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 teeming with wildlife, from whitetail, mule deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, and a wide variety of birds of prey, including bald and golden eagles. 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 has installed 53 bluebird nesting boxes along the 24-mile Blacktail Road Trail and 12 more along the 1.5-mile Lodge Trail.

Sage Grouse Leks

The Centennial Valley and Sage Creek are common nesting grounds for sage grouse. There are currently eight monitored lek areas on 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 a Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances (CCAA), working closely with the FWP to reintroduce the native Westslope Cutthroat Trout to a section of Peet Creek in the South Centennial Valley and improve a section of the riparian area between upper and lower reservoirs.

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 immense complexity. Soil carbon is a strong proxy for soil health, and we can measure it, making it a valuable tool for long-term landscape management. We also measure bacteria, fungi, nutrients, and minerals, working to influence their balance in a beneficial way.

By planning, monitoring, and managing for soil health, we work with nature's soil biology, promote plant biodiversity, and extend plants' growing seasons. By promoting soil health, more plant life grows, providing more forage for both domestic and wild animals. More plant material becomes available to cover the soil's surface, which reduces water and wind erosion and insulates the soil from extreme cold and heat.   

Grazing strategy

The phrase “grazing in sync with nature” is more than a platitude for the Ranch; it’s imperative, and nature is our mentor.

Looking through a regenerative lens, we understand that livestock must be managed in a way that returns the symbiotic benefits that massive herds of bison, elk, and other ruminants had with soil and ecosystems before human settlement.

In the Ranch’s semi-arid, brittle ecosystem, the addition of livestock is necessary. Properly managed livestock are the proxies for the ancient and massive herds of ruminants, functioning as mobile composters, cycling lignin and cellulose into 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. 

Block Management

Matador Ranch and Cattle utilizes a Block Management Program 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 2022 hunting season, the Beaverhead division enrolled approximately 44,000 acres in the program, and access was allowed from September 1st through December 1st.