Jackson fork Ranch

What Jackson fork Ranch does

Jackson Fork Ranch is a privately-held working ranch spanning more than 1,000 acres in Wyoming's Upper Hoback Basin at approximately 7,000 feet elevation within the Yellowstone ecosystem. The property was purchased in the late 1990s by entrepreneur and philanthropist Joe Ricketts and operates under the legal name "The Lodge at Jackson Fork Ranch." The ranch integrates four business lines: traditional agricultural production (commercial hay and a bison herd), horse breeding through its Deadshot Breeding Operations sub-brand (Percheron foals and Percheron/Appaloosa crosses), on-site hospitality, and wildlife conservation research.

The horse breeding program applies DNA testing for the Leopard Complex (LP) and Pattern 1 (PATN1) genes to predict Appaloosa coat patterns in crossbred foals, representing a science-informed approach to traditional breeding. Conservation activities include banding more than 770 Northern Saw-whet owls and 75 Boreal owls since 2021 in partnership with the Ricketts Conservation Foundation, Project Owlnet, and the University of Wyoming, University of Montana, and Colorado State University. Revenue streams target three customer segments: individual guests seeking experiential ranch hospitality, individual horse buyers, and agricultural buyers of hay and bison products, all distributed exclusively through direct on-site channels. The company is privately held with no institutional investors, no public listing, and no subsidiaries, operating with a headcount of 7.

Name

Jackson fork Ranch

Legal name

The Lodge at Jackson Fork Ranch

Website

https://jacksonfork.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Jackson Fork Ranch is a privately-held, 1,000+ acre working ranch in Wyoming's Upper Hoback Basin owned by Joe Ricketts, operating hay, bison, horse breeding (Deadshot), hospitality, and owl banding conservation serving individual guests, horse buyers, and agricultural buyers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ranch and Agritourism

NAICS

Hay Farming (111940)

SIC

Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200)

akta.pro primary industry

Bison Ranching (AFAEAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Beef Cattle Grazing & Pasture-Based Operations (AFAEABAG)

Keywords

• Working ranch operations
• Horse breeding services
• Commercial bison herd
• Agritourism hospitality
• Wildlife conservation research

Headquarters

HQ city

Upper Hoback Basin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Agricultural Production: Traditional ranching operations including raising hay for sale and to feed the commercial bison herd. Hay production serves both commercial sale and internal herd feeding needs.
2. Commercial Bison Herd: The ranch maintains a commercial bison herd as a working agricultural operation.
3. Horse Breeding and Sales: Deadshot Breeding Operations breeds Percheron foals and Percheron/Appaloosa crossbred horses. Foals stay until age two when Ross Honsberger selects for the JFR Hitch team or they are sold. Crossbred horses are bred, foaled, and trained for visitor enjoyment.
4. Hospitality Services: The ranch welcomes guests to experience conservation accomplishments and the working ranch environment, sharing their conservation story with visitors.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Jackson Fork Ranch is a 1,000+ acre working ranch in Wyoming's Upper Hoback Basin that breeds Percheron and Percheron/Appaloosa cross horses through Deadshot Breeding Operations, raises a commercial bison herd, produces hay for sale and internal feeding, and welcomes guests for hospitality experiences. It also hosts active wildlife conservation research, including bird banding studies of Northern Saw-whet and Boreal owls in cooperation with university and agency partners.

Product overview

Jackson Fork Ranch is a working agricultural operation spanning over 1,000 acres in Wyoming's Upper Hoback Basin. The ranch operates multiple integrated products: hay production and a commercial bison herd form the agricultural foundation; Deadshot Breeding Operations breeds Percheron horses and Percheron/Appaloosa crosses for the JFR Hitch and guest riding; ranch hospitality welcomes visitors to experience conservation-focused Western hospitality; and wildlife research and conservation efforts support the Yellowstone ecosystem. The operation was purchased in the late 1990s by entrepreneur Joe Ricketts and continues its agricultural heritage while evolving with conservation-focused hospitality.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Deadshot Breeding Operations: Horse breeding operation at Jackson Fork Ranch that breeds Percheron foals and experiments with crossbreeding Percheron and Appaloosa horses.

