Browning Montana (Cut Bank: crime, houses, unemployment)

[didi768]

Does anyone know much about Browning? There is an LPN job there I'm looking into in Indian Services for the VA. In Tampa FL now, but from Minnesota.
Tried using the search button but it's not working.
Thanks

[historyfan]

Browning is in extreme winter country with an arctic near constant wind blowing throughout winter. It is on the Blackfeet reservation which is economically depressed.
I can not speak to the state of Indian Health Services.
If you take a job there and are not of the Blackfeet Nation, I would respectfully suggest that you live in Cut Bank.

[NDak15]

Originally Posted by historyfan

Browning is in extreme winter country with an arctic near constant wind blowing throughout winter. It is on the Blackfeet reservation which is economically depressed.
I can not speak to the state of Indian Health Services.
If you take a job there and are not of the Blackfeet Nation, I would respectfully suggest that you live in Cut Bank.

[Antonio Montana]

I agree with the previous posters. If you are white, you don't want to live in Browning. Live in Cut Bank. Sorry if this sounds "racist" but this is just the reality of the situation.

[FL2MT]

As mentioned, very windy most of the year with extreme cold on top of it in the winter.

Unless you're of Blackfoot ancestry I wouldn't live there. The area is extremely depressed economically, lots of alcoholism, lots of drugs, high unemployment, stray dogs roam the streets. There are some good people there no doubt, but the issues I mentioned are so prevalent and so obvious that it's what you'd be surrounded by if you chose to live there. Sad, but true.

[Tuck's Dad]

Rode through there last summer on my motorcycle with my kids. It was like a zombie apocalypse movie with drunk Indians as the zombies, and dogs everywhere!

There was a store we stopped at and the employees were friendly and helpful, but that was an oasis in an otherwise totally bleak experience there.

Weather in early August was 40 degrees and raining. That may have been a fluke, but August? 40 degrees?

[Jimothea]

Having lived in that part of Montana myself (East Glacier), I can attest to some of what previous posters have said. The Blackfeet are a strong, proud (and tall!) people and no doubt some harbor resentment towards non-natives, and I can't say I blame them. That aside, the few people in your line of work that I did run into (I tended bar) seemed to really enjoy their jobs….but I don't believe any of them lived directly in Browning. It's not terribly rundown or anything, but coming from Tampa it will certainly be a shock.

While Browning itself may be a debbie-downer, the area itself is STUNNING. Browning is fairly windswept, but the prairie and Glacier foothills are very rugged and beautiful, and the res. surrounds the eastern border of Glacier National Park which is chock full of some of the most pristine and beautiful environs you will find ANYWHERE in the United States.

Summers in Browning are quite comfortable. When it hit the upper eighties, people flipped. No need for air conditioning, that's for sure, and yes, most years the summers are short [though spectacular] and the winters are absolutely brutal--BRUTAL--not just from the cold but the wind that comes with the cold. That side of the mountains you get quite a bit more sunshine throughout the year (especially summer) than towards the west side of the divide, but also quite a bit more wind. Winter is just plain gnarly. Stock up on wood, kitty litter, candles, and canned soup. lol

Prices are…hmmm…about what you'd expect in most areas similarly situated, ie., a little high because you are really removed in that part of the country, but nothing crazy like in Alaska. Liquor was dirt cheap (not surprising). Milk was damn high, but nothing to write home about. Housing was about what I expected; little plain jane houses are perfectly affordable and the big, sprawling ranch mansions of Montanan splendor are certainly not.

Animals: GET BEAR SPRAY. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL. NO JOKE! ALSO, DO NOT WALK TRAILS BY YOURSELF. If you have a dog, train it up good before you let it run around outside. You will see bears, and I only ever saw grizzlies. Luckily the bears of that area have diets consisting mostly of berries and whatnot, but hey, they're still grizzly bears. Do not leave food or scented stuff unattended in your car during the summer season (those suckers are smart; they know from tourists what to look for). There's also a lot of elk, moose, mountain goats, antelope, wildcats, wolverines, wolves and all kinds of fishing. If you can, get a deep freeze and either make friends with a hunter/fisher, or do it yourself. The stray dogs (res dogs) are perfectly friendly, for the most part, and help keep bears away.

