HPR in Winter 2007
Sorry about the hiatus from blogging. One of the characteristics of an absentee ranch owner is that he is absent from the ranch much of the time……in my case tending technology in Utah. We have been very busy at NetDocuments (netdocuments.com) and I have not been able to spend the time at the ranch that I would like to.
Marie and I finally got to the ranch on Christmas day (actually about 10:30 p.m. that evening). As we turned left off Mansfield Lane onto Bachelor Mountain Road we saw several Elk in the lane, between the two fences, along both sides of the road. Looking off to the east with the light of a full moon, into our Upper Mailbox field, we could see hundreds of Elk. It’s always nice to see Elk on the ranch and to contribute to the coffers of the Montana Department of Natural Resources budget by feeding the Elk. The Elk feed on deeded pastures in the evenings, and then they return to Bachelor Mountain for the day. I got up early the next morning hoping to catch them with my camera but I was too late. I did see several hundred Antelope, also availing themselves, as they do year round, of our precious HPR forage.
Following a day in Dillon (always required), I was able to spend the next day helping Urs and Elias chute-brand and ear tag 100 Bred Heifers. In the early morning when we got started it was zero degrees. By late afternoon it had warmed up to the low teens. We were so busy that we really didn’t notice the cold temperatures, especially when the sun shone, which was most of the day. It was also fun to see the next generation, Jared Schmidlin and Rudolpho Cervantes, learning to do ranch work. They worked and played together well.
I love to work Heifers…….they are so cute, curious and full of spunk. If they are lucky (e.g. healthy) they will get to enjoy the HPR for 10-12 years. The photos show some of the last Heifers to get clipped (we do this before we brand them, in case they have another brand beneath their think winter coat of hair), have all ear tags removed and get a nice royal blue HPR ear tag. Notice Elias applying the electric brand and the Heifers all leaving the working corrals to return to the Lower Lane field where they can forage on HPR grass.
While Elias was feeding and Urs was doing other winter jobs (e.g. breaking ice, feeding grain to the horses, etc.), Marc, Lindsay, Marie and I drove to Elk Haven to start some winter games, which included snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, ice skating, and snow shoeing. The weather was sunny with intermittent snow flurries. Marc spent hours clearing the snow off a portion of the lake so that people could ice skate……….it worked!
I also took Marc and their dog, Sundance, on a 4-wheeler ride to the Antelope and Scobey pastures to see the new jackleg fence that Elias and Urs completed to fence off Painter Creek. This project will not only preserve the Westslope Cutthroat Trout habitat in Painter Creek, where some of Montana’s purest strain of Westslope live, but also help us to more effectively and efficiently graze the portion of our large Scobey pasture that is west of Painter Creek. Cows are no different than other undulates, including wildlife, i.e. given the opportunity on a hot summer day they will graze under the trees along Painter Creek, where the grass if very green and easy to get to.
Speaking of wildlife, the first evening that we were at the ranch this trip, just as I was climbing into bed, I looked out the window and saw a Moose right outside our bedroom window. As he slowly made his way around the cabin, walking a few feet, then putting his snoot into the snow, and repeating this as he walked around the cabin, then towards our SUV, stopping to smell and listen, I could not help but think of his thoughts of sharing LakeSide with the human species. I know that animals think and feel. On an earlier trip to the HPR as we drove up to the ElkView cabin we saw two large Moose in the light of our headlamps. One slowly lumbered over the jackleg fence, then watched from the other side as the second one followed suit. The second one got over with his two front legs but then couldn’t quite complete the jump with both back legs. Seeing the second Moose apparently caught, the first Moose started back to help his companion. Just as the first Moose started toward the second Moose the second Moose broke loose and pulled himself across the top rail of the jackleg fence and onto the ground.
Our work and play at the HPR just before the end of 2007 was glorious. We didn’t get cold outside working and playing, enjoyed a full moon, and had great meals prepared by Marie, including candle light dinners featuring HPR natural tenderloin Beef steaks cooked on an outside BBQ. Oh how sweet is RanchLife!
