American Prarie Reserve bought Two Crow. good news or bad?

[twodot]

Well the word is out that the mystery buyer of the Two Crow is the American Prairie Reserve. This property sets in the midst of the Chain Buttes BMA The Two Crow was not open for public, and the new owners (APR) in their web site say hunting is an activity on the property. I don't know, or yet have any opinion on how this may or may not benefit sportsmen. If they do indeed do habitat improvement as they claim in their web page, it can only help all of the surrounding BLM which is a rather nice thought in an area like this where browse can be pretty slim pickins most years. Any thoughts by those of you who have them for neighbors?

 

[Deleted member 28227]

I know a couple of people who work for APR all of them are either pro hunting or agnostic to a person they are devoted conservationists, I would think it's in good hands.

That said I'm not sure if the organization leans more toward the pay to play, Ted Turner, model or the pseudo public land model of habitat management. I will do some digging next time I meet up with some of that crew.

 

[twodot]

Than you wllm1313, I am of the opinion that before long all of these ranches around the CMR will be owned by some kind of group like APR. They have the buying power, and I believe very few individuals who can afford multi million dollar property want to be in Petroleum or Garfield counties due to terrible roads and a severe lack of local perks. This is not micro brewery country and here in Petro co. we don't even have a bank. This kind of unusual remoteness makes it a perfect atmosphere for organizations like APR who's investors will never live here or possibly never even visit.

 

[belly-deep]

While I'm still a bit skeptical of the APR, I can sure a shit say I'm 100 times more pleased to hear they bought a MT ranch than the Wilkes bros.

 

[mtmiller]

What he said.....except I am not that skeptical. ;-)

 

[MThuntr]

I've worked with the APR and neighbors on several projects in Southern Phillips County and their intentions, while flawed to many, seemed within reason to me. Their concept of bison grazing without fences doesn't necessarily work because they are still too small for true landscape level management of bison. The fences will be necessary to facilitate grazing management plain and simple. I'm not terribly concerned...I mean I don't get real excited about investors with potentially conflicting ideologies. I know Two Crow pretty well having worked with several neighboring ranches and hunting on the BLM. I believe Chain Buttes Grazing Association controls a lot of the grazing rights on the BLM so I'd be curious on how that hashes out if they plan on continuing to run cattle (Two Crow used to run a bunch of yearlings) or if they will switch over to bison. I'm sure the details will be known soon. Hopefully the employees aren't ostracized from the community.

 

[406LIFE]

I have followed the APR for the past handful of years. I have been pleased so far with the moves they have made. I would much rather this be locked up and made a true preserve (which it won't be) than for it to be in private hands and locked up that way.

 

[esracerx]

Wilks moved into Idaho. The Cielo Vista Ranch in Colorado sold. 85,000 acres. The ask was 105 million. Wonder if Dan and Farris bought that too.

 

[TheTone]

Wilks moved into Idaho. The Cielo Vista Ranch in Colorado sold. 85,000 acres. The ask was 105 million. Wonder if Dan and Farris bought that too.

I think they have the potential to purchase lots more in Idaho also. Lots of the timber company ground is being heavily logged right now and pieces are being sold off. Could be a very different future for the public in north Idaho if they start buying more.

 

[Oak]

Wilks moved into Idaho. The Cielo Vista Ranch in Colorado sold. 85,000 acres. The ask was 105 million. Wonder if Dan and Farris bought that too.

I don't think the Wilkes' bought Cielo Vista, but I could be wrong. My money is on Ted Turner or Louis Bacon.

 

[esracerx]

I would like to see the Timber companies having more of a lease agreement with the state. They log it, then its public until it's time to log again. Probably a pipe dream and not feasible economically.

Regarding Cielo Vista.... Stan Kroenke?

 

[Zach]

For the Two Crow purchase, what does this mean?

Gerrity says the unit’s recreation policies will be determined by the organization over the next year, with the goal of welcoming the public onto the Reserve’s deeded acres in a safe and open way.

https://www.americanprairie.org/news-blog/american-prairie-reserve-purchases-two-crow-ranch

I don't think the Wilkes' bought Cielo Vista, but I could be wrong. My money is on Ted Turner or Louis Bacon.

http://www.denverpost.com/2017/08/14/cielo-vista-ranch-14er-san-luis-valley-sells/

Not Bacon, but "Listing broker Jeff Hubbard, who has guided elk and sheep hunts on the ranch for two decades, said in a statement that the buyer “is absolutely ideal.”"~from the DP article.

