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. 

A scenic view of rolling hills and valleys with patches of green fields and dense forests, under a partly cloudy sky.
Black and white photo of a vast open field with cattle grazing, trees on hills in the distance, and a few scattered small structures.
A metal sign with a diamond shape symbol hanging from a chain on a black metal frame, against a blurred outdoor winter landscape.
A person riding a white horse in a grassy field, surrounded by black cattle, with a hilly landscape in the background.
A panoramic view of a farm with a barn, a fenced area, and grazing cattle, set against a backdrop of trees and rolling hills in a misty landscape.
A scenic landscape of green fields with trees, rolling hills, and a mountain under a partly cloudy sky.
Farmers working with cattle on a sunny day, some wearing hats and casual clothes.
A black and white photo of a winter landscape with a herd of cattle being herded by two cowboys on horseback. The scene features snow-covered ground, leafless trees, and rocky terrain in the background.
A group of black cows feeding on hay in a farm setting, with wooden fencing and metal structures in the background.
A man in a plaid shirt sitting in the driver’s seat of a vintage vehicle, looking down with a slight smile, with another man standing outside looking at him; the vehicle’s dashboard and steering wheel are visible, and the photo is in black and white.
Green field with tall grass and two old wooden barns in the distance, under a clear blue sky.
Two older men wearing hats and casual shirts converse outdoors on a sunny day, with trees and a wooden fence in the background.
A rural landscape with a herd of cattle in a grassy field, a pickup truck on a dirt road, rolling hills with sparse trees, and a bright blue sky with scattered clouds.
Rural gravel road stretching into the distance with golden fields on both sides and scattered trees under a partly cloudy blue sky.
A person riding a white horse across a grassy field with tall grass in the background.

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. 

Winter calf, cattle, Kite Cattle Company, Kite Ranch, Roundup, Montana
Arial of cowboys at barn, Kite Ranch, Montana
Young calf lying on grass in a sunny outdoor setting.
kite Ranch, Kite Cattle Company, cowboys, Montana
Arial photo, cattle on Road, Roundup, Montana, Kite Cattle Company, Kite Ranch
Henry Bedford, Airplane
Clay Bedford, Dogs and 4 wheeler
Rowdy Burns, John Bedford, testing cattle
Black and white landscape photo of a cloudy sky with a barren, twisted tree in the foreground and a hillside covered with trees in the background.
Young person petting a black calf lying on dry grass, holding a straw hat.
Close-up of milkweed pods releasing fluffy seeds in a grassy field with cloudy sky in the background.
Wildflowers growing in dry, grassy terrain with purple petals and yellow centers.
Black cat sitting on a gravel path in a rural landscape with wooden fences, grassy fields, farm buildings, and hills in the background.
Two men wearing cowboy hats and casual Western clothing standing outdoors near a fire pit, with a fence and hills in the background.
Clay Bedford, Kite Cattle company
Hannah Bedford
Delphia, Montana, Grain Elevator
Kite Ranch, Cattle Company, Cows
Kite Ranch, cattle and horses, cowboys
Ian Bedford
John Bedford
Two men roasting marshmallows over an outdoor open fire pit on a farm, with a truck and open field in the background.
Elk, Bull Mountains, Kite Cattle Company, Roundup, MT
Woman in a plaid shirt and straw hat carrying a metal bucket labeled 'Igloo' across a dusty outdoor farm area with a person on horseback and hillside in the background.
Tipi Coulee, Bull Mountains, Kite Ranch, Montana
Henry Bedford
Henry and Kay Bedford
Kite Ranch Cattle Company Headquarters, Roundup, Montana, Bull Mountains

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.

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, and farm management. Polly Bedford and Sarah Bedford, live outside of Montana but are engaged in some aspects of the ranch businesses . 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.

  • An elderly man and woman standing outdoors, smiling at the camera. The man is wearing a white cowboy hat, a blue vest over a yellow checkered shirt, and beige pants, holding sunglasses in his left hand. The woman is wearing a gray sweater over a white collared shirt and blue pants. They are standing in front of a wooden fence with trees and open land in the background, on a sunny day.

    Henry & Kay Bedford

    FOUNDERS

  • A man wearing a wide-brimmed white hat, sunglasses, a plaid shirt, and a blue bandana around his neck, standing outdoors with trees in the background.

    CLAY BEDFORD

    PRESIDENT / ONSITE OPERATIONS

  • A man wearing a straw cowboy hat, sunglasses, and a blue plaid shirt, smiling and talking outdoors.

