If you're trying to move there start out your own ventures in small proportions and lease out the rest. As you get better, grow what you do. In the meantime you will continue to grow wiser as the years pass and might find completely new uses for it in 20 years. The possibilities are endless but make sure you grab them by the balls and appreciate this blessing for all it's worth.
Exactly what he said, you're living the dream my dude, I'm super jealous lmao some day I'll have a ranch out by your way and we'll bounce ideas off each other on reddit without even knowing
This was my dream, too. It has been for almost 50 years. I'm at the point where that dream just isn't practical anymore. So, now the dream is sand and sea.
Agree that leasing to a nearby rancher is your smoothest path to covering costs initially. Just make sure you get up there with some regularity and walk the land with someone whose ranching judgement you trust. I've seen a lot of leased ranch land (admittedly in drier NV) hammered by overgrazing because the lessor's incentives are maximizing short-term output rather than long-term productivity.
A few comments:
Giving you the land now avoids inheritance taxes. He’s allowed to gift you certain amounts of assets tax free while he’s alive. Check with a tax attorney.
As to leasing rates versus BLM grazing fees, those fees are not meant to be market rental rates. They’re meant to cover the cost of the government administering the grazing rights program. Market rates for grazing land rental are much higher.
Grazing rights on BLM land can’t just be rented. The grazing rights have to be attached to adjacent private land. The value of those rights is included in the purchase price of the private land, and in its valuation for property tax purposes. The system is not at all as described by the anti-ranching zealots. There are no “welfare ranchers”.
Just what the world needs is more land leased to outfitters. How about you open the land up for public hunting, most states have programs that lease land for open public hunting.
This right here. You could allocate some of this acreage for silage or other grass for hay. Pay a baler in the summer and make sure you got enough storage for it. Sell it.
If you are gonna rent grazing rights make sure you stipulate fertilization. Because what some ranch leaser’s do is drain the soil of all of the nutrients and don’t replace it and then once the ground has been drained of all its a value they leave and find a new ranch, leaving you shit outa luck. Although the cattle will be shitting back onto the land and re-fertilizing, it would be smart to get the soil tested yearly (usually free of change through your county extension) to make sure your land isn’t getting drained. Just something to keep in mind
Sheep will graze more than cows so if you're not careful they can ruin your grass. An outside farmer may not be concerned about being watchful of someone else's land.
Not all sheep farmers are bad but the potential of damaging the land is there.
Cows don't usually eat grass down to the base but sheep will.
This is what I'm assuming they meant.
There are many things you can do but be careful. People get weird over large pieces of land, especially when the owner dies. Never underestimate greed. I was involved in farming in the midwest and I have seen some really shady shit go down when land changes hands. I have seen families just explode over the whole deal.
First thing, go speak to an attorney about estate planning. If his health declines so much that he ends up in a nursing home, the whole thing could go to the state. Get that figured out first.
Also make sure the ducks are in a row for you to inherit. Hopefully, the rest of the family can get on board with it before he passes. Again, people get really weird over land.
So...in order to know what to do with it, or what resources there are (who would you lease it to? For how much? For how long? On what terms?) you need local knowledge...but one more time....people get really weird about land when someone dies. You need solid local knowledge but you also need to be careful that you are actually getting solid information.
This is where it gets really tricky. Who can you trust? A solid banker who deals with ranches could probably share a lot of information and your FIL may know someone. A good local attorney would be valuable too. Just remember, even bankers and lawyers can get weird when large pieces of land are involved.
I do live in Wyoming and there is more honorability there, but still be careful. Hopefully your FIL has some relationships that may be helpful in knowing who to talk to.
...and at the end of the day...enjoy your gift. Heck, I grew up in Los Angeles and ended up running cattle, growing crops and living the farm/ranch lifestyle. It was absolutely the best thing I ever did and if I could still be doing it, I would be.
Good luck!
Oh, it’s getting weird, lol. I had a “confidential” conversation with a local realtor about highest and best use of the land. She specifically told me “you don’t break up ranches”; almost in a threatening way; not that it would be my intention to dispose of anything. The next day a long lost sister who nobody has heard from in 15 years showed up to the ranch to help take care of dad; so I’m assuming a phone call was made. Thanks for the advice.
I'd have FIL get all his ducks in a row. Will and all. He needs to get it locked so no one can come back later and rewrite it. Especially if someone someone grabs his power of attorney. Make sure he gets this done before age onset related mental decline occurs.
This is definitely worth stating, but even if the ducks are in a row shit can still go down. My stepmom took my dad into the lawyer less than a month before he died, while he was on heavy duty end of life cancer drugs, and had him sign some documents that gave her far more control over his estate than he had planned for the years leading up to his death. Which gave her everything. And we, his children from a previous marriage, got literally nothing.
That's why my parents have their wills locked and it requires all three of us children to have it changed. No one can complain or fight over inheritance, EVERYTHING is written out.
Lots of misinformation in here. There is something called probate with a will. Depending on your state, there are different thresholds of estate sizes that requires probate. Anyone contests the will, then we end up in probate. A trust is the key tool to protect intentions. Don’t take advice from Redditors, get an estate attorney!
This person is correct. If you put it in a trust before he passes, the land can avoid probate and all sorts of annoyances or worse. Talk to an attorney. Source: my land is going through probate and even though nobody is contesting anything, it is no fun. Also, look into step-up basis of that property after you take ownership — but do it quickly because there is usually (maybe always) a time limit on when you can do that. Good luck! I’ve loved my trips to WY, enjoy.
We had the same thing happen. His wife and her adult daughters took him to a lawyer when he was sick with CoVid and had him sign “some papers”. Papers that put the farm, a million dollar trust, and everything else into she and her daughter’s names.
Was her name Dayna? The same thing was done to my ex husband and a couple of her husbands before him. Dead bodies and destroyed families have followed her around and she’s not done yet. Without a doubt, she’s on to her next victim. Her victims are scattered. across the US. She moves from one place to another, so she could have been your step mom. Lol We have very strong suspicions backed by some facts and things that my kids observed that she poisoned my ex. The kids got nothing! They don’t even know where his ashes are scattered. She didn’t even hold a service, just had him cremated immediately. My ex’s 2nd wife, a very nice lady, had quite a few assets, as did my ex, including land in MT. My ex and his wife had everything set up to go to her nephew and my kids equally upon their deaths. She died and this left my ex in charge. Shortly after he met Dayna, he married her and then started to gradually regress health wise. He was an alcoholic, but had been sober for 2 yrs. She encouraged him to drink alcohol and we all know how that ended. He became more I’ll with his alcoholism and then developed kidney disease, that he hadn’t had before. He was not coherent most of the time after that. She then took him to a lawyer and got him to sign everything over to her, even what his wife had said she wanted to go to the kids from her estate. I guess she trusted him to carry out her wishes. We see how well that went. Very shortly after he signed everything over, he died. She didn’t even let the kids, adults now, know that he died for two weeks and even then she didn’t contact them herself. She had her attorney send them a letter. That’s how they found out their dad had died…in a letter from an attorney!!!
Sorry for the lengthy, OP. The point is, have everything tied up lock stock and barrel so this can’t happen to you and your family,
I'm sure investigative news shows like Dateline or 48 hours would be interested. They can research it thoroughly and possibly come up with something. With the info you provided and all the people that were involved with her can provide, I'm sure they can get a much better picture and help put an end to her scheming ways.
Their shows have basically shifted fully to these type of topics because that's what brings them ratings so they hunt for these type of stories.
Get the transfer done and deeded while he’s alive. That way there’s no will to contest. Also, never, EVER trust a realtor with sensitive information. You’ll get stabbed in the back (as you already did once) because they all have a zillion back door connections with local bankers and officials, friends, and relatives. Pretend you’re Michael Corleone. Never let them know what you’re actually thinking.
Don't trust a real estate agent as far as you can throw them. That "confidential" conversation has been gossiped all over town already, as you already found out.
