Montana's 10 largest landowners

[NVBighorn]

Interesting statistics

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/money/2016/06/21/who-owns-montana-top-10-landowners/86179936/


Who owns Montana? Top 10 landowners




Montana?s largest landowners

1. Plum Creek Timber. 765,925 acres
Timberland scattered across northwestern Montana

2. Farris and Dan Wilks. 358,837 acres The Texans made their money in masonry, fracking.
Own N Bar Ranch near Lewistown, properties in Meagher, Blaine, Garfield and Bighorn counties.

3. Galt family. 248,023 acres Descended from Jack Galt, ranch manager who married Louise Rankin, who inherited Willington Rankin?s lands.
71 Ranch near Martinsdale, ranches in Broadwater and Rosebud counties.

4. Stan Kroenke. 225,162 acres Billionaire owner of Denver Nuggets (NBA), Colorado Avalanche (NHL), Los Angeles Rams (NFL) and husband of a Wal-Mart heiress.
Broken O Ranch of Augusta. Cedar Creek Ranch near Ennis and PV Ranch near Hysham.

5. Robert Earl Holding. 213,462 acres.Fortune in Utah-based Sinclair Oil Corp., Sun Valley Resort in Idaho.
Sunlight Ranch east of Billings, additional properties near Wyola and in Carbon County.

6. Coffee family. 212,633 acres. Descendants of Virginia Nefsy, heiress to the founders of Stockman Bank of Montana.
Coffee Cattle Co. outside Miles City, additional properties in Custer and Rosebud counties.

7. Great Northern Properties, 153,056 acres Resource investment company.
Coal-bearing properties in southeast Montana in the Bull Mountains.

8. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. 151,840 acres
Trail Creek Land and Livestock outside Miles City, Winnecook Ranch near Harlowtown.

9. Ted Turner. 148,870 acres Media mogul.
Flying D Ranch southwest of Bozeman, Snowcrest Ranch south of Dillon, Bar None Ranch north of Belgrade.

10. John Hillenbrand. 118,417 acres
Hillebrand Ranch in Garfield County east of Jordan.

Montana?s total area ? 93,155,800 acres
Total area owned by state and federal governments ? 32,473,220 acres (34.9% - 12th most of any state in U.S.)
Total area owned by federal government - 27,276,820 acres (Mostly Forest Service and BLM land. 29.3% of state area ? 10th most of any state in U.S.)
Total area owned by state government - 5,196,400 acres (Mostly school trust lands. 5.6 % of state area ? 16th most of any state in U.S.)
Of the 60,682,580 acres of privately owned land in Montana, the state?s 10 largest private land owners own 2,597,225 acres ? 8.0 %. 2.8 % of Montana?s total area.

This acreage (2.60 million) is 246,000 acres larger than the combined area of all the National Parks and National Wildlife Refuges in Montana (2.35 million) and only 86,000 acres less than the combined area of all tribal owned lands in the state (2.68 million).

Kristen Inbody and David Murray, [email protected] 7:57 p.m. MDT June 21, 2016

 

[ICMDEER]

That really is interesting stuff. I know Kroenke is also one of the largest landowners here in Wyoming.

Sometimes makes me wish I would not have married for love. A quarter of a million acres might make a guy take an ugly wife..........

 

[NVBighorn]

LAST EDITED ON Jun-22-16 AT 04:29PM (MST)[p]I was most surprised by #8. Does the public have access to those lands owned by the church? Even more land than Ol' Ted



Edit: Also surprised by this factoid. Does anyone know if public access is allowed on these state trust lands? For hunting?
Total area owned by state government - 5,196,400 acres (Mostly school trust lands. 5.6 % of state area ? 16th most of any state in U.S.)

 

[BigFin]

LAST EDITED ON Jun-22-16 AT 05:36PM (MST)[p]>LAST EDITED ON Jun-22-16
>AT 04:29?PM (MST)
>
>I was most surprised by #8.
>Does the public have access
>to those lands owned by
>the church? Even more land
>than Ol' Ted
>
>
>
>Edit: Also surprised by this factoid.
>Does anyone know if public
>access is allowed on these
>state trust lands? For hunting?
>
>Total area owned by state government
>- 5,196,400 acres (Mostly school
>trust lands. 5.6 % of
>state area ? 16th most
>of any state in U.S.)
>


Hunting is allowed if you purchase the State Trust Lands recreation permit. Trapping, recreational shooting, ATV riding, snowmobiling, are not allowed on MT State Trust Lands.

Until the big legislative blowup in 1995 (?) we were not able to do any of the above on State Trust Lands. Still folks (former legislators and lobbyists) who hold a grudge against politically engaged hunters for pushing the issue that resulted in a compromise that we can hunt those lands for a small fee. Prior to that big battle, MT was the same as Colorado is today; no open recreation on State Trust Lands.

