Ask Aaron Carroll
The rumble of the cattle guard greets you as you make your way up the road and reminds you, you're home as the windmill smoothly turns in the breeze on Bales Ranch. The 865 acres sprawl over gently rolling hills in Garfield County, Montana just 6 miles south of Jordan. A reservoir completes the ranch attracting ducks, geese, and swans upon its waters and carp and catfish beneath. Sand Creek meanders through the north side of the property. The horses gallop around the arena and graze on the luscious, green grasses. The manufactured home is 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms of which the bath and tub were just remodeled! Natural light spills in through the large windows. A pellet stove helps keep things toasty in the winter months. Bring your horses and ride into the sunsets or enjoy fishing in the reservoir. Hunting is excellent for antelope, mule and white-tailed deer, and upland game birds. Waterfowl frequents the property. Fort Peck Lake and Hell Creek Formation are a short drive for an adventure digging for dinosaur fossils, fishing, boating, and more. There is an opportunity to lease out the grass for grazing in addition to bringing your own cattle or animals to the Bales Ranch. Bring your horses, tack, and dreams!
Local Area
Miles City, Montana is in southeastern Montana and depicts life and how it was lived in the "Old West." It was incorporated in 1887 after the Northern Pacific Railroad arrived in 1881 providing a direct shipping avenue to packing plants in the eastern part of the country. Miles City is rich with history from the early explorers and frontiersmen passing through to the soldiers and ranchers utilizing the fertile grazing land. The town is known as the commerce and medical hub of the region. The area has many recreational opportunities with the meeting of the two rivers, the Yellowstone and the Tongue River. Locals and visitors alike spend their free time fishing, hunting, bird watching, rock collecting, golfing, or walking the paths along the river.
Jordan, Montana is the county seat for Garfield County. It exists as part of the cowboy country of eastern Montana. The land in this area is famous among paleontologists for its excellent fossil beds preserving the evidence of dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures that once roamed here. The wonderful fossil exhibits can be seen at the Garfield County Museum.
Area Attractions
Fort Peck Lake
Fort Peck Lake is Montana's largest body of water at 134 miles in length and a maximum depth of 220 feet. The shoreline spans more than 1,520 miles. That's 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.
Sport Fishing and Local Tournaments
Partake in the national event held in July at Fort Peck known as Montana's Governor's Cup Walleye Fishing Tournament. This tournament is Northeast Montana's premier walleye fishing tournament. Another fierce fishing tournament held in this area is the Milk River Catfish Classic. This "granddaddy" of the catfish tournaments is held annually in June in Glasgow, MT. The night-time event boasts popularity as it books up months in advance. Join the sport and have some fun!
Charles M Russell National Wildlife Refuge
Known as the CMR Refuge, it surrounds Fort Peck Lake and is managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The Refuge provides over one million acres of public land for fishing, hiking, hunting, camping, bird-watching, and other outdoor activities. If you're 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 cow's 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 foxes, and coyotes can also be observed. Bird watchers can delight in spying on mountain bluebirds and black-capped chickadees. Osprey, spotted sandpipers, and white pelicans can be found along the coast of the reservoir.
Hunting
Renowned for its hunting, Montana provides the habitat. The Missouri River Breaks of the Fort Peck area are no different. Elk and mule deer like to gather near the ridges of Fort Peck Lake, some quite large. White-tailed deer and pronghorn can be found as well. Big Horn Sheep can be harvested in the area. Whether it's big game, waterfowl, predators like coyotes, or upland game birds, this area boasts some of the best in the state.
Hell Creek Formation
About 65 million years ago, the rugged Rocky Mountains rose and divided the coastal plains pushing the shoreline further east. In the warm and humid climate, sediment was deposited becoming what we know as the Hell Creek Formation. Dinosaur fossils are frequently found in the formation that includes Triceratops, Edmontosaurus, Pachycephasaurus, Ankylosaurus, and the Tyrannosaurus rex to name a few. The boundary between the Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation and the more recent Tertiary Union Formations provides evidence that an asteroid or gigantic meteorite struck the Earth about 65 million years ago.