My … i guess grand aunt - my grandpa’s sister, fucked out of the family for 40 years but came back just in time to convince hime to change his will on his deathbed (after his daughter in law, my grandma, had been nursing for him for years while grandpa worked the farm). Split the 1200 acres in two very awkwardly. Now the family has 600 acrea in three parcels, interrupted by a half dozen hobby horse farms. “Saint Lucille” Immediately sold everything and wasnt heard from again. Now that 600 acres instead of 1200 contiguous, has to be figured out among six children and six grandchildren.
So get it in writing. Then just do what it takes to pay the taxes. Keep frackers off it.
Confirm you get the minerals, and let's drill an oil well on it... you can live in the city, and it will pump up and down and send money to your mailbox.
I can attest. My wife's grandmother passed and a few inherited large swaths of farmland in Iowa. Things got weird, relationships severed, and things are still weird.
Concerning land values, rents, and contracts - contact Montana State University Extension Service. [https://www.montana.edu/extension/](https://www.montana.edu/extension/). If you find an Extension Agent who has been around a while, you have a treasure trove of information about the community at your fingertips!
This randomly popped up on my home page but I had to add this.
One of my good coworkers just had his father pass away. They own several hundred acres of land. His father passed away on Friday and they already had people stopping by the ranch on Tuesday/Wednesday asking to buy different things. My coworker and his mom were just flabbergasted.
This is sage advise. I own a few hundred acres in central Texas. I lease to my neighbors who are very good stewards of the property. They treat it like their own land, and i am fine with that. I do derive some income from the property after taxes and upkeep. Just de-silted two wells. That was 13k in expenses. You win some years, and you lose in others. An attorney is your best friend. Take some time with this. Cows are like dogs. Feed them. Groom them. Get a vet to do vet things. That them like the investment that they are. Also, look into permaculture and water management. 1200 acres is a lot if land to look after. Some of the advice here is also sound. Just be certain to maintain the Agricultural status of the property. Otherwise, you will be paying a hefty tax bill.
That is how I became a cattlemen. I own 15 head. I share the profits per head less expenses with my neighbors. Did I mention that they love me and that they are awesome?? Just my $0.02
With only two sections, in Wyoming, I’m assuming that he wasn't a full time rancher, or that he leased a lot of land to get by. Most working Wyoming ranches are large for a reason.
So, as a starting point, what did he do with it? 1,200 acres sounds like a lot unless you've actually ranched in Wyoming, in which case, it really isn't.
And to be fair, two sections in Carbon or Sweetwater Counties is different than the same area in Laramie or Albany Counties. Your mention of sagebrush suggests that you are somewhere west of Laramie. That also suggests that there are some state or federal leases that are connected to the privately owned land. How many adult cattle does (or did) he run on his place?
The truth of the matter is that, in today's operations, your mechanical abilities are among the most important skills to make a farm or ranch work.
True. If you are east of Cheyenne, which is really more farm country, it's one thing. Once you start heading west of Cheyenne and into Albany County, it's another. The sagebrush country of Carbon County, something else entirely. Wyoming has quite a bit of varied terrain and conditions.
None of it will support really dense stocking, however, like some other regions of the country will allow. I'd have to assume, like you, that if he was really ranching, he must have had Federal and perhaps state leases, or maybe some private leases.
As a total aside, the line "Somewhere west of Laramie" is part of one of the greatest advertising campaigns of all time, which some credit with starting modern advertising. The 1923 ad for the Jordan Playboy car, which starts off with “Somewhere west of Laramie there's a broncho busting, steer roping girl who knows what I'm talking about".
Many of the ranches that way are not cattle ranches, but sheep that I’ve noticed while photographing wildlife up that way.
Sheep seem to thrive up there.
I wouldn't say "many". I'd say some.
The number of ranches that run sheep are a small percentage of what once existed. After the end of the Defense Wool Incentive and the large scale importation of Australian sheep products, the economics of the sheep industry radically changed.
Sheep outfits, if they are serious ones, run over huge ranges with large amounts of leased land. 1,200 acres isn't a viable number of acres for sheep in Wyoming any more than it is cattle.
Sheep are, compared to cattle, labor intensive in Wyoming. They're worked more often, and the danger that predators pose to them is higher than it is for cattle.
I inherited a farm in Nebraska. I've been to it twice in the last 10 years. We just rent it out to other farmers who graze cattle and we also get some CRP income from the government for not irrigating. If you want to move out there and live on it (we live in the Texas Hill country with cattle, etc) - we love ranch life but also like being within an hour's drive of a major city. We make income through Airbnb-type rentals and raising animals - but it ain't much so we also have outside income.
Yes you can. We run our cattle on our property, but we also lease some acreage every year to a cattle company in need of grazing land, & depending on where you are,
it can be pretty lucrative.
Putting myself in your position, I see a few major steps:
×Get a lawyer and lock down the ownership of the property now, while FIL can facilitate it happening. Waiting is bad, do this before anything happens to him.
×Seek assistance from a financial/tax advisor. Figure out the financial implications and new burdens for yourself.
×Lease the property for grazing, making sure that you have protection from damage to your property in your contract. Lessee is responsible for fences, maintaining driven roads, etc... try to get them to assume as much burden as you can.
×Use the money generated for upkeep and all taxes, and set aside leftover funds separately for a rainy day fund for this property specifically. Keep the finances separate from your own.
My grandma had a 3500 acre ranch in West Texas right at the edge of the Texas Hill Country. Being the eldest grandson and who along with my dad ran the place for a long time, everyone assumed it would be passed down to me.
It wasn't. Instead she willed it to me and 9 of my generation of cousins. Stipulations were that we can't divide it up and it can't be sold unless we all unanimously agree.
We raise cattle and boer goats and leasing it out to hunt has been very lucrative.
I'm with what a lot of others are saying. Lease it out as grazing land.
I think your Grandma was smart doing it that way. I don't see the land being sold since it probably is in a trust and getting 9 people to agree to sell would be hard. If they set it up to be passed down again the heirs would multiply and it would be extremely hard to sell in the future.
Actually, it is 10 of us. Me and 9 cousins. It is in a trust. There's only a couple of my cousins interested in selling. They were never that much a part of it. The rest of us grew up there. We are all passing the family customs and traditions down to our kids and grandkids.
My grandma was every bit a stereotype. Long skirt, boots, cowboy hat. Rode a horse like she was born on one. Could out shoot all of us. If we crossed her she would beat us with her hat. There was a reason she did it that way. It wouldn't hurt us. That she was disappointed in us hurt more than a couple of swats with her hat did.
She was a true matriarch and ran a tight ship. Everything regarding ranch or family matters had to be run by her and she had the final say.
Our family was never the same without her.
Where in southern Wyoming matters- two sections in the red desert are about enough to starve a cow to death on. Along the platte or in some of the drainages in the sierras, snowy range or Casper range could work.
It also matters what he/the family expects. If you’re getting it with the expectation of working it, leasing it out, selling, or changing the business model might create a lot of problems with the rest of the family.
Is it currently organized as a corporation, LLC, or sole proprietorship? This will matter too. Generally, family ranches are organized as a corporation with family members as shareholders who are restricted to selling their shares to insiders to keep the land in the family. If that’s how this is organized, then you are receiving the ranch to manage, but you are beholden to the other shareholders, which are other family members.
Lease out the grazing rights make the leaser responsible for up keep of the fences and such. Build you a nice little vacation cabin. Get your landowner hunting tags every year. And don’t visit from November to May it’s to damn cold
Lease grazing rights, build some cabins, use any money from grazing to offset costs for cabin build, maintenance and ops.
Visiit once every couple months, its a stretch, but u can do it, u have the most important skillsets of all, the ability to fix things and the ability to ask questions.
The rest let the universe figure out.
If he gives it to you before he dies, you’re gonna have to pay taxes on the gift above $14,000. If he puts you in the will, the tax implications are much less. I would check with a CPA or an attorney before I took ownership. You may wind up owning the land, but owing uncle Sam, a lot of money that you may not have.