    JOHN BEDFORD

    FARM & RANCH MANAGEMENT

  • A woman smiling outdoors wearing a wide-brimmed straw hat and a puffy jacket, with a grassy field and hills in the background during sunset.

    POLLY BEDFORD

    DEVELOPMENT: ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS

  • A woman wearing a straw hat, sunglasses, a plaid shirt, and a tan jacket, standing next to a horse outdoors on a sunny day.

    SARAH BEDFORD

    HUNTING AND CREATIVE BRANDING

  • A woman wearing a large straw hat, sunglasses, and a green vest, is holding a small container while working outdoors beside a pickup truck with tools and supplies on its bed, on a grassy field under a partly cloudy sky.

    SHARON BEDFORD

    DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION & LANDSCAPE

THE RANCH TEAM

  • A man in a cowboy hat sitting on a tan horse in an outdoor riding arena, holding a tool, with a blue sky and scattered clouds in the background.

    Rowdy Burns

    Ragged Point Ranch Manager

  • A black baby calf standing on a grassy field with a shadow cast on the ground.

    Coming Soon

    Main Ranch: Seasonal

  • A black metal ornament hanging from a chain, with a blurry background of a tree and cloudy sky.

    Josh Prichard

    Farm Manager

  • A young black calf standing on a grassy field, facing away, with its tail slightly raised and ears perked up.

    Coming Soon

    Main Ranch - Seasonal

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. The landscapes hosts home to thousands of elk, white tale and mule deer, antelope, coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions and migrating / nesting grounds for sandhill cranes and a variety of seasonal birds.

A large elk with impressive antlers calling out in a natural, shrub-covered landscape with a secondary deer partially visible behind.
A group of elk grazing and resting in a clearing with trees in the background.
A herd of elk running across a snowy field with patches of exposed grass, divided by a wire fence.
A group of six deer standing in a snow-covered field with a forested hillside in the background.
Person wearing a yellow cap and red plaid shirt carrying a large animal horn over their shoulders walking through a grassy field with trees and cows in the distance.
Two deer standing in snowy field with dried grass, behind a rustic wooden fence covered with snow.
A majestic elk with large antlers standing in a snowy forest, partially obscured by green pine branches.
A majestic elk with large antlers standing in a grassy field surrounded by trees.
A herd of elk in a grassy meadow with a background of trees and fallen logs.
elk shed, horn

Elk hunting

Starting in 2026 we will be implementing new full time and onsite management for out archery, rifle season, due to increased pressure throughout the area.

Our state licensed outfitter: Dante Sylvester can be reached for pricing and availability (info coming soon). To join the hunting mailing list click: HERE.

Archery, Bull Elk hunts will be extremely limited and highly coveted, with weekly onsite accommodations in our historic 1880’s cabin.

Seasonal Elk, Antelope and Deer hunting is available through annual Montana State spring draw for the Bull Mountain 590 tags / 701 district . In-state and out of state please refer to the Montana Fish and Wildlife government guidelines .

employment & EDUCATION

We are looking for summer 2026 seasonal worker who is curious and a creative thinker.

Our general job requirements are listed below. For an in-depth listing, as well as housing and pay information, email us HERE and attach your resume. We’ll be in touch!

Required Skills & Qualifications
• Minimum of two years’ ranch experience with professional references
• Strong horsemanship skills; must be comfortable with long days on horseback
• Ability to rope cattle and handle livestock safely
• Ability to keep and care for personal horses used for ranch work (number determined case by case); must be able to shoe and maintain your own horses
• Valid driver’s license with a clean record and no DUI in the past five years; must be insurable
• Ability to operate, maintain, and repair ranch and farm equipment
• Basic automotive repair skills
• Ability to work in a team environment and also independently when needed
• Strong problem solving and critical thinking abilities
• Willingness and physical ability to perform strenuous work in various weather conditions

Preferred Qualifications
• Weed applicator’s license (additional pay available)
• Current private pilot’s license (additional pay available)

employment or educational inquiry

GIving back

We believe in giving back to the local community in creative ways. In 2025 we donated a life-size cast Triceratops and dinosaur bones, from the Judith Formation, to the Roundup Historical, Museum, which is a town highlight when open.

If you’re a college educator or student doing research related to the following: native grasses and noxious weeds, ornithology, pollinators, climate and water conservation, coal mining and aquifers and other environmental or historic interests, we’ll see if we can accommodate.

If you have an inquiry please drop us a line HERE