General: As for stuff to do, think any and all mountain activities. If you don't like the great, great outdoors, you will struggle to find anything to do other than drink, frankly. Dating…didn't apply to me at the time but the pickings certainly look slim (not sure if this applies to you). As I mentioned, Browning is removed. Closest Wal-Mart, for example, is…..3 hours maybe, to the west (in other words, out of the question for winter). Or maybe they have one in Browning now, but I doubt it. Education…eek. If children are in the picture, sheesh…I don't know… What else...Meth is big in that area, big-big. Crime seems to be mostly theft, bar fights, and meth.

That's all I got! Hope it was helpful.

[Gennaver]

Originally Posted by Jimothea

Having lived in that part of Montana myself (East Glacier), I can attest to some of what previous posters have said. The Blackfeet are a strong, proud (and tall!) people and no doubt some harbor resentment towards non-natives, and I can't say I blame them. That aside, the few people in your line of work that I did run into (I tended bar) seemed to really enjoy their jobs….but I don't believe any of them lived directly in Browning. It's not terribly rundown or anything, but coming from Tampa it will certainly be a shock.

While Browning itself may be a debbie-downer, the area itself is STUNNING. Browning is fairly windswept, but the prairie and Glacier foothills are very rugged and beautiful, and the res. surrounds the eastern border of Glacier National Park which is chock full of some of the most pristine and beautiful environs you will find ANYWHERE in the United States.

Summers in Browning are quite comfortable. When it hit the upper eighties, people flipped. No need for air conditioning, that's for sure, and yes, most years the summers are short [though spectacular] and the winters are absolutely brutal--BRUTAL--not just from the cold but the wind that comes with the cold. That side of the mountains you get quite a bit more sunshine throughout the year (especially summer) than towards the west side of the divide, but also quite a bit more wind. Winter is just plain gnarly. Stock up on wood, kitty litter, candles, and canned soup. lol

Prices are…hmmm…about what you'd expect in most areas similarly situated, ie., a little high because you are really removed in that part of the country, but nothing crazy like in Alaska. Liquor was dirt cheap (not surprising). Milk was damn high, but nothing to write home about. Housing was about what I expected; little plain jane houses are perfectly affordable and the big, sprawling ranch mansions of Montanan splendor are certainly not.

Animals: GET BEAR SPRAY. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL. NO JOKE! ALSO, DO NOT WALK TRAILS BY YOURSELF. If you have a dog, train it up good before you let it run around outside. You will see bears, and I only ever saw grizzlies. Luckily the bears of that area have diets consisting mostly of berries and whatnot, but hey, they're still grizzly bears. Do not leave food or scented stuff unattended in your car during the summer season (those suckers are smart; they know from tourists what to look for). There's also a lot of elk, moose, mountain goats, antelope, wildcats, wolverines, wolves and all kinds of fishing. If you can, get a deep freeze and either make friends with a hunter/fisher, or do it yourself. The stray dogs (res dogs) are perfectly friendly, for the most part, and help keep bears away.

General: As for stuff to do, think any and all mountain activities. If you don't like the great, great outdoors, you will struggle to find anything to do other than drink, frankly. Dating…didn't apply to me at the time but the pickings certainly look slim (not sure if this applies to you). As I mentioned, Browning is removed. Closest Wal-Mart, for example, is…..3 hours maybe, to the west (in other words, out of the question for winter). Or maybe they have one in Browning now, but I doubt it. Education…eek. If children are in the picture, sheesh…I don't know… What else...Meth is big in that area, big-big. Crime seems to be mostly theft, bar fights, and meth.

That's all I got! Hope it was helpful.

Thanks for this reply.

I'm a nurse, moving there for a full time work. Wish I kept my arctic gear from my 3 years in Alaska!!

Glad to know I may as well sell my new air conditioner before my move.

Jen
p.s. you are the second to mention bear spray, oh my!
p.p.s. although I'm thinking it will be more of an adjustment than Alaska

[Dangerous Dave]

If you're an LPN looking to go to that part of the country, there should be plenty of other gigs available. There is also a VA Hospital in St. Cloud if you'd like to go back to MN. You may do a search on USAJobs. I'm always seeing opening at VA Hospitals nationwide, should almost be able to write your own ticket if that's what you're looking for.

[Geo Roam]

I don't feel safe driving through Browning.

I'm a big guy with a dog and able to defend myself.

Can't believe complete reliance on the federal government has not produced a utopia.

BTW....nursing and medical jobs are ALWAYS hiring in this area. I wonder why?