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I had a friend that lost all of his grass but part of a section in a wildfire in 2002. In fact they slurried his house and buildings just to save them. He shipped his cattle all over the country till he could get them back home. In the end it all worked out for him, rather than selling them. Hope this guy turns out as well.
Rancher mulls future after fire
Cattle owner still sees bright side: Nobody died
By JIM GRANSBERY
Of The Gazette Staff
In rapid staccato, rancher John Patterson describes his situation:
"My summer pasture is gone. My winter pasture is gone."
"This is a good fire. Nobody died."
"Wendy Kucera saved my hay and my house." "I have not shot a cow."
"The story is that I have about 950 cows and calves that are unharmed. I have 37 confirmed dead."
"They are either dead or unhurt."
Patterson's ranch sits about 40 miles east of Billings. He estimates that 90 percent of his 70-section ranch in eastern Yellowstone and northern Big Horn counties was charred by the Pine Ridge complex of fires last week.
On Friday he talked about his plight.
"They walked up to this island on top here. They have some grass and water. It will last about 10 days."
"A half-inch of rain would green up that dryland hay."
"I need disaster help now, not next January. The next nine months are critical."
"I want to talk about disaster relief, not how the fire was fought."
"The firefighters here were fantastic. They came from Worden and Custer and Big Horn County. From Idaho and Arizona."
"My neighbors are hurting."
Patterson's ranch sits in the middle of the complex of fires that blackened more than 122,000 acres over the past week and half in Yellowstone and Big Horn counties south of the Yellowstone River. The fires on the Patterson Ranch - three of them - began just before midnight July 11. The next afternoon, a fierce windstorm swept through the area, sending the fire racing across the grazing lands, through the coulees and draws, creating fire twisters, which Ruth Ann Patterson has on videotape. On Saturday and Sunday, the flames threatened the home built in 2001-02.
"My ranch is not worth a life," Patterson said. "I don't want to drive by a spot here and be reminded that someone died."
In two or three years, "no one will remember the Pine Ridge fires," he said. "If someone was killed here, they would never forget it."
Patterson spent Friday driving a Gazette photographer and reporter over his expanse of land where he has ranched with his wife since 1975. The place was founded by his grandfather.
Over the years, wells were drilled and springs developed, providing water for the livestock. A check of a windmill pump with about 50 cows and calves around it revealed a missing nut on the pump stem, requiring an impromptu repair. For the time being, the animals have food and water. Hired men were moving hay to several spots on the ranch Friday. The cattle know where the water sites are and will go to it, returning to the unburned hay meadow and unharvested spring wheat field that was kept from burning by a fire break line bladed by a firefighter from Big Horn County.
Patterson has nothing but praise for Wendy Kucera of Bonners Ferry, Idaho. The young woman was in command of a 1-ton firetruck with two crew members, Dennis Carril and Josh Wilkerson. When she arrived, she asked what the most important task was. Patterson said, "Save the hay. I have no insurance on it. The house is" insured.
Patterson personalizes his cattle, speaking with a familiarity of the cows that are identified by brands and ear tags that tell the year of birth. Calves are similarly marked. He branded 948 this spring.
Because of his pattern of grazing, Patterson said the cows probably found their way out of the deep coulees and draws from habit. He ascribes divine intervention for the number that reached safety.
He has found no live animals with burns - no singed faces, no torched tails.
Nine of those that perished were caught in a deep draw during the wind- and firestorm on July 12. The fire moved so quickly, it is likely the animals suffocated from lack of oxygen rather than being burned to death.
Patterson, who retired recently as a lieutenant colonel in the Montana National Guard after 33 years, deployed with his unit last fall to New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
He suggested a small portion of the billions being spent on disaster relief there could help save the day for himself and his neighbors, some of whom are worse off than he is.
For the time being, he hopes to move his cattle to an empty feedlot at Custer. He has corn growing north of the river that won't be harvested until September.
He has contracted his calves, which will go to a feedlot in October. His mother cows, already carrying next year's calves, could be taken care of at Custer until they begin to calve in February.
"I have enough hay to feed them from November 1 to May 1," he said.
He estimated it would require about $100 per cow to keep them fed and watered until Nov. 1.
However, if assistance is not forthcoming, it will be "relocate or liquidate."
There is plenty of hay in the West, both in Montana and elsewhere. The cost of bringing hay to the cattle is prohibitive, so taking cattle to other counties or states would be less expensive.
