Jocelyn Dodge

As hunting season approaches, learn important safety tips for outdoor activities in Southwest Montana from local forester Jocelyn Dodge.

With fall approaching, even inside of city limits there has been plenty of bear activity this year. You can be sure that if bears are wandering into town, they are certainly active in the forest this time of year. We had a chance to sit down with local forester and outdoor recreationalist Jocelyn Dodge who offered tips on how to avoid potential bear encounters.

Although the long Labor Day holiday weekend signals the unofficial beginning of fall, in Southwest Montana there are still plenty of opportunities for us to enjoy the great outdoors even with the changing of the seasons. We had a chance to sit down with local forester and recreation enthusiast Jocelyn Dodge to chat about what the end of summer means for campers, fishermen and outdoor enthusiasts.

All one needs to do is look outside to see that fire season has come to our region, particularly Southwest Montana where several forest fires are presently burning. The smoke in Southwest Montana has been particularly thick and hot, dry weather has settled in over the past couple of weeks. This increased danger does not mean the end of summer outdoor recreation, but it does mean that you will need to be mindful of conditions and vigilant in preventing wildfires when venturing onto public lands. We sat down with local forester and outdoor recreation enthusiast, Jocelyn Dodge, who offered advice on the steps that need to be taken.

How are you handling the midsummer heat? With temperatures frequently in excess of 90 degrees, many residents are looking for ways to cool off and we had a chance to chat with local forester and outdoor recreation enthusiast Jocelyn Dodge about the role that area lakes and rivers can play in your family's plans and important steps you need to remember if you plan on heading into the great outdoors.

Planning on retreating to the Great Outdoors over Independence Day or over the next couple of weeks? Temperatures are expected to soar in to the upper 80s next week and July is always a great time to head out to one of our area's beautiful lakes and rivers.

Well, after another long winter behind us, the recent snowfall notwithstanding, we have come to Memorial Day Weekend and Summer's unofficial start. Regardless of the weather or the forecast there are many who will be heading to area campsites for the holiday weekend, and local forester and outdoor recreation enthusiast Jocelyn Dodge says that the campgrounds are ready. She shared with us some things you should know beforehand if you're heading for a campsite or river over the long weekend.

We recently caught up with local forester and outdoor recreationalist extraordinaire, Jocelyn Dodge and she shared some great news for those experiencing a bit of cabin fever. "Thompson Park is now open for the summer from 8 AM to 9 PM through Labor Day," she told us. But with the warm weather comes more active wildlife. "It’s also bear and tick season and bears are beginning to come out of hibernation and will be looking for food."

Local forester Jocelyn Dodge stresses preparedness in the wilderness amidst melting snow and muddy roads.

With the recent nice weather following the bitter cold snap we had a couple of weeks ago, people are taking advantage of the temperatures and are getting back on our area's roads and trails. We caught up with local forester and outdoor recreationalist Jocelyn Dodge who offered some tips on what to do if you encounter wildlife and how to stay safe on your snow machines.