer who should have lots of good stories.

Sunshine: Karen asked if anyone knew of a member who needs a get well, congratulations, or condolence card to let Cindy Beck know. Condolences to Mike Finnegan, whose mother-in-law passed away.

Youth: Ed Duggan said Christy attended the livestock committee program. The Horse Council has $10 cards for discounts at various places, with moneys going back into the 4-H program.

OLD BUSINESS Fair Committee Update: Earl Philips provided a summary of the fair efforts, and thanked all the volunteers. BRBCH has been supporting the fair for 40 years, and we are the first face of the fair at the gates. The value for BRBCH is the PR, positive outreach to the community, free entry for volunteers, and some compensation to the club. This goes toward delegates to state conventions, matching grants, rental fees to the school district and chapel, and food purchases for chapter meals/projects. BRBCH took on new fair responsibilities this year. He talked about number of tickets sold, total sales, and issues with using the credit card reader. Tablets will be used next year to alleviate some of the issues. He spoke about the problems with filling shifts, with 70% covered by members. Would like to see 90% filled by members for future efforts. The North Gate had some problems since it has become a major entry point. About 80 hours were expended to schedule shifts. One BRBCH fair manager won’t be available next year. He noted that the Missoula Fair no longer charges, but that Ravalli County Fair will continue to charge (no bond money) and so will continue to need people manning the gates. He posed whether this volunteer effort is still something to pursue – we need to be more efficient, need more volunteers committed, and need it to still be enjoyable. BRBCH members need to step up if we still want to do the fair. Brad noted that if every member took a shift, they would all be covered. More discussion ensued about planning sooner. Bill Black and Earl will manage it again, and need another person to help. By hand vote, the members still want to do the fair. Karen said fair discussions will be brought up at future meetings.

NEW BUSINESS 2018 Election: Jan Bullock directed the election process. She conducted the nominations for President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, four Board Positions for the 2018-2019 term, State Director, and Alternate State Director. Per election protocol, Jan asked for nominations from the floor for each position.

For President, Karen Philips is nominated. There were no nominations from the floor. Brad Pollman moved and Julie Schram seconded that nominations for President be closed and that Karen Philips be accepted by acclamation. The motion carried. For Vice President, Dan Brandborg is nominated. There were no nominations from the floor. Julie Schram moved and Joe Rogish seconded that nominations for VP be closed and that Dan Brandborg be accepted by acclamation. The motion carried. For Secretary, Kathy Stroppel-Holl is nominated. There were no nominations from the floor. Ed Duggan moved and Marilyn Rogish seconded that nominations for Secretary be closed and that Kathy Stroppel-Holl be accepted by acclamation. The motion carried. For Treasurer, Leslie Maiyo is nominated. There were no nominations from the floor. Marilyn Rogish moved and Joe Rogish seconded that nominations for Treasurer be closed and that Leslie Maiyo be accepted by acclamation. The motion carried. For the 2018-2019 Board positions, Ed Bullock, Mike Costanzo, Dan Maiyo, and Julie Schram are nominated. There were no nominations from the floor. Joe Tenzer moved and Joe Rogish seconded that nominations for the Board positions be closed and that Ed Bullock, Mike Costanzo, Dan Maiyo, and Julie Schram be accepted by acclamation. The motion carried. For State Representative, Joe Rogish is nominated. Jan asked for nominations from the floor, of which there were none. Ed Bullock moved and Laura DeGrazier seconded that nominations for State Director be closed and that Joe Rogish be accepted by acclamation. The motion carried. For Alternate State Representative, Lionel Lavallee is nominated. There were no nominations from the floor. Bonnie Morgan moved and Earl Philips seconded that nominations for Alternate State Representative be closed and that Lionel Lavallee be accepted by acclamation. The motion carried.

Karen noted all newly elected folks are welcome to attend the Dec Board meeting.

OTHER BUSINESS

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Karen said that members who have renewed for 2018 can enter in the raffle at the Dec general meeting. Please keep raffle donations limited to horse or camping related items.

Kathy said that the chapter cook trailer will be stored in Marg Herndon’s barn in Corvallis for the winter. Marg was a very active BRBCH member until her passing last year. Her daughters kept the property and support storing the trailer in the barn.

Next Meeting: Dec 21 at the Corvallis School Cafeteria with the potluck dinner starting at 6:30 pm. Coffee – Karen Philips; Hot Water – Chuck Miller

Kathleen Wilson has a 6-mo American border collie for sale. See her if interested.

Melanie Miller has a trailer and 60-ft round pen for sale. Call her if interested.

Dan Brandborg said the NetFlix film “Unbranded” is a great film to watch.

Adjourn: Earl Philips motioned and Sandra O’Brien seconded to adjourn the meeting at 8:27 pm. The motion carried.

