Ranchers and Land Managers: Does Land Management Pay?

By Roy Roath, Society for Range Management 

Published on Jan. 25, 2020

No one wants to invest money in concepts or practices that don’t return money to the ranch. According to James Rogers of the Winecup-Gamble Ranch, it is one of the best investments a rancher can make. He states the land supports his business, not the inverse.

            The Society for Range Management is sponsoring training events Feb. 20. 

            The Range Practicum features ranchers who will speak about ranching and investing in the land. A group of ranch women who’ve invested their lives in ranching and ranch partnerships, including Wyoming’s Mary Budd Flitner, will address ranching from their experiences.

            Whit Hibbard of Montana is conducting a low-stress stockmanship workshop, a critical tool to better manage land with greater livestock response. 

            Why would any rancher who’s been moving cattle his entire life want to learn more about it? So why take a class and lose a day’s work? 

The answer is simple, says Hibbard. “It will save you money and make you money.” 

            Hibbard’s workshop is based on the work of Bud Williams. 

            The Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service and Mantle Ranch are conducting wild horse training demonstrations, including handling fresh trapped horses and halter starting the untrained horse. 

            Wild horse and burro issues will be addressed along with other topics. Other ranch management tools will be addressed including hands-on horse and mule packing, planning livestock winter water, weed sprayer calibration and rangeland productivity sessions. 

            Event registration can be found at srm2020.org/registration or at the door.