Products and services

• Deadshot Breeding Operations Horse breeding operation at Jackson Fork Ranch that breeds Percheron foals to support the JFR Hitch and develops Percheron/Appaloosa crossbred horses for guest riding experiences and sale. Foals remain on the ranch until age two, when they are either selected for the hitch team or sold to interested buyers.
• Commercial Bison Herd Commercial bison herd raised on the ranch as a working agricultural operation in Wyoming's Upper Hoback Basin, supported by on-ranch hay production.
• Hay Production Hay produced on the ranch and sold commercially, also used to feed the ranch's commercial bison herd as part of a traditional Wyoming ranch operation.
• Ranch Hospitality Experience On-site guest experiences that share the ranch's working-ranch environment, horse breeding and training operations, and conservation accomplishments with visitors interested in the American West.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of WyomingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ranch works with local universities including University of Wyoming to fund species preservation research in the Yellowstone ecosystem. Joint research efforts support conservation of wildlife species in the region.
• University of MontanacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ranch partners with University of Montana to fund species preservation research in the Yellowstone ecosystem. Collaborative research supports broader conservation goals for the region.
• Project OwlnetcoreTechnology or IntegrationThe ranch follows Project Owlnet's established capture protocol for organized banding of Northern Saw-whet owls, which has been conducted in eastern and central North America for over thirty years.
• State and Regional Conservation AgenciescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ranch works alongside state and regional partners to ensure the land remains deeply integrated within the Yellowstone ecosystem. These partnerships focus on wildlife corridor management and ecological integrity preservation.
• Colorado State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeathers collected from captured owls are sent to Colorado State University for analysis as part of the Bird Genoscape Project. The partnership helps identify different populations of owls and determine where they breed.
• Bird Genoscape ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ranch partners with other banding sites to provide the Bird Genoscape Project with feather samples that can be used to identify different populations of owls and determine breeding locations. This has significant conservation implications for identifying populations facing survival challenges.
• Ricketts Conservation FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRicketts Conservation Foundation biologists conduct owl banding work at the ranch. The foundation is led by ranch owner Joe Ricketts and conducts conservation research including the Northern Saw-whet Owl migration study started in 2021.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• American Prairie Reserve: Large-scale conservation land initiative in Montana building a contiguous wilderness of native grassland, including bison reintroduction. Comparable to Jackson Fork Ranch in its conservation-led land stewardship and wildlife corridor focus, though at vastly larger scale.

Direct peers

• C Lazy U Ranch: Long-established guest ranch in Granby, Colorado offering horseback riding, working ranch activities, and luxury cabin accommodations. Comparable to Jackson Fork Ranch as a multi-revenue-stream Western guest ranch combining agricultural operations with hospitality.
• Triangle X Ranch: Multi-generation working guest ranch in Moose, Wyoming inside Grand Teton National Park, offering horseback riding and Western experiences. Comparable to Jackson Fork Ranch as a Wyoming-based working ranch with strong wildlife/ecological positioning and similar target market.
• Brush Creek Ranch: Luxury working guest ranch in Wyoming (Saratoga) offering Western hospitality, horseback riding, and on-property agricultural operations. Most directly comparable to Jackson Fork Ranch as a Wyoming-based working ranch that has scaled hospitality on top of agricultural heritage.
• Ranch at Rock Creek: Boutique luxury ranch in Philipsburg, Montana offering all-inclusive guest experiences with horseback riding, cattle drives, and Western hospitality. Comparable to Jackson Fork Ranch as a high-end experiential ranch targeting affluent travelers seeking authentic Western stays.
• Lost Creek Ranch: Family-owned guest ranch in Jackson Hole, Wyoming offering all-inclusive horseback riding vacations on a working cattle ranch. Comparable to Jackson Fork Ranch as a Jackson Hole-area working ranch combining livestock operations with hospitality.
• The Resort at Paws Up: Large-scale luxury ranch resort in Greenough, Montana combining working ranch experiences, horseback riding, and curated outdoor programming on tens of thousands of acres. Comparable to Jackson Fork Ranch as a premium Western ranch hospitality competitor targeting similar experiential travelers.
• Spring Creek Ranch: Luxury resort on a wildlife sanctuary in Jackson Hole, Wyoming offering guest ranch experiences with strong conservation/wildlife positioning. Comparable to Jackson Fork Ranch in geography (Teton region) and conservation-anchored brand.

Broad incumbents

• Turner Endangered Species Fund / Ted Turner Reserves: Network of large ranches owned by Ted Turner emphasizing bison ranching, conservation, and habitat restoration across multiple states. Comparable to Jackson Fork Ranch in combining commercial bison herds with conservation research and large-acreage land stewardship at a much broader scale.

Others

• National Bison Association member ranches (e.g., North American Bison Cooperative): Industry association and cooperative representing commercial bison producers across North America. Relevant comparator for Jackson Fork Ranch's commercial bison herd operations and potential market for hay/bison products.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jackson-fork-ranch-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Jackson fork Ranch