BITTER ROOT BACK COUNTRY HORSEMEN

DRAFT BOARD MEETING MINUTES, DECEMBER 7, 2017

The December 2017 Board meeting of the Bitter Root Back Country Horsemen (BRBCH) was called to order at 7:02 pm at the Daly-Leach Memorial Chapel in Hamilton, Montana, by Karen Philips. Ed Duggan led the group in the pledge of allegiance. Present were President Karen Philips, Secretary Kathy Stroppel-Holl, and Treasurer Marilyn Rogish. Also present were Board Members Bill Black, Dan Brandborg, Ed Bullock, Jan Bullock, Mike Costanzo, Ed Duggan, Tim Meyer, Taylor Orr, and Joe Rogish, and State Director Chuck Miller. Absent was Vice President Fred Weisbecker. Karen welcomed guests: 2018 Board members Julie Schram and Dan Maiyo, 2018 treasurer Leslie Maiyo, 2018 Alternate State Director/Newsletter Editor Lionel Lavallee, and Brad and Nancy Pollman.

Minutes: Karen asked if there were any updates to the November minutes. Ed Duggan motioned and Joe Rogish seconded to accept the minutes of the November 2017 Board meeting as printed in the newsletter. The motion carried.

Treasurer’s Report: Marilyn Rogish provided an update on the account balances. The last RTP grant checks have been issued to members. Ed Bullock motioned and Jan Bullock seconded to accept the Treasurer’s report. The motion carried.

CORRESPONDENCE AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Karen passed around the 2018 coffee and hot water

signup and the Teller Wildlife Expo letter.

Karen noted that the Wilderness Society asked organizations to sign on to an opposition letter to HB 1349, aka “Wheels in Wilderness,” and she received the go-ahead from the Board to sign it. Dan Maiyo talked about the bill and noted that the Sustainable Trails Coalition is looking to amend the Wilderness Act to allow various mechanized vehicles in the wilderness. He noted that there is opposition to the bill, and that not all mountain bike organizations support it. Brad Pollman and Joe Rogish provided additional input on where BCH MT and BCHA stand on this matter.

Karen recognized Joe Rogish for his volunteer efforts driving disabled veterans to Ft. Harrison in Helena, as described in a recent Ravalli Republic newspaper article honoring hometown heroes also, Julie Schram, Ed Duggan, and Christy Schram-Duggan for receiving the Montana Wilderness Association (MWA) 2017 Continental Divide Trail Crew Volunteer Award.

Karen reminded the Board of Pantry Partners Christmas Box Pack on Dec 19, 8 am, at the St Mary’s Center in Stevensville. Marilyn asked if all the members could be reminded by email; Bonnie will send that notice.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Issues: Taylor Orr spoke about the recent Forest Service (FS) public work session on the Gold Butterfly Project to discuss key issues. The overriding issue for all the working groups was roads and how they would affect wildlife, fish, and streams. The FS will take the info and develop project alternatives. Brad asked if the project would have an unusual number of roads built or decommissioned. Taylor said lots of the workshop participants live along the roads, which was the basis of some of their concerns. Karen said Fred has sent a proposal to Tami Sabol emphasizing some recreational aspects. Taylor thought there could be opportunities for grant moneys for trail improvements. Julie said the MWA has heard about the project and could support trail work.

Projects: Dan Brandborg presented proposed 2018 projects. Early season projects include Larry Creek, Coyote Coulee, Calf Creek, and Lower East Fork Trail. Several mid-season projects were identified as well. Joe R said it was a good list, with the usual annual projects coupled with others to consider. Brad provided some backstory on cutting firewood for lookouts, and there was further discussion on various projects. Proposed 2018 projects will be presented at the general meeting.

State Directors: Chuck Miller discussed the HB 1349 subcommittee hearing, which was primarily pro testimony from the Sustainable Trails Coalition. Karen asked Brad if the opposition letters would go to the subcommittee. He said that BCHA has submitted the letters into the public record, and further explained how subcommittees work.

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He noted that letter writing does make a difference. Chuck then spoke about the Dec 2 BCH MT meeting and provided a summary of discussions. He spoke about the recent bill from Senator Daines to re-open five Wilderness Study Areas (WSAs), including two in the valley. He noted the recent national move to enforce a commercial driver’s license for trucks/trailers over 26,000 pounds GVW. Brad said this isn’t a new rule, but it hasn’t been enforced. Chuck said people in the Trout Creek area are interested in forming a BCH chapter. Another RTP grant will be pursued. The 2018 convention will be in Lewistown, Charlie Russell BCH will handle the 2019 convention, and the 2020 convention is up for grabs with a new chapter having first shot at it. A regional pack trip was discussed, and Joni Packard (FS) encouraged BCH MT to hold it. Chuck said the BCH MT constitution is undergoing final revisions. The resolutions committee only reviews resolutions and does not write them. Resolutions are due Feb 9, and will be sent out Feb 23 for chapters to review. He noted the FS is contracting blasting projects in some forests/regions (not in the Bitterroot). Joe R said the potential FS project in March and a youth program in July/August were discussed.

