The Big Why

Montana Public Radio
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Answers to your questions — big or small — about anything under the Big Sky. Let's see what we can discover together!

  1. 6 days ago

    122 years later, Fort Shaw girls basketball team continues to inspire and unite

    The Fort Shaw Indian School Girls Basketball Team navigated boarding school and forced assimilation while becoming a team of skilled athletes, artists and 1904 world champions. Now, more than 120 years later, the team is inspiring new generations and helping people connect with their families and their own cultural identities. Learn more about the team's legacy and why it resonates so strongly, on this episode of The Big Why.

  2. 1 Jul

    What was the Fort Shaw Indian Girls Basketball Team?

    Just years after the game of basketball was invented, an all-girls team of Indigenous players was going full-court — in woolen dresses. The Fort Shaw Indian Girls Basketball Team blazed a trail for those who’d come after them. So — what made the team so special? MTPR’s Victoria Traxler caught wind of the team and wanted to find out.

  3. 19 Jun

    Why are non-native fish so beloved in Montana?

    Knapweed and leafy spurge don't have many fans in these parts. Nobody makes the drive from Texas to pose with them and post the photos on Instagram. Invasive species aren't usually something to celebrate, because they can wreak havoc on native ecosystems in ways impossible to undo. But other invaders have gotten a much warmer welcome. One listener wonders why some non-native species – like brown trout and rainbows – are so valued in Montana.

  4. 4 Jun

    Why are mountain goat populations in Montana declining?

    Mountain goat populations have been on the decline in Montana for 70 years. Researchers are working to learn more about the nimble climbers, which means going where the goats go – and that's easier said than done. But no mountain is too high, no weather too extreme to stop us from answering this week's question: What happened to the mountain goat population in the Bitterroot Mountains?

  5. 7 May

    What's the real story behind Missoula's Slant Streets?

    If you've spent much time in Missoula, you've probably gotten turned around in the "Slant Streets" at least once. If you've lived there long enough, you've probably heard sensational tales of strife and betrayal surrounding the origin of the Garden City’s most geographically confused neighborhood. We're here to set the record straight. It’s the saga of the Slant Streets, on The Big Why.

  6. 23 Apr

    Why hasn't Montana sent a woman to Congress in 80 years? - Pt. 2

    There are many reasons why no woman has been elected to federal office in Montana since Jeannette Rankin. But it largely begins with deeply rooted beliefs about where women belong and who should have power. Montana women say the challenges Rankin had to overcome are still largely present today. Learn more from them on this episode of The Big Why.

  7. 9 Apr

    Why hasn't Montana sent a woman to Congress in 80 years? - Pt. 1

    In 1916, four years before women nationwide won the right to vote, Montanans elected Jeannette Rankin to Congress. She served two nonconsecutive terms, retiring in 1943. Rankin was the first woman in the country – and the last woman in Montana – to hold congressional office. One listener wants to know why.

  8. 26 Mar

    How did Jew Mountain get its name?

    Jew Mountain sits in rugged country on the BItterroot National Forest east of Painted Rocks Reservoir. One listener was curious about how the mountain got its name. The search for an answer revealed some family ties, a slice of history and a deeper story about geography, genealogy and why words matter.

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About

Answers to your questions — big or small — about anything under the Big Sky. Let's see what we can discover together!

Information

  • Creator
    Montana Public Radio
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    20
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Montana Public Radio 2026
  • Show Website
    The Big Why