IX Ranch

“It reclaims your heart, every single time. It’s how my grandfather felt… grounded, proud and restored.”

It starts with a Mission…

“IX Ranch is a model, multi-generational Montana ranch which produces exceptional quality livestock. IX Ranch is dedicated to long-term value creation for our shareholders, management, employees, and customers. Enlightened utilization and conservation of natural resources and superior economic returns are the primary benchmarks of accomplishment.”   

But it evolves into something so much more…               

Part Working Ranch, part retreat, part time-machine… IX Ranch offers something truly unique in our over-connected, stressed out and entitled society. It’s a salve for your soul, a personal wilderness ecosystem and vehicle to live your legacy. 

IX transports you back to a time when when your word was your bond and taming a piece of the “wild west” meant something. A modern day expression of a pioneering spirit that has never died.

IX reminds us that being the “real deal” isn’t something that you call yourself. It’s what others call you after you earn it over 143 years.

“It has a pull, a gravity, even from hours away.”

Own a piece of history…

Remember when your word was your bond? It still is today on the IX and can be for your future generations.

Its origin reads like an old tale of how the West was won. It’s a story of everything that is iconic; railroads, small towns, vision, courage, risk and reward.

The ranch’s coveted single-iron IX brand was first registered in Montana in 1877. Ten years later, while Montana was still a territory and the days of open range cattle ranching were clearly numbered, local businessmen C.J. McNamara and Thomas Marlow (McNamara and Marlow) began assembling the bulk of what is now the IX Ranch. They were early in the game and were able to target the strongest grass and critical water resources. They imported the best Hereford genetics from Kansas City, brought Shire draft horses in from Illinois, and also ran Suffolk sheep imported from England. The ranch stayed in their families until long after they had passed away – into the early 1950s. 

William and Theodora Lang of the Hamms brewing company family took up the mantle from the McNamara and Marlow descendants in 1955 and their ranch managers, Art and Audrey Roth, became partners with them in the early 1960s. Four generations have built the IX into what it is today. The new owners will be only the third owners in over 128 years. 

It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to “stake your claim” and own one of the true “reputation ranches” in Montana.

Recapture your pioneer spirit…

Retrace the steps of Lewis & Clark and other legends, you’re at the epicenter of a living history lesson.

This land saw the early period of open range ranching days (think Lonesome Dove). The ranch and town began in 1887 with the arrival of the St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba Railway (later the Great Northern Railway). Cornelius J. McNamara and Thomas A. Marlow, owners of the McNamara Cattle Company, opened the town's first store and formed the IX Ranch.

Capture the explorer, pioneer and settler spirit found here to propel your next generation into the future.

“It will capture you, it’s restorative… everything melts away.”

Retreat and restore…

Experience the best of the West.

There are no compromises, everyone’s vision of recreation and restoration is indulged. 

The outdoors person gets to enjoy of one of the most diversified western hunting experiences available on the market today. Big game - 425 elk, 295 mule deer, 300 whitetails, 355 antelope and 39 mountain lions, upland Bird - Hungarian partridge, sharp-tail grouse, and pheasant. That’s when they’re not casting into one of over 53 miles of creeks, ponds and lakes. Fish, fowl or filet… the choice is yours.

How about the adrenaline junkie? How about 50 miles of trails for: ATVS, motorcycles, mountain bikes, snow mobiles and cross country skiing? That should do the trick.

What about the explorer of the family? Got you covered, hike any of the expansive network of trails or blaze your own. Trace the steps of legends and be home for dinner.

What if I want to relax and take it all in? Here’s the secret, you may have figured it out! The sunrises, sunsets and clear night skies have inspired artists, musicians and poets. Every direction on the compass is rewarded. Every vista, every view tells a story for all of your senses. Feel the morning sun on your face, hear the crisp morning breeze. It’s a 360 degree C. M. Russell painting and you’re in it.

Your personal wilderness ecosystem…

How about a wilderness adventure… any time you’d like?

We challenge you to find a better combination of animals, habitats and sustainable feed production. IX boasts elk, mule deer, whitetail deer, antelope, mountain lion, and five species of upland birds. All living together on productive meadows and rolling hills, which give way to steeper mountain country with scatterings of aspens and evergreens. Healthy vegetation and water, all superbly managed and recognized for superior environmental stewardship.

Are you ready to be the envy of even your most “worldly” friends and family?

“It reminds you of what life was before cell phones and email.”

Remember we said “no compromises”?

What if I told you that it supports itself?