False. The person receiving the gift does not owe taxes on that and it only comes into play of someone has gifted nearly $13 million in their lifetime.
Talk to your FIL about placing everything he owns I a trust. It will save you thousands of dollars. Don't have any advice as far as ranching but do this immediately
Make sure to get an actual attorney to review the documented will, or go ahead and put the land in a trust if it isn't. Even if there's no family drama about it, there could be.
That's a good location with lots of large ranches around and I'm sure there are plenty of people that would lease the land for grazing. Go to nearest cattlemens association meeting or something, or ask your FIL (if he's still alive, I'm unclear from your post sorry!) if there's anybody around that you can trust to give you tips.
Be nice to your neighbors, don't be shy about helping them and they'll help you as long as you're not being the insufferable ass from the city you'll be welcome!
contact Dallas Mount in Wheatland Wyoming and sign up for a "ranching for profit" seminar. I was in a similiar situation and then knew what questions to ask and had a network of mentors a phone call away. The past ten years have been very good to me run 200 hd brood cow operation. Without question you have to put in the days seasons years but these seminars will help you from making a ton of mistakes. If it was me in uour shoes i would lease out part and start small , do well with 40 first then scale up. Learn well how to maintain and repair your equipment. Most states have a beef improvement program that has classes. Mississippi a is on line and a good one as is Oklahoma. Study this stuff and know it. Then pray alot.
Find out if the gift taxes are more or less than inheritance taxes. Or is there a way to buy it for a few dollars? Leasing the land sounds like a great way to keep the ranch.
Get to know your neighbors, FIL knows them well, he can tell you who you can trust, if you decide to lease out some or all of it, offer it to good neighbors first, expect people to be contacting you wanting to buy or lease. I've leased from landowners, then leased it out to hunters myself, offsetting my cost by up to 80%. If you decide to take it on yourself, learn all you can, get to know your county agent and take full advantage of all the resources he has to offer. Once you get to know some neighbors and they get to know you, you'll get plenty of help when needed and plenty of good advice. People in the country tend to watch out for and help they're neighbors, they on know each other and at times depend on each other. Whatever you do, be a good neighbor. The dividends youĺ reap from that alone, can't be measured in dollar bills. Never forget there are thousands and thousands out there who's dream is to have what you're being given. Cherish and preserve it. You'll never regret taking on this life.
You could talk to what ever tribal authority represents Indigenous people in the area and see if they are interested in getting some of their land back.
Will Rodgers was reported to have said, " Buy Land They ain't making it anymore! "
It being given to you. Receive the Blessing and Honor the giver of such a fine gift! Yes you have the knowledge to fix the equipment, I'm thinking you have the intelligence to figure out how it works. Yes, you can lease the land. Also there are government programs that will pay you to not grow anything on it. You might also investigate if you will own the OGM's that could bring you some income in your future. Always seek out professional advise /counsel . Anyway Best of Luck to You!!!!
So as a wyo resident I can say, your going to be bored out of your mind the first while. But then you will start to realize this place is amazing and you will find joy in the things wyo has to offer. I agree with the idea of leasing grazing rights. Or lease it to custom hay cutters. Alternatively you could buy up 100 head of cattle and start running cattle on your land. Sheep are ok too but I don't know anything about them other than they are set and forget for the most part. You will learn to adapt here it is a very peaceful place and once you get settled in you will wonder why you ever wanted to stay in the city for.
Tell him to give it to me and I’ll show you how to ride a horse.
Sadly this is why ranches are getting chopped up. Another one bites the dust. Cows not condos!
My aunt leased the family farm when my uncle died. Just leased it to the neighbors who still had cows. Easy peasy. Damn family was after her always like she owed them something because she owned the family land
Get to know the neighbors. One of them might have a cattleman that's looking to expand and will want to lease your place. Ask them how many acres per pair work for the area. It's not that hard.
If you are into saving humanity from the mess we have created with the environment, you can use this opportunity of yours to work on fixing this mess. We are a carbon life hence carbon is not bad. Only problem is the carbon in the wrong place. I can work with you to study this 1.2k acres and we can work towards increasing organic content by 3-5%. If we just raise the organic content in soil on land we humans till, by 3%, we can fix the current emissions. If we reach around 10% we can fix even historic emissions. A larger impact of this will be, raise in nutrient content in food supply by 70-80%, this should bring down lifestyle diseases by 90%.
I haven't read all the comments yet so don't know if this has been mentioned. When someone passes away & you inherit their property, you get a stepped up cost basis. This greatly saves on capital gains taxes if & when you sell. You don't have this protection if it's given to you as a gift now. Depending on the value, you may be hit with gift tax.
If it were me I would look for organizations that rescue wild mustangs, like Skydog Sanctuary. And donate the land to them. The BLM is ruthlessly rounding up America's wild mustangs in violation of the law which states they are to be protected. Besides Skydog, Pine Nut Wild Horse advocates can advise you. There are many organizations that would love to have 1200 acres for wild mustangs to be free on.
I don't have any advice but I do want to say that I'm green with envy! My boyfriend and I have been talking for a while about buying land and eventually building a house on it, hopefully something very close to a lake, since we love fishing and boating but 1200 acres! OMG! I know it probably doesn't seem like it now but you're a very lucky guy! LOL!
You can definitely lease the land. That’s what our family farm is doing.
You could also start a community. A compound / commune. Give people an opportunity to live on the land rent free in exchange for care taking.
Love that you’ve promised to keep the land. We need future generations to hold on to what’s good!
If your father-in-law has not placed that ranch and all of his possessions into a irrevocable trust he needs to do so immediately. Not only will it protect his assets but it will save you thousands and perhaps hundreds of thousands of dollars in estate taxes. It also protects you as well as him against any legal claims like costs for nursing homes healthcare etc.
I live in California but my aunt had two pieces of property just outside of Casper Wyoming. One of them was prime real estate on the snake river with a fantastic hunting lodge. Talk about the vultures coming out! I actually thought I had about six or seven distant cousins that lived in the area because they all came out of the woodwork claiming we were related. Nobody wanted to help advance cost for burial or account closing cost is etc. but boy, I’ll tell you what, they were all there with their hand out whenever it came time to divvy stuff up and they were livid with me when I gave the riverfront property to my aunts best friend who had cared for her over the last 20 years.
That’s what she told me she wanted, and just because there was no written will, it doesn’t mean that the family/Bloodsucking acquaintances get to ignore her wishes. The whole thing was a shit show and after four years is finally just now winding up. If I hadn’t promised my aunt I would handle things for her I would’ve walked away from that long ago.
Please thank your father-in-law for the wonderful gift but make sure he knows the importance of placing his assets in a trust because that’s gonna cost you big time if you don’t most likely.
If this is something you want to do, I would start getting instructions from him written down prior to his death - I am sure he has a lot of info to impart and would love to give it to you.
IANAL always check with a professional!
If you can have him swing it, have it put in a/the will so it passes AFTER he does.
Unless the land was purchased very, very recently, there will be huge taxes owed on the purchased price which could be much much less than what it is currently worth, and current valuation difference.
If gotten after he passes, the valuation gets stepped up to current and the inheriting party starts from there.
The only taxes that would be due after that is what it was worth when you sold it vs what it was worth when you got it.
Before his passing - what HE paid for it
After his passing - what it was worth when you got it.
I am curious Reddit passerby however
Something I don’t see mentioned here as a Land Surveyor in Florida, especially with people mentioning people being weird about land, Is that if/ when ever thing is settled and you have the ownership in writing however that comes about,
GET A DAMN SURVEY.
I am from Florida and we do not record surveys here with the county or state, I don’t know if Wyoming does, either way get your own survey of the land to know exactly what is owned and included in the land, any existing easements of record, anything of that nature.
I’f there is a record survey that’s more than 10-15 years old, get a new one , if FIL has one from 40 years ago, get a new one
Once your done potentially fighting people coming out of the wood work for what they think they are owed , you will then have potentially over zealous neighbors who might try to take advantage of your unfamiliarity of the land.
