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Mule Deer & Merriam Turkey Hunting Paradise ~ Gateway to Crawford Hill |
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Nestled in the
s
Ponderosa Ranch, our 3300 acre Nebraska
working cattle ranch,
is located 70 miles south of the Black Hills of South Dakota. Our ranch
boasts of a rugged beauty in its diversity; spectacular views in
This makes a challenging terrain for the hunter or horseback rider but a haven for mule deer and Merriam turkey. This same terrain provides excellent opportunities for archery, muzzleloader and rifle hunters. |
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Because our ranch is a working cattle ranch we do require that guests have some prior riding experience. We do not ride nose to tail, but spread out when the terrain allows and you need to be able to control your horse at a trot or canter outside of an arena if you wish to work with the cattle or help move cattle. Our guest horses are very gentle quarter horses. You are welcome to bring your own horses.
We can custom tailor your riding and
vacation time to match your experience level
and desires. We can do pleasure riding
only if you do
not feel comfortable working with the cattle. The speed will be set by you, there will always
be a little trotting involved but we do not need to canter/lope if you
are not comfortable with that. You will have our undivided attention as
we only take small groups of 5 people or less.
If you are unsure
about your experience level being adequate, please
contact us
and we can talk about it! Your safety is very important to us as we
strive to make this the ultimate horseback riding vacation for you and
your friends or family.
If you wish to have the working ranch experience, you will ride,
help round up and drive the cattle herd of 200 cows
and calves, plus
bulls, to new pastures. Also join us as we ride through the herd daily to
check on them, checking fences, water, and minerals. Experience the thrill
of bonding with your horse through the adventure of working
together to
accomplish daily ranch tasks.
In May we normally round up the herd for branding and vaccinating the calves. In June we put the bulls out to pasture and sort them off and bring them home in August. We round up the herd again for vaccinating calves around Labor Day. We repeat this process again in October for weaning and selling the calves and pregnancy testing the cows. We sort off the cows who aren’t pregnant and haul to our local livestock auction. Then the rest go back out to pasture until we run out of grass or it starts snowing. They will be moved closer to home then for feeding hay during the snowy season and calving season in the spring. Then the cycle repeats itself.
Other tasks that go on through out the year on our working ranch are checking water, filling
salt and mineral bins, gathering strays, fixing fence, doctoring sick cows or calves. Also maintenance and improvement
projects on our tack, well/water system, buildings, equipment, etc.,
trimming hooves on the horses, spraying weeds....We
have about 200 acres of alfalfa that we hay for winter feed.