Quarter circle c ranch DELL, MONTANA $2,900,000 I 1,385 +/- ACRES LISTING AGENT: GARY LOVE & MARY ANN NICHOLAS 10 WEST REEDER STREET DILLON, MT 59725 P: 406.683.2234 M:406.660.0176 GLOVE@BEAVERHEADHOMEANDRANCH.COM MNICHOLAS@BEAVERHEADHOMEANDRANCH.COM
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This cattle ranch is located west of Dell, MT at the base of Mount Dixon. It has been owned and operated by the same family for 35 years. The owners have been running 325+/- cow/calf pairs on the ranch in conjunction with a BLM Lease, Forest Service permits and private range lease. Ample hay is raised on the 590+/- acres of irrigated land via three pivots. The ranch is home to a large elk herd and other wildlife. There are two homes and numerous out buildings.
LOCATION Quarter Circle C Ranch is located in Beaverhead County approximately 45 miles south of Dillon and 3 miles west of the small town of Dell. The ranch is situated at the base of Dixon Mountain and adjoins BLM property on its west boundary. The ranch unit includes grazing permits on the BLM and Beaverhead-Deer Lodge National Forest, which makes seasonal cattle movement convenient. Irrigation water is provided from Big Sheep Creek through the Flynn-Nelson irrigation ditch. Commercial airline service is available via Interstate 15 approximately 110 miles north in Butte, Montana, and approximately 105 miles south in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Nearby Dillon also has an airstrip that can accommodate private aircraft. Beaverhead County is the largest county in Montana, the top cattle producing county in the state, and the second largest hay producer.
Area history & Community The nearest towns of Dell and Lima (approximately 9 miles south of Dell) are small but both provide fuel, restaurants, and overnight lodging. Dillon, the nearest larger town with a population of approximately 4,000 people, boasts state-of-the-art medical services, restaurants, banks, grocery stores, YMCA, and a movie theatre. In addition, Dillon is home to the University of Montana Western, Patagonia outlet store, Great Harvest Bread franchising headquarters, and Barrett Minerals, a subsidiary of Pfizer Chemical. Historic sites in the area include Beaverhead Rock, Camp Fortunate, and Clark s Lookout State Park, important landmarks in the Lewis & Clark Expedition in the early 1800s; Bannack, the first territorial capital, and Virginia City and Nevada City, 1860s gold mining communities; and the Big Hole Battlefield, where the US Army engaged Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce Tribe in 1877 as they attempted to escape into Canada. Also within 2½ hours driving distance is Yellowstone National Park. Fishing and hunting opportunities abound in all of southwestern Montana.
IMPROVEMENTS The facilities on the ranch include pipe corrals and pens designed for ease of working the cattle. Other improvements include a barn, shop, equipment buildings, granaries, feeding pens with windbreaks, and numerous storage buildings. There are 2 homes on the property, including a 3 bedroom, 2 bath brick home built in 1952, and a 1994 modular home with 3 bedrooms and 2 baths. ACREAGE The ranch consists of 1,384 ± deeded acres. The upper acreage is sloping foothill rangeland and the lower acreage is irrigated hay fields. Currently, approximately 590 acres are being irrigated with about 465 of the acres being serviced by 3 Zimmatic center pivots.
The newest pivot is about 4 years old and the oldest is about 18 years old. The pivots are approximately 240, 130, and 95 acres in size and each has a separate Cornell pump, ranging in size from 25 to 40 horsepower. There are also approximately 45 acres under wheel line and approximately 80 acres of flood irrigation. The owners estimate that they annually produce about 2 tons of hay per irrigated acre.
The ranch is a cow/calf operation and is currently running about 325 cow/calf pairs. Calving occurs at the ranch headquarters in February and March and in late spring the cattle are moved to the deeded rangeland and the adjacent BLM and Forest Service permit pastures where several springs feed water tanks through buried pipelines. In addition, the current owners lease summer pasture from a neighboring landowner. The cattle are returned to the deeded acreage in the fall to graze the irrigated pastures before winter feeding begins. The calves are generally weaned and sold in November/December. Winter feed requirements are estimated at 2 tons per animal unit. Current leases and permits for the ranching operation include: BLM Allotment (North Dixon) for 5 cattle from June 15 to November 30. BLM Allotment (Dixon Mountain) for 190 cattle from May 5 to June 5 and November 1 to December 31. Forest Service Grazing Permit (Graphite Mountain Allotment) for 200 cow/calf pairs from July 1 to September 12. Forest Service Grazing Permit (Dry Canyon Allotment) for 50 head (variable) of dry cows from December 5 to January 5. Neighboring private summer grazing lease.