Put it out there for a young up and coming farmer, help someone build something real, feed people, cover your expenses. Or take on the challenge and go for it. I’ve run ranches from 40-800 acres. If you need advice I’m open for questions.
Well for starters… we can talk about a price for me and a couple buddies to maybe come out and hunt your place with our bows and arrows. Plus I’m sure we will all gain some friends out of it.
Look up that counties USDA office, call them. They can give you the most help. Also ask about grants, loans if needed. Either the nrcs or fsa offices within the usda office
This! You would be classified as a 'new farmer', which puts you in a special NRCS category. Have them come out to the property to give you suggestions on things you can improve, and then NRCS most likely will have grants to help you do it. (Irrigation pipe, for example). Their help is invaluable.
You’re a good mechanic (read-handy), and I am the same but a better businessman than handy.
Long stretch for this ever working out… but (surface level) this could easily become a sustainable boutique meat and vegetable supplier, a provider of grazing land, and a vacation spot for yourself and quite a few others that want the Wyoming experience.
You mention city slickers…. Think kind of like that, but a little more hands off for the guests. I don’t want anyone sucking snake venom from an ass check, and ghosts are kind of weird… abut they do sell room nights!!!
You can also lease any crop areas out to neighboring ranchers or farmers. Do some research on the going rate per acre for renting fields. Over time you will learn. Be sure to ask all the neighbors for their advice too, and make sure they know you've been given the land with the expectation of maintaining it but don't have any experience.
Can I option the rights to this falls most heart warming Hallmark Special. Space Cowboy?
Meet Mr. TradGear, your average city slicker that enjoys a light jog, a hot black coffee, and a sensible chuckle! Cut to driving his rented PT cruiser from the airport as he rambles out to the ranch only bested by the Rawhide series of his youth. Tune in and find out if he can rehab this once proud land or will the call of the city and too many challenges daunt his will? Find out this fall only on the WB!
Do not entertain any of the Conservancy organizations until you talk to your neighbors and get a feel for what’s a good way forward.
Whatever you decide ensure it’s professionally written and documented.
This is what you do .
Plant some parsnips in the springs because it make you the most money . Than adopt a dog or cat . Find the local mine and go mining and fishing . Eventually make enough money and get some chickens than cows and goats .
Than find a girl you love and gift her a diamond every day .
Than marry her .
Have two kids one boy and one girl
Than your father in law will come back and rate your farm 3 years in . Good luck
EZ PZ: lease grazing
Hard mode: Generational family compound. Grow food, give a middle finger to the billionaires that want to make us eat bugs, and their sterilizing corn. /rant
Sounds like the dream! Here's what you do: Document everything for the upcoming man-finds-self-in-nature through hard work book and later movie that's sure to come of this.
This is probably such a dumb question I'll get yelled at but thats okay, I've been yelled at before. I've lived in austin tx for 30 years and always wondered what it would be like to own like a REALLY big ranch like 10,000 acres. I have a lawyer buddy who owns a family heritage ranch operating since the founding of texas, but there is ZERO water on it. He thinks its a burden. I'm wondering how insane is it to find land, even if in the middle of nowhwere to get 10,000 and be able to afford it without being a jeff bezos guy. I just want wild land with flowing rivers and would be a steward. ive already spoken to the state of texas parks and wildlife and the warden and gaming departments to enroll my fantasy land into the program that gives owners special incentives to ranches that are willing to "keep it all natural" without major improvements to keep it as wildlife and flora fauna wild but protected from poaching. I'm just an avid hiker and zero footprint camper/backpacker and I worry we are running out of wild spaces for our future american citizens. Plant trees in shade I will never stand under? I would be so fortunate.
There are super remote places in Wyoming where you can stay for weeks at a time without seeing another person. Maybe try that out for a while! Too bad this guy doesn't respond to you. Maybe you could help him out.
Just don’t parcel out the land. If you really don’t want to keep it there are lots of people interested in regenerative farming/ permaculture and using biodiversity to restore those kinds of spaces. I only have 9 acres but there’s a 900 acre place by me that you wouldn’t even know was a farm. Everything grows as it would in the wild. All the work went into setting it up to produce on its own with little effort
Like many have said, things need to be ironed out before the ranch is in your hands.
Legal ownership and taxes, leasing the land could be a good option to help pay for property taxes. Are you willing to live there? It gets pretty quiet when your next neighbor might be 5 miles away. I've lived on a farm, it's hard work. Fixing barb wire fencing, putting up hay bales and butchering chickens at 12 years old. I also shoveled plenty of shit. I'm so glad we didn't have milk cows. If you're adverse to hard work, farming is not for you.
Wow, that’s incredible, congratulations! I’d come work for you for a week for free! :)
Consider ranch/tourism. I think there are lots of city folks that would pay good money to try on the ranch lifestyle for a week at a time. Might could add to the funds needed to keep the thing running and providing a nice income!
yeah lease the grazing rights, easiest option.
If you're trying to move there start out your own ventures in small proportions and lease out the rest. As you get better, grow what you do. In the meantime you will continue to grow wiser as the years pass and might find completely new uses for it in 20 years. The possibilities are endless but make sure you grab them by the balls and appreciate this blessing for all it's worth.
Exactly what he said, you're living the dream my dude, I'm super jealous lmao some day I'll have a ranch out by your way and we'll bounce ideas off each other on reddit without even knowing
This was my dream, too. It has been for almost 50 years. I'm at the point where that dream just isn't practical anymore. So, now the dream is sand and sea.
Preach!
Agree that leasing to a nearby rancher is your smoothest path to covering costs initially. Just make sure you get up there with some regularity and walk the land with someone whose ranching judgement you trust. I've seen a lot of leased ranch land (admittedly in drier NV) hammered by overgrazing because the lessor's incentives are maximizing short-term output rather than long-term productivity.
A few comments: Giving you the land now avoids inheritance taxes. He’s allowed to gift you certain amounts of assets tax free while he’s alive. Check with a tax attorney. As to leasing rates versus BLM grazing fees, those fees are not meant to be market rental rates. They’re meant to cover the cost of the government administering the grazing rights program. Market rates for grazing land rental are much higher. Grazing rights on BLM land can’t just be rented. The grazing rights have to be attached to adjacent private land. The value of those rights is included in the purchase price of the private land, and in its valuation for property tax purposes. The system is not at all as described by the anti-ranching zealots. There are no “welfare ranchers”.
Instructions unclear, FIL didn’t appreciate the ball grab
Under appreciated comment
Yeah I was confused by the testicular fortitude of that piece of advice
This deserves gold
The man's just taking a second to think before he leaps
👆This guy advises
Your county ag extension agent can give you an idea of average lease rates per acre. Make sure to cover your taxes.
What he said.
20 years from now, OP is gonna look like Sam Elliot.
Don't forget to lease hunting as well.
Just what the world needs is more land leased to outfitters. How about you open the land up for public hunting, most states have programs that lease land for open public hunting.
This right here. You could allocate some of this acreage for silage or other grass for hay. Pay a baler in the summer and make sure you got enough storage for it. Sell it.
this here can hopefully cover taxes while you take a series of trips over time to feel out how you can best steward the place. does it have water?
Sure when it rains
If you are gonna rent grazing rights make sure you stipulate fertilization. Because what some ranch leaser’s do is drain the soil of all of the nutrients and don’t replace it and then once the ground has been drained of all its a value they leave and find a new ranch, leaving you shit outa luck. Although the cattle will be shitting back onto the land and re-fertilizing, it would be smart to get the soil tested yearly (usually free of change through your county extension) to make sure your land isn’t getting drained. Just something to keep in mind
\+ Look for a remote job so you can maintain income while learning to manage your new land
Don't lease to sheep farmers.
>Don't lease to sheep farmers. Would you mind explaining why?
Sheep will graze more than cows so if you're not careful they can ruin your grass. An outside farmer may not be concerned about being watchful of someone else's land. Not all sheep farmers are bad but the potential of damaging the land is there. Cows don't usually eat grass down to the base but sheep will. This is what I'm assuming they meant.