That’s part of what it means to be one of the last of the great “reputation ranches”. IX Ranch is one of a unique category of ranches called a “Hybrid” - Retreat and Working ranch. It features an impressive diversity of revenue sources and a dependable feed base. A professionally managed operation runs a cattle herd of 4,300 so well that they have always made a profit…never in debt.

So ask yourself… You ranching “with” money or “for” money?

A Culture/Philosophy of Excellence

“It’s just how things are done… Can’t manage what you don’t measure.”

You don’t earn the title of “reputation ranch” without a clear and hardworking culture and philosophy of excellence. Modern technique meets tradition to produce the definition of a "properly run" ranch. The combination of the voices of 3 generations of ranchers and a tireless work ethic, yields an unparalleled pride of ownership. 

It’s the perfect place to raise your children/grandchildren while instilling timeless lessons of respect and stewardship.

“I feel so grounded when I’m here…”

A “living legacy”…

This is truly rarefied air. Very few get the opportunity to be part of what they build… of what they leave behind. IX Ranch embodies the tradition and values to cure the ills of modern day life. Expose your children and their children to the iconic principles that conquered the West.

5 Values I Learned On The Ranch

1.   Responsibility – At the ranch, you care for your animals before yourself. Cattle don’t care what holiday it is or where you need to be, they have to eat. These animals are our livelihood and it’s our responsibility to care for them before we worry about anything else. Along with responsibility comes time management. I knew that I had to be ready for school and have the steers fed before the bus got to our house.

2.   Respect – There’s an endless amount of ways to learn respect on a cattle ranch. Respect includes anything from doing what your father tells you (the first time he asks) to understanding that herd bulls are bigger than you, and won’t always go where you want. If you respect your animals, they’ll respect you. The cattle return his respect because he never treats them poorly.

3.   Integrity –The importance of being honest and doing the right thing, especially when no one is around to see it, was burned into my mind as that steer I said I’d trained but hadn’t showed my questioning mother how much time we hadn’t spent together.

4.   Compassion – I grew up riding in the passenger seat of the ranch pickup, watching dad care for hurt animals and help newborn calves. When I got big enough, helping these animals became part of my responsibility. It was sometimes confusing as a young child to see an animal in pain or a calf that needed extra help. There were plenty of cold winter nights spent in the barn helping calves nurse or giving extra attention to sick ones. Learning how to truly care for something else might be the best thing I learned on the ranch.

5.   Work Ethic – There’s always something that needs to be done on a farm or ranch. When I got home from school, I had a list of chores to be done before dark. On weekends, while my friends slept in, I was up working cows in time to be done before we had to be at the school for a sporting event. When I’d get home, there were nighttime barn chores. It’s important to learn how to get things done and work hard to accomplish goals. My friends always thought that it must’ve been horrible to work this hard—what do you mean you don’t sleep until noon on Saturday?! But it’s rewarding to know that you’re contributing to the productivity and success of an operation. Those of us that grew up in agriculture don’t know lazy, it’s not how we were raised.

“IX is irreplaceable, I’ve got 57 years of feelings and memories.”

Broker Insight:

In this broker’s opinion, the IX Ranch is one of the finest ranches in Montana. Some might think that one can enter the market at any time and buy a ranch of this stature. I’ve been selling ranches in Montana for decades and can attest that these only come along once in a generation. It took three generations for the IX to come on the market. 

For anyone interested in buying one of Montana’s great ranches, this is the opportunity of a lifetime.

Is it time to write your next chapter?

The ranch physically joins the Big Sandy Airport (3U8) with its paved and lighted runway of 3,570 X 60 feet at an elevation of 2,689 feet. Here are hangars and 100LL fuel. Jet fuel and instrument approaches are available 27 miles to the north at Havre (HVR), which has a 5,205 X 100 foot paved and lighted airstrip at 2,580 feet in elevation. Commercial air service there provides two daily flights from Billings. More commercial air service flights are available in Great Falls, which is serviced by Delta, Alaska and United Airlines with multiple daily flights, a 90-minute drive from the ranch. Big Sandy is an attractive small town, which lists over 40 active businesses as well as a Critical Access Hospital and both grade and high schools.

This is an area of good-sized ranching operations where ranches rarely change hands and smaller ranches are more often than not absorbed by larger family ranches when they do come on the market.

The ranch headquarters near Big Sandy lies at an altitude of 2,700 feet above sea level. Ranch records indicate that precipitation generally has run between 12 and 14 inches. Average maximum temps - July 88 degrees; August 86 degrees. Average maximum temps - December through February: 28 to 34 degrees. Average annual snowfall of 18.79 inches with average snowfall depths under 2 inches in every month of the winter.

