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 Cattle Range Greenin' Up Finally the rain is falling on the Double Circle Ranch. It is beginning to look like Ireland instead of Arizona – lots of shades of green. It always strikes me as a miracle that this country goes from brown to green so quickly and completely with a little help from the monsoon rains.
Now will be a good time to see how well our erosion control structures are working. We have rain water – and we are slowing it down so the water can filter into the ground. I am very thankful to our volunteers, Dryland Solutions, Inc., and the grant fund people at Arizona Water Protection Fund Commission who have helped us construct over 80 erosion structures. Double Circle Ranch just keeps getting better.
If you’re interested in learning more about erosion control, join us at one of our free Erosion Control Workshops. Another one is coming up this October.
 Antelope Buck The antelope reintroduction program in Apache-Sitgreaves forest has been a success. More antelope were located here after populations were low, and they have done well.
Double Circle Ranch manages for good forage and wildlife habitat for all species. Plus, over 10,000 acres of the ranch were treated with prescribed burning and juniper thinning in projects partnering with US Forest Service, Arizona Game and Fish, NRCS , and others. This opened wildlife corridors that stretch from Double Circle Ranch’s rolling grasslands in our lower country to alpine meadows in our higher country. The combined efforts have resulted in a healthy antelope population. There is even a buck antelope hunt this year – a sure sign of increased antelope numbers.
I enjoy watching the antelope. I expect that with continued good management practices I will be watching antelope at Double Circle ranch for years to come.
 Double Circle Antelope
 Mexican Grey Wolf in Yellowstone - photo by Tom Whetten Twice this week I have seen glimpses of a canine. I am still not sure if there are two wolves of different ages/sizes or just odd-acting coyotes here in the pasture with our cattle. The one I saw yesterday was big for a coyote and didn’t move like a coyote. But the sun was in my eyes and I couldn’t tell for sure. Also, I had my border collie young dog with me and figured I had better get her away – just in case. She would be a tasty dinner for a wolf.
At any rate, I didn’t go closer to look – so I am still not sure if it was a coyote or a wolf.
Today, driving the 4-wheeler to the horse/cow pasture, a grey streak ran across the road in front of me. I stopped and looked but it had vanished. It didn’t run and stop and look back like coyotes frequently do – it vanished. I have no idea how I could not see the critter when it had just been 10 feet in front of me. This one was much smaller than the one yesterday. It certainly could have been a coyote, size wise. But it didn’t really look quite like a coyote. But again I didn’t get a good look. I’ll just keep my eyes open.
We have seen wolves here several times. So these certainly could be more wolves. I don’t want to report a wolf sighting to the Forest Service or Fish and Wildlife until I know for sure that I am seeing wolves and not coyotes. Those folks have enough work to do without going on a false ID call.
 Mexican Grey Wolf in Yellowstone - photo by Tom Whetten
 Summer Monsoons Well, monsoon season is back again at Double Circle Ranch. The east part of the ranch seems to have had some rain, but the rest of the ranch is still too dry. We have had lots of wind, lightening, and thunder, but the rain seems to be falling just west of the main part of the ranch. San Carlos Apache reservation on our western border should really be turning green – they have had lots of good rainfall there.
We really depend on summer monsoons for most of the year’s precipitation. It is critical for forage growth, refilling dirt tanks, recharging springs, and keeping water flowing in all our streams. Everything from Leopard frogs to bull elk needs the summer rains.
Last year the monsoons just frizzled out. I think they are just getting a slow start this year. I am counting on lots of water gracing our landscape any day now. Heck – I don’t even mind the sticky mud that comes with the monsoons. I will be glad to break out the rubber mud boots!
 Nephew Derek Repairing the Tractor Doug’s youngest nephew Derek is here at the Double Circle Ranch visiting and working. He originally came for 3 weeks, but we talked his parents into leaving him an extra month. As a 15-year old city kid, he is by no means an experienced hand. BUT what he lacks in experience he sure makes up for in attitude.
Everything we have had him do he has done without complaining. He has to be shown –once- and picks things up right away. We are so far behind on what Doug calls the XXX work that Derek hasn’t gotten to do the fun stuff like herding cattle and riding horses yet. He has been changing oil, greasing equipment, stacking hay, pulling water pipe, repairing leaks, hauling and unloading materials, replacing diesel motors with solar well pumps, patching old fence, etc.
He has learned to use caulk guns, grease guns, wrenches, screwdrivers, hammers, and saws and can now drive a tractor and a straight stick pick up. All these skills are sadly absent in most teenage city kids – ranch kids have to learn all these and more skills early.