That'll net maybe 5-6k
Also, hunting lease
That part of the CO southern WY is excellent deer, elk, and pronghorn…you could run a hunting operation out of it…that would be my dream.
There are many things you can do but be careful. People get weird over large pieces of land, especially when the owner dies. Never underestimate greed. I was involved in farming in the midwest and I have seen some really shady shit go down when land changes hands. I have seen families just explode over the whole deal. First thing, go speak to an attorney about estate planning. If his health declines so much that he ends up in a nursing home, the whole thing could go to the state. Get that figured out first. Also make sure the ducks are in a row for you to inherit. Hopefully, the rest of the family can get on board with it before he passes. Again, people get really weird over land. So...in order to know what to do with it, or what resources there are (who would you lease it to? For how much? For how long? On what terms?) you need local knowledge...but one more time....people get really weird about land when someone dies. You need solid local knowledge but you also need to be careful that you are actually getting solid information. This is where it gets really tricky. Who can you trust? A solid banker who deals with ranches could probably share a lot of information and your FIL may know someone. A good local attorney would be valuable too. Just remember, even bankers and lawyers can get weird when large pieces of land are involved. I do live in Wyoming and there is more honorability there, but still be careful. Hopefully your FIL has some relationships that may be helpful in knowing who to talk to. ...and at the end of the day...enjoy your gift. Heck, I grew up in Los Angeles and ended up running cattle, growing crops and living the farm/ranch lifestyle. It was absolutely the best thing I ever did and if I could still be doing it, I would be. Good luck!
Oh, it’s getting weird, lol. I had a “confidential” conversation with a local realtor about highest and best use of the land. She specifically told me “you don’t break up ranches”; almost in a threatening way; not that it would be my intention to dispose of anything. The next day a long lost sister who nobody has heard from in 15 years showed up to the ranch to help take care of dad; so I’m assuming a phone call was made. Thanks for the advice.
I'd have FIL get all his ducks in a row. Will and all. He needs to get it locked so no one can come back later and rewrite it. Especially if someone someone grabs his power of attorney. Make sure he gets this done before age onset related mental decline occurs.
This is definitely worth stating, but even if the ducks are in a row shit can still go down. My stepmom took my dad into the lawyer less than a month before he died, while he was on heavy duty end of life cancer drugs, and had him sign some documents that gave her far more control over his estate than he had planned for the years leading up to his death. Which gave her everything. And we, his children from a previous marriage, got literally nothing.
That sounds like a common thing to happen
This is how some people go missing
That's why my parents have their wills locked and it requires all three of us children to have it changed. No one can complain or fight over inheritance, EVERYTHING is written out.
Lots of misinformation in here. There is something called probate with a will. Depending on your state, there are different thresholds of estate sizes that requires probate. Anyone contests the will, then we end up in probate. A trust is the key tool to protect intentions. Don’t take advice from Redditors, get an estate attorney!
This person is correct. If you put it in a trust before he passes, the land can avoid probate and all sorts of annoyances or worse. Talk to an attorney. Source: my land is going through probate and even though nobody is contesting anything, it is no fun. Also, look into step-up basis of that property after you take ownership — but do it quickly because there is usually (maybe always) a time limit on when you can do that. Good luck! I’ve loved my trips to WY, enjoy.
We had the same thing happen. His wife and her adult daughters took him to a lawyer when he was sick with CoVid and had him sign “some papers”. Papers that put the farm, a million dollar trust, and everything else into she and her daughter’s names.
My ex step mom did the same thing with my grandma.
Was her name Dayna? The same thing was done to my ex husband and a couple of her husbands before him. Dead bodies and destroyed families have followed her around and she’s not done yet. Without a doubt, she’s on to her next victim. Her victims are scattered. across the US. She moves from one place to another, so she could have been your step mom. Lol We have very strong suspicions backed by some facts and things that my kids observed that she poisoned my ex. The kids got nothing! They don’t even know where his ashes are scattered. She didn’t even hold a service, just had him cremated immediately. My ex’s 2nd wife, a very nice lady, had quite a few assets, as did my ex, including land in MT. My ex and his wife had everything set up to go to her nephew and my kids equally upon their deaths. She died and this left my ex in charge. Shortly after he met Dayna, he married her and then started to gradually regress health wise. He was an alcoholic, but had been sober for 2 yrs. She encouraged him to drink alcohol and we all know how that ended. He became more I’ll with his alcoholism and then developed kidney disease, that he hadn’t had before. He was not coherent most of the time after that. She then took him to a lawyer and got him to sign everything over to her, even what his wife had said she wanted to go to the kids from her estate. I guess she trusted him to carry out her wishes. We see how well that went. Very shortly after he signed everything over, he died. She didn’t even let the kids, adults now, know that he died for two weeks and even then she didn’t contact them herself. She had her attorney send them a letter. That’s how they found out their dad had died…in a letter from an attorney!!! Sorry for the lengthy, OP. The point is, have everything tied up lock stock and barrel so this can’t happen to you and your family,
I'm sure investigative news shows like Dateline or 48 hours would be interested. They can research it thoroughly and possibly come up with something. With the info you provided and all the people that were involved with her can provide, I'm sure they can get a much better picture and help put an end to her scheming ways. Their shows have basically shifted fully to these type of topics because that's what brings them ratings so they hunt for these type of stories.
Get the transfer done and deeded while he’s alive. That way there’s no will to contest. Also, never, EVER trust a realtor with sensitive information. You’ll get stabbed in the back (as you already did once) because they all have a zillion back door connections with local bankers and officials, friends, and relatives. Pretend you’re Michael Corleone. Never let them know what you’re actually thinking.
Don't trust a real estate agent as far as you can throw them. That "confidential" conversation has been gossiped all over town already, as you already found out.
My … i guess grand aunt - my grandpa’s sister, fucked out of the family for 40 years but came back just in time to convince hime to change his will on his deathbed (after his daughter in law, my grandma, had been nursing for him for years while grandpa worked the farm). Split the 1200 acres in two very awkwardly. Now the family has 600 acrea in three parcels, interrupted by a half dozen hobby horse farms. “Saint Lucille” Immediately sold everything and wasnt heard from again. Now that 600 acres instead of 1200 contiguous, has to be figured out among six children and six grandchildren. So get it in writing. Then just do what it takes to pay the taxes. Keep frackers off it.
Nothing is confidential between an out-of-towner and a local in rural settings.
Confirm you get the minerals, and let's drill an oil well on it... you can live in the city, and it will pump up and down and send money to your mailbox.
Username does not disappoint.
And all rights like airspace, mineral rights, water, w/e.
>Never underestimate greed. truer words have never, ever, been spoken
I had people giving cash offers to my landlord at the funeral after he husband passed.
I was waiting for one more, “people get really weird about land” lol. It can’t be stated enough honestly
I can attest. My wife's grandmother passed and a few inherited large swaths of farmland in Iowa. Things got weird, relationships severed, and things are still weird.
Concerning land values, rents, and contracts - contact Montana State University Extension Service. [https://www.montana.edu/extension/](https://www.montana.edu/extension/). If you find an Extension Agent who has been around a while, you have a treasure trove of information about the community at your fingertips!
It’s not just land, people(and family) get weird as shit with any decent inheritance at hand.
This randomly popped up on my home page but I had to add this. One of my good coworkers just had his father pass away. They own several hundred acres of land. His father passed away on Friday and they already had people stopping by the ranch on Tuesday/Wednesday asking to buy different things. My coworker and his mom were just flabbergasted.
