North Dakota State University
NDSU Extension Service
Farm and Ranch Recreation Resource Directory
Updated February 2009
Harry & Maureen Olson
11580 6th St NW
Killdeer, ND 58640 Phone: 701-764-6911
E-mail: lolson@ndsupernet.com
website: www.naardcreek.com
Harry and Maureen Olson enlisted the help of their family in expanding
their cattle ranch into a guest ranch also. In 1997, their son Kirk put the
business plan together, and then in May of 1999, they decided to put the
plan into action.
They wanted to share the beauty, but they also wanted to share the rich history
of their ranch, which was the original Olson Family homestead.
Naard Creek Ranch opened for business September of 1999. The ranch has something
for everyone giving guests the option to design their vacation package tailored
to their interests.
Naard Creek Ranch's beautiful badlands are a site to behold - not only the
actual geological beauty but also the abundance of wildlife. For this reason
the Olson family talked for years about trying to find a way to share this
beauty. The first thoughts were to make it into a hunting service, but this
restricted our projected guest lists. We wanted to share our badlands with
everyone during all seasons of the year.
Cannonball Company
PO Box 163
Regent, ND 58650; Phone: 701-563-4411
Website: www.cannonballcompany.com
Cannonball Company would be classified by many as a fee hunting company.
I prefer that we look at it as a service agency. The clientele that we have
had from 28 different states don't want to worry about where they are going
to stay, where they are going to hunt or about getting lost. They demand
the same from us that they would from a travel agent - to see that their
hunting experience is all planned and without incident.
Any farmer, who has wildlife, whether it is deer, grouse, ducks, pheasants, prairie dogs, etc., has a resource that, if well planned, is marketable. If you have a home with extra rooms and enjoy meeting people from all over, the costs involved in becoming licensed by the State as a bed and breakfast provider, are minimal with financial gains.
If you have hunting knowledge, no game and fish violations, enjoy being out of doors, and a pleasant personality, guiding is a fun and enjoyable way to earn money. The only other costs involved, other than the $100 for the license, would probably be for appropriate and professional clothing.
Every aspect of Cannonball Company can be applied as an avenue by which a farmer may increase his revenue. When we started the motto was, "Start small, think big, stay solvent". We have met our goals and will continue to prosper.
Cannonball Company was organized in 1991 by a number of local farmers and individuals concerned about the survival of the family farm and small towns. The initial money was minimal for advertising and donated by a couple individuals.
Cannonball Company is a for-profit corporation consisting of landowners, bed and breakfasts, guides and members originally responsible for the start up of the company. The landowners provide habitat to be hunted and are paid for game harvested from their land. Bed and breakfast people are reimbursed for the lodging they provide for the various hunters. Guides are considered contract labor and paid a daily fee for their work. Management is the only full time position with the company and is paid on commission for the hunt that is sold and completed.
Lone Butte Ranch
Holly & Lynn Dewhirst
HC 4 Box 19
Grassy Butte, ND 58634; Phone: 701-863-6864
Website: www.4eyes.net/lonebutte
E-mail: lonebute@pop.ctctel.com
Our cattle ranch located on the edge of the badlands has always fascinated
visitors with its scenic location, quiet solitude, and abundant wildlife.
Over the years we had occasionally thought about diversifying our cattle
operation to include a hunting camp, but we never got beyond the 'idea stage'.
Until the fall of 1997, when an opportunity to buy a handcrafted log cabin
came to us and we knew the time was right to launch the business. The cattle
market had been depressed, we both had jobs off the ranch, and we were looking
for a way to utilize the assets we already had to create additional income.
We set the log cabin on a ridge with a grand view of the badlands, and
immediately knew this would be more than just a hunting camp. The view, the
history of the area, and the solitude were all things I would personally
appreciate in a vacation spot. We awkwardly plunged into the tourism industry.
Our first tourist season was about what we expected - which was not a lot,
but it was a hopeful start with a lot of 'learn-as-you-go' moments. We had
no one to guide us, and we were pretty much unheard of. But word of mouth
and a few lucky breaks made our second year much busier. I anticipated it
would take us three years to become established, and I believe that will
hold true.
As we approach our third year in the tourism industry, we are completing
our second log cabin and are responding to requests for information on a
regular basis.
We do not provide any services; we still both work off the ranch at our 'day
jobs' while our guests are free to explore the ranch as they please. We provide
a fully furnished cabin in a unique location for a wonderful private vacation.
We do take in a few non-resident bow hunters in the fall, but primarily target
the vacationers. With Mother Nature as a partner, our guests have all been
very pleased with our services.
The following individuals provided expertise information on procedures
that related to marketing strategies, ND marketing, facilities, feasibility,
insurance needs, legal considerations, and business assistance for those
individuals already established in an working farm & ranch business,
u-picks, outfitters guide service, etc., or those interested in starting
a recreation business.
Kathleen Tweeten, Director
Center for Community Vitality
Community Economic Development Specialist
North Dakota State University
NDSU Extension Service
kathleen.tweeten@ndsu.edu
Kathleen is the NDSU Extension Specialist in Community Economic Development.
Her areas of interest include business retention and expansion, community
strategic planning, the creation of rural business opportunities, youth
entrepreneurship and leadership development.
Kathleen is the state coordinator for BR&E (Business Retention and Expansion)
and a Business Retention and Expansion international Instructor. She has
been a co-instructor in national and international training and has assisted
several North Dakota counties/communities through the BR&E visitation
program. Kathy is very involved in extension program planning team for community
strategic planning curriculum for the state and is co-chair of the extension
program planning team for community, economic and leadership development.
She is also the state coordinator for a youth entrepreneurship program for
3-7 grade teachers and 4-H leaders called "Mini-Society". Other areas of
work include group facilitation and public issues education. Kathleen received
both her B.S. and M.B.A. from the University of North Dakota.
Mike Walton
Inspector, Division of Food and Lodging
North Dakota Department of Health
State Capitol
600 E Boulevard Avenue, 2nd Floor
Bismarck, ND 58505-0200; Phone: 701-328-6150
Mike Walton has been an inspector for the Division of Food and Lodging with the Department of Health for 11 years. Mike attended the University of Colorado at Boulder and graduated in 1982.