Originally from central Oregon, our family moved north to Enterprise in 1958. What began as a dry-land grain farm and cattle ranch run by grandpa Bud Stangel eventually grew into a multi-pronged partnership between his sons Bob, Joe, and Dick—involving the dry-land grain, cattle, and a heavy equipment and machine shop on the edge of town. Bob took primary responsibility for the ranch—and by 1979, we’d begun our transition from cattle to bison. Since 1987, bison have been our sole focus.

Keeping with the family’s enterprising spirit—note: Grandpa Bud also flew local movie star Walter Brennan around and scouted for wildfires through his private aviation company when he wasn’t in the mechanic shop—Bob’s daughters Theresa and Marta returned home after college to build new potential within the family tradition. Today, they play major roles around the ranch, continuing the agricultural way of life for another generation.

The land where our bison live is also where we live, on hillsides and slopes in view of Ruby Peak and the Eagle Cap Wilderness. And we treat it that way: Our ranching values prioritize land and animal health at every turn. As humble stewards of land once occupied by the Nez Perce tribe, we seek to acknowledge history’s wrongs and work to help restore the viability of bison in this beautiful place.