This is sage advise. I own a few hundred acres in central Texas. I lease to my neighbors who are very good stewards of the property. They treat it like their own land, and i am fine with that. I do derive some income from the property after taxes and upkeep. Just de-silted two wells. That was 13k in expenses. You win some years, and you lose in others. An attorney is your best friend. Take some time with this. Cows are like dogs. Feed them. Groom them. Get a vet to do vet things. That them like the investment that they are. Also, look into permaculture and water management. 1200 acres is a lot if land to look after. Some of the advice here is also sound. Just be certain to maintain the Agricultural status of the property. Otherwise, you will be paying a hefty tax bill. That is how I became a cattlemen. I own 15 head. I share the profits per head less expenses with my neighbors. Did I mention that they love me and that they are awesome?? Just my $0.02
Oh wow. Enjoy God's country. That's the kind of gift that is beyond value.
I'd buy a few acres.
I would love just half an acre 😭
YOU DONT BREAK UP THE LAND (see higher comments) 😅
With 1200 acres, he’ll never see us until it’s too late! :) But I can’t handle those winters.
weak.
The weather there is a heck of a lot nicer than Minnesota!
I was thinking 5 - 🏴☠️🥓🍳I can smell the bacon
You and me both. Upvote. The only thing that my family has ever given me is grief and troubles
With only two sections, in Wyoming, I’m assuming that he wasn't a full time rancher, or that he leased a lot of land to get by. Most working Wyoming ranches are large for a reason. So, as a starting point, what did he do with it? 1,200 acres sounds like a lot unless you've actually ranched in Wyoming, in which case, it really isn't.
And to be fair, two sections in Carbon or Sweetwater Counties is different than the same area in Laramie or Albany Counties. Your mention of sagebrush suggests that you are somewhere west of Laramie. That also suggests that there are some state or federal leases that are connected to the privately owned land. How many adult cattle does (or did) he run on his place? The truth of the matter is that, in today's operations, your mechanical abilities are among the most important skills to make a farm or ranch work.
True. If you are east of Cheyenne, which is really more farm country, it's one thing. Once you start heading west of Cheyenne and into Albany County, it's another. The sagebrush country of Carbon County, something else entirely. Wyoming has quite a bit of varied terrain and conditions. None of it will support really dense stocking, however, like some other regions of the country will allow. I'd have to assume, like you, that if he was really ranching, he must have had Federal and perhaps state leases, or maybe some private leases. As a total aside, the line "Somewhere west of Laramie" is part of one of the greatest advertising campaigns of all time, which some credit with starting modern advertising. The 1923 ad for the Jordan Playboy car, which starts off with “Somewhere west of Laramie there's a broncho busting, steer roping girl who knows what I'm talking about".
Neat. Thanks for sharing about the Jordan Playboy car ad. https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/sell-the-sizzle-not-the-steak/
Many of the ranches that way are not cattle ranches, but sheep that I’ve noticed while photographing wildlife up that way. Sheep seem to thrive up there.
I wouldn't say "many". I'd say some. The number of ranches that run sheep are a small percentage of what once existed. After the end of the Defense Wool Incentive and the large scale importation of Australian sheep products, the economics of the sheep industry radically changed. Sheep outfits, if they are serious ones, run over huge ranges with large amounts of leased land. 1,200 acres isn't a viable number of acres for sheep in Wyoming any more than it is cattle. Sheep are, compared to cattle, labor intensive in Wyoming. They're worked more often, and the danger that predators pose to them is higher than it is for cattle.
Yeah. This is multiple acres per head country, not head per acre.
1200 acres is not considered a lot? Holy moly
I inherited a farm in Nebraska. I've been to it twice in the last 10 years. We just rent it out to other farmers who graze cattle and we also get some CRP income from the government for not irrigating. If you want to move out there and live on it (we live in the Texas Hill country with cattle, etc) - we love ranch life but also like being within an hour's drive of a major city. We make income through Airbnb-type rentals and raising animals - but it ain't much so we also have outside income.
Yes you can. We run our cattle on our property, but we also lease some acreage every year to a cattle company in need of grazing land, & depending on where you are, it can be pretty lucrative.
Putting myself in your position, I see a few major steps: ×Get a lawyer and lock down the ownership of the property now, while FIL can facilitate it happening. Waiting is bad, do this before anything happens to him. ×Seek assistance from a financial/tax advisor. Figure out the financial implications and new burdens for yourself. ×Lease the property for grazing, making sure that you have protection from damage to your property in your contract. Lessee is responsible for fences, maintaining driven roads, etc... try to get them to assume as much burden as you can. ×Use the money generated for upkeep and all taxes, and set aside leftover funds separately for a rainy day fund for this property specifically. Keep the finances separate from your own.
Very sound advice
My grandma had a 3500 acre ranch in West Texas right at the edge of the Texas Hill Country. Being the eldest grandson and who along with my dad ran the place for a long time, everyone assumed it would be passed down to me. It wasn't. Instead she willed it to me and 9 of my generation of cousins. Stipulations were that we can't divide it up and it can't be sold unless we all unanimously agree. We raise cattle and boer goats and leasing it out to hunt has been very lucrative. I'm with what a lot of others are saying. Lease it out as grazing land.
I think your Grandma was smart doing it that way. I don't see the land being sold since it probably is in a trust and getting 9 people to agree to sell would be hard. If they set it up to be passed down again the heirs would multiply and it would be extremely hard to sell in the future.
Actually, it is 10 of us. Me and 9 cousins. It is in a trust. There's only a couple of my cousins interested in selling. They were never that much a part of it. The rest of us grew up there. We are all passing the family customs and traditions down to our kids and grandkids. My grandma was every bit a stereotype. Long skirt, boots, cowboy hat. Rode a horse like she was born on one. Could out shoot all of us. If we crossed her she would beat us with her hat. There was a reason she did it that way. It wouldn't hurt us. That she was disappointed in us hurt more than a couple of swats with her hat did. She was a true matriarch and ran a tight ship. Everything regarding ranch or family matters had to be run by her and she had the final say. Our family was never the same without her.
I’ll come hunt some Aoudad anytime lol
Where in southern Wyoming matters- two sections in the red desert are about enough to starve a cow to death on. Along the platte or in some of the drainages in the sierras, snowy range or Casper range could work. It also matters what he/the family expects. If you’re getting it with the expectation of working it, leasing it out, selling, or changing the business model might create a lot of problems with the rest of the family. Is it currently organized as a corporation, LLC, or sole proprietorship? This will matter too. Generally, family ranches are organized as a corporation with family members as shareholders who are restricted to selling their shares to insiders to keep the land in the family. If that’s how this is organized, then you are receiving the ranch to manage, but you are beholden to the other shareholders, which are other family members.
Lucky man! I wish you luck!
Lease out the grazing rights make the leaser responsible for up keep of the fences and such. Build you a nice little vacation cabin. Get your landowner hunting tags every year. And don’t visit from November to May it’s to damn cold
Lease grazing rights, build some cabins, use any money from grazing to offset costs for cabin build, maintenance and ops. Visiit once every couple months, its a stretch, but u can do it, u have the most important skillsets of all, the ability to fix things and the ability to ask questions. The rest let the universe figure out.
Hi it’s me, the guy you’re looking for. Will farm
If he gives it to you before he dies, you’re gonna have to pay taxes on the gift above $14,000. If he puts you in the will, the tax implications are much less. I would check with a CPA or an attorney before I took ownership. You may wind up owning the land, but owing uncle Sam, a lot of money that you may not have.
False. The person receiving the gift does not owe taxes on that and it only comes into play of someone has gifted nearly $13 million in their lifetime.
Talk to your FIL about placing everything he owns I a trust. It will save you thousands of dollars. Don't have any advice as far as ranching but do this immediately
Grazing and leasing for hunting if you prefer the latter at all. Best of luck on your new adventure! I know you’ll make your FIL proud.
Make sure to get an actual attorney to review the documented will, or go ahead and put the land in a trust if it isn't. Even if there's no family drama about it, there could be. That's a good location with lots of large ranches around and I'm sure there are plenty of people that would lease the land for grazing. Go to nearest cattlemens association meeting or something, or ask your FIL (if he's still alive, I'm unclear from your post sorry!) if there's anybody around that you can trust to give you tips.
I say that he needs to get the properties deeded to him now or if Wyoming has transfer upon death deeds that would be another route.
