Recreation Projects

Paradise Valley Elk management

We are blessed with an abundance of elk throughout many parts of Montana, which makes for incredible hunting and viewing opportunities.  However, as the old saying goes, you can have too much of a good thing.  Large elk herds can harm native rangeland and riparian areas, decimate crops and stored hay, and increase the potential for disease transmission.  Differing views on elk management can also strain relations among neighbors and local communities.

In an effort to alleviate the impact of hundreds of hungry elk in the Paradise Valley, Ranch Resources is currently assisting our client with the implementation of a managed cow elk harvest program.  Our staff developed a safe and effective hunting plan and coordinated dozens of public hunters to harvest over 70 elk in the first year of this effort.  This project provided an excellent hunting opportunity for many appreciative sportsmen and began to address severe overgrazing impacts on our client’s property and neighboring ranches.

Sheridan Montana Youth Hunt

Across the US, hunter recruitment and participation is on the decline due to lack of access. This hit home with one of our clients who years ago asked us to create opportunities for youth hunters on his ranch. In response, we took advantage of Montana’s two day youth deer season and organized a hosted hunt for local kids. For this event we fill 26 hunting blinds over two evenings; creating opportunities for hunters under the age of 16 to harvest whitetail deer. This setting allows for a very safe and structured environment where the kids and their chaperones sit in custom made hunting blinds along whitetail deer travel routes and on the edges of agricultural fields. RRI staff schedules kids, builds and places hunting blinds, drafts ranch rules and maps, and staffs the annual event.

laurin montana fishing access management

Public access to fish and wildlife resources is a hot topic in Montana.  Most often we hear about situations where landowners do not want anyone entering their property.  However, there are also landowners that want to allow limited access for the enjoyment of these resources, but do not have the time or staff to manage it appropriately. 

Along over 4 miles of the Ruby River, we have worked with one of our clients to develop and manage a phenomenal fishing access opportunity at the Ruby Habitat Foundation’s Woodson Ranch. www.rubyhabitat.org  Here the general public can sign up to fish this famous river and have long stretches of water to themselves for the day.  The river is divided into beats throughout the entire property that are fished and rested on a carefully managed schedule to protect the fishery and provide an exceptional experience for our visitors.