This issue is chock full of stories and links to essential resources, including the Winter 2011 issue of The Land Report and of course January’s Land Report Top Ten.

As you might imagine, December wrapped up with a slew of end-of-the-year closings, and several key ones are detailed in the January newsletter, including the sale of Montana’s Horse Ranch and the sealed-bid auction of the Robert Mondavi Estate in Napa.

For more up to the minute reports on listings, auctions, sales, and breaking news pertaining to land and landowners, be sure to follow The Magazine of the American Landowner on Facebook and Twitter.

P.S. Our award-winning quarterly magazine is available in a print version via subscription.

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World Class Hunting and Ranching in Mendocino County, California

Located at the southern end of the scenic Round Valley, the historical Hop and Barley Ranch (pictured above) features fertile farm land on the valley floor, beautiful lush forests and meadows in a mountain-like setting, with rolling grasslands and a mile-and-a-half river frontage.

At 6,420± acres, this legacy ranch is teaming with an array of wildlife, from trophy blacktail deer, Tule elk, and cougars to pigs, bears, quail, turkey and dove.

Well-rounded improvements complement the ranch built of redwood siding with corrugated metal roofing for the classic rustic ranch look, reminiscent of a John Wayne movie. A ranch of this size and diversity is a rare find and only a four-hour drive from the greater San Francisco Bay Area.

Available for $14 million, this property is listed with The Chickering Company. For more information, contact Terry Hundemer at (503) 265-5774 or at ranches@chickeringco.com.

Spring Creek Ranch in Fall River Mills, California

Located near the Fall River Valley in California, Spring Creek Ranch is one of America’s finest trophy trout ranches.

At 1,346± acres, this ranch is one of the best fly-fishing ranches with private fishing water on the headwaters of the most prolific spring creek wild rainbow trout fishery in the country, with the average catch in the 3-6 pound range. This ranch also fronts a second spring creek, Lava Creek, as well as frontage on the world renowned Fall River and is home to abundant migratory waterfowl including ducks, geese, pelicans, egrets, herons and swans.

Spring Creek Ranch is a true wildlife refuge in a beautiful mountain area featuring stunning views of Mount Shasta to the north.

This property is listed for $12 million. For more information, contact Terry Hundemer at (503) 265-5774 or at ranches@chickeringco.com.

South Battle Creek Ranches in Mt. Lassen Foothills, California

The Oasis Springs Lodge and the Rocky Springs Ranch, collectively known as the South Battle Creek Ranches, are a quintessential sportsman’s paradise.

Oasis Springs Lodge
Situated near the small foothill community of Payne Creek, the Oasis Springs Lodge overlooks a private crystal clear trophy-trout stream on the lower flanks of Mount Lassen.

Encompassing over 1,100 acres of range-land and meadows interspersed with blue oak woodlands, this ranch is punctuated by fresh water springs, ferns, alders and willows along the South Fork of Battle Creek. A true fly-fisherman’s oasis, the Oasis Springs Lodge boasts some of the most productive fly-fishing streams in California.

Surrounded by some of the richest wildlife habitat in the Western states, it’s common to observe one of the state’s largest migratory deer herds traveling through the area. Other wildlife includes bears, mountain lions, eagles, hawks, quail, dove and wild turkey.

Rocky Springs Ranch
Located in the Mount Lassen foothills of northern California, Rocky Springs Ranch features world-class deer, dove and quail hunting, plus amazing trout fishing.

With nearly 3,000 acres of rolling meadows and blue oak woodlands, this ranch is home to one of the largest migratory deer herds in the state and also provides prime habitat for dove, quail, and wild turkey.

Panoramic views of Mount Lassen to the east and the adjoining ranches and the Sacramento River Valley below can be enjoyed from most areas of the ranch.

Totaling 4,137± acres, these two ranches can be purchased together for $9.39 million (The ranches are each owned by separate entities and are also available separately for $4.895 million and $4.495 million, respectively). Contact Terry Hundemer with The Chickering Company at (503) 265-5774 or at ranches@chickeringco.com for more information.

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Readers of the current issue of The Land Report will learn how the Oklahoma native has applied this same goal-oriented approach to revitalizing his beloved Mesa Vista Ranch. It wasn’t too long ago that the 68,000 acres he currently owns in the Texas Panhandle was essentially overgrazed cattle country. But with keen foresight and plenty of stewardship, he was able to nurture and develop a quail hunting property that is without peer nationwide.

Enjoy this issue’s cover story: a tour of the Mesa Vista Ranch featuring text by Ray Sasser as well as breathtaking photography by the State Photographer of Texas, Wyman Meinzer.

In addition to this Land Report exclusive, the winter issue also includes an opportunity to review The Land Report Top Ten, featuring the nation’s leading listings. Another must-read article is the story of Taylor’s Trees, which many have already perused at Land Report.com.

