The ranch is leased out during the summer grazing months, bringing in extra income.

Climate and Growing Conditions

Climate in the Saco area is semi-arid and typical of north-central Montana. Annual total precipitation is 12.92 inches. Rainfall occurs April through October with June and July being the wettest months.

Recreational Opportunities

Nelson Reservoir, known for its superb Walleye fishing, is 12 miles from the property. Boat, fish, or camp under the Big Sky! The Milk River flows a few miles south of the property for additional fishing adventures. Head for dinner and a soak at Sleeping Buffalo Hot Springs just 15 miles away. Bring the horses for horseback riding. Travel the trails with an ATV or a four-wheeler. Enjoy the quiet country roads. The property is in hunting district 670 so put your sites on pheasants, quail, game birds, deer, coyotes, and antelope.

Local Area

Saco, Montana is centered in the Milk River Valley where millions of bison once roamed. The small town has charming features such as the Agricultural Museum taking up residence in the renovated one-room county schoolhouse! An area attraction is the Sleeping Buffalo Rock, carried and left by a glacier that once covered the area. The boulder resembles a sleeping buffalo and was revered by the Indians. Touching the rock would bring luck in hunting and battle.

As the county seat of Phillips County, Malta, Montana remains much the same as it was when Lewis and Clark roamed through in 1805. It is marked by diversity in landscapes with a variety of wildlife. The town of Malta was incorporated in 1909 and is rich in cultural history. It was a railroad station stop for the Great Northern Railroad. Malta serves as a notable stop along the Montana Dinosaur Trail. Enthusiasts can visit the Phillips County Museum and the Great Plains Dinosaurs Museum to gaze upon the evidence of a world that once was.

Area Attractions

Sleeping Buffalo Hot Springs

Soak in the only hot springs in the northern tier of Montana. Coming from a 3,200-foot deep well, 900 gallons of 108-degree water pump through per minute to continuously heat a natural and chemical-free pool. The spring water contains beneficial minerals such as silica, sulfate, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, and iron, all of which are beneficial for healing and health.

Early Day Outlaws

Montana is well known for the days of the gun-slinging cowboy. Kid Currys stomping ground in the 1880s was the Little Rockies country about 40 miles southwest of Malta. On July 3, 1901, Curry and his partners, Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid, and Deaf Charlie held up the Great Northern Railways No. 3 passenger train. They blew up the express car safe and stole a bag of gold coins and $40,000 in unsigned and worthless banknotes. It was soon after that Curry and his gang departed Montana.

Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge

A grass prairie region of the wide-open plains of north-central Montana. The Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge spans 15,551 acres. It was established in 1936 as a migratory bird refuge. The birds flock to the cover and nesting areas provided by the saline and freshwater wetlands, native prairie, and densely planted shrubs. The Milk River supplies the refuge with most of its water through a system of canals. As you travel the 15-mile self-guided tour, expect to see waterfowl, shorebirds, birds of prey, grassland songbirds, beavers, muskrats, coyotes, white-tailed deer, and pronghorn antelope. In the fall hunting season, the refuge allows the harvest of waterfowl and upland game birds with a permit. This sprawling landscape of diverse habitats is located seven miles east of Malta.

The Milk River

The Milk River heads at St. Mary's Lake in Glacier Park going into Canada 15 miles east of the port of entry at Del Bonita. It meanders north of the border skirting the town of Milk River and enters Montana about 20 miles west of the Wild Horse port of entry north of Havre. From here, it flows into Fresno Dam, on through Havre and dumps into the Missouri River east of the Fort Peck Dam. Forty-one different species of fish swim the milky waters of the Milk River. One of prominence is the Channel Catfish. On May 8, 1805, the first tourists to this region, the Lewis and Clark Expedition, camped at the confluence of the Milk and Missouri rivers, about 18 miles southeast of present-day Glasgow. After exploring the river, Lewis called it Milk River because of its color resembling a cup of tea admixture of a tablespoon full of milk.

Nelson Reservoir

Designated as one of the ultimate Walleye fishing areas in the state of Montana, Nelson Reservoir covers 4,000 acres of water. Located in northeast Montana 17 miles east of Malta, the reservoir attracts anglers promising to produce record-class fish! Nelson Reservoir is stocked with Walleye, Yellow Perch, and Northern Pike. The reservoir produced a state record for Walleye with a whopping 14-pound one! Ice fishing is also popular when the cold months set in. Spearing, angling, and tip-ups are the most popular methods when ice fishing. The 288-acre area allows for fishing, camping, boating, or swimming.

Fort Peck Lake

Fort Peck Lake is Montanas largest body of water at 134 miles in length and a maximum depth of 220 feet. The shoreline spans more than 1,520 miles. Thats longer than the California coast! More than 50 different kinds of fish call this body of water home. In 1933, a 3.8-mile dam was constructed across the Missouri River creating the reservoir. Anglers flock here for the Walleye, Northern Pike, Paddlefish, Sauger, Lake Trout, Small Mouth Bass, and Chinook Salmon. There are several access points and boat ramps.

Charles M Russell National Wildlife Refuge

Known as the CMR Refuge, it surrounds Fort Peck Lake and is managed by the US Fish Wildlife Service. The Refuge provides over one million acres of public land for fishing, hiking, hunting, camping, bird-watching, and other outdoor activities. If youre looking to observe game in its natural habitat, this refuge shall reward you. It is the second-largest refuge in the continental US. In September and October locals and tourists from all over gather to watch the bull elk bugle and battle for the cows attention. Miles of parked cars can be seen while people sit on lawn chairs and watch for hours the wild display the elk present. Herds of deer, red fox, and coyotes can also be observed. Bird watchers can delight in spying mountain bluebirds and black-capped chickadees. Osprey, spotted sandpipers, and white pelicans can be found along the coast of the reservoir.