But in Glacier County there is indeed a “dedicated” sheriff’s deputy who acts as an animal control officer and has the basic equipment: truck, snare, rifle, traps, garbage bags, and washable uniform. Glacier County is up against the Canadian border on the north edge and includes almost all of the Blackfeet Reservation, where they don’t often have jurisdiction, so the Sheriff’s log is mostly but not always about the town of Cut Bank which is mostly but not always white. For the last few years the sheriff has been enrolled tribal which doesn’t affect whether or not the sheriff’s deputies can act on the reservation. That is a matter of contract and training. In the summer the deputies are busier because the three resort towns along the edge of Glacier Park (East Glacier, St. Mary, and Babb) are swollen with tourists who are fuzzy about what they ought to do and often too young to have enough common sense to do it anyway. Some of them -- well, talk about wild animals!
But here are some of the more absorbing entries in the Sheriff’s Log for Glacier County recently. First is a sequence about a mountain lion that still hasn’t ended. Then some short incidents.
Friday, MARCH 12:
2:17 PM: Male caller about having a gun on the reservation to help keep mountain lions from his livestock. Advised him to call tribe for further information.
Friday, JUNE 11
11:03 AM: Animal control officer reporting a mountain lion was seen today in the southwest park. he had his dog down there but indicate there were any fresh tracks.
10:48 PM: Woman wondering if we are looking for the mountain lion that was spotted. Advised her yes, but to keep an eye on her kids and pets.
Saturday, JUNE 12
9:17 AM Caller about the mountain lion. He has his kids out in the front yard and he lives on Fifth Ave. SW. Told him the animal has not been caught to watch children and pets, especially in his area.
10:28 AM: Woman reporting a German Shepherd barking. She thinks there is a mountain lion or a wolf out there. She saw something out there but doesn’t know what it is because she has bad eyesight.
SUNDAY, JUNE 13
9:32 AM: Animal Control officer advising he just received a call from a woman who lives north and west of Cut Bank along the creek. She thinks she saw a mountain lion down there today. She had also called last weekend and her two hound dogs were kind of torn up. The wounds looked too high up to be a badger and she thinks it was a mountain lion. Officer went down below the river car bridge to swimming pool yesterday and he will be going again today. There is a swim meet this weekend and officer sill be camping out in the trees between the pool area and the campground so should be safe with all the kids around but he will be there just in case.
4:17 PM: Caller at the swimming poor advising there are people going down into the coulee. Officer said he will go down there and warn them about the mountain lion but cannot keep them out of there.
7:25 PM: Female called advising there is a large dead cat on the highway. Caller thinks it may be the mountain lion that has been around. It was all puffed up. Officer said it was not a lion, just a very large cat.
Friday, JUNE 18
1:14 PM: Possible sighting of the mountain lion. Officer will be in the area looking around but saw nothing.
Saturday, JUNE 19
12:32 AM: Caller wondering if they have found the mountain lion. Their Golden Lab is missing and he never leaves. It has been missing all day and has no collar or tags. They live on South Road near the airport.
9:08 AM: Male caller advising the mountain lion is on the cliffs south of the bridge. Caller says she has a kitten and that is why she is hanging around. Tried to ask more questions but caller hung up. Will let Animal Control Officer know.
2:57 PM: Caller advising the mountain lion is in her backyard on Carter Oil Road. It went right over to the neighbors. Officer responded.
Sunday, JUNE 20
5:55 PM: Call wondering about the mountain lion. Advised her there has been no sighting today.
MEANWHILE “BACK AT THE RANCH” IN THE SAME ANIMAL CONTROL TIME PERIOD:
Caller came out of his house and neighbor threatened to shoot with a gun. The neighbor is upset about some cat poop. Caller removed it from the guy’s yard and knows whose cat it is. [Not a mountain lion.]
Caller reporting a loose pug running around the swimming pool park. The dog has no collar and a child was bit on the cheek. Animal control took pug and it is under quarantine. Same pug as last week.
Friday, JUNE 11
3:52 AM: Caller on 1st St. NE said his dogs were making a bunch of noise and he looked out and there are four people climbing the elevators across the street. he doesn’t recognize any of the people but one is 3/4 of the way up. Officer responded but doesn’t see anyone climbing the elevator. Officer does now see people up there but they don’t want to come down. They are about 100 plus feet in the air. Officer does not want to spook them and have something go wrong. Caller watched the people go inside the elevator. One went in and three came across and saw the light from the door and went in. Officer used his words to talk them down. Two persons are coming down off the tower. Officer has two males and a female in custody.
7:28 AM: Officer reporting there is garbage blowing all over out of the dumpster in the 100 block of First and Second Ave. SE. Animal control officer will come over and pick it up. The city won’t.
Some days you’re the hero and some days you’re the housekeeper and some days you’re both.
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