I need Derek to help with cattle too – so I hope Doug can spare him soon. It sure is good to have an extra set of hands here at the Double Circle Ranch! Hope Derek returns next summer.
Here’s a photo and a comment from ranch owner Doug Dressler, who participated in the Ranch Photo Workshop.
“Participating in a photography class on the ranch was a real treat for me! I’ve been interested in photography since a very young age but have never had any “real” instruction. The opportunity to learn from a professional was something I couldn’t pass up, and the knowledge and skills Tom possesses were invaluable. His teaching methods are very flexible and tailored to what each student needs depending on their skill level. The slide show critiques were especially helpful in my opinion as it gave us a chance to offer each other tips and suggestions for improving our photos. I’m looking forward to the next workshop, by then I should have a better handle on my new toy.”
Doug Dressler
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 Deer from the Ranch Photography Workshop by Doug Dressler |
Here’s a photo and a comment from Carol Wien, who participated in the Ranch Photography Workshop.
“Tom Whetten’s May 2010 Ranch Photography Workshop was a wonderful experience. I signed up for Tom Whetten’s workshop with the hopes that it would help me make the transition from 35mm to digital photography. I was not disappointed. Tom Whetten is an excellent instructor, and his workshop was very well organized. We never felt rushed during the entire four days. Fee included tent accommodations, all meals, and travel for all the outings on the historic Double Circle Ranch. Every trip out we saw something exciting to photograph (elk, mule deer, white-tail deer, Javalina, wild turkey, and a wide variety of birds). We were surrounded with breath-taking scenery with not one single utility pole to mar the perfect shot. An entire morning was devoted to photographing the round-up and cattle drive of Texas Longhorns. An afternoon was divided between photographing ranch hand, Chris, training a young horse and later we photographed a variety of hummingbirds. Throughout the workshop, Tom respectfully answered every question and offered many helpful suggestions on how to improve our shots. A slide show critique was held each day. Doug and Wilma, owners of the Double Circle Ranch, went out-of-their way to make this a wonderful experience. I found the tent accommodations very comfortable. Each tent has a private deck, shower and toilet. My private deck – complete with rocking chair – overlooked a beautiful tree-lined creek. Meals were planned around our schedule. Food was delicious and plentiful. Thank you Wilma, Doug, Tom, Jim, and Clarice for a great time.”
Carol Wien
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 Ranch Scene by Carol Wien |
Here’s a photo and a comment from Ingrid Curry, who participated in the Ranch Photo Workshop.
“Loved every moment, saw and learned a lot! The longhorn cattle drive was an absolute treat to experience. Wilma and Doug are hard workers, and so hospitable. They fed us well and the tent accommodation was delightful. They and their friends are charming people. I would attend another of Tom Whetten’s photo workshops there again.”
Ingrid Curry
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 Cowgirl on Horse by Ingrid Curry taken at the Cattle Ranch Photo Workshop |
 Crystal and Buckaroo Michael Double Circle Ranch is happy to welcome Michael Lee and Crystal Bennett to the ranch.
Michael is a Nevada buckaroo and brings many years of horsemanship as well as cattle experience to the ranch.
Crystal is a people person with skills in guest ranch operations and cooking. Plus she is a massage therapist – which is good news for my old joints and muscles.
As a team, Michael and Crystal are a great addition to the ranch. We are looking forward to working with both of them!
Are you looking for a working ranch vacation where you can be a real cowboy or cowgirl ranch hand, herding cattle and helping out with ranch work on a historic working cattle ranch?
Our friend Cande came all the way from Florida last week for her working vacation, and we all had a great time!
Double Circle Ranch has a lot of work to do every day. The Texas Longhorns are herded almost daily for forage improvement and predator – friendly grazing. Salt blocks are moved daily to treat old forage areas. We have waterlines to put in, drinkers to install, wildlife ramps to put on troughs, fences need patched, butterfly gardens need preparing, erosion control workshops materials need hauled, bird surveys need done – the list is endless.
So if you’re looking for a working ranch vacation, working on the historic Double Circle for a week or a month, we want to hear from you! Unlike other organizations that expect you to pay for your working vacation or eco-vacation, we don’t charge you to work for us! We’ll put you up in the bunkhouse and we’ll feed you. Your wages are wide-open spaces, fresh clean air, and feeling good after putting in an honest day’s work. We can take one person or a couple. You would be part of making this ranch a model for eco-friendly tourism and sustainable agriculture. And that is something to be proud of.
Contact us now to set up your Working Ranch Vacation.
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