JY Bagby Ranch Offering Brochure

AREA RECREATION
As fall approaches, the elk call JY Bagby Ranch home – getting their fill on the lush
irrigated meadow grasses. Most mornings in late September into October the elk are
literally in the yard and meander through the improvements from meadow to meadow.
Elk hunting during archery season is excellent on the Ranch. The elk find the Ranch to
be a safe haven and are allowed to reside undisturbed. Once the ringing of gunshots fills
the fall air, they quickly disperse into the protection of the USFS and its dark timber.
Surrounded by the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, the spectacular Big Hole
Valley is a vast meadow with majestic scenery of towering mountains. It is flanked on
both sides at various locations by the Beaverhead Mountains, Pioneer Mountains and
views of the Anaconda Range.
Pack trips from the Ranch can provide unlimited horse-back adventures. About thirty
miles from the Ranch is Salmon, Idaho, creating a great day trip, camping under the
stars and returning the next day. The ability to hunt big game on both sides of the
Continental Divide by horse back from the Ranch provides excellent elk and mule deer hunting in both Idaho and Montana.
The West Pioneer Mountains are heavily forested and draw hunters in pursuit of big-game hunting for elk, moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goats,
antelope and deer. They contain numerous streams and high mountain lakes that are populated with Arctic grayling. The East Pioneer Mountains
are roadless with rugged glaciated peaks offering exceptional views. JY Bagby Ranch is located in Deer and Elk Hunting District 321. Specific
information regarding hunting regulations, resident and non-resident license application and permits is available through the Montana Fish and Game
web page at http://fwp.mt.gov/.
The Big Hole Valley straddles the world famed Big Hole River. The river serpentines east through the valley while providing a superior angling
experience for all levels. Beginning at Skinner Lake near the Idaho border, the Big Hole hosts trophy-size rainbow trout, brown trout, brook trout,
cutthroat trout as well as an abundant population of grayling. The Big Hole River is the only western river that harbors a self-sustaining, native
population of fluvial grayling in the Continental United States. Grayling are found only in clear-cold healthy river systems like the upper reaches of the
Big Hole River. Classified as a Class I fishery, it contains prolific populations of trophy German brown and rainbow trout. The river provides adequate
access for small boats and floaters. Located only a few hours away, the Beaverhead, Ruby, Madison, and Jefferson rivers as well as the Lower Big Hole
and Wise Rivers and Rock Creek, are all easy day trips for the avid angler interesting in fishing a diversity of rivers and streams.
Migratory birds, including geese and ducks, frequent the Ranch in the spring and fall, and cranes utilize the cover as nesting ground.
When the snow begins to fall, the nearby town of Jackson becomes active for its outdoor recreational opportunities and winter sports. With an
abundance of snow, heading into the back country for snowmobiling and cross-country skiing is limitless. For downhill-skiing enthusiasts, Maverick
Mountain is the nearest destination with lift chairs and low-level crowds. Lost Trail Ski Area, which also offers downhill skiing, is about 45 miles
from Jackson, MT. Within a few hours are Great Divide in Marysville, Discovery Ski Area in Anaconda, the “Biggest Skiing in America” at Big Sky
Resort, and the “Cold Smoke” of Bridger Ski Area in Bozeman. To further the experience, the inviting Jackson Hot Springs offers mineral-rich waters
for a warm therapeutic soak. Or for a greater hot springs and geothermal experience, visit Yellowstone National Park, which is about three hours away.
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