The ranch’s coveted single-iron IX brand was first registered in Montana in 1877. William and Theodora Lang of the Hamm’s Brewing Company family acquired the IX from the MacNamara and Marlow descendants in 1955, and their ranch managers, Art and Audrey Roth, became partners with them in the early 1960s. Four generations have built the IX into what it is today. 

REASONS TO OWN THIS RANCH:

Core Values: Legacy-minded, Sustainable, Responsible, Profitable

PRIORITIES:

• Humane treatment of livestock, including low-stress animal handling
• Highly trained and compassionately cared for staff
• Historic preservation
• Inclusive hiring standards
• Youth education and empowerment programs
• Fine arts partnerships
• Philanthropy outlets

YOUR PRIORITIES:

“How will you choose to spend your best days?”

Bringing your family, your vision, and your sense of adventure to this inspiring ranch in the middle of paradise is one way. 

IX is one of the very few “reputation ranches” in Montana, and it is the optimal setting for an endless string of untold stories. You write them how you please: get involved with cattle management and beef quality, engage with agriculture students from the community, participate in environmental agendas, explore philanthropic options, or simply bring the family out for Christmas and put the biggest pine tree you can find in the window.  

“Rub the soil between your fingers and get ready to plant your grand vision.” 

Here, you have the privacy and space to imagine a rich future. From the self-sustaining cattle business to the sprawling landscape, the opportunities to create community, memories, and even income are immense. 

“How does a place become part of a living legacy?” 

In this technological age, it’s gotten more and more difficult to maintain the family connections we desire. 

So how do you bring everyone together? You create a reason for them to set down their phones. You establish an engaging rally point that appeals to everyone, regardless of age, interests, or season of life. And then you throw open the doors. 

The IX is the perfect place to offload the burdens of everyday life. Can you imagine a day without schedules, endless distractions, or errands to run? Husbands, wives, children, grandchildren, friends, and the families we’ve created for ourselves will be able to exhale, place their phones on “do not disturb,” and find the space they’ve been needing to breathe deeply. 

The lover of the outdoors will enjoy one of the most diversified western experiences available today. The adventurer will enjoy 50 miles of trails suited for an ATV, motorcycle, mountain bike, snowmobile, or cross-country skis. The explorer will enjoy hiking that expansive network of trails or blaze their own through the gorgeous terrain. The hunter and fisher will be immersed in multitudinous and diverse opportunities. Those who’d rather curl into an armchair with a book or do yoga on the porch will be accompanied by sunrises, sunsets, and crystal-clear night skies, all of which are so breathtaking that they have inspired world-famous art, music, and poetry.

Can you envision raising your children or grandchildren here, making memories others can only dream about, while instilling timeless lessons of respect and stewardship?  

Right now, the ranch boasts of cattle, horses, and even fresh honey from the bee colony. But you’d have full flexibility to add chickens, sheep, or goats. And how about the prospect of tending a vegetable or cutting garden, where you could harvest that night’s greens for a salad and cut a fresh bouquet for the table? 

What you cultivate at IX ranch is yours for the taking. 

“How does a property also become a passion project?”

It comes pre-loaded with opportunity. 

Whether now or five years from now, you may decide to explore one or several of the projects that make IX the unique platform for discovery that it is. 

You and your children or grandchildren can partner with the already present and fully functioning areas of interest available on the ranch, including ecological governance, animal welfare, food quality, conservation, and even history (Did you know the main owner house was built in 1904 and is fully furnished with antiques throughout?). 

Because IX Ranch creates an intersection of animals, habitats, vegetation, and terrain, it is an incredible wealth of opportunity for interactive learning. All of this is enhanced by the sheer size of the property and the remote location. You can explore nature, science, and the impacts of humans on all of the above in a real-world environment that has been unspoiled, untouched, and undisturbed by infrastructure and society.  

If the business opportunity inherent in IX Ranch is more of what holds your interest, you will be attracted to its impressive diversity of revenue sources and a dependable feed base. The ranch is part of a unique category of ranches called a “Hybrid,” as it is both a retreat and a working ranch. Modern technique meets tradition to produce the definition of a “properly run” ranch, perfected by the collective investment of three generations of ranchers who have and continue to engineer its systems through a tireless work ethic and an unparalleled pride of ownership. 

IX is the promised land you’ve been looking for: a personal wilderness ecosystem strengthened and enlivened by a working cattle ranch. 

“How does a property become an expression of your generosity?”

When it can be both a gathering place for like-minded givers, as well as a revenue-generation engine. 

Few properties are spacious enough to accommodate large-scale, corporate or non-profit use. IX’s size and location provide the ideal environment for retreats, planning sessions, and donor entertainment. Plenty of room and freedom from regulation makes the ranch available for additional structures to be built in ways that minimally impact operations and ecology. 

