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Wyoming Livestock Roundup
Pathfinder Ranch
Stevenson family continues running cattle south of Casper “We’ve been here for 40 years – starting on 41,� says Haney Stevenson, manager of Pathfinder Cattle Company. “It’s a long time, but it doesn’t seem like that long most years.� He adds, “We’ve been really fortunate to do what we’ve done, especially in the last nine years.� Coming to Pathfinder Stevenson and his family first moved to Wyoming in 1977, when he dad bought the ranch, along with the neighboring Buzzard Ranch. “Ruth and I moved in here, and I helped my dad run the place,� Stevenson says. “We also had another place on the Laramie Plains at the time.� They owned the ranch for 10 years before losing it, but
Stevenson continued to run the place for the insurance company. “Then, in 1979, John Berra, Sr. bought it, and I ran Pathfinder Ranch for him for 19 years,� he says. “Then, nine years ago, a new outfit bought it, and we started leasing the ranch from them. We’re still leasing it from them today.� As they move through time, Stevenson says they are fortunate to still be on the place. “There’s been a number of times that we might have been forced to move,� he says, “but when it looked like we might have to leave, things ended up so we could stay. We’re just blessed to be here.� Today, Stevenson runs
History of the Ranch Pathfinder Ranch has a rich history in Wyoming, starting in the 1880s when AJ Bothwell, founder of the ranch, settled in the Wyoming Territory. After Bothwell, Steward Sanford wanted to set up a ranch in Wyoming with his four sons, so they moved to the Buzzard Ranch, which sits adjacent to Pathfinder Ranch, in the spring of 1916. Buzzard Ranch was in negotiations with another buyer at the time, and on their trip home, harsh weather meant the Sanford’s stayed at Bothwell Ranch for the night. In June 1916, the Sanfords purchased the operation, living there until 1941, when Gordon and Ethel Sanford sold their shares to brother Archie Sanford and his wife Lillian. Archie and Lillian continued to ranch with their family until Artic Investment Group purchased the operation in 1973. Then, in 1977, Jim Stevenson purchased the ranch from the investment group, also acquiring the Buzzard Ranch at the same time. The ranch wasn’t called Pathfinder Ranch until the 1980s, when it came under the ownership of John Berra, Sr. of St. Louis, MO. Berra purchased Pathfinder Ranch in 1989, keeping Haney Stevenson, Jim’s son, on as ranch manager. In 2008, Jeff Meyer and business partners purchased the operation from Berra’s family, and today, he owns the ranch solely. Haney Stevenson still oversees ranching operations today, leasing the land from Meyer.
cattle in a partnership with his son, daughter and their spouses. His son Tyler, wife Mandy and daughter Dee Burgess and her husband Keith are all involved, as is Stevenson’s wife Ruth. Daughter Jeana Allmaras and her husband Matt are also involved. “We’ve got six hired men besides that and three different headquarters,� Stevenson says. “All total, we run 310,000 leased acres. It’s also 50 miles north to south, and it keeps us hopping.� Cattle operation Stevenson runs cow/calf pairs on Pathfinder Ranch today. “We’re mostly Angusbased,� he says. “We also lease the Dumbell Ranch, and five years ago when we got that lease, we bought the cows on the ranch, too. There were some Herefords in that bunch, so we have a few Hereford cows, as well.� They begin calving the beginning of April, and
branding occurs in May and June. “We brand the old-fashioned way, roping and dragging them to the fire with a pretty small crew,� Stevenson says. The calves are run on grass throughout the summer until weaning at the first part of October. “We sell most of the calves right off the cows,� he explains. “Sometimes we keep the smaller end and feed them, selling after the first of the year.� “Selling after the first of the year is more flexible for us,� Stevenson says. In the winter, they are able to run cattle until early January without much feed. “We don’t feed much hay out here,� Stevenson adds. “We do supplement our cows with distiller’s grain mixed with salt as an inhibitor.� The supplement works well, as long as they have adequate water, so they don’t get water belly. “The distiller’s grain has 25 percent protein and a lot of fat, so we get plenty of energy,� he says. The strategy provides some flexibility for income
tax and grass purposes. Quality cows Rather than keeping replacement heifers, they purchase all their replacements. “We’re looking for a good, heavy-boned Angus cow bred to a crossbred bull,� he describes. “We run SalersAngus cross bulls on all our cows.� “The Salers throws a little more stretch in the calves, and the bulls are active, good breeders,� Stevenson explains. Because the ranch sits between 5,800 and 10,000 feet elevation, they also look for replacement cows and bulls that come from higher altitudes. “We can have problems with high altitude sickness if we don’t watch where we get the cows from,� he says. The challenges of ranching With his passion in the ranching industry, Stevenson says operating a large ranch isn’t without its challenges. To start off, they run on deeded, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and state land. “Our ranch sits in three different BLM districts,� he comments. “That can be
interesting.� At the same time, winter can be difficult, though the wind doesn’t blow as hard on the ranch as it does in Casper. “The Buzzard Ranch gets the wind,� Stevenson says, “but here on Pathfinder Ranch, when it gets cold, it doesn’t blow, which is nice.� Love for ranching As he continues into the future, Stevenson says ranching is in his blood, and he can’t imagine a different life. “Ranching is in my blood. I was born into it,� he says. “My dad had cattle ever since I was a little kid, and I didn’t know there was anything else. I didn’t ever want to do anything else.� With the continued challenges of the ranch, Stevenson says he will continue to work hard and make a living in ranching. “Ranching life isn’t all roses, but we have to keep coming back,� Stevenson continued. “This is a good opportunity for my family and I, and we’re fortunate to be here.� Saige Albert is managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup and can be reached at saige@wylr.net.
Pathfinder Ranch - The distinctive ranch gate that opens up to the headquarters of Pathfinder Ranch can be seen prominently from Highway 220 near Pathfinder Reservoir. The ranch, which has been around since the 1800s, is home to the Stevenson Family and their Black Angus cattle. Saige Albert photo
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