Ox Yoke Ranch named landowner of the year

The Ox Yoke Ranch near Beulah has been named as one of seven recipients of the Wyoming Game & Fish Department’s Landowners of the Year award for 2022. The award recognizes the ranch and its owners for providing recreational opportunities to the public.

The ranch has held a lease agreement with the Wyoming Game & Fish Commission since 1989 to allow unlimited access for public fishing on three miles of Sand Creek below the Sand Creek Wildlife Habitat Management Area. In exchange, the ranch has been granted cattle grazing rights during the month of December on the Game & Fish’s habitat management area.

“Thanks to the cooperation of the Ox Yoke Ranch and the Reinecke family, the Sand Creek WHMA has developed, grown and increased public recreation use,” states the announcement.

“This area has been a long-time favorite of residents and visitors who seek a quality and accessible recreation experience within minutes of the towns of Beulah, Sundance and Spearfish, South Dakota.”

Game & Fish has recognized landowners for almost 30 years for outstanding wildlife management, habitat improvement and conservation techniques, opening access to research and recreation on thousands of acres across Wyoming.

Award recipients are nominated by department employees and selected by regional leadership teams as model citizens for conservation, ethical use and stewardship of Wyoming’s natural resources.

Other landowners honored this year include the G-3 Land & Cattle Partnership of Platte County for its role in preserving the native hornyhead chub; the Hopkins Hamilton Ranch of Fremont County for important wildlife habitat that supports species including deer, sage grouse and pronghorn; the Mountain Springs Ranch of Sublette County for providing transitional habitat for migrating deer; the Fryberger Ranch of Sheridan County for providing hunting access and habitat; the Beaver Creek Ranch of Big Horn County for providing cover and forage to avian, big game and aquatic species; and the Kasey A LLC of Lincoln County for assisting with protection against aquatic invasive species and wildlife regulation compliance.