"Hunt when you can - You're gonna' run out of health before you run out of money!"

 

[blacktailBC]

You got me thinking with your info....so I checked out the F&W website. It says a permit to use state trust lands is not needed for hunting and fishing, because there is a $2.00 fee added to all conservation licenses.

From the website:
The State Land Recreation Use Permit is not required when using State Trust Lands for hunting or fishing, because a $2.00 fee is included in the Montana Conservation License for use of these lands.
Just FYI

 

[elkassassin]

So NVB?

What's your Point?

You gonna make a Stand?











[font color="blue"]HUNTIN,FISHIN,AND LOVIN EVERY DAY,I WANNA SEE
THEM TALL PINES SWAY!
[/font]

 

[BigFin]

Why do People who Hunt, Fish, or Trap on State Land Only Pay $2 Extra for Their Conservation License to Access State Land and I Have to Pay $5-$10 for a State Land Recreational Use License in Order to Conduct Other Types of Activities?

The Land Board is mandated to receive "full market value" for the various types of uses allowed on state trust land. It is estimated that 96%-97% of the recreational use conducted on these lands is for hunting, fishing, or trapping, with the remaining 3%-4% coming from other types of uses. Based on the average number of Conservation Licenses sold during the last 10-year period (400,000+), the Board determined that by assessing a
small non-optional fee for the large user group, the various trusts would ultimately receive approximately 2-3 times greater revenue than they previously had. As such, they deemed this increased trust revenue to represent full market value for these three uses. On the other hand, the fees charged for "other" uses remained the same as they had been in the past because the activities are somewhat infrequent, the corresponding revenues relatively limited, and because purchasing the State Land Recreational License remains optional."

For trapping, you have to pay the fee and get approval from the local State Land Board office.

"Hunt when you can - You're gonna' run out of health before you run out of money!"

 

[YBO]

Hmmm. Yes interesting, but your point is what? The two dollar fee?

 

[BigFin]

>Hmmm. Yes interesting, but your point
>is what? The two dollar
>fee?

Not sure if directed toward me, but if so, my points are not the two dollar fee, rather these points below:

1. We have a very access-averse legislature in Montana. It was a knockdown drag out battle to get the opportunity to hunt State Trust Lands, and the fee is not the issue. Many in our legislature would repeal that access option in a heartbeat, if they thought they could pull it off without a march on the Capitol by hunters and anglers. Vigilance is required to keep the access that was secured.

2. Recreational shooting is prohibited on our State Lands. As is ATV, and snowmobile, and .... That is a lot of ground off limits to some pretty popular activities. And if MT took over the 30 million acres of USFS/BLM lands under the "State Transfer" idea, we would lose the opportunity to do these same things on land we currently have access to. I do a LOT of shooting and I think it would be helpful to allow such on State Trust Lands, for the same fee we can hunt or fish.

3. Only after another big battle last legislative session were we able to get camping restrictions changed from a two day camping limit to fourteen days. But, we still must camp within 300 yards of the nearest access point.

4. Montana, like many other state legislatures in the west, is a pretty hostile institution for the public land hunter and angler.




"Hunt when you can - You're gonna' run out of health before you run out of money!"

 

[NVBighorn]

>>Hmmm. Yes interesting, but your point
>>is what? The two dollar
>>fee?


Not sure if that is directed at me either... but below are some good points.




>And if MT took over
>the 30 million acres of
>USFS/BLM lands under the "State
>Transfer" idea, we would lose
>the opportunity to do these
>same things on land we
>currently have access to.

ALSO

Total area owned by state government - 5,196,400 acres (Mostly school trust lands. 5.6 % of state area ? 16th most of any state in U.S.)
Of the 60,682,580 acres of privately owned land in Montana, the state?s 10 largest private land owners own 2,597,225 acres ? 8.0 %. 2.8 % of Montana?s total area.

This acreage (2.60 million) is 246,000 acres larger than the combined area of all the National Parks and National Wildlife Refuges in Montana (2.35 million) and only 86,000 acres less than the combined area of all tribal owned lands in the state (2.68 million).



If you don't see why this information should be "interesting" to public land hunters you need to think about it a little.

 

[CPAjeff]

LAST EDITED ON Jun-22-16 AT 11:55PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Jun-22-16 AT 11:38?PM (MST)

Man, that's some serious real estate that some individuals own!

No, the public does not have access to the acres listed in #8.

