Bears And Government Handicap To
Cattle Raising On Kodiak Island
The cattle industry on Kodiak
Island has had its ups and downs
perhaps more than any other in
dustry' on the Island, save fishing.
The superior quality of the beef
raised here has long been recog
nized. The texture and taste, influ
enced by the bountiful wild grass
and quality of the natural feed,
has induced considerable effort in
the passing years to be expended
in establishing of large grazing
areas.
What has been the greatest de
terrent to Kodiak becoming a huge
producer of beef? In 1952, the edi
tor of a monthly periodical called
the “Matanuska Valley Record”
s id of Kodiak it “may yet develop
into a great livestock empire simi
lar to that of 50 years ago in the
area from Texas to Montana.” Be
sides other reasons, two are ap
parent: The continued onslaught
over the years of destruction of
cattle by bears; and secondly, the
cost in producing beef.
Cost is high, first, because op
erating a ranch doesn’t come cheap
.— supplies, equipment, building
material, etc., are cost factors that
have to be reckoned with.
The American habit of selection
of beef of a choice or prime nature
precludes beef being raised on the
range and then brought to market
without first being corral-fed and
“fattened” to suit the taste. Cost
of such feed is prohibitive, ranch
ers say.
Instances of bear, who apparent
ly have no similar standards, tak
ing beef on the hoof can be re
counted ever since enterprising
ranchers first established ranches
on Kodiak Island.
One such rancher, Bryan Thor
Sheim, who had a number of cattle
at Outlet Cape, reported in April
1941, he lost seven cows and foui
calves in one week. He had to
eventually discontinue the opera
tion because of the bears. Another
rancher was quoted as saying he
lost one-hundred^and-ten head be
fore he quit counting. Tom Felton,
who has a ranch out at Middle
Bay stated he had lost 150 head to
bear since 1936. All the others state
the bear is their biggest problem.
All have lost cattle directly attrib
uted to bear
Ron Hurst, rancher at Saltery
Gove, says the actual loss by bear
is not so much, but it is the time
spent in hunting them, as well as
herding the cattle, that takes the
time that should be spent on othei
much needed jobs. DeWitt Fields
who has about a hundred eaiue at
Larsen’s Bay, says much the same
thing. “Cattle ranching in a bear
infested land is not easy,” he says.
“There has not been a year in
which I have not lost caittle to the
bears.” He said the bears are on
the kill right now. “I have two
freshly killed carcasses on the
ground, and several more cattle
missing. It took the bears only two
nights to eat up what it took me
three years to raise.”
Largest cattle rancher on me
island is Lewis (Joe) Beaty. His
ranch is at Narrow Cape, where
there are 450 head. He specializes
in the Hereford breed.
The next biggest is Joe Zentner’s
Bar Z ranch, where he has about
340 head. Most of these are Aber
deen Angus and Galloways. He
says, too, that the bear has been
the biggest problem.
Tom J. Felton, well-known
rancher in these parts, started
ranching here in 1932. He started
with four cows bought at the Kal
s:n Bay Experimental Station, and
now has a herd of about 200.
mostly Angus. Originally from
Havre, Mont. Tom now has a fine
ranch at Middle Bay. Asked about
hardships endured by the rancher
in this part of the country, his
cryptic reply was: “There’s noth
ing rosy about the cow business
in this country.”
Ronald Hurst’s ranch, situated
on Ugak Bay, started with 25 head
in Nov., 1955. This herd has since
MOUTH-WATERING BEEF
such as the above come off the
ranches here every year come
slaughtering time. Some ranch
er’s grainfeed, but most of the
cattle fatten on the natural food
of the range. Photo by Ameigh.
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grown to 135 head. He is specializ
ing in the Scotch Highland breed,
getting his prime stock from the
R and F Ranch at Chalhalis, Wash.
They’re a breed with particularly
long hair which sheds the rain. His
ranch is called the Ron River
Ranch.
“What is the best for our new
land?” Ron asks. “A trophy on the
wall that is soon forgotten — or
homes and a way of life for men,
women and children. There is a
time and place for all things but
the time for bear to occupy the
choice stock country is out of keep
ing with a land that has 75 per cent
or more of the country as his home
and where only 15 per cent or less
will ever be used for livestock.”
A close neighbor of Hurst is
Grace Hightower. She and her hus
band had a ranch in the vicinity,
concentrating mainly on sheep.
Her husband Bob was killed when
the mountainside slid down com
pletely destroying their home some
years ago. Grace has since operated
alone, and but recently sold her
sheep stock to Ron Hurst moving
to town for the winter.
There are other ranchers in or
near the Island. Joe Zentner sold
05 head of cows with calves to Ira
Rothwell last July. Rothwell also
bought 10 head from Tom Felton
and 6 from Dave Henley. He moved
them on to Sitkalidak Island as a
nucleus for a ranch there. Henley
has a herd of cattle near Kalsin
Bay, but it is not known how many.
Well-known in these parts is
Jack McCord, who at one time had
a fine ranch on the same island,
lie carried on a flourishing busi
ness in the 1940-1941 era, particu-.
larly, selling most of his beef lo
cally, and on the mainland.
Another rancher who has no
cattle now, is Daniel Boone Reed,
who is located on the west side of
Uganik Bay. He started in 1955,
and in 1957 he had ten head, half
Herefords and half Angus. He suf
fered a high percentage of loss by
bear with eight of them by this
route. He does not have any cattle
at present, and states: “Animals
are now limited to sheep and goats,
milk goats, Angora goats and Don
keys.” (Ed. note: The latter is not
a missprint.)
.Cattle are raised on nearby Woody
island, where Darrell Chaffin, man
ager of the FAA station there
raises some fine beef cattle, and
the herd of the Kodiak Baptist Mis
ion graze. The lush growth there
(Continued on Page 9)
A PORTION OF NARROW CAPE, grazing land for the largest herd of cattle on the island.
Photo by courtesy of Joe ueaiy.
_ —r'
SCOTCH HIGHLAND
Adapts particularly well to Kodiak’s climate.
»
“R & F Ranch now has a fine selection of Bulls and
Heifers for sale. The animals are from the best stock ob
tainable.
R & F Ranch has won both Grand Champion and Re
serve Champion during the 1961 stock shows.”
Write c/o The Kodiak Mirror or direct to R & F Ranch,
P. O. Box 565, Chehalis, Washington.