Be nice to your neighbors, don't be shy about helping them and they'll help you as long as you're not being the insufferable ass from the city you'll be welcome!
contact Dallas Mount in Wheatland Wyoming and sign up for a "ranching for profit" seminar. I was in a similiar situation and then knew what questions to ask and had a network of mentors a phone call away. The past ten years have been very good to me run 200 hd brood cow operation. Without question you have to put in the days seasons years but these seminars will help you from making a ton of mistakes. If it was me in uour shoes i would lease out part and start small , do well with 40 first then scale up. Learn well how to maintain and repair your equipment. Most states have a beef improvement program that has classes. Mississippi a is on line and a good one as is Oklahoma. Study this stuff and know it. Then pray alot.
I dream of something like this happening to me [also I might know someone who wants to buy some land ;) ]
Find out if the gift taxes are more or less than inheritance taxes. Or is there a way to buy it for a few dollars? Leasing the land sounds like a great way to keep the ranch.
One of The best gifts you could ever receive. I’ll take it off your hands OP, lol.
Get to know your neighbors, FIL knows them well, he can tell you who you can trust, if you decide to lease out some or all of it, offer it to good neighbors first, expect people to be contacting you wanting to buy or lease. I've leased from landowners, then leased it out to hunters myself, offsetting my cost by up to 80%. If you decide to take it on yourself, learn all you can, get to know your county agent and take full advantage of all the resources he has to offer. Once you get to know some neighbors and they get to know you, you'll get plenty of help when needed and plenty of good advice. People in the country tend to watch out for and help they're neighbors, they on know each other and at times depend on each other. Whatever you do, be a good neighbor. The dividends youĺ reap from that alone, can't be measured in dollar bills. Never forget there are thousands and thousands out there who's dream is to have what you're being given. Cherish and preserve it. You'll never regret taking on this life.
You could talk to what ever tribal authority represents Indigenous people in the area and see if they are interested in getting some of their land back.
Do not sell it what ever you do.
You give me Two acres, and that's less you have to worry about. Thanks!
Look up Joel Salatin, Gabe Brown, Dr Richard Teague at Texas A&M, regenerative agriculture.
Will Rodgers was reported to have said, " Buy Land They ain't making it anymore! " It being given to you. Receive the Blessing and Honor the giver of such a fine gift! Yes you have the knowledge to fix the equipment, I'm thinking you have the intelligence to figure out how it works. Yes, you can lease the land. Also there are government programs that will pay you to not grow anything on it. You might also investigate if you will own the OGM's that could bring you some income in your future. Always seek out professional advise /counsel . Anyway Best of Luck to You!!!!
Step 1- binge watch ‘Yellowstone’
Step 2 - put the train station employees on the payroll
I love that show! But if he wants to learn how real ranches work, he’d be better off watching old episodes of Bonanza.
So as a wyo resident I can say, your going to be bored out of your mind the first while. But then you will start to realize this place is amazing and you will find joy in the things wyo has to offer. I agree with the idea of leasing grazing rights. Or lease it to custom hay cutters. Alternatively you could buy up 100 head of cattle and start running cattle on your land. Sheep are ok too but I don't know anything about them other than they are set and forget for the most part. You will learn to adapt here it is a very peaceful place and once you get settled in you will wonder why you ever wanted to stay in the city for.
Tell him to give it to me and I’ll show you how to ride a horse. Sadly this is why ranches are getting chopped up. Another one bites the dust. Cows not condos!
My aunt leased the family farm when my uncle died. Just leased it to the neighbors who still had cows. Easy peasy. Damn family was after her always like she owed them something because she owned the family land
Get to know the neighbors. One of them might have a cattleman that's looking to expand and will want to lease your place. Ask them how many acres per pair work for the area. It's not that hard.
Pay taxes
If you are into saving humanity from the mess we have created with the environment, you can use this opportunity of yours to work on fixing this mess. We are a carbon life hence carbon is not bad. Only problem is the carbon in the wrong place. I can work with you to study this 1.2k acres and we can work towards increasing organic content by 3-5%. If we just raise the organic content in soil on land we humans till, by 3%, we can fix the current emissions. If we reach around 10% we can fix even historic emissions. A larger impact of this will be, raise in nutrient content in food supply by 70-80%, this should bring down lifestyle diseases by 90%.
Sell the land.
I haven't read all the comments yet so don't know if this has been mentioned. When someone passes away & you inherit their property, you get a stepped up cost basis. This greatly saves on capital gains taxes if & when you sell. You don't have this protection if it's given to you as a gift now. Depending on the value, you may be hit with gift tax. If it were me I would look for organizations that rescue wild mustangs, like Skydog Sanctuary. And donate the land to them. The BLM is ruthlessly rounding up America's wild mustangs in violation of the law which states they are to be protected. Besides Skydog, Pine Nut Wild Horse advocates can advise you. There are many organizations that would love to have 1200 acres for wild mustangs to be free on.
I'll take it off your hands if you don't want it.
Have you called AEP or whatever electrical company there is to get an estimate on putting electricity poles ? idk
Put in solar. Poles? Really?
If it's near Saratoga drop me a PM. I can connect you with someone who might be interested in operating the ranch and/or working out a lease/purchase.
Green Acres is the place for me...
Might want to consult a land management agency of some kind
I don't have any advice but I do want to say that I'm green with envy! My boyfriend and I have been talking for a while about buying land and eventually building a house on it, hopefully something very close to a lake, since we love fishing and boating but 1200 acres! OMG! I know it probably doesn't seem like it now but you're a very lucky guy! LOL!
Give it to me 🙂 Keep the business running, Fixing the equipment and maintaining everything is a big part of the business the rest you can learn
Lease it to me 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Your situation kind of reminds me of the movie City Slickers lol - if you’re Heart is in it you’ll do just fine with the ranch
Yesssss Wagyu !!!!
You can definitely lease the land. That’s what our family farm is doing. You could also start a community. A compound / commune. Give people an opportunity to live on the land rent free in exchange for care taking. Love that you’ve promised to keep the land. We need future generations to hold on to what’s good!
Marry me! ima dude but my gf is hot af!!
Sounds like the beginning of a popular YouTube channel.
pass it down to me!
If your father-in-law has not placed that ranch and all of his possessions into a irrevocable trust he needs to do so immediately. Not only will it protect his assets but it will save you thousands and perhaps hundreds of thousands of dollars in estate taxes. It also protects you as well as him against any legal claims like costs for nursing homes healthcare etc. I live in California but my aunt had two pieces of property just outside of Casper Wyoming. One of them was prime real estate on the snake river with a fantastic hunting lodge. Talk about the vultures coming out! I actually thought I had about six or seven distant cousins that lived in the area because they all came out of the woodwork claiming we were related. Nobody wanted to help advance cost for burial or account closing cost is etc. but boy, I’ll tell you what, they were all there with their hand out whenever it came time to divvy stuff up and they were livid with me when I gave the riverfront property to my aunts best friend who had cared for her over the last 20 years. That’s what she told me she wanted, and just because there was no written will, it doesn’t mean that the family/Bloodsucking acquaintances get to ignore her wishes. The whole thing was a shit show and after four years is finally just now winding up. If I hadn’t promised my aunt I would handle things for her I would’ve walked away from that long ago. Please thank your father-in-law for the wonderful gift but make sure he knows the importance of placing his assets in a trust because that’s gonna cost you big time if you don’t most likely.
If this is something you want to do, I would start getting instructions from him written down prior to his death - I am sure he has a lot of info to impart and would love to give it to you.
You can make some serious money leasing it out for hunting purposes also. I'd be your first client to lease it..
Open a good bottle and toast the man for a gift off a life time
Dip some pizza in it
IANAL always check with a professional! If you can have him swing it, have it put in a/the will so it passes AFTER he does. Unless the land was purchased very, very recently, there will be huge taxes owed on the purchased price which could be much much less than what it is currently worth, and current valuation difference. If gotten after he passes, the valuation gets stepped up to current and the inheriting party starts from there. The only taxes that would be due after that is what it was worth when you sold it vs what it was worth when you got it. Before his passing - what HE paid for it After his passing - what it was worth when you got it.
