Dark Secrets From A Corrupt Ranch Owner

You Sacrifice The Good Things

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Forget about your new pickup truck, forget about any expensive hobbies like Golf or Exploring everything you spend is for the ranch and only the ranch. You might need a new truck but you'd be better off avoiding it, that's only going to ruin you!

Get Used To Using Second-Hand Items

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You'll come to learn that you're gonna have to learn how to fix broken items; this will save you money in the long run. Find someone to help you, learn online, if you don't want to bankrupt yourself then you'll need to make sure you've got a good understanding of the equipment you own.

Use Your Cattle For Profit

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Some people like to get too attached to their animals, particularly their cattle. Come on, they are a little cute! But, the animals looking cute is not the highlight of the job, you're looking for profit and on occasion there will be an upturn in the cattle market that you can't avoid.

You're Not Going On Holiday

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Like I said before, you don't have the opportunity to use your money for enjoyment purposes, this means no summer getaways to the east coast, no winter ski trips, you gotta stay at home until you've made the big money. The ranch always comes first!

Find A Partner To Stay By Your Side

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As a Ranch owner, you are going to want to find yourself someone who is going to stick by you during your work and also being able to assist you on a number of tasks. Stereotypically, a ranch wife just cooks and cleans, but a partner will not only be able to assist you on the job but also off it.

Get Yourself Some Friends

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You won't be surprised to know that the ranching community is tight, and you're more likely to get somewhere by being a supporting member of the group in place of separating yourself from the others. These friends might be the difference in keeping your ranch going.

Use A Good Banker

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There is gonna be times when you might be late on a loan payment or you're slightly short. A regular banker might take legal action or further serious problems, however, if you get yourself a banker who understands agriculture you'll be in much better hands.

Accept Criticism (Or Advice)

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You're never going to be able to do everything right, you'll also be able to do things very well! It's good to get the opinion of others, they might be able to let you know what you're doing wrong, or if you're doing something right they've never seen before then you'll get that dopamine rush.

Always Be Open-Minded

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As with the last point, other people will be able to let you know when you're doing something wrong, and they'll also be able to show you new ways to do things. You just have to be able to look at these new techniques with an open mind, it might make your job just that little bit easier.

Get To Know Others In The Industry

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You're starting to get the hang of it, the more contacts you have, the easier this job will be for you to complete. Everyone involved in the industry will be able to assist you. We're talking managers of companies here, they might be able to give you some good deals on equipment.

Work With The Older Generation

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The older generation in the Ranch Industry will have been around for decades and learned every trade in the book. Although some of their work could be outdated, they will also know little tips and tricks that will only be their to make your job easier. They might even be able to lend you some equipment to try out.

Join The Associations

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Always attend conferences and conventions in and around your local area, this is the perfect way to find the contacts we've been talking about! There's no harm in getting your own stall at these conventions, you'll raise peoples interest in your ranch and you might even be able to secure yourself some freebies!

Understand The Dangers Of Ranching

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Ranch workers around the world will know there's a huge array of issues that can lead to damage around your place! This includes forest fires and wildlife attacks. Make sure you ensure that the ranch is as fireproof as you can make it and as secure as possible to avoid attacks.

Set Your Priorities

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Have a schedule prepared so that each task, even those you find boring and don't want to do will be done. Even if they seem unimportant the smallest of tasks can make the biggest of differences to the efficiency of your ranch. You have workers, if you really don't want to do the job then make them!

Ensure The Small Details Are Top Quality

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If the smallest things are fixed/work to their best potential then you may be able to save a whole load of cash (or make you extra!). Some aspects of ranching could have a snowball effect, one example being additional work on managing your pastures maybe leading to massive increase in the yields of your work!

Your Livestock Is Your Income

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Take care of your livestock and your land and it will take care of you! Make sure you know everything you can about your herd, study all the information and invest in the best bloodlines that you can and make sure they have as much room as they need to roam your ranch!

Don't Overbear Your Ranch

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The smallest mistake could lead to massive financial or personal problems on your ranch. If you oversize your herd so that the ratio of herd to ranch is to high it will never work out! If the farmland is overgrazed it could be ruined and you'll be right back to square one!

You Don't Need Your Phones

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Most of the places you'll be ranching or working around your ranch won't have a high amount of signal available to you. Either way, with all the hard work that you'll be doing you won't have time to scroll your socials or watch TikTok's. Put that phone away and get back to work.

