Every year the Wyoming Game and Fish selects Landowner of the Year in each State Region. The Landowner of the Year award is presented to Wyoming landowners who have demonstrated outstanding practices in wildlife management, habitat improvement, and conservation techniques on their properties. These landowners also cooperate with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to provide access to hunters and anglers on their properties. Award recipients are nominated by any department employee and selected by the regional leadership teams as model citizens for the conservation, ethical use, and stewardship of Wyoming’s natural resources.

Bud and Betty Jean Reed, owners of the 77 Ranch, have actively worked with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Office of State Lands and Investments, conservation groups, and others to enhance lands they own or lease.  Their stewardship and love of wildlife make them an easy and most deserving selection for this award.

The 77 Ranch was founded in the late 1800s and has a rich history of record sized roundups, gunfights and over 140 years of raising cattle wearing the 77 Brand.  The brand is believed to be among the oldest in the state of Wyoming.  The previous owner, A.A. Spaugh, lead the largest roundup ever recorded in Wyoming near Hat Creek in 1884.  Other notable historic events involving the ranch occurred when Dudley Champion, the brother to Nate Champion, the first man killed in the Johnson County War, was shot and killed in a shootout on the ranch. Located North of Manville, Bud’s family has owned the ranch since it was purchased by is father and uncle in 1948. What started as a cow-calf operation of pure-bred Herefords has evolved into a Hereford-Angus cross herd but they still hold their calves over to yearlings before shipping. In 1985 Bud and Betty Jean took over the ranch with his father’s passing.  Since large game have the same range needs as the cattle he raises, Bud just feels that his responsibilities as a rancher just naturally cross over to being a good steward of the land for wildlife. In addition, allowing hunters on his property gives them a good idea of the health and size of wildlife herds.

The 77 Ranch has been cooperating with the Department for many years by allowing hunter access. Hunters have always been welcome on this ranch and the Reeds have been participating in the Department’s Access Yes Program since its inception in 1998.  They have instituted Walk-in hunting on nearly the entire ranch because they believe it is the right thing to do. The diversity and quality of hunting found on this ranch contributes to thousands of hunter days per year.

On October 2, 2018 Brian Robeson, Brady Vanderburg and  Matt Withroder of the Wyoming Game and Fish met to present Bud and Betty Jean with their Casper Region Land Owner of the Year award.  Over pie and coffee Bud and Betty Jean chatted with the Game and Fish employees with topics ranging from the current hunting climate and animals harvested in 2018 to local community gossip, how the yearlings were looking when they shipped last week (the heaviest Bud could ever remember) and how the winter would be coming in. It was clear from the easy rapport between those gathered that the Reeds and Brian Robeson of the WG&F have a long relationship that is built on mutual respect and a love of Wyoming.

Bud and Betty Jean are most deserving of this recognition, as they clearly are stewards of the land and wildlife. Along with their hired man of over 20 years, Jerry Gruwell, the Reeds have worked to ensure that their range and habitat conservation practices currently benefit their livestock operation and improve habitat for wildlife. They have graciously and unselfishly opened their land to hunters. The Reeds and the 77 Ranch exemplify the successful combination of ranching and conservation that will preserve Wyoming lands for future generations of both ranchers and hunters.