Or he can sell the cattle. But a ranch without cattle is not a ranch, and Patterson is not ready to sell out just yet.
Rancher mulls future after fire
Cattle owner still sees bright side: Nobody died
By JIM GRANSBERY
Of The Gazette Staff
In rapid staccato, rancher John Patterson describes his situation:
"My summer pasture is gone. My winter pasture is gone."
"This is a good fire. Nobody died."
"Wendy Kucera saved my hay and my house." "I have not shot a cow."
"The story is that I have about 950 cows and calves that are unharmed. I have 37 confirmed dead."
"They are either dead or unhurt."
Patterson's ranch sits about 40 miles east of Billings. He estimates that 90 percent of his 70-section ranch in eastern Yellowstone and northern Big Horn counties was charred by the Pine Ridge complex of fires last week.
On Friday he talked about his plight.
"They walked up to this island on top here. They have some grass and water. It will last about 10 days."
"A half-inch of rain would green up that dryland hay."
"I need disaster help now, not next January. The next nine months are critical."
"I want to talk about disaster relief, not how the fire was fought."
"The firefighters here were fantastic. They came from Worden and Custer and Big Horn County. From Idaho and Arizona."
"My neighbors are hurting."
Patterson's ranch sits in the middle of the complex of fires that blackened more than 122,000 acres over the past week and half in Yellowstone and Big Horn counties south of the Yellowstone River. The fires on the Patterson Ranch - three of them - began just before midnight July 11. The next afternoon, a fierce windstorm swept through the area, sending the fire racing across the grazing lands, through the coulees and draws, creating fire twisters, which Ruth Ann Patterson has on videotape. On Saturday and Sunday, the flames threatened the home built in 2001-02.
"My ranch is not worth a life," Patterson said. "I don't want to drive by a spot here and be reminded that someone died."
In two or three years, "no one will remember the Pine Ridge fires," he said. "If someone was killed here, they would never forget it."
Patterson spent Friday driving a Gazette photographer and reporter over his expanse of land where he has ranched with his wife since 1975. The place was founded by his grandfather.
Over the years, wells were drilled and springs developed, providing water for the livestock. A check of a windmill pump with about 50 cows and calves around it revealed a missing nut on the pump stem, requiring an impromptu repair. For the time being, the animals have food and water. Hired men were moving hay to several spots on the ranch Friday. The cattle know where the water sites are and will go to it, returning to the unburned hay meadow and unharvested spring wheat field that was kept from burning by a fire break line bladed by a firefighter from Big Horn County.
Patterson has nothing but praise for Wendy Kucera of Bonners Ferry, Idaho. The young woman was in command of a 1-ton firetruck with two crew members, Dennis Carril and Josh Wilkerson. When she arrived, she asked what the most important task was. Patterson said, "Save the hay. I have no insurance on it. The house is" insured.
Patterson personalizes his cattle, speaking with a familiarity of the cows that are identified by brands and ear tags that tell the year of birth. Calves are similarly marked. He branded 948 this spring.
Because of his pattern of grazing, Patterson said the cows probably found their way out of the deep coulees and draws from habit. He ascribes divine intervention for the number that reached safety.
He has found no live animals with burns - no singed faces, no torched tails.
Nine of those that perished were caught in a deep draw during the wind- and firestorm on July 12. The fire moved so quickly, it is likely the animals suffocated from lack of oxygen rather than being burned to death.
Patterson, who retired recently as a lieutenant colonel in the Montana National Guard after 33 years, deployed with his unit last fall to New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
He suggested a small portion of the billions being spent on disaster relief there could help save the day for himself and his neighbors, some of whom are worse off than he is.
For the time being, he hopes to move his cattle to an empty feedlot at Custer. He has corn growing north of the river that won't be harvested until September.
He has contracted his calves, which will go to a feedlot in October. His mother cows, already carrying next year's calves, could be taken care of at Custer until they begin to calve in February.
"I have enough hay to feed them from November 1 to May 1," he said.
He estimated it would require about $100 per cow to keep them fed and watered until Nov. 1.
However, if assistance is not forthcoming, it will be "relocate or liquidate."
There is plenty of hay in the West, both in Montana and elsewhere. The cost of bringing hay to the cattle is prohibitive, so taking cattle to other counties or states would be less expensive.
Or he can sell the cattle. But a ranch without cattle is not a ranch, and Patterson is not ready to sell out just yet.
