Miller Cattle & Hunting Ranch

Land Description

Miller Cattle & Hunting Ranch is a 4860+ acre ranch 27 miles southwest of Oreana, Idaho bordering thousands of acres of State of Idaho and Bureau of Land Management BLM land. The land offers grazing permits, ample water rights, natural springs, multiple creeks, a private reservoir, and a plethora of wildlife. This is a rare opportunity to purchase an unspoiled legacy ranch that has been responsibly managed by the same family for generations.LandThe acreage is a combination of meadows, dry grazing land, and pasture. The topography is mostly level near the creek bottoms and the rangeland consists of gently rolling or moderate sloping hillsides. A portion of the property completely surrounds the Spencer Reservoir which is privately owned by the ranch with private water rights feeding the irrigated land on the property.

The primary use of the ranch is the cattle operation. Historically the ranch supports 450-500 cows, and the cattle operations have the potential to run year round with the purchase of additional hay in the winter months. The ranch has multiple BLM grazing permits including permits for the winter months.

Other features that make this suitable for cattle is the surplus of stockwater rights, the corrals, and mild climate.

BLM Permits

Fossil Butte - 56 Cattle - 228 Active AUMs - Oct 15th - Feb 28th

Miller FFR - 53 Cattle - 54 Active AUMs - Dec 1st through Dec 31st

West Antelope - 517 Cattle - 2603 Active AUMs - May 16th through Oct 15th

Borders Public Lands

Corrals

Creeks Some Year-Round

Grazing Land

Flood Irrigation

Meadows

Pasture

Perimeter Completely Fenced

Surrounds Spencer Reservoir

Water Rights

ImprovementsThere are two homes on the ranch. The main headquarters is rented out to the tenant rancher and is located south of Boulder Creek. This residence is a single level 1,308 sq ft home built in 1952 with 3 bedrooms and 1 bathroom. It is self-sustainable with power being provided from a diesel generator and solar panels with a battery backup system. The domestic water comes from a natural spring and it has its own septic system. The outbuildings at this farmstead site consist of the corrals, a 4-bay equipment shed, and a cattle chute. There is a tenant rancher that currently has a lease in place.

The second residence is a cabin along Meadow Creek that was built in 1983. The cabin is 1,400 sq ft with 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, and two lofts. The cabin is also self-sustainable. It has its own septic system, a natural spring water cistern, and utilizes a new diesel generator for electricity. Please note, the cabin will either be partitioned off of the ranch with 5 acres or will be put into a life estate with the current owners and their heirs.

There are a few older outbuildings near the corrals that the rancher uses for hay storage as well.

1,308 Sq Ft Home

1,400 Sq Ft Cabin Being retained by owners

4 Bay Equipment Shed

Dog Run

Corral

Hay Storage Outbuildings

Natural Spring Water

Phone Service

2 Septic Systems 1 for each residence

Solar Panels

Silo

Shed

RecreationThe ranch is nestled in a quiet rural area that attracts a variety of wildlife. Wildlife on the property includes trophy elk, deer, antelope, sage hens, quail, geese, duck, mountain lions, and beavers. The property currently has 2 landowner permits with additional land not included in the sale. Without the additional land, the property historically has had one landowner preference LOP tag for antelope, deer, or elk. The LOP tag is not guaranteed and is dependent on availability.

Additionally, the cattle owner of the ranch qualifies for deprivation cow elk tags each year through the Idaho Department of Fish & Game. The number of tags allowed each year varies and is dependent on the current year's herd sizes but has been as high as 7 tags in the past. Another requirement is that the meat from the deprivation tags must be donated.

Public lands lie in all directions adjoining the ranch, giving one access to even more land to recreate on. The property is also conveniently located near several reservoirs for those that love to fish.

2 miles from Triangle Reservoir

25 miles from Hayden Peak

35 miles from Silver City

40 miles from Antelope Reservoir

40 miles from Dougal Reservoir

60 miles from Givens Hot Springs

60 miles from Celebration Park

65 miles from Owyhee River Wilderness

70 miles from Bruneau Dunes State Park

70 miles from Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey

AgricultureCurrently 321.4 acres of the ranch is hay pasture, however with the excellent water rights more of the land could be cultivated to improve production. The ranch is irrigated via flood irrigation with the water being diverted through concrete blocks, gravel dams, or dirt ditches that follow the natural contour of the land. It typically has irrigation for the entire growing season.

Water/Mineral Rights & Natural ResourcesThe ranch has 517 acres of irrigation water rights with priority dates going back as far as 1886. Additionally, there are priority 1871 stockwater rights from Josephine Creek, Mammoth Creek, North Boulder Creek, Rock Creek, Rose Creek, Spring Creek, and Triangle Creek. The owner stores water in Spencer Reservoir, which is privately owned, situated within its Eastern most parcel of the ranch. The use of this private reservoir will transfer to the new ranch owner.

Region & ClimateThe ranch is located in a rural setting just 25 miles from Jordan Valley, Oregon, and 27 miles southwest of Oreana, Idaho. The small, unincorporated town of Oreana is primarily a farming community and lies within Owyhee County which is the second largest county in Idaho. Besides its agricultural industry, Owyhee County is a playground for outdoor recreationalists. For those that love to fish, there are several areas to go cast a line. These areas include the nearby Snake River, the Owyhee River, and CJ Strike Reservoir. In addition to fishing, CJ Strike Dam also offers recreational opportunities for boating, camping, swimming, hiking, and more. Visitors can also hike, camp or ride horses in the Bruneau Dunes State Park. For those that love the thrill of ATVing, Owyhee County has an extensive trail system with hundreds of miles of public trails. It is also home to the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area where visitors can enjoy several beautiful hiking routes and access to Celebration Park. During the summer months, many like to visit Silver City. Silver City is an old historic mining town in the Owyhee Mountains that still contains many of its original buildings from the gold rush in the 1860S through the early 1900S.