Matador Ecosystem

We believe agriculture and nature work best under a regenerative ranching approach that builds greater ecosystem resilience. Matador Ranch and Cattle is built on a history of environmental stewardship and is intentionally deepening that focus through regenerative management. The health of this landscape begets the quality of our rangeland pastures and cattle and is the foundation of everything we do here.

Westslope Cutthroat Trout, Blacktail Deer Creek - Matador Ranch and Cattle

Wildlife health is our priority

The Ranch is home to a diverse wildlife population, the vibrancy of these populations is a clear indicator for the health of the greater ecosystem. We work with local Fish Wildlife and Parks(FWP) personnel to monitor the health of these populations and collect data on the many species that use the land as prime habitat.

Bluebird Rehabilitation

The Ranch maintains and monitors 53 bluebird nesting boxes along a 24-mile stretch of theBlacktail Road and 15 more boxes in the Upper Jake. We have plans to develop a trail in the Centennial Valley in 2025 with 8-10 boxes.

Sage Grouse Leks

The Centennial Valley and Sage Creek are common nesting grounds for sage grouse. There are currently eight monitored lek a reason the ranch. Matador Ranch and Cattle works closely with Fish wildlife and parks and other wildlife agencies to reduce disturbances during nesting and implements fence markers to minimize injuries to the birds.

Westslope Cutthroat Trout

In 2013, the Ranch enrolled in Candidate ConservationAgreement with Assurances (CCAA), working closely with the FWP to reintroduce the native Westslope Cutthroat Trout to a section of Peet Creek in the SouthCentennial Valley and improve a section of the riparian area between upper and lower reservoirs. MT Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) continue to monitor numbers and use genomics to understand the genetic diversity of the population.This will improve the overall fitness of the species.

Arctic Grayling

In 2024, the Ranch enrolled in a Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances(CCAA) to improve and restore historic Arctic Grayling habitat on the West,Middle, and Long Creeks in the Centennial Valley. The Ranch is exploring the use of virtual fencing to reduce impact and protect sections of critical riparian areas.

A bluebird in sagebrush - Matador Ranch and Cattle
Sage Grouse - Matador Ranch and Cattle
Westslope Cutthroat Trout, Blacktail Deer Creek - Matador Ranch and Cattle

Soil health

While cattle are synonymous with a ranch, and in our name, it's really soil heath we are managing. Under our own feet and the hooves of our cattle and horses lies a complex ecosystem. Soil carbon serves as an excellent indicator of soil health, and since it can be measured, it becomes an invaluable tool for long-term landscape management. In addition to soil carbon, we also monitor bacteria, fungi, nutrients, and minerals, working to improve their balance in a positive way.
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Through careful planning, monitoring, and management of soil health, we collaborate with nature’s soil biology, encourage plant biodiversity, and extend the growing of seasonal forage. Healthy soil leads to more plant growth, which provides additional forage for both domestic and wild animals. As plant material increases, it helps protect the soil by reducing water and wind erosion and providing insulation from extreme temperatures. 

Grazing strategy

The phrase “grazing in sync with nature” is far more than a motto for the Ranch; it is essential, with nature serving as our guide.

From a regenerative perspective, we recognize that livestock must be managed in a way that replicates the symbiotic relationship once shared between massive herds of bison, elk, and other ruminants, and the soil and ecosystems prior to human settlement.
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In the Ranch’s semi-arid, brittle ecosystem, the presence of livestock is vital. When properly managed, livestock act as modern-day proxies for those ancient herds of ruminants, functioning as mobile composters that transform lignin and cellulose into valuable fertilizer for the soil, its microorganisms, and plants.

Riparian Restoration

The Matador Ranch and FWP worked to improve two miles of riparian area along the Middle and West creeks. Together, we successfully returned these sections to their historical channel and installed fish passage access to allow travel and keep water in the main channel instead of flowing into irrigation ditches. In 2024 theRanch began a trial testing virtual fencing as a tool to better understand and adjust livestock use of the riparian areas.

Block Management

Matador Ranch and Cattle utilizes a Block ManagementProgram in coordination with Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, as a tool for managing the elk population on the Ranch. The program is a cooperative and voluntary initiative between private landowners and Fish, Wildlife, & Parks that provides the public free access to private land during a set timeframe of the hunting season. Typically, the designated land lies adjacent to or provides access to isolated public land. Hunters are required to sign in prior to each day of access. In the 2024 hunting season, the Beaverhead division enrolled approximately 44,000 acres in the program, and access was allowed fromSeptember 1st through December 1st.