Birch Creek Ranch Big Sandy, Montana
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BIRCH CREEK RANCH BIG SANDY, MONTANA LISTING AGENT: B ELFLAND 1227 NORTH 14TH AVENUE, SUITE 1 BOZEMAN, MONTANA 59715 P: 406.587.3090 M: 406.539.1775 [email protected] BIRCH CREEK RANCH BIG SANDY, MONTANA $7,300,000 | 16,415± ACRES LISTING AGENT: B ELFLAND 1227 NORTH 14TH AVENUE, SUITE 1 BOZEMAN, MONTANA 59715 P: 406.587.3090 M: 406.539.1775 [email protected] Land… that’s where it all begins. Whether it is ranch land or family retreats, working cattle ranches, plantations, farms, estancias, timber or recreational ranches for sale, it all starts with the land. Since 1946, Hall and Hall has specialized in serving the owners and prospective owners of quality rural real estate by providing mortgage loans, appraisals, land management, auction and brokerage services within a unique, integrated partnership structure. Our business began by cultivating long-term relationships built upon personal service and expert counsel. We have continued to grow today by being client-focused and results-oriented—because while it all starts with the land, we know it ends with you. WITH OFFICES IN: DENVER, COLORADO BOZEMAN, MONTANA EATON, COLORADO MISSOULA, MONTANA STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, COLORADO VALENTINE, NEBRASKA STERLING, COLORADO COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS SUN VALLEY, IDAHO LAREDO, TEXAS HUTCHINSON, KANSAS LUBBOCK, TEXAS BUFFALO, WYOMING MASON, TEXAS BILLINGS, MONTANA MELISSA, TEXAS SOUTHEASTERN US SALES | AUCTIONS | FINANCE | APPRAISALS | MANAGEMENT © 2017 HALL AND HALL | WWW.HALLANDHALL.COM | [email protected] — 2 — EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Located at the confluence of the Birch Creek and Little Birch Creek drainages a few miles south of the scenic Bears Paw Mountains, Birch Creek Ranch is comprised of 16,415± acres (12,174± deeded, 3,597± BLM lease, and 644± state lease). The ranch is currently operated at 450-500 AU, with approximately 435 mother cows plus bulls and replacements, in addition to farming 1,843± acres in dryland grain. Approximately 500 acres of dryland hay meets the ranch’s winter feed requirements. There are an additional 518± tillable acres that came out of CRP in 2017 that are now being grazed. Conversion of dryland grain to grass and/or hay production would expand the carrying capacity. Ranch improvements include two residences, each with a nearby machine shed and calving barn, plus a shop and corrals, and approximately six miles of pipeline. The ranch lies 30 miles southeast of Big Sandy, MT in an area known for strong grasses and good crop yields, approximately an hour from Havre, MT and one hour and forty-five minutes from Great Falls, MT. The rolling, diverse terrain supports trophy elk, mule deer and antelope as well as pheasant, sharptail grouse, and Hungarian partridge. © 2017 HALL AND HALL | WWW.HALLANDHALL.COM | [email protected] — 3 — LOCATION The ranch is located approximately 30 miles southeast of the town of Big Sandy, Montana, and six miles east of Highway 236, known as the Judith Landing Road. Big Sandy is an attractive small town with a 2013 population of 605 and over 40 active businesses listed, as well as the Critical Access Hospital and both grade and high schools. Great Falls lies 80 miles to the southwest and Havre is 35 miles to the northeast on U.S. Highway 87. The nearest commercial air service is Great Falls, which is serviced by Delta, Alaska, and United Airlines with multiple daily flights. Big Sandy offers a paved and lighted 3,570 x 60-foot airstrip at an elevation of 2,689 feet. Havre has two cross-wind runways, with one measuring 5,205 x 100 foot paved, at 2,580 feet elevation, with instrument approaches, AV gas and jet fuel, hangar rentals, and rental cars. © 2017 HALL AND HALL | WWW.HALLANDHALL.COM | [email protected] — 4 — LOCALE Birch Creek Ranch lies in one of Montana’s reputation ranch areas in the north-central portion of the state. Though the area is closely tied to traditional farming and ranching, it also offers dramatically beautiful scenery that rivals areas in the southwestern part of the state. The two most outstanding topographic features are the Bears Paw Mountains, which are approximately five miles north of the ranch, and the Missouri River, which lies approximately 15 miles south of the ranch. © 2017 HALL AND HALL | WWW.HALLANDHALL.COM | [email protected] — 5 — The Bears Paw Mountains are an island mountain range that extend in a 45-mile arc from the Missouri River northward, to just south of Havre. The highest peak, Baldy Mountain, reaches 6,916 feet above sea level. A Native American legend about a hunter’s encounter with a great bear is the source of the range’s name. Looking at Box Elder Butte, one can see the paw, and Centennial Mountain to the south resembles a reclining bear. West of these buttes lies the Rocky Boy Indian Reservation of the Chippewa