Livestock and the open range 1850-1887 Chapter 8 Livestock and the open range 1850-1887

How it all began… Bison were few, cattle moved in Indians put on small reservations, leaving over 40 million acres of rich grazing land Cattlemen began moving in and using the land to raise and sell cattle

Grassland Montana became known for it’s superior grassland The grasslands of Montana provided wonderful forage for the cattle Montana grassland was valued so highly because: The native species were nutritious They were free and plentiful There were plenty of streams for water

Free Land! Land could not be sold until it was measured and mapped (surveyed) So cattlemen became claiming it as their own Open Range: land that had not yet been surveyed for sale to the homesteaders. This open range was so important to grazing cattle because it was so dry that the cattle need a lot of range to survive.

First cattle, then gold Cattle came to Montana in the 1830’s Gold rush came to Montana soon after The gold rush contributed to the expansion of the ranching industry because the population boomed and local wild game decreased Demand for meat turned to beef

The Government takes more land As ranching and settling expanded, many stockman demanded more land The government took away reservation land from the Indians because they believed ranchers would make better use of it Ranching was also important to reservation economies because: It allowed the Indians to maintain traditional cultures It allowed the Indians to gain independence from the Government The Indians could develop a new way to make a living

Different types of cattle Hereford and Angus cattle were run by most Montana outfits (ranching operations) Texas longhorns – the first drive was in 1866 from Texas to Montana This was the start of the great Texas cattle drives

Hereford Angus

Roundup Because free-range cattle drifted around the open range, ranch hands in each grazing district joined together for a roundup Roundup: a cooperative process in which cattle were gathered for branding and sorting Roundups were so important on the open range because cattle strayed and got mixed up with other herds. When mavericks were lost and unidentified, they became the property of whoever found them

Cattlemen Greenhorns – beginners. Older cowboys frequently played jokes on them. Though it was tough work, many young men wanted to come west to be cowboys because they got relatively good wages and adventure. Many were just teenagers

Cattlewomen Women on ranches worked just as hard as the men Washing clothes, service as doctors and pharmacists, kept records, farmed, cooked, helped with branding and haying, raised children.

Sheep and Cattle Sheep came to Montana around the same time as cattle Now there were cattlemen and sheepherders, who got along pretty well! They got along so well because many ranchers raised both sheep and cattle, so they could relate to one another

Sheepherder vs Cattlemen Their jobs were different because the sheepherder generally worked along with a dog while cattlemen worked in large groups of people

Problems on the Open Range Problems connected with the open range: Rustling (rounding up horses or cattle to steal) Overgrazing (too many animals for the amount of grass in Montana) Predatory animals (wolves, coyotes)

Solving the problems The Board of Stock Commissioners was formed – a group formed to enforces laws of the open range The cattlemen dealt with these problems by: Banding together to create vigilante groups Hiring stock detectives Organizing associations to lobby the legislature

Other concerns Concerns shared by both modern and open range ranchers: Unpredictable weather Changing market prices Land and animal conservation

The Hard Winter of 1886-87 Before (preceded) the winter : Months of range fires and little rain An especially hot, dry summer A great increase in the number of cattle

During those months… Heavy snows, fierce winds made the snow hard as cement Cattle could not get to the grass below Tens of thousands of cattle froze or starved to death 60% of Montana’s herds were lost

Changes afterwards Changes made after the Hard Winter of 1886: Smaller herds and planting food for winter feed Installing fences and corrals so cattle couldn’t stray The addition of sheep and cropland to cattle ranches

Famous People from the era Charlie Russell Famous artist that was known for good storytelling and drawing Came out to Montana as a teen to be a cattleman

Charlie’s Paintings

Evelyn Cameron British-born immigrant to Montana who photographed ranching life

Evelyn’s Pictures