ANIMAL WELFARE

The ranch embraces a “Safe, Wholesome and Healthy” approach towards its animals. In earning national recognition for this, it employs dedication to animal care, employee safety, and low-stress animal handling. At the IX Ranch, one of the main philosophies everyone follows when they work with the cattle is to handle the animals in a calm, stress-free way. Management is dedicated to this, and it is conveyed to employees annually through formal training with consulting experts. This training includes all the college interns. “We are science-based and progressive, which makes our operation good for student education,” Roth [CEO, Rich Roth] said. “We use stress-free handling techniques from folks like Temple Grandin and Bud Williams, and we apply these scientifically-proven techniques on the ranch.”

Animal Welfare - Low-Stress Cattle Handling on the IX Ranch

IX Ranch awarded National Best Animal Welfare Ranch (BQA) by National Cattlemen's Beef Association. Click here to view the video.

HORSES

The IX Ranch breeds, trains, and uses all its own horses, as it has for over 60 years. The ranch believes it’s better to know the horse has been handled and trained properly than to purchase one you don’t know. At any point in time there is a standing remuda of 12 horses under saddle plus dozens of mares, studs, and foals.

ECOLOGY

The buyer of the IX Ranch will be investing sustainably in a proven Environmental, Social and Governance entity because the ranch’s business is aligned with its morals. “Some of the greatest things about the agriculture industry are the tradition, legacy, heritage, and philosophy to be sustainable,” said Richard Roth, CEO of the unique ranch, who oversees day-to-day operations. “We want to leave the land and resources better than before so future generations can enjoy the bounties and be proud of what it represents. We have to be in it for the long haul.” (Prairie Star Magazine, March 16, 2020). The IX is generating a measurable, beneficial ESG/sustainability impact alongside a financial return. It strives to be a superior practitioner of good environmental, social and governance behavior and has been officially recognized for doing so. These practices are intended to contribute to positive impacts such as through vast grassland carbon sequestration. A study from the University of California, Davis, found that grasslands and rangelands are more resilient carbon sinks than forests. “Looking ahead, our model simulations show that grasslands store more carbon than forests because they are impacted less by droughts and wildfires,” said lead author Pawlok Dass, a postdoctoral scholar in Professor Benjamin Houlton’s lab at UC Davis. “This doesn’t even include the potential benefits of good land management to help boost soil health and increase carbon stocks in rangelands.”

“We have been true conservationists and that is what guides our ranch management,” Roth said. (ibid.) Grazing is a major part of the IX soil health program. How do they know the ranch’s natural resources are in good or better condition than years previously? The ranch monitors 13 sites, which they document every year with the same parameters. The IX also employs a ranch-developed proprietary software program called Ranchlogs, which uses math and science to accurately manage livestock inventory and grazing resources. 

GOVERNANCE

The IX Ranch is legally incorporated with S subchapter status. One hundred percent of the stock and or its interest will transfer to the new owner upon sale. Thus, 100% of the governance of the ranch practices and affairs will be in the control of the new owner. Currently, the ranch and its employees maintain a posted and enforced statement of its Mission, Guiding Principles, and Policies. They include such elements as:

We are professionals and expect our employees to act in a professional manner in all aspects of employment, whether dealing with our buyers, suppliers, public, or fellow workers. We,

• Require absolute integrity in all that we do.
  • Demonstrate respect for one another in our business, personal, and professional relationships.

IX Ranch is pledged to preserving a working environment free from harassment of any kind and or unwelcome behavior. Harassment is against the law and is a form of gender discrimination. The aim of this policy is to prevent harassment of any kind by anyone employed by or associated with the Company.

CONSERVATION

The IX represents the opportunity to do well while doing good. If formally conserved, the ranch’s huge open space and extensive wildlife habitat would qualify for significant financial incentives.

Federal tax law allows for generous use of charitable deductions associated with donated conservation easements. Generally, contributions of conservation easements are deductible up to 50% of a donor’s adjusted gross income …in the year of the donation, and up to 15 years in the future for any unused contribution amounts. This is a tax treatment more favorable than almost any other type of charitable contribution.

A qualified appraiser determines the value of the easement, typically measured as the difference between the value of the property with and without the easement in place. The difference between before and after values becomes the value of the easement, and the amount of the charitable contribution. [According to the largest regional land trust in the United States, the Montana Land Reliance]

To illustrate, SUBJECT TO CONFIRMATION, let’s assume a sale price of the real estate of $66M (value before easement) and an easement valuation of 30% of that, or $20M± (the charitable donation), and the buyer’s combined federal and state income tax rate of 40%. These suggest cash income tax savings of $8M. 

