Kite Cattle Company
Located in the heart of the Bull Mountains an hour north of Billings, Montana, Kite Cattle Company is a third-generation, family-run cattle ranch that specializes in raising quality Wagyu and Angus cattle. Comprising two distinct ranches, the main ranch sits in the epicenter of a valley thirty miles east of Roundup, Montana. Its sister ranch, Ragged Point, expands where the prairie begins near Melstone, Montana.
OUR BRAND IS OUR LEGACY
The Kite Cattle brand has achieved success by negotiating an ever-changing landscape of nature, cows and commerce. We wear many hats — not just cowboy, because modern ranching is no longer a solitary, mythic lifestyle. The active preservation of our fragile ecosystem is about education, community and awareness on a global scale: monitoring weather, water supplies, native grasses, biology, technology and implementing new ideas. This takes a dedicated team of wranglers, mechanics, neighbors, friends, and family to get the job done.
OUR CATTLE
Currently we are one of the largest providers of Wagyu in partnership with Mishima Reserve. All Mishima Reserve cattle are at least 50% Wagyu and bred to full-blood Kuroge Washu bulls - crossed with our American bred Angus. For sixty years we have also worked with a wide range of cattle buyers, producers and sellers across the West, while still maintaining our grass roots, family run, cow-calf operation.
Our cattle are 100% grass fed cattle. What does this mean? It means our cattle are born and raised on the land where they wander freely… eating grass - lots of it. We pride ourselves on land stewardship, hard work and the health of our herd.
OUR Environment
We believe in holistic management. There is no ‘right’ way to run a ranch but there are many ways to raise cattle. It takes perseverance, flexibility – and luck. Our part of Montana is arid and at the mercy of extreme weather; drought, lightning fires, hailstorms, blizzards and sub-zero temperatures but it’s an inexplicable delight to see calves bursting forth like crocuses in spring.
In June, cows and calves are trailed into rotational grazing areas throughout the ranch, but spring and summer also requires intensive farming; planting of cover crops, irrigating, cutting, baling and stacking both irrigated and dry land hay. By fall, cows have been bred, yearlings sorted and calves are weaned. They are fat and happy when they settle in for the winter season.
THE FAMILY
By way of Texas, New Mexico and Canada, Henry and Kay Bedford found themselves in the Bull Mountains in 1959 buying a small ranch after Henry had served in the army and worked his teenage years on ranches near Calgary. With dedication, good timing and youthful energy they were able to turn a modest ranch into the large cattle operation it is today. They are actively engaged in the community and daily workings on the ranch while based in their early 1900’s yellow farmhouse surrounded by Kay’s beautiful gardens and log buildings. Nearby is the old Delphia School which is now the primary Kite Cattle Co. office.
Their son, Clay Bedford and his wife Sharon reside down the road beneath the iconic Chimney Butte which was an 1800’s stagecoach stop. They oversee Kite’s daily cattle operations, infrastructure and external business liaisons. John Bedford, manages government programs, local outreach, farm management as well as seasonal hunting activity. Polly Bedford and Sarah Bedford, live outside of Montana but are engaged in various ranch businesses - timelines, marketing and new projects. The next generation of Bedford’s are growing up, exploring college and new paths that might lead back to Fattig Creek Road… We have yet to see.
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Henry & Kay Bedford
FOUNDERS
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Clay bedford
KITE RANCH MANAGER / DAILY OPERATIONS
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JOHN BEDFORD
FARM, GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS AND SEASONAL HUNTING MANAGEMENT
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POLLY BEDFORD
MONTHLY TASK COORDINATOR AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT OUTREACH
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SARAH BEDFORD
ART RESIDENCY, BRAND AND MARKETING STRATEGY
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SHARON BEDFORD
CONSTRUCTION & LANDSCAPING MANAGER
THE RANCH TEAM
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Rowdy Burns
Ragged Point Ranch Manager
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Stephen Morales:
Main Ranch Assistant Manager
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Josh Prichard
Farm Associate Manager
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Ellie Morales
Main Ranch - Coordination Cattle and Horses
The Bull Mountains and the prairie beyond, are a host to unique wildlife habitat; herds of elk, deer, antelope and migrating birds traverse the mostly unpopulated landscape. Several years ago with great success we incorporated the Sage Grouse Initiative at Ragged Point in order to preserve their nesting grounds.
Wildlife
We manage all these “wild” animals alongside cattle, with sustainability practices in mind but every year presents new challenges. District 701, as it is known, has thousands of seasonal female cow elk and Trophy Bull Elk, many of which are prized for their size and antlers.
Elk hunting
We are one of the few large ranches in the area where the elk roam free. As one might guess, there are constant inquiries about hunting and “nonresident” lottery tags. To offset hunting management issues, taxes and insurance as well as yearly destruction of fences, haystacks and irrigated crops by elk, we lease our hunting to a select group of (up to) six out of state bow hunters who draw tags within our zone. This is accomplished through a formal bid application with strict guidelines. The Bull Elk are monitored yearly so the number of allotments might vary.
2023 HUNTING is currently booked.
Registration for out of state elk permits is in early spring and proposals are due by the end of June or after the draw. Please refer to the Montana Fish and Wildlife government guidelines .
Private lease bid inquiry or general information for Sept - Nov. 2024 please click HERE.
employment & EDUCATION
We always have projects going on - from restoring historic log houses to fencing, farming, welding, weed maintenance, and carpentry so we need qualified, energetic help who not only love the outdoors but are keen to learn. This is seasonal work May - August depending on the project. If interested, click the button below and please attach your resume.
Education is our future. We’re interested in reaching out to the next generation to ensure sustainable practices. If you have an environmental research project or idea related to water supplies, crop rotations, weeds, cattle, migratory birds, pollinators or paleontology then send us an email with the particulars. We’d be happy to discuss.
GIving back
We believe in giving back to the community. Yearly, Kite Ranch donates meat and two elk hunts to our Musselshell Valley volunteers. We’ll be broadening our outreach this year by working with the Roundup RSVP food pantry which provides lunches to fixed income individuals.
In 2023, we hope to work with a new program in Billings that offers childcare for single moms re-entering the workforce and families at risk. If you have an inquiry about something locally please drop us a line HERE and we’ll see if we can accommodate.