RJH said:
Does anyone have any experience with running cows on tribal ground? Was thinking of putting together a proposal to lease a ranch on reservation and was wondering what anybody else thinks of that...good or bad.
Is it deeded land-- or is it a BIA or tribal lease? Is the owner a non Indian or are they tribal?
If it involves nonIndian deeded land on the reservation than the State courts have jurisdiction on any lease contracts you sign- if its an Indian lease then you get into the muddle of sovereign nation/Tribal Court/Federal Court/State Court-- and you as a lessee usually come out a loser...
Over the years I've watched so many leases between nontribals and tribals broken by the tribes just because of whichever tribal government is in power at the time..
Right now on the local rez we have a stable government and some pretty good folks on their land board- that while bidding up and charging nontribals more than tribals for the leases- has honored them no matter how high the price of cattle went- but it was only a matter of a few years ago the tribal administration in power was kicking off nontribal folks that had paid up 3-5 year leases after a year or two ( which I don't think they ever got their money back from ) because they had other tribal members bidding more- which in several cases those tribal members then subleased- doing so illegally to nontribals and pocketing the money....
Check closely with those that have been there and done it before you leap...