Fish & Wildlife Announces Gray Wolf Settlement

“For too long, management of wolves in this country has been caught up in controversy and litigation instead of rooted in science where it belongs. This proposed settlement provides a path forward to recognize the successful recovery of the gray wolf in the northern Rocky Mountains and to return its management to States and Tribes,” said Interior Department Deputy Secretary David Hayes. Read the announcement HERE.

Biologists with tranquilized gray wolf
Photo Credit: William Campbell
URL: http://digitalmedia.fws.gov/u?/natdiglib,3327
USFWS National Digital Library

Land’s Best Friend: Labrador Retriever

Don’t be fooled by this breed’s easy-going nature – Labs can hunt, and fetch, and countless other tasks. Read more

America’s Top Auction Houses: Pifer’s Auction & Realty

“Land is not only a great place to store wealth. It is yesterday’s small cap stock without the risk.” — Kevin Pifer.

Pifer’s Auction & Realty is a full-service auction and real estate firm headed by Kevin Pifer, former North Dakota Deputy Commissioner of Agriculture. “Pifer’s has sold nearly 350,000 acres since its inception in 2001,” says Pifer. Pifer’s also manages a land investment fund, Farm USA Trust, which focuses on buying and managing corn and soybean land in the upper Midwest.

Where: Offices in Moorhead, Minnesota, and Mesa, Arizona. Covers South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Montana, Wisconsin, Arizona, and California.

Why: The firm offers auctions, traditional real estate brokering, and land management. “In addition to land sales, Pifer’s manages approximately 30,000 acres of land in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin,” notes Pifer.

Wow: Sales were up 150% over last year. “We sold $20.4 million of land through 85 transactions during the last quarter of 2010. On October 26, 2010, Pifer’s conducted seven auctions in southwestern North Dakota for seven different sellers, representing 2,800 acres of crop land, pasture land, and hunting land,” says Pifer.

Pifer’s Auction & Realty
(877) 700-4099 • www.pifers.com

Market Watch: Cape Wind Project

Is construction on the Cape Wind Farm finally about to get under way? Read more

Malone’s Millions

Liberty Media CEO John Malone goes long on land and buys 1+ million acres of Maine timber. Read more

Farmland: Eye on Iowa

When Warren Buffett talks up farmland, it’s time we all took a look. Buffett made the following statement last month while being interviewed by Becky Quick on CNBC’s Squawk Box. Read more

For Sale: Texas’s Beck Ranch

This diverse Texas Panhandle ranch has been owned by the same family for 75 years and consists of 33,871± contiguous deeded acres. The Beck Ranch is a proven cow/calf or stocker operation with considerable irrigation development potential. Some 45 sections – 29,245 acres – are nutritious native grasses that are well divided with good cross fencing. In addition, 20 center pivot irrigation sprinklers cover another 2,700 acres. Punte de Aqua Creek traverses the Beck, providing excellent habitat for native whitetail and mule deer, blue and bobwhite quail, pheasant, and antelope.

$20 million
(806) 244-5121 • (806) 333-2346 mobile
www.CliftLandBrokers.com

$5 Million Hilton Head Easement Acquisition

Several funding entities, including Beaufort County and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, have pooled resources to acquire several key conservation easements on St. Helena Island as well as outright ownership of 19 acres on Hilton Head. According to news releases, these acquisitions will keep these lands from being turned into developments that would include some 300+ homes. In addition, the three easements allow the current property owners to continue farming the historic Beaufort County lands. More details of the transaction are available HERE.

Building a Stock Tank

Having trouble with your waters? Consider the challenges faced on the Waggoner Ranch: over half a million acres under one fence and not a drop of groundwater. Read more

For Sale: Hollow Top Ranch

Nestled at the base of the Tobacco Root Mountains in Southwestern Montana’s premier ranching, big-game, and fly-fishing region, Hollow Top Ranch’s 4,438 acres feature a two-mile stretch of South Willow Creek with outstanding German brown and brook trout habitat.

The west side of the Ranch borders the Beaverhead/Deerlodge National Forest for approximately two miles providing unlimited hunting and recreational opportunities. From high alpine meadows to lush irrigated meadows intertwined along South Willow Creek, the Ranch contains a very diverse terrain that produces outstanding pasture and attracts large populations of wildlife. Conservative grazing patterns have enhanced deer, elk and upland game bird populations. The plentiful water resources – combined with abundant big game, upland birds and private fishing with close proximity to the conveniences of Bozeman – make this well-blocked place an extremely desirable offering in today’s market.

The Ranch is located in one of Southwestern Montana’s premier ranching, big-game hunting and fly-fishing areas. Combined with close proximity to the Madison, Gallatin, Jefferson and Missouri Rivers, it may be one of the finest fly fishing and big game hunting properties available today.

$6.95 million
(800) 819-9920
www.bateslandco.com

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