Training: Karen said that Bonnie M has 7-8 people signed up to help her with the 2018 Wilderness Skills Weekend/Defensive Horse Safety.

Outreach: Karen noted that the Gold Creek Project story was submitted with photos to BCH MT newsletter editor and the Roland Cheek article and photos were submitted to BCHA newsletter editor. She passed around a business card design from Ed Bullock for the Board to review. She asked Julie to send the MWA award story to BCH MT after the paper prints it.

Program: Karen said Dave Schilz will speak at the Dec meeting; Taylor will introduce him. Phil Torgerson has a list of suggested 2018 speakers.

Youth: Ed Duggan had no updates, but is reviewing info from the Gallatin chapter.

OLD BUSINESS

Packing Scholarships: Chuck said that four people have responded to attending the Smoke Elser Packing Clinic: Eva-Marie Maggi, Katie Philips Williams, Sandra O’Brien, and Ed Duggan. Jan Bullock asked that her application also be considered. After further discussion with Fred W and Karen, Chuck said they recommended all applicants attend. Karen said the 2018 budget should reflect this. Marilyn asked what will be required of the applicants, and Karen noted that all are required to help with future training and projects. The total cost for all attendees will be $1000. Chuck suggested this expense be explained at the general meeting. Karen said this is an investment for the future. Brad suggested that the applicants also participate in an overnight packing project and use the skills they learn as soon as possible on packing trips. Dan

B noted that having pack stock is a critical issue, and some members said they could provide loaner stock. Taylor asked if spots have been reserved for all 5 attendees; 2 of the 5 have reserved their spot and the other 3 need to contact the Elsers ASAP. Further discussion ensued on training.

Raffle Items for Dec General Meeting: Karen said some good raffle items have come in.

NEW BUSINESS

2020 State Convention: Karen asked Nancy P to talk about the 2020 convention. Nancy said BRBCH is the next logical chapter in line to host the convention. This commitment needs to be decided soon and BCH MT informed by Feb 2018. The convention is a lot of work and takes 2-3 years of planning. Chapters do make money hosting the convention. This topic will be presented to the membership at the Dec meeting. A core committee needs to be formed and meet regularly if we do host. Chuck noted that the original purpose of the convention was to be a fundraiser for chapters, and that the state can help out with upfront costs if needed.

Audit Committee: Nancy said they will meet in Jan 2018. Marilyn said the Dec bank statement arrives around Jan 10. The committee includes Nancy, Helen Engle, and Laura DeGrazier. The outgoing and new treasurers will be involved.

Budget Committee: Karen said Joe Atencio will handle it again, with help from Lionel and Marilyn. Marilyn said the treasurer needs to be on the committee since they know where the moneys go.

RTP Grant Training: Lionel Lavallee and Dan Maiyo went to RTP grant training on Dec 7 in Missoula. Lionel noted there are many forms to fill out and that Joe R deserves accolades for the effort he put into the past grant. Nancy said there are people at BCH MT to run the grant program again. Brad provided additional info on writing the grant, and discussion ensued on grant writing on a state level rather than by individual chapters. Chuck said the state can reallocate funds from one chapter to another if necessary. Brad said that FWP is encouraging BCH MT to apply for the grant again since the previous grant was handled so well. Dan M said it was interesting to learn the complexity of the system. Joe R provided additional insight as to how the program runs.

OTHER BUSINESS

Jan Bullock presented fundraising ideas that might bring in younger people and others from outside the area, such as hosting a steak or poker ride if future fair management doesn’t occur. Brad noted that the

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BitterRootBackCountryHorsemen

chapters that host these do them annually as their major fundraiser and only clear a couple hundred dollars. Timing, location (private property), and volunteers for these rides are big factors to hosting them. More horse camping was encouraged for fun activities.

Chuck said we should start working on the volunteer service agreement for the FS; the current one in place is good for 2 years. He noted that projects need volunteers to physically sign their name on the project form for liability purposes. Brad said that a project leader class could be done if needed for the 2018 projects.

Adjourn: Ed Bullock motioned and Joe Rogish seconded to adjourn the meeting at 8:38 pm. The motion carried.

Kathy Stroppel-Holl, Secretary BRBCH

NEXT BBCH MEETING Thursday, November 16th

Location: CorvallisSchoolCafeteria Program Speaker: Dave Schilz

Potluck at 6:30 Meeting at 7:00

Guests are welcome! Bring your own beverage.

Visit our website: bchmt.org/bitterroot

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