NEWS ROUNDUP

Thousands apply for 24 Montana bison hunting licenses Nearly 6,200 people, most of them Montana residents, have applied for the 24 licenses still available for Montana's first bison hunt in 15 years, state wildlife officials said today. Tom Palmer, a spokesman for the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, believes the level of interest has to do with the hunt's design. "It's a real hunt. I think hunters recognize that and are interested in participating," he said. As of early afternoon, there were 6,177 applications, he said. Of those, 5,992 were Montana residents. Last month, wildlife commissioners approved a three-month hunt of bison that leave Yellowstone National Park and enter southern Montana. Friday marked the deadline to apply for a license. Palmer said a drawing would be held next week....
Survivor of bear attack considers himself lucky Anderson resident James Davis said the image of a bear leaping over a dead tree and charging toward him with what he assumed was a definite intent to kill will forever be burned in his memory. Three weeks has passed since the 50-year-old businessman was mauled by a grizzly bear while hunting in the Wyoming wilderness, and Davis, whose wounds still are healing, said he counts himself more than just a little lucky to be alive. "Not many people get the opportunity to tell this story," he said, detailing the events that led to the attack. Hunting season had just started Sept. 10 on the edge of Yellowstone National Park when Davis and a group of friends - Jeff Sullivan of Anderson, Jon Irish of New Waverly and Dean Brown, Erin Brown and Dan Staid, all of Pinedale, Wyo. - set out to look for elk and deer. They shot a deer late in the day and were forced to leave it overnight, Davis said. Trouble came the next day when he and Irish went to retrieve the animal....
Species act backers pin hopes on Senate Critics of the U.S. House- approved changes in the 1973 federal Endangered Species Act are counting on the Senate to derail the bill. Left in place, the bill that passed the House 229-193 last week could unravel protections of old-growth forests in the Northwest that are home to the ESA-listed northern spotted owl, said Joe Scott, international programs director for Conservation Northwest, a Bellingham-based conservation group. Scott based his comments on a provision in the bill championed by Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Calif. It eliminates critical habitat designations for threatened and endangered species. The bill calls for recovery plans for imperiled species and protection of areas of special value but does nothing to guarantee how much habitat would be protected, Scott said. Most observers in Washington state and Washington, D.C., said the bill has little chance of passing the Senate and becoming law....
BLM rules cut protest period A new Bureau of Land Management policy means citizens have 30 days instead of 45 to protest oil- and gas-lease sales. Under the new rules, which went into effect in June, protests must be filed 15 days before the date of a sale. BLM's old policy allowed protests until the day of the sale. Sales notices will continue to be posted 45 days before lease sales. BLM holds oil and gas lease sales quarterly. The Nov. 10 sale, which was announced Sept. 26, will be the first one in Colorado since the rules changed. Citizens have until Oct. 26 to protest the sale of any of the 73,263 acres being offered. BLM officials say the old policy didn't give the bureau enough time to review protests before making a sale. As a result, some sales were made but weren't finalized until after the protests were investigated. Duane Spencer, branch chief of fluid minerals for the Colorado BLM, said late protests were not the norm, but they happened enough to be a problem for the bureau....
Blaze spotter is one of dwindling breed U.S Forest Service fire lookout Eric Olson was as happy as a bear in a berry patch. Not only is the wraparound view from his 40-foot- high steel tower atop Mount Elizabeth stupendous, but the excited chatter on the radio flashed quicker than greased lightning. The night before, a mighty thunderstorm had pushed through this part of the Stanislaus National Forest, using lightning strikes as legs and leaving behind smoldering forest litter and snags as foot- prints. Olson, who earns $11.43 an hour, is in his third year as a fire lookout. He plans to return next year. "Once you start working in public safety," he explained, "it's hard to let go." He is, however, one of a dwindling breed as fire lookouts across the country have been gradually replaced by modern technology, including comput- erized lightning detection sys- tems, satellites and air patrols....
It's All Trew: Trips to five and dime store 'fondest memories' Mr. Woolworth was born on a farm in Utica, N.Y., in 1852. He hated farm chores but looked forward to the visits of a local peddler who brought his wares to the farm. Equally fascinating were trips to the big general store in town where he eventually worked for free just to learn how the business operated. He went on to become a multi-millionaire with a chain of Woolworth stores located all over the world. As I remember, the store in Amarillo sported a bright red awning above the windows and - miracle of miracles - the clerks allowed little boys to examine the merchandise. All prices were prominently displayed so you could determine how far your allowance would go. Woolworth's was famous for its food counter, serving sandwiches and cold drinks. Once mother found out how cheap and quick a grilled cheese sandwich could be obtained, we always took this option at lunch. I can see it like yesterday. Sit on the red stool, push against the counter and you could make two full spins before stopping. The store employees must have greased the stools every night after closing. It was just like going to a carnival with rides....

===