North Fork Angler's Sanctuary

Ovando, Montana
$850,000- FISHING PROPERTY!

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The Blackfoot River’s North Fork is the crown jewel of these 44± acres located near Ovando in western Montana. An “end-of-the-road” building site, solitude, affordability and over 1/3 mile of river frontage make this a rare find. Whitetail deer and other wildlife are frequent visitors to the property. Trailheads into the Bob Marshall - Scapegoat Wilderness Complex are a short drive. Bordering properties are protected by conservation easement.

North Fork Angler’s Sanctuary is located in Powell County, Montana on the North Fork of the Blackfoot River approximately 45 miles northeast of Missoula. From Missoula, Delta, Horizon, Northwest, United, and Allegiant Air offer direct service to Salt Lake City, Seattle, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Denver and Las Vegas, respectively.

Missoula, with a population of over 60,000 (over 100,000 in the county), provides a full range of services within commuting distance of the ranch. Home to the University of Montana, Missoula is considered by many to be Montana’s most attractive and culturally diverse city. Despite its proximity to Missoula, North Fork Angler’s Sanctuary lies in an area that remains wild, natural, and virtually unspoiled by development.

The Blackfoot Valley is undeniably one of the most highly sought-after locations in the northern Rockies. The valley is in the hands of some of the most prominent conservationists in the world and, as a result, it has maintained its integrity and rural character. Countless ranches in the valley have been placed under conservation easement, forever protecting them from development. The valley sits at the southern edge of the Bob Marshall Wilderness complex, which gives backcountry enthusiasts access to over one and one-half million acres of wilderness.

Ovando, located just minutes from the ranch, is a delightfully sleepy town with a post office, general store and the locally famous Trixi’s Antler Saloon. Missoula is about 50 miles away and is the quintessential “college town”, home to the University of Montana. One will find everything imaginable in the way of services there. With over 150 restaurants, numerous theaters and community programs, Missoula is truly a multicultural experience. Snowbowl Ski Area located about 15 minutes north of Missoula, offers great skiing without long lift lines.

Elevation: 4,000 to 4,200 feet
Annual Precipitation: 17± inches
Average Annual Snowfall: 78± inches

North Fork Angler’s Sanctuary is configured in one contiguous block and is an irregular shaped parcel (see map) bound on the north by the North Fork of the Blackfoot. The property is very roughly one-quarter mile wide from east to west and one-half mile from north to south, though this measurement varies due to the irregular shape. The terrain very gradually gains elevation when traveling south from the river towards the southern boundary with quality building sites located everywhere. The entire property is studded with pines and fir. The river bottom is peppered with cottonwoods throwing off vibrant fall colors in September and October.

The property is accessed via a private road approximately one mile long that connects to the Ovando-Helmville Road (public). This is an end-of-the-road location and there are no through easements encumbering the ranch. There are no improvements on the ranch but utilities are within one-half mile of the property boundary. Winter maintenance (snow plowing) will be required for year-round use.

The property itself and the surrounding areas are home to a wide variety of big game animals including bear, moose, elk, and whitetail and mule deer. Other animals known to be in the area are coyotes, mountain lions, badger and wolves. Wild birds that inhabit or occasionally utilize the properties during annual migrations would include osprey, golden and bald eagles, ducks and geese. It is not uncommon to see any of these creatures on the properties throughout the year.

The Blackfoot River was made famous as the river featured in Norman MacLean’s book “A River Runs Through It” and, more recently, Robert Redford’s movie by the same name. One could make a strong argument that the current popularity of fly-fishing is due, to some extent, to the success of that film. Fly-fishing on the property is excellent with frontage on over one-third mile of textbook trout water. In addition, there are multiple public access points to the North Fork and the main stem of the river within minutes of the property. The fly-fisherman will find several species of trout in the river: browns, rainbows, brook and westslope cutthroat as well as the elusive and endangered bull trout (up to 35+ inches).

ADDITIONAL MANAGEMENT, RESOURCE ENHANCEMENT, AND FINANACING SERVICES OFFERED BY HALL AND HALL

MANAGEMENT SERVICES - The management of a ranch such as this one can be made as simple and as time saving or as involved as one desires through the services of Hall and Hall's ranch management division. These services are customized to each owner and ranch. They can be as simple as leasing out the agricultural operations so one has virtually no responsibilities. Or they can be as involved as assessing the existing resource, finding and hiring a caretaker or manager, buying livestock and equipment, expense paying and payroll accounting, etc. Wes Oja and Jerome Chvilicek at (406) 656-7500 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (406) 656-7500      end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (406) 656-7500      end_of_the_skype_highlighting are available to describe and discuss these services further and welcome your call.

RESOURCE EHHANCEMENT - Should one desire to assess and enhance the existing fish and wildlife assets of this ranch Hall and Hall's resource management division is available to do so. These services are custom tailored to each owner and ranch and can range from inventorying of existing conditions, plans for restoration and enhancement of streams and ponds and introduction of bird and game feed plots to bidding, cost accounting, construction supervision. Peter Weber at (406) 587-3090 and Wes Oja at (406) 656-7500 are available to describe and discuss these services further and welcome your call.

SPECIALIZED LENDING - Over the past 59 years Hall and Hall has created a legacy by efficiently providing capital to the intermountain west. In addition to traditional farm and ranch loans, we specialize in understanding the unique aspects of placing loans on ranches where value may be influenced by recreational features, location and improvements.
Competetive Pricing - Flexible Terms - Efficient Processing
In-House Appraisals - Common Sense Underwriting

Dave Roddy- (406) 656-7500 - Billings, Montana

44+/- Deeded

44± Deeded Acres

North Fork Angler’s Sanctuary is highly unique in that it is “grandfathered” from current zoning regulations in Powell County restricting subdivisions resulting in parcels smaller than 160 acres. This zoning restriction reflects the will of the local residents who strive to see that the Blackfoot Valley retains its rural character by avoiding the rampant subdivision seen elsewhere in the West. The privacy offered by this opportunity is hard to comprehend until one stands on the ground.

Beyond fishing, there are numerous other activities available to outdoor enthusiasts in the area as well. Several trailheads leading into the Bob Marshall Wilderness, a federally designated wilderness area, are within a half-hour drive from the property. The “Bob” totals nearly one and one-half million acres when taken with two additional contiguous wilderness areas, the Scapegoat and the Great Bear. Also less than a half-hour drive from the ranch is the Seeley-Swan Valley, an 80-mile long drainage composed of two rivers and countless lakes and streams sandwiched between two massive wilderness areas.

There are no water rights associated with this property. A well will need to be drilled for domestic use.

Property taxes were a mere $233 in 2007.