What are the best ways to get involved in ranching?

[amylaw]

I'm a girl who mostly grew up in the city, but I love living in the country. I really like riding horses and getting involved with raising cattle sounds more and more like something I want to do. Since I've moved around a lot when I was younger I've never had the chance to really get involved with agriculture or raising animals. I'm totally inexperienced and have no idea what my first steps should be. I would like some tips or advice on how to start getting the experience I would need to get a ranch job some day. I live in Casper WY, real cow country, I just need to know where to start.

 

[honyak]

Go to a bar, you'll be at a ranch by sun up.

 

[honyak]

Go to a bar you'll be at a ranch by daybreak

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

Maybe you could find a 4H beef club that needs a volunteer, If you don't have a job maybe helping pen cattle at the stockyards will get you a bit of an education real fast.

Good Luck

 

[amylaw]

To honyak: I'm not really asking for instructions on how to be a hussy.

To Big Muddy rancher: Thanks I'll try that

 

[Brad S]

Go to a bar in Casper and you're about 100 times more likely to wake up with a coal miner than a cowboy. Wyoming is the energy state - it takes more than a buckin horse logo to be the cowboy state...like cattle.

Any large feed yard would put you to work riding pens and you'd learn lots in a short time. There is that one thing, they say there ain't no snow capped peaks in a feed yard. Pratt and Salina sell 10,000 head a week. You could sure learn a lot feeding and penning cattle. If you went to work in a feed store you'd start to learn - tsc ain't a feed store. College is a good start.

 

[jodywy]

saying used to go "womb, tomb , or Ring"

 

[VB RANCH]

find some place that you can learn from and they don't use your inexperience against you
there are plenty of places I believe , still around
take your time
you have already taken the first step
that being your interest
good luck

 

[jodywy]

WSGA (Wyoming Stock growers association)http://www.wysga.org/programspartners.aspx
dose a internship with The Nature Conservancy , placing interns onto working ranches
http://www.wysga.org/rangelandinternshipprogram.aspx

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

Brad mentioned college and Casper has a good one, if that is a option, most ranches need help and a willing worker can be trained,just use your good judgement and don't let yourself get put in a dangerous position doing your job or where your job is.

 

[rancher rick]

Lots of good advice here, well, maybe not heading to a WYO bar. I second BMR`s advice...ranch/ag work can be dangerous even for those who grew up on a ranch or farm. It`s "Always keep your head up!!"...a few times a year I read or hear about someone getting in a major wreck.
"Have at `er" & good luck! It`s a good life!

 

[Roundup]

There are generally ranches looking for help, just be honest about your experience. There are several other good suggestions here, other than going to the bar. Can take on 4H , attend cattle auctions to meet people, go to the Nile in Billings, take classes at community college, jobs at genetic facilities, feed stores, etc can all lead to ranch contacts. Might try a Dude ranch to get your foot in the door. Stockgrowers generally have a Community site or Facebook. They also have auxiliary clubs or affiliates. Once on Facebook may meet some good contacts.

Good luck, I hope it all works out for you. Ranching can be a great way of life.