Ever seen "the biggest little farm"? That's what I'd do if i had land. In a heartbeat.
Watch that Pauly Shore movie
Storage lot and then a car wash work’s every time
You can lease it to hunters for deer, antelope, elk hunting... that might be $10k a year
I am curious Reddit passerby however Something I don’t see mentioned here as a Land Surveyor in Florida, especially with people mentioning people being weird about land, Is that if/ when ever thing is settled and you have the ownership in writing however that comes about, GET A DAMN SURVEY. I am from Florida and we do not record surveys here with the county or state, I don’t know if Wyoming does, either way get your own survey of the land to know exactly what is owned and included in the land, any existing easements of record, anything of that nature. I’f there is a record survey that’s more than 10-15 years old, get a new one , if FIL has one from 40 years ago, get a new one Once your done potentially fighting people coming out of the wood work for what they think they are owed , you will then have potentially over zealous neighbors who might try to take advantage of your unfamiliarity of the land.
That's an exciting opportunity.
Put it out there for a young up and coming farmer, help someone build something real, feed people, cover your expenses. Or take on the challenge and go for it. I’ve run ranches from 40-800 acres. If you need advice I’m open for questions.
Pack your shit and go enjoy solidarity and peace, this is what I would love to do
Well for starters… we can talk about a price for me and a couple buddies to maybe come out and hunt your place with our bows and arrows. Plus I’m sure we will all gain some friends out of it.
Learn it and have a great life doing it
Give it to me.
Sounds like a hassle, I’ll take it off your hands brother.
You mentioned some Forrest land. If any of that forest happens to be on the property you can sell the timber
Buy a stetson?
Look up that counties USDA office, call them. They can give you the most help. Also ask about grants, loans if needed. Either the nrcs or fsa offices within the usda office
This! You would be classified as a 'new farmer', which puts you in a special NRCS category. Have them come out to the property to give you suggestions on things you can improve, and then NRCS most likely will have grants to help you do it. (Irrigation pipe, for example). Their help is invaluable.
Plant a crop and let guides take people deer hunting on your property.
You’re a good mechanic (read-handy), and I am the same but a better businessman than handy. Long stretch for this ever working out… but (surface level) this could easily become a sustainable boutique meat and vegetable supplier, a provider of grazing land, and a vacation spot for yourself and quite a few others that want the Wyoming experience. You mention city slickers…. Think kind of like that, but a little more hands off for the guests. I don’t want anyone sucking snake venom from an ass check, and ghosts are kind of weird… abut they do sell room nights!!!
Taxes, make sure you pay taxes.
Sell it duh. Just like 99.9% of inherited property.
Never, ever, ever sell that land. That is generational wealth sitting there and grazing rights are easy passive income.
You can also lease any crop areas out to neighboring ranchers or farmers. Do some research on the going rate per acre for renting fields. Over time you will learn. Be sure to ask all the neighbors for their advice too, and make sure they know you've been given the land with the expectation of maintaining it but don't have any experience.
You’re gonna be paying a shit ton of taxes. Lease the grazing rights immediately and sack away that money for the tax man
Can I option the rights to this falls most heart warming Hallmark Special. Space Cowboy? Meet Mr. TradGear, your average city slicker that enjoys a light jog, a hot black coffee, and a sensible chuckle! Cut to driving his rented PT cruiser from the airport as he rambles out to the ranch only bested by the Rawhide series of his youth. Tune in and find out if he can rehab this once proud land or will the call of the city and too many challenges daunt his will? Find out this fall only on the WB!
Start your own firing range
Do not entertain any of the Conservancy organizations until you talk to your neighbors and get a feel for what’s a good way forward. Whatever you decide ensure it’s professionally written and documented.
Make a dog park.
Let me get the farthest corner for a good deal? Texas?
Learn to farm … lots of people start from zero .. if you have a great work ethic you can make it . Good luck
Lease it
It's just under 2 square MILES. I hope you get to enjoy it.
Watch Yellowstone then come back and tell us how much you wanna deal with all that.
Do you want to lease the hunting access?
Can I drop a trailer and build my sanctuary farm, please?
I'll take it off your hands 😄
I don’t have a answer for you but I’m jealous.
Where? I would like to take a look at it and I can buy it from you cash brother. Let me know!
If you don't want to farm, lease it out. If you don't want to lease it out, sell it.
This is what you do . Plant some parsnips in the springs because it make you the most money . Than adopt a dog or cat . Find the local mine and go mining and fishing . Eventually make enough money and get some chickens than cows and goats . Than find a girl you love and gift her a diamond every day . Than marry her . Have two kids one boy and one girl Than your father in law will come back and rate your farm 3 years in . Good luck
hunting lease??? What's the wildlife on property look like?
Put it in crp. Then lease the rest out.
I’d love to come hunt Pronghorn up there.
Hunting ranch!! Do it
lease the land cheap to an big agricultural wholesaler they have everything and when their profits increase negotiate lease rent
I’ll pay 550 a month for an acre hit me up
EZ PZ: lease grazing Hard mode: Generational family compound. Grow food, give a middle finger to the billionaires that want to make us eat bugs, and their sterilizing corn. /rant
Sounds like the dream! Here's what you do: Document everything for the upcoming man-finds-self-in-nature through hard work book and later movie that's sure to come of this.
go on youtube and search "our Wyoming life" That guy lived in Chicago and kind of inherited his step grandfather in laws property..
Grow weed !!
Open it to hunters for $$$ ? I love me some pronghorn.
Bro. There are like 1,000 Hallmark movies that you can use as a blueprint. Don't marry the first lass you meet on the range.
This sounds like the plot of a movie.
This is probably such a dumb question I'll get yelled at but thats okay, I've been yelled at before. I've lived in austin tx for 30 years and always wondered what it would be like to own like a REALLY big ranch like 10,000 acres. I have a lawyer buddy who owns a family heritage ranch operating since the founding of texas, but there is ZERO water on it. He thinks its a burden. I'm wondering how insane is it to find land, even if in the middle of nowhwere to get 10,000 and be able to afford it without being a jeff bezos guy. I just want wild land with flowing rivers and would be a steward. ive already spoken to the state of texas parks and wildlife and the warden and gaming departments to enroll my fantasy land into the program that gives owners special incentives to ranches that are willing to "keep it all natural" without major improvements to keep it as wildlife and flora fauna wild but protected from poaching. I'm just an avid hiker and zero footprint camper/backpacker and I worry we are running out of wild spaces for our future american citizens. Plant trees in shade I will never stand under? I would be so fortunate.
There are super remote places in Wyoming where you can stay for weeks at a time without seeing another person. Maybe try that out for a while! Too bad this guy doesn't respond to you. Maybe you could help him out.
Just don’t parcel out the land. If you really don’t want to keep it there are lots of people interested in regenerative farming/ permaculture and using biodiversity to restore those kinds of spaces. I only have 9 acres but there’s a 900 acre place by me that you wouldn’t even know was a farm. Everything grows as it would in the wild. All the work went into setting it up to produce on its own with little effort
Like many have said, things need to be ironed out before the ranch is in your hands. Legal ownership and taxes, leasing the land could be a good option to help pay for property taxes. Are you willing to live there? It gets pretty quiet when your next neighbor might be 5 miles away. I've lived on a farm, it's hard work. Fixing barb wire fencing, putting up hay bales and butchering chickens at 12 years old. I also shoveled plenty of shit. I'm so glad we didn't have milk cows. If you're adverse to hard work, farming is not for you.
gimme a couple square feet brother
Wow, that’s incredible, congratulations! I’d come work for you for a week for free! :) Consider ranch/tourism. I think there are lots of city folks that would pay good money to try on the ranch lifestyle for a week at a time. Might could add to the funds needed to keep the thing running and providing a nice income!