 

[elkassassin]

>>>Hmmm. Yes interesting, but your point
>>>is what? The two dollar
>>>fee?
>
>
>Not sure if that is directed
>at me either... but below
>are some good points.
>
>
>
>
>>And if MT took over
>>the 30 million acres of
>>USFS/BLM lands under the "State
>>Transfer" idea, we would lose
>>the opportunity to do these
>>same things on land we
>>currently have access to.
>
>ALSO
>
>Total area owned by state government
>- 5,196,400 acres (Mostly school
>trust lands. 5.6 % of
>state area ? 16th most
>of any state in U.S.)
>
>Of the 60,682,580 acres of privately
>owned land in Montana, the
>state?s 10 largest private land
>owners own 2,597,225 acres ?
>8.0 %. 2.8 % of
>Montana?s total area.
>
>This acreage (2.60 million) is 246,000
>acres larger than the combined
>area of all the National
>Parks and National Wildlife Refuges
>in Montana (2.35 million) and
>only 86,000 acres less than
>the combined area of all
>tribal owned lands in the
>state (2.68 million).
>
>
>
>If you don't see why this
>information should be "interesting" to
>public land hunters you need
>to think about it a
>little.

So NVB?

You gonna make a Stand?

Or Let them Privatise Everything?

Once they Take Montana's Public Ground Their Headed to Nevada!












[font color="blue"]HUNTIN,FISHIN,AND LOVIN EVERY DAY,I WANNA SEE
THEM TALL PINES SWAY!
[/font]

 

[YBO]

No argument on this side. Just pleased no one said " it isn't fair.". As far as number 8 is concerned, I wonder why a church would want to own so much property? How many acres do the LDS own in the USA?

 

[CPAjeff]

>No argument on this side. Just
>pleased no one said "
>it isn't fair.". As
>far as number 8 is
>concerned, I wonder why a
>church would want to own
>so much property? How many
>acres do the LDS own
>in the USA?


No idea on the total acreage owned, but I posted this on another thread - I apologize if it's redundant. The church has a fair share of investment farms and welfare farms. The investment farms are revenue generating where the grazing rights, hunting rights, mineral rights, etc. are leased out - the two ranches in Montana listed in #8 are investment farms.

Welfare farms are different - the goods produced benefit members and nonmembers locally and worldwide through programs such as the Bishop's Storehouse, disaster relief aid, etc.

 

[NVBighorn]

>
>So NVB?
>
>You gonna make a Stand?
>
>Or Let them Privatise Everything?
>
>Once they Take Montana's Public Ground
>Their Headed to Nevada!
>
>

Bess, I take a stand on this EVERY day in ways you couldn't begin to know about. Why else would I post it? But I do it without resorting to violence or intimidation or passing out pocket constitutions.

The real question is Are YOU taking a stand?
You live in the state that started all this nonsense. I'm willing to bet that in the past you've voted for some of the people who are pushing this. Are you doing anything to let your candidates for governor or your state and congressional legislators or even county commissioners know you are against this movement to take your public lands? Have you signed any petitions? Written any letters? Gone to any meetings? Or is it easier to sit on the interweb and poke at the people who do?

https://secure3.convio.net/trcp/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=415

 

[NVBighorn]

BigFin, check your PMs

 

[cbeard]

Well, I guess my little cabin and ten acres is not enough to crack the top 10. Since I can fish and hike and hunt (within limitations) tons of public land - this native Texan feels like he owns millions of acres though.

You guys in states with tons of public lands have a gift that is beyond measure. Keep fighting for it!

 

[shotgunjim]

Glad to see at least one Texan gets it.

 

[elkassassin]

>
>>
>>So NVB?
>>
>>You gonna make a Stand?
>>
>>Or Let them Privatise Everything?
>>
>>Once they Take Montana's Public Ground
>>Their Headed to Nevada!
>>
>>
>
>Bess, I take a stand on
>this EVERY day in ways
>you couldn't begin to know
>about. Why else would I
>post it? But I do
>it without resorting to violence
>or intimidation or passing out
>pocket constitutions.
>
>The real question is Are YOU
>taking a stand?
>You live in the state that
>started all this nonsense. I'm
>willing to bet that in
>the past you've voted for
>some of the people who
>are pushing this. Are you
>doing anything to let your
>candidates for governor or your
>state and congressional legislators or
>even county commissioners know you
>are against this movement to
>take your public lands? Have
>you signed any petitions? Written
>any letters? Gone to any
>meetings? Or is it easier
>to sit on the interweb
>and poke at the people
>who do?
>
>https://secure3.convio.net/trcp/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=415

Well NVB!

Let's just say they know who I Am!

Most Republicans have been Decent in this State over the Years!

Guess them Days are Gone!













[font color="blue"]HUNTIN,FISHIN,AND LOVIN EVERY DAY,I WANNA SEE
THEM TALL PINES SWAY!
[/font]