Click HERE to access the digital version of the issue online or type in the following URL: http://tinyurl.com/864drcz

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Situated in the tropical setting of eastern Maui, Hana Ranch is considered one of the most beautiful locations in the world.

Featuring two miles of Pacific oceanfront that rises over 2,200 feet up the slopes of Haleakala, this 4,500± acre working cattle ranch sits in one of the last places in Hawaii that remains untouched by the stresses of urbanization and over-development.

As a founding member of the Maui Cattle Company, which is known for its all-natural grass fed beef, the ranch’s cattle operation includes a cow herd of approximately 1,200 and produces 1,000 calves per year.

Hana Ranch is listed with Island Sotherby’s International Realty. For more information, contact Dan Omer at (808) 281-2100.

Click here to see the full list of Land Report’s Top Ten priciest properties.

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Located in Santa Barbara, California, Ranch Dos Pueblos is one of the largest remaining ranches along the Gaviota Coast – stretching from the Santa Ynez Mountains down to a sandy beach on the Pacific Ocean.

At 2,175 acres, the ranch includes a lovely private sandy beach compound, which offers breathtaking views of passing ships, soaring gulls, frolicking dolphins, and the occasional spouts of migrating whales. The property also features abundant agriculture with numerous native and specimen plantings, trees, and orchards.

Surrounded by large ranches and the Los Padres National Forest, Ranch Dos Pueblos offers an array of recreational opportunities, including hiking, camping, and fresh water recreation at nearby Lake Cachuma.

For sale for the first time in over 30 years, Ranch Dos Pueblos is listed with Kerry Mormann & Associates.

Click here to see the full list of Land Report’s Top Ten priciest properties.

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These 1,750 acres are simply the most phenomenal property to come to the market in the Teton Valley in decades. Jackson Land and Cattle is one-of-a-kind in every respect: world-class improvements, including an equestrian center designed by Jonathan Foote, AIA; lack of any development restrictions; and don’t forget the stunning Teton views. Hall and Hall’s John Pierce has the listing.

2. Walton Ranch: $100 million

This 1,848-acre working cattle ranch was pieced together by the Walton family beginning in 1958. The family placed the ranch under conservation easement in 1983. Billy Long and Ron Morris of Ranch Marketing Associates have the listing.

3. Ranch Dos Pueblos: $84 million

This oceanfront parcel is on the market for the first time in three decades. Spanning 2,175 acres just west of Santa Barbara, it’s one of the largest remaining ranches along the breathtaking Gaviota Coast. Kerry Mormann & Associates has the listing.

4. Tranquility Estate: $75 million

These 210 acres on Lake Tahoe are crowned by a 20,000 square-foot mansion. Owned by Tommy Hilfiger co-founder Joel Horowitz, it was originally priced at $100 million in 2006. Listed by Shari Chase and Sue Lowe of Chase International.

5. Aspen Valley Ranch: $59 million

Billed as the largest ranch near Aspen in the Roaring Fork Valley, this ranch boasts senior water rights as well as over 800 acres and is located just 10 minutes from the Aspen airport. Joshua Saslove of Joshua & Co. has the listing.

6. Robert Taylor Ranch: $56 million

112 acres in Los Angeles’s tony Brentwood enclave. The roomy ranch house, which was designed by Robert Byrd, features 17 bedrooms and 17 bathrooms. Joyce Rey of Coldwell Banker Previews International has the listing.

7. Hana Ranch: $55 million
This 4,500-acre working ranch on eastern Maui surrounds the town of Hana. The property boasts two miles of Pacific oceanfront and rises over 2,200 feet up the slopes of Haleakala. Dan Omer of Island Sotheby’s International Realty has the listing.

8. Rockpile Ranch: $54 million

For only the third time in over a century, this 55,374-acre cattle ranch in the Davis Mountains of Far West Texas is on the market. Since 1992, the Rockpile has been owned by McCoy Remme Ranches (No. 41 on the 2011 Land Report 100). James King of King Land and Water is the listing agent.

9. Dana Ranch: $45 million

With only two distinguished owners in nearly 100 years and an unmatched record of profitability, the Dana is considered by many to be the finest operating and recreational ranch in the Rocky Mountain West. Supporting 3,000 animal units on 59,000± acres, it boasts over 13 miles of superb fisheries and an incredible diversity of wildlife resources from elk to waterfowl to upland birds. Listed by Dave Johnson with Hall and Hall.

10. Flying Dog Ranch: $40 million

This 245-acre Aspen landmark features nearly a mile of Collins Creek and Woody Creek and borders the White River National Forest. Morris & Fyrwald Sotheby’s International Realty has the listing.

Click here to download a copy of the November 2011 newsletter.