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Partnering with students

“The IX Ranch has been involved in providing internships - and out-of-the-classroom real ranch learning - for 17 years. The kind of partnering with education that leads to real world success is built into the IX Ranch’s operation. IX Ranch partners with agriculture schools in the state and around the world, offering ag students and others the skilled, hands-on training they couldn’t receive in a classroom”. [The Prairie Star, The IX Manages Stewardship, Students, Steers.]

OWNERS’ HOMES

The IX Ranch includes quality, well-maintained housing for all employees, plus barns, corrals, and shops. Additionally, the ranch includes two owners’ homes. The “Lang” house was built in 1972 and has four bedrooms, three baths, approximately 2,754 square feet of living area, two stories, and a wood frame with stucco exterior wall finish. It has a wood-burning stack fireplace and is heated with a natural gas, central forced-air furnace. The landscape irrigation sprinkler system is underground.

The “White” house was originally built in 1900 and has since been extensively remodeled, preserving its historic elegance. Its two-story wood frame and exterior board siding harbor approximately 5,128 square feet of living area, seven bedrooms, and four baths. It too is heated with a natural gas, central forced-air furnace. It includes a wood-burning stack fireplace, basement and attic. Underground sprinklers irrigate the lawns around the home as well as the adjoining swimming pool and tennis court.

IX Ranch has many irrigation and stock water rights, which have been adjudicated. The 107 claims related to stock water rights and the 54 related to irrigation rights serve all the ranch needs. Additionally, springs and wells serve the homes and their landscaping needs.

All minerals owned by the ranch will transfer to the new owner. The ranch believes it owns the majority of the mineral estate underlying the ranch lands, subject to verification. 

Recent real estate taxes on the ranch’s deeded lands were $77,857. 

The IX Ranch has 53 miles of live streams, many ponds, and two large reservoirs, one 105 surface acres in size. The fishing is described in the following assessment by Jeff Kershner, PhD. Fisheries scientist and hydrologist.

Highlights from the report:

• Angling opportunities occur in streams, ponds and small lakes on the property. 
• Large beaver complexes inhabit all of the surveyed drainages. 
• Fishing is abundant in Upper Big Sandy Creek. Lateral (VIDEO CLIP*) scour pools here provide excellent habitat for all sizes of fish. 
• Deeper runs along undercut banks in Lower Big Sandy Creek (VIDEO CLIP*) provide excellent trout habitat. This is a classic “meadow stream” with easy access to the angler who would like to cast without worrying about overhanging willows or doing extensive bushwhacking. This is an excellent angling opportunity for novice and experienced anglers. 
• In Middle Eagle Creek (VIDEO CLIP*) large beaver pond complex areas appear to provide excellent habitat for trout. Anecdotal evidence from ranch employees indicates larger fish here. Several ponds are so large they require some form of floatation device to effectively fish.  
• Pending further investigation, Birch Creek and its reservoir (VIDEO CLIP*) appear to provide an opportunity for larger trout.
• On Seifert Reservoir, numerous waterfowl were observed. Together with its location relative to feed and its natural habitat make this appear a destination area for waterfowl during fall season. 
• “The [aspen and willow] Jungle” on the spring creek tributaries to Upper Eagle Creek holds a series of attractive ponds set in large aspen thickets. We observed fish wakes in the ponds and ranch personnel indicate these beaver ponds hold larger Brook Trout and pike.  

*Please download brochure to see the video clips above

Highlights of the full report*:

• 400 elk
• 1,400 deer
• 200 antelope
• Uncountable numbers of grouse and pheasant

*Please download brochure for link to full report.

MOTORSPORTS

Hundreds of miles of roads and trails afford vehicular access across the ranch.

WATERSPORTS

The IX Ranch includes large ponds, reservoirs, and a small parcel of land abutting the Missouri River. Two reservoirs are 25 and 105 surface acres each. Several smaller ponds are spread throughout the ranch. Numerous and large beaver pond complexes are situated on the upper and middle Eagle Creek, as noted in the preceding Fisheries Assessment Report. The ranchland on the Missouri River lies along the White Cliffs section of the designated Wild and Scenic River portion of the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monumen

None of the current management is necessarily included with the sale of the ranch. However, all have expressed interest in exploring the possibility of being employed by the new owner. Grass-fed, natural, organic beef, or other livestock -- you name it, the IX Ranch has the natural resources and management to do it. Please enquire and allow us to explain in detail.

FINANCIALS

Please download brochure for more detailed information on income & depreciation potential.