Some Felton Angus Ranch cattle graze contentedly on the hills above the Felton’s new ranch in Deer Lodge, Mont. 

DEER LODGE, Mont. – The Felton family has been synonymous with quality Black Angus genetics in Montana for 50 years. Reflecting back on his family history, third-generation rancher Jim Felton points out one of the reasons Felton Angus has made its mark today as a leader in Black Angus seedstock genetics is the fact the family is always looking for ways to push their operation to the next level.

“We’ve always tried to find ways to better ourselves and improve efficiency,” Jim said.

For the last several decades, Felton Angus has been a split operation with second-generation rancher Rich Felton residing on a ranch along the Tongue River outside of Ashland, Mont., while Jim has lived on the farm/ranch in Springdale, Mont. Running cattle in both places meant the Felton family was very familiar with I-90 and the long hours spent behind the wheel of a semi and cattle pot. 

Following COVID, land prices in Montana have been record-breaking. Noting that, the Felton family once again saw an opportunity to improve their operation. In one sweeping real estate deal, the Feltons sold their ranches in Springdale and Ashland in exchange for ranches in Wisdom and Deer Lodge.  

“The ranch in the Big Hole (Wisdom) can run a pile of cattle, and the farm in Deer Lodge is a great feed-producer that also comes with a pretty good-sized forest permit. It’s going to be a pretty efficient operation,” Jim explained.

The plan is to use the ranch at Deer Lodge as the home base. It already has a metal building that can easily be converted into a sale barn, and the corral system will only require a few modifications before it will fit the Felton’s needs.

The ranch outside of Wisdom will be used predominately for summer grazing. It sits at roughly 6,700 feet in elevation, making it a great climate for the Feltons to run their sale bulls in so they can collect pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) data.

“We just have never had the ground before to be able to do it, but we feel at 6,700 feet, that gives us enough altitude to gather good data,” he said.

Jim is looking forward to being able to provide his bull customers with one more data point. Having bulls with PAP data also has the potential to widen the Felton’s customer base.

Aside from the change in elevation, the country the Felton’s stock will be running in is similar to their previous terrain. Jim attests that tough, rugged country makes for good-footed, hardy bulls that are ready to step off the trailer and go to work for the commercial man. The Feltons have long prided themselves on breeding bulls for longevity and sustainability that can hold up in any landscape.

In fact, Jim is quick to point out that physical location is the only thing that is going to be different about Felton Angus Ranch.

“Nothing is really going to change. The type of cattle are going to be the same and the terrain is going to be the same. We’ve got some rough country here in the Deer Lodge Valley with some dry hills and rocky ground. During the summer, our cattle and bulls are going to be running out in the mountains and the forest,” he articulated.

Continuing, Jim said the same customer service and quality sale day experience can be expected, as well. Jim’s iconic longhorn, Spike, will be on display in the new sale barn, too. So truly, only the location of Felton Angus will differ.

Felton Angus Ranch is on track to have their 50th annual production sale in Deer Lodge the second week of February. They will offer over 200 head of two-year-old and 16-month-old bulls with a selection of bred heifers available, as well.

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Some Felton Angus Ranch cattle graze contentedly on the hills above the Felton’s new ranch in Deer Lodge, Mont. 

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