You'll Have To Get Used To Those Early Hours

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We all hate them early mornings, and on a ranch they tend to only get worse and worse. You'll be getting up before the crack of dawn getting ready for your cattle drives (some last all day!) or you'll be getting a number of other tasks done. Don't forget, you don't sleep until your daily tasks are done!

You're Gonna Consume A Lot Of Meat

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All that work you'll be doing will really get your hunger levels up, your appetite will be through the roof! And what else would you be getting through on the ranch other than plateful after plateful of meat, there's plenty to go around. The best part is, you'll be doing so much work you'll probably not put any weight on!

Dress In Dirty Clothes

     

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To work at the ranch, you've got to look like you belong on the ranch! Get your blue jeans on, get your cowboy hat and get your cowboy boots on (maybe even a lasso!). You won't have time to clean your clothes all the time so you may have to put yesterdays dirty sweaty outfit back on, ew!

Watch Out For Intruders

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It isn't just wildlife you need to watch out for on the ranch, there will always be those certain types of people out there who just want to steal your equipment or livestock and ruin your income pathway! You may have to defend your ranch from these goons!

Learn To Create Physical Barriers

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You've got to keep intruders away, human or not! Now a fence is what you're thinking but we need to be more thoughtful than that! I'm talking thorny hedges and using heavy old equipment like tractors in places that are susceptible to people walking in! If the gap for them to get in is small they won't be getting much out!

Always Have A Backup Generator

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Unfortunately, a power outage is a common occurrence in rural areas and so ranches are always struggling with power problems. You must have a reliable backup generator, especially in areas where big storms, hurricanes and tornadoes are common. Every hour without power can be an hour without money!

Have A Firearm Available

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We aren't all gun enthusiasts but, on a ranch, they are almost a necessity. This isn't just for your own personal safety but also for that of your workers and your livestock. If you do choose to keep a firearm then you must ensure that you put the time and effort in to receiving proper training to use it safely.

Get A Good Guard Dog

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Some people like to have an aggressive looing but well trained attack or guard dog to frighten any intruders. But this isn't necessary, any well-trained dog will be able to bark and alert you to dangers, whether they be human or another form of wildlife looking to enter your premises.

Have A Backup Communication Device

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Like mentioned before, you don't always have signal on the ranch. However, communication is important, especially in a workplace like this; unfortunately ranches are often huge areas of land meaning face to face contact is not always a possibility. Invest in some walkie-talkies or something similar to avoid people getting lost or needing help.

Understand Basic Medical Help

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A ranch is unsurprisingly a workplace where injuries can occur quite regularly. Make sure yourself and your workers are all clued up on how to perform basic first aid as well as life saving skills like CPR. This could be the difference between life and death as it can take a long time for paramedics to arrive at these rural properties.

Keep Faulty Equipment Away From The Workplace

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You need to ensure that the possibility of injury is as unlikely as possible, therefore all equipment needs to be regularly checked in order to not put yourself of your workers at risk. This goes for all equipment including hammers and ladders as well as vehicles like the tractors.

Keep Detailed Records Of Sales

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You must always keep a record of your sales, you don't want to be part of any scams which end up leaving you and your ranch out of pocket! By keeping records you will always be able to prove yourself in any legal situations you may end up finding yourself in! Don't take anything lightly!

What Do You Need To Know Before Buying A Ranch? It's Going To Be Different Than Buying Any Other Sort Of Property

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When you're dealing with a ranch purchase, there are going to be many different rules, laws and regulations that are going to be different than buying other real estate, like a house. And it all depends on the state you're wanting to buy your ranch in, too, as particularly Western states can be complex.

Location Is So Important

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They always say location is important with property buying, and a ranch is no different! You have to think about what you're going to want to accomplish or grow with your land, because it's not just about which region you want to buy in - it's about the elevation of the land and what's around, too, like trees or water.

And The Location Is Going To Impact Income

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Of course, when you're looking to buy a ranch, you're looking to earn an income - and the location is going to affect that. Land in certain places will be able to grow things for longer. Ranches in the mountains can have amazing views, but have a much shorter growing potential that's going to affect crops.

Don't Assume Access Is Possible

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So when you're buying a house or flat, you're never going to question that you'll actually be able to access the property - it's just a given! You can walk through your own garden, or through your own front door. With a ranch, it's different - access to your land might end up proving difficult.