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Bob Smith admits that outsiders might consider his country, the rugged ranchland of east-central Oregon’s Columbia Plateau, a little dry.

“Yeah, I’ve heard that,” he said. “But we get six or seven inches of rain per year, and we ran as many as 2,000 head of cattle on our place. You’d figure two tons of hay per head would get you through winter. We’d get a ton and a half per acre. It was always there.”

When Smith started haying the meadows on his family’s ranch back in the 1940s, horses and pitchforks were still important tools. “We put it up in loose stacks back then,” he said. “That was way before bales.”

In autumn, when ranch work slowed, Smith hunted elk and mule deer. “We didn’t get too excited about the fishing because it was too easy to just walk down to the river, catch a few trout, and head back to the house,” he said.

Since the homesteading era, the ranch has known only three owners. In the five-bedroom ranch house, a stone marker reads, “W.E.S. Smith 1910.” Built of native stone, with walls three feet thick, the old house was a castle in its early days. After the original Smiths  – no relation to the current owners – moved on, locals called the ranch the Drinkwater Place, after its second owner, Bob Drinkwater. Bob Smith’s father, the only doctor in Burns, Oregon, bought the core of the ranch in the early 1940s.

Bob Smith has always considered himself a rancher. To many others, however, he is best known for leadership skills: first, in the Oregon House of Representatives, where he served from 1960 to 1972, including stints as Speaker of the House in the 1969 and 1971 sessions; and, subsequently, as a U.S. Congressman from 1983 to 1995 and again from 1997 to 1999, when he served as chairman of the House Agriculture Committee.

“I grew up on that ranch,” he said. “Some of my best memories are of being a green hand and being broken in by the older boys.”

Today, Bob Smith’s sons, Chris and Matt, own the Smith Brothers Ranch, which includes two components: the Silvies River Ranch and the Buck and Bull Ranch. Their land consulting business, Smith West, is based in Medford in southwestern Oregon. “We’re basically just a couple of cowboys looking to shorten our commute,” Chris Smith said. “It’ a six- or seven-hour drive from Medford to the ranch, so after all these years, we decided we’d like to ranch a little closer to home.”

The Smith Brothers Ranch is being offered in two separate blocks: a 2,500-acre tract of excellent bottomland pasture that runs for nearly 10 miles along the Silvies River and an adjoining 1,600-acre block consisting of sagebrush and juniper uplands, and some timber.

The Smiths have long managed their ranch for cattle, but they understand that good ranching is good stewardship. With the financial assistance from the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, they fenced off the river the entire length of the property to keep cattle from damaging the bank and riparian vegetation. In the uplands, they’ve cleared thirsty, deep-rooted juniper to protect springs and improve habitat for sage grouse.

How does Bob Smith feel about the ranch? “It was my life; I loved it; I still do.”

The Smith Brothers Ranch deserves a new owner who’ll feel the same.

$3.0 million & $1.5 million
(541) 944-8821
Oregon Land and Wildlife

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My journey to Elk Song began with a dream: a dream cut short by an old war injury. The dream belonged to my grandfather, who owned a fine sub-irrigated sandhill cattle ranch in Eastern Colorado that I cheated for more than 25 years, cheated against beef in favor of a waterfowl and upland bird paradise. Population growth and pressure to turn it into an irrigated farm dictated that I walk away from the only home I had ever known and seek a new world.

TEXT & PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROSS SEYFRIED
PUBLISHED SUMMER 2011

Several years of searching led me to the Blue Mountains in Eastern Oregon and another dream; one tarnished by abuse but not without hope. I found a magnificent raw canvas, canvas smeared with overgrazing and unreasonable logging, but it was a canvas that begged for a gentle hand that might return it to its pre-European glory. My dream began the day after Thanksgiving some 15 years ago with a pre-dawn ride over a goat-trail road that topped a ridge and offered a vista of several miles. Before me I saw four broad open ridges. Each was cut by dark timber, and all were covered with elk. I had just found 7,000 acres crisscrossed by 12 miles of flowing streams and cloaked with 4,000 acres of timber. That was the good news.

The bad news was that down low a substantial portion of the riparian areas resembled dirt ditches. Overgrazing had taken a terrible toll. Higher up, half of the timber had been plundered in the most irresponsible way. And the native elk herd? It had been savagely overhunted. No matter how hard I looked, I could find no branch-antlered bulls. The small forest folk were also missing. What to do? The first thing I did was buy the property. Then I brought my son on board to help. I had hunted much of the western United States and a good bit of the rest of the world, and I had never seen any- thing that approached the majesty of this ranch, even in its abused state. To the east, it was four miles to a hospital, a four-year university, grocery stores, and an interstate. To the west, one could ride a horse 100 miles and not cross a highway. My next step was the logging contract: stop the greedy plunder that cut all of the good and left only a little bad timber. I forced the logging company to implement the sort of sustainable practices it preached in its advertisements but failed to follow on my land. It would log in a sustainable and responsible manner. Doing this would leave significant stands of high-quality timber and millions of young, healthy trees for the future. Now it was time to face my cattle dilemma.

