Libby area history:
The first white men recorded in the Libby area were explorers and trappers. One of the earliest was David Thompson from Canada. In the early 1800s, the Northwest Company in Canada employed him to explore, trap, and map the Kootenai River. The river begins in Canada, makes a large loop into the now present USA, and then back up into Canada. When the group arrived at the Kootenai Falls, they had to portage their canoes around the turbulent falls. It is interesting to note; I mention Kootenai Falls and David Thompson in my book, #Chinook: King of the North, also in the present day, the movie, "River Wild," was filmed at this location. Several forts were established along the river, however, all remnants have since vanished.
Gold was first discovered in October of 1889 at the now-defunct Snowshoe Mine in the Cabinet Mountains. Though it was the area's largest mine, miners still used horses and mules to pull the loads to town up until the mine closed. A realistic replica of that mine is at the Heritage Museum in Libby, Montana.
Wolf Facts from the US Dept of Wildlife:
Wolves are wild animals and can be dangerous if encountered in the wild. Agressive behavior is rare, however, many factors can come into play. Such as; rabies or other sicknesses, protecting their young, injury, or if cornered.
Be alert in wolf habitat. Never walk alone, never feed a wolf, keep dogs on leash, never leave small children unattended. Make noise while hiking. Wolves may become habituated to humans by frequent contact or feeding and thus become a danger.
If a wolf appears threatening: Face it, stand back to back (if two people), stand tall, wave your arms, yell and throw sticks or rocks at the wolf. Much like you would a Mountain Lion.
That's all for this month. Please note that I will not be posting a blog for May and June. Also if you no longer want these monthly blogs, please let me know at pjwesley45@gmail.com, and I will take you off the list.
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Cheers!
p.j. Wesley
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