WGFD Cody Region honors Trout Creek Ranch with landowner award

This summer, Trout Creek Ranch was recognized by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s (WGFD) Cody Region with the 2017 Landowner of the Year award.

The Landowner of the Year award is presented to Wyoming landowners who have demonstrated outstanding practices in wildlife management, habitat improvement and conservation techniques on their properties.

Trout Creek Ranch, owned by Robert and Michele Keith, sits in the Wapiti Valley between Cody and Yellowstone National Park. Corey and Renae Williams manage the ranch.

“Trout Creek, a blue-ribbon fishery for rainbow and Yellowstone cutthroat trout, meanders four miles through the ranch, providing incredible wildlife habitat,” says WGFD.

Four separate diversions of Trout Creek irrigate fields that provide grazing and crop production.

WGFD notes, “The ranch demonstrates an understanding of wildlife and habitation and incorporates that knowledge into ranch management.”

“When stream levels run low in late summer or during drought, the ranch foregoes irrigation of some fields to ensure enough water remains in the stream for aquatic life,” the agency continues. “They constantly monitor their resources and adjust accordingly.”

Along with their wildlife work, Trout Creek Ranch is known for breeding, showing, training and selling high-quality Quarter horses. The same horses are used on the ranch to work cattle. 

“Trout Creek Ranch exemplifies the level of land and aquatic stewardship and concern for wildlife and their habitat that we are proud to recognize,” WGFD emphasizes.

Saige Albert, managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup, compiled this article from the 2017 Landowner of the Year award program. Send comments on this article to saige@wylr.net.