A good number of locals and even some game department personnel believe that “if you take the cows off, the elk will leave.” According to this old saw, livestock eat bad grasses and leave the good for the elk. After nearly 50 years as a cattle rancher, I have yet to encounter the Hereford that chooses to abide by this theory. Thus, no cattle grazed on our mountain that first spring. Elk numbers soared. Many hundreds of cow elk had wee spotted calves that scampered in the tall grass and wildflowers that reached their mamas’ bellies. To say that the elk were delighted with the absence of the bovines is an understatement. These happy elk were the most vocal I had ever heard; their sounds resembled humpback whales and created the soul, and name, of Elk Song. That fall dozens of rifles were silenced. I am not anti-hunting. I am a licensed guide and professional hunter. But the boys of Elk Song needed a break. When autumn returned we saw a few four-point bulls. A year later we thrilled when we saw a six-point. At the end of the third year, the September rut was a sight to behold. Instead of the occasional squeal of a yearling spike, dozens of deep bugles echoed across the ranch. The nearly perfect grazing habits of the elk allowed native grasses and forbs to repopulate and the general condition of the range to greatly improve. The entire ecosystem began to thrive. Black bears fattened on the berries in hawthorn thickets in the creek bottoms. Coyote returned. Snowshoe hares and red digger squirrels enticed eagles. The occasional cougar track suggested all was well. Grass and sedges returned and gave the wild rainbows shelter and more insects. On the fourth summer we brought in 175 cow-calf pairs to graze. They came in May and left in mid-June while all of the grass was green. This kept the cattle from destroying the riparian areas in late summer. Domestic cattle have a place in paradise, but they don’t rule Elk Song.

After 15 years we are almost there, almost at a state of pure wildness. Now we almost do not notice a big six-point bull. Most days we see dozens of them along with bear, deer, turkey, grouse, rabbit, squirrel, coyote, cougar, and trout. One evening last September, we counted 200 cow elk on a ridge. There were 43 six- and seven-point bulls with them, and the bugles and screams of a hundred more bulls echoed out of the canyons and thickets. Yes, the timber is still young, but it is thick and wonderful. Elk Song is indeed wild, and ever evolving toward 200 years ago. And now it is time for change once again. To the many who question our sanity for leaving the paradise that is Elk Song I say it is not by choice, but to bring an end to hostilities caused by a family member. It is time to pass the torch, to allow another to hold the reins and experience the wonder of Elk Song. We will begin again, returning to our roots on the Great Plains where waterfowl and upland birds thrive, and find another canvas on which to create wildness once more.

Elk Song’s 7,198 acres are listed with Oregon Land and Wildlife for $8.585 million.
For more information, contact:

Tim O’Neil
www.landandwildlife.com
(541) 480-3682

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For the first time in two decades, the 11,292±-acre Kahn Timberlands are coming on the market. Located in Northern California, these holdings contain over 142 million board feet of mature redwood and Douglas fir. The sealed bid auction will be conducted by Realty Marketing/Northwest. Bids are due no later than five p.m. July 12.

“The Kahn Timberlands contain some of the most well-managed lands we have ever put on the market, and will be offered so that adjoining owners, mill operators, timber investment management organizations, and other investors can participate in the bidding process,” said Realty Marketing/Northwest President John Rosenthal.

These well-managed North Coast timberlands, located in Del Norte, Humboldt and Trinity Counties, have been managed to create short-term cash flow and long-term growth. The properties are strategically located with access to competitive log markets responsible for processing 50 percent of California’s entire sawmill production. The individual tracts range in size from 40± to 2,739± acres, with most containing approved Timber Harvest Plans. Eureka-based Able Forestry has managed these properties for 25 years.

The Auction Catalog #1105, with Terms and Conditions of Sale, is available by contacting Realty Marketing/Northwest’s office at 800-845-3524 or online at www.rmnw-auctions.com.

For additional information contact:

John Rosenthal, President
Realty Marketing/Northwest
john@rmnw-auctions.com

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A 4,500-acre working ranch on eastern Maui, Hana Ranch surrounds its namesake town of Hana. The breathtaking property boasts two miles of Pacific oceanfront and rises 2,200 feet up the slopes of majestic Haleakala. The ranch is divided by the Hana Highway. Approximately 667 acres can be found on the ocean side of the highway, and the remaining 3,833 acres sits on the mountain side of the highway.

Dan Omer of Island Sotheby’s International Realty has the listing.

$55 million
(808) 879-8880
Sotheby’s International Realty

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