American Prairie Reserve Purchases 14,000 Acre Ranch

[MTGomer]

I much prefer them to the Galts, The Wilks, or Mormons and many probably prefer them over coal mining interests.

https://www.greatfallstribune.com/s.../who-owns-montana-top-10-landowners/86179936/

 

[mtmuley]

I much prefer them to the Galts, The Wilks, or Mormons and many probably prefer them over coal mining interests.

https://www.greatfallstribune.com/s.../who-owns-montana-top-10-landowners/86179936/

Isn't it too early to tell? Uncharted territory. Especially in the Breaks. No where else on Earth like that place. We'll see. mtmuley

 

[Bluffgruff]

You guys are beating the dead horse on access. Hunting will probably be allowed by the public, where previously it certainly would not have been.
The real issue here is the previous landowners: HOW DID THEY ONLY GET 3 YEAR HUNTING BANS. Should definitely be lifetime bans and much more restitution. The land should have been seized as the scene of the crimes, kind of like a drug kingpin having his house, cars, labs. Etc seized. These people were flagrantly violating numerous laws, and got off easy.

 

[Straight Arrow]

You guys are beating the dead horse on access. Hunting will probably be allowed by the public, where previously it certainly would not have been.
The real issue here is the previous landowners: HOW DID THEY ONLY GET 3 YEAR HUNTING BANS. Should definitely be lifetime bans and much more restitution. The land should have been seized as the scene of the crimes, kind of like a drug kingpin having his house, cars, labs. Etc seized. These people were flagrantly violating numerous laws, and got off easy.

No offense meant to Minnesotans ... but hope this bunch skulked back to from whence they came and will just hunt walleye and pike (likely over the limits) from now on.

 

[MTGomer]

Reading that article about their poaching, initially the $50,000 restitution sounds like a lot until you realize that they poached a bighorn, so 30,000 of it was just for that. That leaves only $20,000 for all of those elk, illegal baiting, hunting without a license, etc.

 

[BigHornRam]

No offense meant to Minnesotans ... but hope this bunch skulked back to from whence they came and will just hunt walleye and pike (likely over the limits) from now on.

According to the article the former owners will continue to lease the property back from the APR and continue to run cattle. Sounds to me like the APR gave these poachers a lifeline. Free market means free to buy from whoever, including these scumbags.

"According to Saboe, the American Prairie Reserve doesn't not have any plans to put bison on the land "anytime in the near future." There are just a little more than 400 head of cattle on the leased land and Saboe said that the organization plans to continuing leasing to the rancher."

 

[Ben Lamb]

According to the article the former owners will continue to lease the property back from the APR and continue to run cattle. Sounds to me like the APR gave these poachers a lifeline. Free market means free to buy from whoever, including these scumbags.

"According to Saboe, the American Prairie Reserve doesn't not have any plans to put bison on the land "anytime in the near future." There are just a little more than 400 head of cattle on the leased land and Saboe said that the organization plans to continuing leasing to the rancher."

I would imagine that those cows belong to someone else. The previous owners were absentee & likely leased to a local producer.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

According to the article the former owners will continue to lease the property back from the APR and continue to run cattle. Sounds to me like the APR gave these poachers a lifeline. Free market means free to buy from whoever, including these scumbags.

"According to Saboe, the American Prairie Reserve doesn't not have any plans to put bison on the land "anytime in the near future." There are just a little more than 400 head of cattle on the leased land and Saboe said that the organization plans to continuing leasing to the rancher."

Did the former owners ranch as well, or did the canoeheads buy it for hunting and lease the grazing?

Edit: Looks like Ben and I had the same thought.

 

[NYyotekiller]

Looks like some pretty good ground that they purchased. I located the 9600 +/- acres on Onyx and its bordered by mostly APR, or BLM ground. It opens up quite a large chunk of hunt-able ground.

 

[BigHornRam]

I would imagine that those cows belong to someone else. The previous owners were absentee & likely leased to a local producer.

That sounds most likely Ben. The article could have been a little more clear on the details. Still the APR bought the canoehead poachers out. Kind of like buying Epsteins island. Need to take a shower after that transaction.

 

[RockinU]

At least it's out of their hands, and apparently to be managed for wildlife...sounds a lot better than how it's been being used.

 

[BigHornRam]

At least it's out of their hands, and apparently to be managed for wildlife...sounds a lot better than how it's been being used.

Knowing that the former owners took a significant financial loss to take it out of their hands would be icing on the cake, no?

 

[RockinU]

Knowing that the former owners took a significant financial loss to take it out of their hands would be icing on the cake, no?

A loss for them would definitely be a gain for karma, but real estate brings what it brings

 

[Trial153]

Considering most change overs of property in the private domain ends up costing hunter access, money or both I can understand the healthy dose of skepticism seen here . That said the mission and idea sure sounds awesome.

 

[corndog1]

I will be hunting an APR property this fall. I am quite sure the previous owners would not have let me on.

 

[mtmuley]

I will be hunting an APR property this fall. I am quite sure the previous owners would not have let me on.

Just curious as to what you will be hunting for, and where. mtmuley

 

[Wind Gypsy]

No offense meant to Minnesotans ... but hope this bunch skulked back to from whence they came and will just hunt walleye and pike (likely over the limits) from now on.

None taken but good lord they put up box stands to shoot elk over bait, why couldn’t they just be from Texas.. When I saw they were from Inver Grove Heights I had immediate flashback to a news story of the owner of the shake joint there being busted for tax fraud and scamming customers on his ATMs.. I checked, different family.

$50k did seem like a lot at first but after reading the story, these bastards got off easy.

 

[RockinU]

None taken but good lord they put up box stands to shoot elk over bait, why couldn’t they just be from Texas.. When I saw they were from Inver Grove Heights I had immediate flashback to a news story of the owner of the shake joint there being busted for tax fraud and scamming customers on his ATMs.. I checked, different family.

$50k did seem like a lot at first but after reading the story, these bastards got off easy.

Because in Texas we shoot our elk from a box blind over feed behind a high fence...we don't have to drive to Montana. duh...

 

[Jeremyc_1999]

I was in that area earlier this year. My dad drew a tag for a ewe. He decided not to purchase it, but it is a prime piece of property. APR doesn't allow hunting for sheep though.

 

[corndog1]

Just curious as to what you will be hunting for, and where. mtmuley

I will be hunting eight miles up from stafford ferry to twenty or so miles down river. Off the river a ways for the first month and then floating and jet boating late October into November.