As for hosting guests during the summer of 2008, we won’t be doing it a second summer. We have decided to continue to “rest” the ranch, our staff, and our family.
Marie and I finally got to the ranch on Christmas day (actually about 10:30 p.m. that evening). As we turned left off Mansfield Lane onto Bachelor Mountain Road we saw several Elk in the lane, between the two fences, along both sides of the road. Looking off to the east with the light of a full moon, into our Upper Mailbox field, we could see hundreds of Elk. It’s always nice to see Elk on the ranch and to contribute to the coffers of the Montana Department of Natural Resources budget by feeding the Elk. The Elk feed on deeded pastures in the evenings, and then they return to Bachelor Mountain for the day. I got up early the next morning hoping to catch them with my camera but I was too late. I did see several hundred Antelope, also availing themselves, as they do year round, of our precious HPR forage.
Following a day in Dillon (always required), I was able to spend the next day helping Urs and Elias chute-brand and ear tag 100 Bred Heifers. In the early morning when we got started it was zero degrees. By late afternoon it had warmed up to the low teens. We were so busy that we really didn’t notice the cold temperatures, especially when the sun shone, which was most of the day. It was also fun to see the next generation, Jared Schmidlin and Rudolpho Cervantes, learning to do ranch work. They worked and played together well.
I love to work Heifers…….they are so cute, curious and full of spunk. If they are lucky (e.g. healthy) they will get to enjoy the HPR for 10-12 years. The photos show some of the last Heifers to get clipped (we do this before we brand them, in case they have another brand beneath their think winter coat of hair), have all ear tags removed and get a nice royal blue HPR ear tag. Notice Elias applying the electric brand and the Heifers all leaving the working corrals to return to the Lower Lane field where they can forage on HPR grass.
While Elias was feeding and Urs was doing other winter jobs (e.g. breaking ice, feeding grain to the horses, etc.), Marc, Lindsay, Marie and I drove to Elk Haven to start some winter games, which included snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, ice skating, and snow shoeing. The weather was sunny with intermittent snow flurries. Marc spent hours clearing the snow off a portion of the lake so that people could ice skate……….it worked!
I also took Marc and their dog, Sundance, on a 4-wheeler ride to the Antelope and Scobey pastures to see the new jackleg fence that Elias and Urs completed to fence off Painter Creek. This project will not only preserve the Westslope Cutthroat Trout habitat in Painter Creek, where some of Montana’s purest strain of Westslope live, but also help us to more effectively and efficiently graze the portion of our large Scobey pasture that is west of Painter Creek. Cows are no different than other undulates, including wildlife, i.e. given the opportunity on a hot summer day they will graze under the trees along Painter Creek, where the grass if very green and easy to get to.
Speaking of wildlife, the first evening that we were at the ranch this trip, just as I was climbing into bed, I looked out the window and saw a Moose right outside our bedroom window. As he slowly made his way around the cabin, walking a few feet, then putting his snoot into the snow, and repeating this as he walked around the cabin, then towards our SUV, stopping to smell and listen, I could not help but think of his thoughts of sharing LakeSide with the human species. I know that animals think and feel. On an earlier trip to the HPR as we drove up to the ElkView cabin we saw two large Moose in the light of our headlamps. One slowly lumbered over the jackleg fence, then watched from the other side as the second one followed suit. The second one got over with his two front legs but then couldn’t quite complete the jump with both back legs. Seeing the second Moose apparently caught, the first Moose started back to help his companion. Just as the first Moose started toward the second Moose the second Moose broke loose and pulled himself across the top rail of the jackleg fence and onto the ground.
Our work and play at the HPR just before the end of 2007 was glorious. We didn’t get cold outside working and playing, enjoyed a full moon, and had great meals prepared by Marie, including candle light dinners featuring HPR natural tenderloin Beef steaks cooked on an outside BBQ. Oh how sweet is RanchLife!
As for hosting guests during the summer of 2008, we won’t be doing it a second summer. We have decided to continue to “rest” the ranch, our staff, and our family.
posted by Kenneth W. Duncan | 4:42 PM
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