Your Access Might Cross Someone Else's Land

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This is very important to know, and to check, before you purchase a ranch, because you might think it's an easy dirt road or any other track to your property, but if you have to cross a neighbor's land to get to yours, other legal issues can arise, including who is supposed to maintain the track!

Or It Might Be Blocked Certain Times Of The Year

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Another thing to think of is how the changing weather - or anything else environmental - can affect the access you think you have to your ranch. If you buy in summer, and have access in summer, everything may seem fine - but would something like snow completely block off any roads or tracks?

You'll Need A Clean Title

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When you're planning on buying a new ranch, it's important to get a clean property title commitment, to make sure you then know all about any warranties, liens or deed information. For stuff like this, it's best to get proper legal advice for what different titles mean.

And Check If There Are Any Property Restrictions

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When you're planning your dream ranch, you might be thinking about updates and renovations for things you're planning to do - but you shouldn't take that as granted, because there might be restrictions on the property which mean you can't do what you want to do!

Checking Your Water Resources Is One Of The Most Important Things To Do

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Water is so important for ranch operations! This includes for the actual operation, or your everyday recreational use - your livelihood is going to depend on it. You'll need to know your water rights before committing to buying a piece of land, so you can make sure you're going to have that all-important resource.

And You're Not Legally Allowed To Just Use Any Old Water You See

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When you're browsing land and property, you might think if there's a river, lake or stream nearby to where you want it, that it's fine - you've got a water source in the bag. But legally, that doesn't mean you're allowed to use it - even if livestock are just taking a drink from it!

Check If Water Is Being Taken From Your Land To Other Properties, Too

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It could even be a case that neighbors of your land have been using a water source that is now placed on land you're hoping to buy, and transporting it to their land - like through a ditch. This means they probably have the right to do this, and would then have the right to have access to your land after you buy it, for the water. So be sure to check that, too!

Water Rights Can Actually Be Sold Separately

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When you buy a piece of land for your ranch, it's unfortunately not as straightforward as 'you own anything on that land', including water. Water can actually be sold or leased separately to the land, so you may even need to buy water rights alongside the property purchase!

What About Mineral Rights?

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Mineral rights can actually be something else sold separately to your ranch purchase, just like water. It might be that you own the ranch on the surface of the earth, but not the minerals buried beneath! It's a good idea to always get the minerals included in the purchase if you can.

You Can Order A Mineral Report

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Ordering a mineral report to be done on the land can be one of the best ways to check before you buy a property. There's a chance some minerals may be owned by the government, or maybe even still owned by the previous owners of the property. A mineral report will tell you everything you need to know!

You Could Be Paid For Helping The Environment Or Wildlife

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If you're looking to bump up the income of your ranch, too, it's possible that you could earn money by contributing to the upkeep of the surrounding land and wildlife, if this is included with your ranch's location, or if there is nearby initiatives. It's always worth checking for conservation efforts!

It Could Also Help Your Finances To Get Involved With Conservation Easements

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There are things in place where ranch owners can restrict certain things happening on their land in order to conserve the environment, or a similar cause. If you get involved in a conservation easement, it may actually help with tax breaks, credits, added value and even more affordable farming.

You'll Need To Look Into Your Hunting License

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If you're purchasing a ranch for recreational use, like hunting and fishing, then you'll also need to check the required hunting permits, which will differ from state to state. Some ranches are sold with landowner tags for hunting certain types of animal, which can also add value to the ranch.

You Don't Need To Own Cattle To Earn Money From Grazing

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A lot of ranch owners buy the land with the idea of raising a cattle farm, and keeping their own cattle to graze. But if you have the land, you could actually earn money from renting out your grazing space to other cattle owners, to keep their cattle there, without you actually having to own any.

Adjoining Public Land

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When you buy a ranch, you can also buy a permit to use public land for grazing. It's therefore a good idea to see if there is any adjoining public land to where you're planning on purchasing the ranch property. These leases are usually affordable, and it could benefit your overall costs if you're keeping cattle.

You Might Need To Make A Quick Decision On Using The Ranch In The Same Way

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If you're buying a ranch from a previous owner who already used the working ranch for something like crop growing or livestock, then you'll also need to decide whether to keep that going, and you may even be considering buying the livestock in with the price. It's something to consider!