Tim Fox opened a small crate at a property south of Bozeman on Monday afternoon. A male red-tailed hawk heâd nicknamed âLuckyâ flapped out and disappeared into nearby pine trees.
Luckyâs flight was the culmination of months of medical care at the Montana Raptor Conservation Center. The Bozeman nonprofit rehabilitates injured raptors and hosts programs to educate the public on the birdsâ ecological importance.
Fox, who served as Montanaâs attorney general from 2013 to January 2021, said he hopes Lucky finds a mate and becomes a good part of local ecosystems. Visits to the raptor center are part of why he has a soft spot for wildlife, he said.