Cattle ranching is deeply rooted in the economic and cultural traditions of the American West as well as the history and daily life of the Gates Family Ranches.
Grazing cattle play an important role in these working landscapes, much as large herds of native grazers have for centuries. For us, ranching is both a way of life and an essential part of caring for the land, helping preserve open space, support healthy rangelands, and maintain habitat for wildlife.
Cattle graze across the Ranches, with Big Creek serving as the headquarters for our agricultural operations. A Bar A, State Line, Sheep Rock, and Bear Creek are all part of the larger ranching operation, each contributing to the care of the cattle and the land that supports them.
Big Creek Ranch was founded by J. Barney Hunter in 1879 and expanded steadily in the decades that followed. By 1900, it had joined with the neighboring Casteel Ranch and became well known throughout the region for its cattle, hay, and horses.
After changing hands several times, Big Creek was purchased by Charles and Hazel Gates in 1963. The Ranch has remained in the Gates family ever since, continuing a ranching tradition that began more than 145 years ago.
Today, Big Creek grazes approximately 2,500 cow-calf pairs and 2,000 feeder cattle, along with replacement heifers and bulls. The herd is primarily Black Angus and grazes across open rangeland using rotational grazing and traditional horseback herding. The Ranch produces Verified Natural and Non-Hormone Treated Cattle (NHTC) calves and also sells feeder steers and heifers.
Calving begins in late April, and calves remain with their mothers throughout the summer before being weaned in late fall. After weaning, they are moved to warmer areas for the winter, when temperatures at the Ranch can regularly fall well below zero. In most years, the calves return the following summer for another season of grazing before they are sold.
Hay production is another essential part of the cattle operation. Depending on weather and water conditions, the Ranch produces between 4,000 and 9,000 tons of hay each year. The hay is used to feed the breeding herd—primarily cows and bulls—that remains on the Ranch throughout the winter.
The Dunning family has managed Big Creek since 1976, when Charlie Dunning took the reins of the cattle operation. His son, Mark, succeeded him in 1996 and has managed Big Creek ever since, continuing his family’s decades-long stewardship of the Ranch.
Mark is also actively involved in the local community and serves on the board of the Grand Encampment Museum. https://gemuseum.com/
Big Creek works closely with the Conservation Stewardship program and other partners to align its grazing and agricultural practices with the broader conservation goals of the Gates Family Ranches. Through thoughtful management of cattle, rangelands, and water resources, the Ranch works to support a productive agricultural operation while protecting the health of the land and wildlife habitat for the long term.
A Bar A Expeditions offers an opportunity to experience the broader Gates Family Ranches firsthand, with custom adventures that explore the land, water, and working landscapes beyond A Bar A. Some A Bar A fishing excursions also take guests to private trout water on Big Creek and State Line.