Old Ranch Will
Be Activated
DeWitt Fields, enterprising
rancher at Larsen’s Bay, is a man
of many callings and accomplish
ments. These include ranching,
shoe repair, landlord and city coun
cilman.
Called the D. W. D. Ranch, it is
located in an area said by many
to be one of the most beautiful
around Kodiak. It is reached by
following the Ski Chalet road going
beyond the chalet another five
miles or more. He purchased it in
1957 from Jake Foley. The land
encompasses Anton Larsen Bay, ex
tends to Otmo'oi Point and Shera
tin Bay on the Northwest, and area
of 32,000 acres.
The following year Fields pur
CATTLE AT PASAGSHAK. Photo courtesy of Ron Hurst .
A FEW OF RON HURST'S SCOTCH HIGHLANDERS
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chased the cattle of Loran Whit- !
tington and placed them on the f
ranch. These cattle were moved l
off Near Island with a small barge I
powered by a lOfi.p. kicker, which
was no small chore.
Last year Fields bought a small
herd of cattle on Seven-Mile Beach
at the head of Uyak Bay, and in- >
eluding Bear Island. These cattle ;
have been there over 50 years. !
They have foraged for themselves, j
Fields says they are a hardy breed,
brought there many years ago. At
one time, he said, they belonged
to Russian Dick who broke in two
oxen to work as a team, to haul
hay, and do other work on the
ranch.
“I now have in my possession
the oxen yoke and harness, and all
the wooden implements that were
used on this ranch. There is a lot of
evidence of ingenuity demonstrated
on this ranch, for his furniture and
all his tools were made out of alder
over 50 years ago.”
When the ranch is stocked,
Fields said, he plans to move on to
it, and build a home, and devote his
full time to its operation. He says
Kodiak has a great potential for
cattle ranching. The climate is con
ducive to cattle ranching, and “we
are free of many of the diseases
that are common in the States. The
cattle live to a ripe old age, pro- "
vided the bears don’t get them.”
Cattle Raising
(Continued from Page 8)
is ideal for raising cattle, Chaffin
,fates. And no bear.
You can raise the finest beef, but
where is the market? This is the
n*s so far have been able to dispose
if their beef mainly on the local
market, but have also been ship
ping much of it to Anchorage,
where it seems to enjoy popularity.
We mentioned previously some
of the difficulties of ranching here.
One we purposely kept to the last
—our present land laws.
In Feb., 1940, all public lands on
Kodiak and the adjacent islands
were withdrawn for purposes of
classification by Executive Order
No. 8344. Later, under Executive
Order No. 8857, a strip one mile
wide along the shore line was re
stored for entry; but this is on the
south and west side of the Island
and has no effect on the fine graz
ing land around the City. The same
order created a vast wild live ref
all-important question. The ranch
uge covering almost seven-eights
of the Island.
Ranchers today are bitter about
this order. It stifles the industry,
limiting them in their operations.
The ranchers are given grazing
leases, but are unable to gain pat
ents to the land occupied.
Another factor, too, that adds to
the cattle raisers woe is the high
cost of transportation of breeding
stock. This runs well over one
hundred dollars a head. Is it any
wonder Tom Felton opined: “Noth- ,
ing vary rosy about the cow busi
ness in this country?”
Kodiak-Aleutian
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SCENE ABOVE AND BELOW ARE ON
TOM FELTON’S RANCH
.«**»«» mm
JOE BEATY AND HIS HELPERS are seen readying a carcass
for market, following slaughtering. The past few weeks have seen
most of the ranchers busy at this chore. Photo by Ameigh.
/4 fa1'*
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