GENERAL OPERATIONS Depending on the year and precipitation, the Quarter Circle C Ranch can support 325 ± cow/calf pairs with associated leases. The ranch also supports 1180 ± tons of hay crop annually. The Quarter Circle C Ranch enjoys water rights from Big Sheep Creek, tributaries of Big Sheep Creek and tributaries of Teepee Creek.
CLIMATE The annual average of rainfall is 10.95 inches. This is predominately from winter snowpack which allows for lush spring and summer pasture along with ample irrigation reserves. The area on average receives 51.7 inches of snowfall annually. The cool climate allows for nice summer days and cool evenings. The average high temperature in July is 81 degrees. The average low in January is 6 degrees. The property is located at 6270 ft. The ranch sees an average of 177 sunny days annually.
WILDLIFE AND RECREATION Quarter Circle C Ranch is a favored year round location for mule deer, whitetail deer, and antelope. A substantial elk herd moves onto the ranch from the Dixon Mountain area to feed in the irrigated hay fields from late summer through the hunting season and into the winter. Their presence on the ranch and adjoining public land provides optimal hunting opportunities. Bighorn sheep are seen in the canyons and hills along nearby Big Sheep Creek and periodically on the ranch. Flowing out of the Centennial Valley, the Red Rock River turns north before it empties into Clark Canyon Reservoir. Certain stretches of the Red Rock River provide quality trout fishing. Although the river is relatively small, it is home to many large rainbow and brown trout, which freely move into and out of the Clark Canyon Reservoir. Clark Canyon Reservoir, located about 25 miles north of the ranch, provides trophy rainbow and brown trout that have weighed as much as 15 pounds. The Beaverhead River flows out of Clark Canyon Reservoir and is a renowned tail water fishery with plentiful aquatic life and correspondingly high densities of large rainbow and brown trout. The Beaverhead River is popular with both bank fishermen and boat fishermen. There are several licensed fishing guides and fishing equipment businesses in the area.
Clark Canyon Reservoir provides recreation for water skiers, fishermen, and campers, including winter ice fishing. It is also a favorite destination for many species of waterfowl. The reservoir when full has a surface area of over 5,000 acres. Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge is located approximately 50 miles south of the ranch. The refuge provides habitat for trumpeter swans, ducks, geese, sandhill cranes, falcons, eagles, hawks, and native fish. Also populating the area are elk, mule deer, whitetail deer, moose, antelope, and wolves. There are numerous skiing opportunities for both the downhill and cross country enthusiast within 3 hours driving distance from the ranch. The ranch is surrounded by thousands of acres of BLM and Beaverhead-Deer Lodge National Forest. These public lands offer a multitude of recreational opportunities for hiking, horseback riding, biking, hunting, fishing, and camping.
TAXES Annual property taxes are estimated to be $4958. BROKERS COMMENTS Quarter Circle C Ranch is a productive cattle operation that has been in the same family for 35 years. Located in a majestic setting in the mountains of southwestern Montana, with its adequate hay base and public grazing permits, and the added benefit of excellent elk hunting, this is a sound investment property.
PRICE $2,900,000 Offering is subject to errors, omissions, changes or withdrawal without notice. Information regarding land classification, acreages, carrying capacity, potential profits, ect., are only intended for general guidelines and have been provided to the listing firm by sources that are deemed reliable, but the accuracy we cannot guarantee. Prospective buyers should verify all information to their satisfaction. Prospective buyers should also be aware that the photographs in this brochure may be digitally enhanced.
Maps are provided to use as a general guideline of the property boundaries. Accuracy of property boundaries are not warranted or guaranteed by the seller or seller s agent.
Maps are provided to use as a general guideline of the property boundaries. Accuracy of property boundaries are not warranted or guaranteed by the seller or seller s agent.
Maps are provided to use as a general guideline of the property boundaries. Accuracy of property boundaries are not warranted or guaranteed by the seller or seller s agent.