The Montana Cow Company was homesteaded just outside of Bozeman, MT back in 1860. Five generations later, my dad and I are operating the family business, which has primarily always been used for cattle. The ranch sits along the Bridger Mountain Range and consists of a lower and upper field.

The upper field comprises 140 acres of mountain timber and meadows bordering 71,000 acres of National Forest. Spring Creek is essentially an underground spring that starts on our land and runs all the way down into Bridger Creek.

Last fall, the Bridger Range had a forest fire that burned a good portion of our upper field. Although it was dangerous at the time, the underbrush now has room to breathe and we are seeing a lot of fresh green grass growing in the meadow.

There are roads to help access the upper field, however they can get quite muddy after a big rain and we ask you not to take your trucks up there if this is the case. We have had people get stuck, however, if you have a four-wheeler then you should be okay. Otherwise, the upper field is accessible by foot if necessary. There is a pin marked at the upper gate where sportsmen can park and walk in from there.

If I am around, I am happy to answer questions or point guests in the right direction based on what I’ve recently seen around the field.

Sportsmen are welcome to camp in the field, although we are only about a 10 minute drive from Bozeman. I am happy to set up a wall tent for protection from the weather if anyone is interested. Due to extreme fire safety hazards, we do not allow campfires anywhere on the premises of the ranch. However, a jet boil or propane grill is allowed.

We are looking forward to hosting you on your next birding trip!