Cree Tribe. East of that lies the Bear Paw Battlefield - Nez Perce National Historical Park, where the defeated Nez Perce Chief Joseph gave his immortal speech, “...FROM WHERE THE SUN NOW STANDS, I WILL FIGHT NO “From where the sun now stands, I will fight MORE FOREVER...” no more forever.” - NEZ PERCE CHIEF JOSEPH OLIVER O. HOWARD NELSON A. MILES THE BEAR PAW BATTLEFIELD WAS THE LOCATION OF THE FINAL ENGAGEMENT OF THE NEZ PERCE WAR WHERE CHIEF JOSEPH WAS FORCED TO SURRENDER A MAJORITY OF HIS FOLLOWERS TO GENERAL OLIVER O. HOWARD AND COLONEL NELSON A. MILES. © 2017 HALL AND HALL | WWW.HALLANDHALL.COM | [email protected] — 6 — The “Bearpaws” as they are frequently called, receive added precipitation due to their higher elevation, which creates a beautiful, lush environment rich with game and dramatic vistas. South of the ranch the Missouri River flows through the region known as the Missouri River Breaks. The “Breaks” have been sculpted by eons of wind and water crumbling sedimentary soils, creating stunningly beautiful cliffs and rock formations with intermittently steep and rugged topography. The Missouri River Breaks offer some of the most ruggedly beautiful scenery to be found in the state and are now protected as the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument (UMRBNM). The Missouri River and the site of Judith Landing are historically significant because of Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery, which traveled upriver from St. Louis beginning in 1802. Judith Landing is located near the confluence of the Judith River with the Missouri at the mouth of Dog Creek. Lewis and Clark camped there, noting the clear waters of the Judith and the unique White Cliffs area just upstream. The site later became a fort and the Judith Landing Mercantile trading post was established where settlers came to trade furs and gold. This White Cliffs area, south of the ranch, is now a 46-mile stretch of the designated Upper Missouri National Wild and Scenic River portion of the UMRBNM. The region within and around the Missouri River Breaks is well noted for its great paleontological discoveries. In recent decades, intact T-Rex remains have been discovered along with a multitude of land and inland sea creatures. Areas of Birch Creek Ranch are rich in fossils embedded in the sandstone bluffs. © 2017 HALL AND HALL | WWW.HALLANDHALL.COM | [email protected] — 7 — CLIMATE The ranch headquarters along Birch Creek lie at an altitude of approximately 3,200 feet above sea level. Average annual precipitation is estimated at 13-14 inches, and the average length of the frost-free growing season is from 120-125 days. Weather can vary dramatically with some winters being open, allowing cattle to graze out, and others requiring more hay. In general, wind, chinooks, and light winter precipitation contribute to keeping livestock wintering costs in check, by Montana standards. The Western Regional Climate Center published the following statistics for Big Sandy from 1921-2005: • Average maximum temps- July 88 degrees; August 86 degrees • Average maximum temps- December through February, 28 to 34 degrees • Average annual snowfall of 18.79 inches with average snowfall depths under 2 inches in every month of the winter GENERAL DESCRIPTION Birch Creek Ranch has been in the same family’s hands for over five decades. The ranch has been operated as a cow/calf operation with a significant grain farming component. The landscape is comprised of a mix of semi-rugged breaks interspersed with timber, fertile benches, and productive farmland. The ranch has significant live water with approximately seven miles of Birch Creek and approximately one and a half miles of intermittent Little Birch Creek. There are also several ponds and six miles of pipeline serving nine stock tanks. The location at the confluence of Little Birch and Birch Creeks is quite scenic. The ranch headquarters are comprised of two residences, barns, shops, corrals and other working facilities. From the bench tops one can view seven different mountain ranges, including the nearby Bears Paw Range, the Little Rockies, and to the south the Judiths, Moccasins, Snowies, Highwoods and Belts. © 2017 HALL AND HALL | WWW.HALLANDHALL.COM | [email protected] — 8 — © 2017 HALL AND HALL | WWW.HALLANDHALL.COM | [email protected] — 9 — ACREAGE The ranch is comprised of 16,415± total acres (12,174± deeded acres, 3,597± BLM lease, and 644± acres State lease). There are 2,861± acres of non-irrigated cropland, of which 1,843± acres are cultivated for small grain production and 500± acres are used for hay production. The remaining 518± tillable acres came out of CRP in 2017and are now being grazed. There are 29.8± acres of irrigated hay land along Birch Creek. The most common cropland soil is the Telstad-Joplin complex. This is a productive soil, which has a productive capability listed by the Choteau County soil survey at 45 bushel/acre for winter wheat.