Category: Sheriff’s reports

NOTE: I’ve been collecting excerpts from the Big Timber Pioneer’s “On the Record” for several years. Each Sheriff’s Report post consists of a few of these which tickle my funny bone at the time of writing the post.

Animals animals animals!  Either sleeping or hitching a ride in a truckbed –

10/11/18

• 2 – A caller reported cows in their yard on Swamp Creek Road. The owner was notified.
• 2 – A caller reported horses in their yard on Bridger Creek Road.   The caller said they put the animals in their corral until the owner could come get them.
• 5 – A caller reported a horse in distress on Main Boulder Road. A neighbor checked on the animal and said it was just sleeping.

7/18/19

• 7/11/19 – A caller reported a pickup parked in front of their house on McLeod Street had goats in the back. A deputy responded.

NOTE: I’ve been collecting excerpts from the Big Timber Pioneer’s “On the Record” for several years. Each Sheriff’s Report post consists of a few of these which tickle my funny bone at the time of writing the post.

Buffalo skulls, rickety trailers on the highway 90 and a team of mules on highway 10…

8/2/18 Big Timber Pioneer:

• July 22 – A caller reported an individual stealing a buffalo skull from their neighbor’s house on Poplar St. A deputy responded and spoke with the homeowner.
• July 24 – A caller reported a pickup pulling a trailer that appeared to be falling apart on I-90 eastbound near mile marker 374. MHP was notified.

10/4/18

• 24 – Two hunting dogs were reported running around on Main Boulder Rd. near Eight Mile Bridge. The owner was notified.
• A caller reported a person driving a team of mules on Highway 10 East near mile marker 15. Stillwater County was contacted and said they had spoken with the person earlier and everything was fine.

There are always reports of various animals, either wild or domestic, in the news here.  I live on the Old Boulder Road, and heard the cries of a mountain lion during my first Spring at the house.  And regarding livestock and animals, that post is no joke – unless it’s the livestock owner’s dog, you better make sure your pup steers clear!

The Pioneer 7/13/2017

• 7/5 – A caller reported three goats missing on Main Boulder Rd.
• A Main Boulder Road resident reported suspicious activity when a couple of men unknown to him stopped by his place and asked to borrow his chainsaw for a couple of days. The next day they were seen driving by the home very slowly several times.
• The game warden was advised when a resident of Old Boulder Road reported a black and white Border Collie was harassing a baby deer. The caller stated if the animal chased the deer again he would shoot it.

The Pioneer 12/1/2016

• 17 – A caller requested the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks game warden’s phone number to report a mountain lion in the Old Boulder Road area. Dispatch provided the phone number.

Gone missing —

The Pioneer 6/23/2016

• June 17 – A caller reported possibly seeing a missing male at the Reed Point gas station off 1-90. The reporting party said at one point the man was “buck naked” and changing clothes in the parking lot. An officer was advised.
• A caller reported finding a yellow parakeet in a tree outside her home; the bird flew right to her and she placed it in a cage. Contact was made with the owner of the previous day’s missing bird, but it had already been found.

April 28/2018

• An individual came into the sheriff’s office to report five head of black Angus yearlings missing on Highway 10 East. The individual was given the number for the state brand inspector.
• 11/13/2018 – A caller reported three goats missing on Main Boulder Rd.

Here we go – “On the Record” from the Big Timber Pioneer. Complete with funny smells, hay bales coming off a semi after going under the railroad bridge (a common occurrence), and toy guns that look too real!

4/26/18

• April 15 – A caller requested an officer check on their office on Main St. The caller stated there was a funny smell. A deputy did a walk through and didn’t find anything.
• April 17- A semi driver reported hitting the railroad bridge on Highway 191 North and losing hay bales in the road. A deputy responded and MHP was notified. Montana Dept. of Transportation was notified and used a loader to move the bales off the road.
• April 18 – A caller reported finding a handgun in Boulder River Park. A deputy responded and reported it was a toy gun.

These are from a few years back, the “On the Record” from our weekly paper, the Big Timber Pioneer.  These are classic.  You just can’t make this stuff up…people popping off, a hard of hearing husband, and some shady business from the 70’s.

6/2/16

• May 27 – An individual requested an officer respond to his residence on East Second Avenue. The caller said he was in an argument with his landowner about parking and driving. He said they blocked his driveway and there was a male in a red truck “that is also popping off at me, and I am popping off back at him.”
• May 29 – Officers checked on a female who was yelling at a house on East Third Avenue. A deputy reported everything was fine. The female was locked out of her house and was trying to get the attention of her husband who was deaf.
• May 30 – A caller requested information about their grandfather. They said they were trying to cross into Canada but could not do so because of “something that he did here in Big Timber probably in the late 70’s.” The caller was advised to check with the local courts.

6/8/17 Pioneer

…cows as playmates, an impaired sense of direction, and museum respite care…enjoy this installment of our weekly paper.

May 28 – An individual called to report their 2-year-old missing. The caller later reported they found the child playing in a field with some cows.

May 30 – A caller reported a possible driver under the influence on Big Timber Loop Road. The driver in question drove past a local gas station and did a U-turn. “It’s like he doesn’t know where he is going,” the caller stated. The driver was arrested.

May 31 – An employee at Crazy Mountain Museum stated there was an individual that was confused and didn’t know where they were or how they got there. The sheriff responded to the scene and found the individual’s spouse in the car who said their partner had Alzheimer’s and that they needed a break.

One of the things I love about these posts in the newspaper is that they QUOTE what the caller says. It’s just fantastic.

6/29/17 Pioneer

June 21 – An employee at a Third Avenue business asked a deputy to remove a customer that was half undressed and “acting stupid.” An officer responded, but could not locate the customer.

June 24 – An individual from a local ranch reported a car parked in the tall grass on Shank Basin Road.  “I just think it’s strange,” the caller said.  Officers checked the area but couldn’t find anything suspicious.

We have a weekly paper in Big Timber called the Pioneer. Included each week is an “On the Record” section. I call it the Sheriff’s Report. There is a “Complaints” section which includes details of the goings on during the week – every fine detail! ALL of the calls that have come in to the Sheriff’s office are included. I have combed through years of papers to bring you some highlights of small town life in Montana.

The Sheriff’s Report reminds me of the “News of the Weird” section of the City Paper when I lived in DC. News of the Weird was always worth a good laugh. Hopefully this will offer the same to you!

Let’s start with the 12/1/16 paper…..juggling?

Nov. 23 – A caller reported a red pickup parked in the median of 1-90 mile marker 359 with green bags laying around. The reporting party said a man appeared to be juggling nearby. Dispatch notified two sheriff’s officers. A wrecker also responded to assist with a blown tire.