The Big Hole Watershed Committee holds public meetings on the third Wednesday of every month at the Divide Grange Hall, with a Zoom option available. These meetings provide an opportunity for community members to stay informed about watershed projects, committee activities, current issues affecting the Big Hole River, and upcoming events. Each meeting includes committee updates, project reports, time for discussion, and presentations on topics relevant to the watershed and local communities.
At our September 2026 meeting, we heard from BHWC Range Rider Chet Robertson about his experiences monitoring livestock and wildlife throughout the Big Hole watershed during the 2026 season, with a focus on range riding, predator activity, and grizzly bear presence:
- Chet Robertson, BHWC’s Range Rider, shared an inside look at the Range Riding Program, including where and how he rides, what he looks for, and what he observed after spending hundreds of hours in the field monitoring livestock and wildlife throughout the watershed.
- Wildlife and predator activity were a major focus of the presentation, with Chet sharing firsthand observations of wolves, grizzly bears, and other wildlife encountered during the season, along with insights into livestock activity and potential predator conflicts.
- Grizzly bear presence in the Big Hole watershed was also discussed, including Chet’s observations of bear activity and what they reveal about grizzly bears using the landscape.
- Livestock-predator conflict reduction was highlighted as a central goal of the Range Riding Program. Chet discussed how regular monitoring, early identification of predator activity, and communication with local ranchers can improve awareness of wildlife movements and help reduce the potential for conflicts between livestock and predators.
The meeting also included updates on BHWC’s ongoing restoration, drought, wildlife conflict-reduction, and water-storage work, including current precipitation and streamflow conditions, restoration projects underway throughout the watershed, and other efforts to improve the resilience of the Big Hole watershed.
You can view the4 full September 2026 meeting minutes here: September 2026 Meeting Minutes – coming soon!
Watch the Recording: