Big Spring Ranch
Sweet Grass : Big Timber, MT 59011
Sweet Grass County, Montana
Land Description
Big Spring Ranch is a classic Montana ranch loaded with aesthetic, operational, and recreational amenities. The headquarters is located just east of Lower Sweet Grass Road beautifully between the verdant irrigated farm ground and the Lower Sweet Grass Creek. The irrigated hay lands are located primarily along the river bottom area and historically have been planted in alfalfa and rotational pulse crops.
Land
Lower Sweet Grass Creek runs through the heart of the East unit for more than one mile and provides excellent water and cover for a plethora of wildlife. Of the 3192 deeded acres, 253 acres of this unit is irrigated bottom hay land and has features considered to be desirable for allowing food plots for the wildlife. The 2,268 acres of native rangeland on the ranch is comprised of primarily western wheatgrass, bluebunch grass, prairie June grass, and gamma grass. To the west the dry land hay depending on the year, produce over one ton per acre, which can either be cut for hay or grazed. The ranch is perimeter fenced with numerous cross fences, all of which are in good condition. Stock water is abundant and supplied by springs, creeks, and wells throughout the ranch. The ranch can support 200-225 head of cattle on any given year depending on the weather and grass.
Recreation
The Lower Sweet Grass Creek is home to both Brown and Rainbow Trout, with the average fish running in the 12-14 range. This stream fishes best in the summer months, from early July to early September. This is dry fly country, and the fish rise eagerly to various attractor patterns and terrestrials.
Wildlife on the ranch covers a broad spectrum and includes, elk, whitetail, and mule deer, antelope, turkey, sharptail, grouse, geese, ducks, pheasant, and sandhill cranes.
Agriculture
Total Acreage 3832 acres
Total Deeded 3192 acres
State Lease 640 acres
Irrigated Ground 253 acres
Total grazing land 2268 acres
Total forest land 687 acres.
Water/Mineral Rights & Natural Resources
The Big Spring Ranch is well watered with 16 water rights claimed with the Dnrc dating as far back as 1889. There is over a mile of Lower Sweet Grass flowing through the Eastern portion of the ranch.
General Operations
The Lower Sweet Grass Creek is home to both Brown and Rainbow Trout, with the average fish running in the 12-14 range. This stream fishes best in the summer months, from early July to early September. This is dry fly country, and the fish rise eagerly to various attractor patterns and terrestrials.
Wildlife on the ranch covers a broad spectrum and includes, elk, whitetail, and mule deer, antelope, turkey, sharptail, grouse, geese, ducks, pheasant, and sandhill cranes.
Region & Climate
Big timber is a self-sustaining community with banks, churches, galleries, a world -class restaurant at the Grand hotel, golf course, movie theater, The Pioneer Medical Center which provides services to the surrounding area.
Big Timber is just far enough away to require that the town to be self-sustaining, but close enough that one can take advantage of all of the services that Billings and Bozeman have to offer.
History
The Big Spring Ranch itself is a good-sized ranch and neighbors several other much larger ranches. It is in an area that seems relatively immune to the development pressures that afflict many other areas that are closer to the mountains. In short this is a part of the state that has benefit of dramatic mountain views in two directions and easy access to a more sophisticated lifestyle. The ranch is far enough from the mountains that these ranches are blessed with a quite tolerable year-round climate.
Location
Big Spring Ranch is located About 15 miles North East of Big Timber, Montana. The Ranch is approximately one hour from Billings Logan National Airport, and one hour from Bozeman Gallatin National Airport.