Guess we'll see who it's ideal for.

 

[TheTone]

I would like to see the Timber companies having more of a lease agreement with the state. They log it, then its public until it's time to log again. Probably a pipe dream and not feasible economically.

Regarding Cielo Vista.... Stan Kroenke?

Most of the timber companies here acquired the land for nothing or through sweetheart deals (I've seen some large deeds that have a listed sale price of $1) and also pay next to nothing in taxes for the size of what they own.

 

[Schaaf]

I'm patiently waiting for Albus to chime in.

 

[Ben Lamb]

APR has a different view of lands than most private landowners.

I've hunted birds on APR, and the surrounding public land, close to the HQ south of Malta and loved it. I've seen lots of wildlife from songbirds to elk and they have a pretty open policy on hunting, being enrolled in block management for parts of the ranch, and kept out for others. Their metric for deciding what is open and what is not is based on land conditions and wildlife carrying capacity. If they feel like the wildlife resource is smaller than it should be, they will close an area to hunting until the population is larger. They also have opened up tens of thousands of formerly inaccessible (or only accessible from the water) public land for use by the public.

Like all private landowners, they have the right to decide how they allow hunting and recreation on their fee title land. They have installed some campgrounds for public and private use as well. As an organization, they have a strict policy of not paying more than appraised value, so the people who say that the organization is inflating land prices are mistaken. Or they're sad no sweetheart deals are around anymore. APR pumps roughly $2 million in to local economies through ranch management, and they have young ranch families helping run the place, providing an opportunity for the next generation of family ranchers until they can afford their own spread.

I'm a supporter.

 

[Eric Albus]

Don't want to test your patience Shaff, so here goes.

Correct me if wrong, but did not RMEF once own the 2 Crow?

I don't like the APR buying up land, but it is inevitable(and their right)....give us another couple years of drought like we are currently experiencing and there won't be anybody left that can afford their ranching/farming lifestyle and the APF will have it bought up a 100 years sooner than I thought.

I don't want to be the first one to sell to them, but I certainly won't be the last.

 

[TheTone]

They are buying land through willing buyer/seller correct? Those selling the land could always say no if they don't agree with APR

 

[Oak]

http://www.denverpost.com/2017/08/14/cielo-vista-ranch-14er-san-luis-valley-sells/

Not Bacon, but "Listing broker Jeff Hubbard, who has guided elk and sheep hunts on the ranch for two decades, said in a statement that the buyer “is absolutely ideal.”"~from the DP article.

Guess we'll see who it's ideal for.

Ha, I read that article, but guess I didn't read it to the end.

 

[esracerx]

Don't want to test your patience Shaff, so here goes.

Correct me if wrong, but did not RMEF once own the 2 Crow?

I don't like the APR buying up land, but it is inevitable(and their right)....give us another couple years of drought like we are currently experiencing and there won't be anybody left that can afford their ranching/farming lifestyle and the APF will have it bought up a 100 years sooner than I thought.

I don't want to be the first one to sell to them, but I certainly won't be the last.

I'm definitely not on the forefront of these kind of things...but here ya go. Should read both as one provides a little more information.

http://billingsgazette.com/news/loc...cle_24f21077-5847-5c72-8c40-1f6b9d14ec0d.html

https://books.google.com/books?id=4...IUQ6AEILzAB#v=onepage&q=Two crow rmef&f=false

 

[belly-deep]

What he said.....except I am not that skeptical. ;-)

Miller my worries are not about what is going on today, but what might be going on 10 or 20 years from now. Groups that start out as conservation organizations have a tendency to shift to environmental organizations. Since they operate on donations, they are susceptible to public pressure.

I sure as hell don't have the money to buy that land, and I really hate to see it get bought up by wealthy out of state interests. So as I said, of those who are in the game, so to speak, I'd prefer the APR over about anyone right now.