Charles Kuralt Wetlands & Wildlife Sanctuary

Listing Price: $2,300,000

The Charles Kuralt Wetlands & Wildlife Sanctuary is located 11 miles southwest of Twin Bridges in Madison County. Twin Bridges, with a population of approximately 450, is well known for being rich in history and western tradition. It is situated near the confluence of the Ruby, Big Hole and Beaverhead Rivers which converge to form the Jefferson River. Twin Bridges provides local conveniences including fine dining with extensive wine selection at The Old Hotel, however other key amenities and the closest commercial airport can be found 50 miles north in Butte.

Consisting of approximately 110 acres, this premier Montana wildlife sanctuary is comprised of meadows, brushy river bottom, cottonwood groves and an expansive bluff. The elongated shape of the property affords an impressive ¾ mile river frontage on the lower Big Hole River as well as a few side channels and sloughs. The bluff provides a wonderful vantage point from which to view the wildlife, cottonwood groves, side channels, wetlands, and meandering Big Hole River below.

A gravel county road accesses the property and the neighboring ranches that border the northern side. There are two separate interior dirt roads on the property, one accessing the Pageville Schoolhouse and two cabins on the bluff, and one leading to the river cabin on the banks of the Big Hole. Power and phone are installed on the bluff to the Pageville Schoolhouse and cabins as well as separately to the river cabin. The utilities are run underground to preserve the natural settings and viewscapes.

The Sanctuary is a private conservation area with an emphasis on land stewardship. Located at the northern end of the short grass prairie, wide swathes of Timothy and Foxtail Barley interspersed with the four grasses (Gama, Switch, Needle and Bunch) have made a dramatic comeback. The more fragile wildflowers turn up unexpectedly in small, spreading patches of infinite color. Biological weed control replaces insecticides, pesticides and weed killers. Native plants reseed themselves naturally, eliminating any need for fertilizers or additional planting.
Environmental concerns preclude poisoning, trapping or shooting of the wildlife, feathered or footed, and scenes of the mingling of the species such as the Whitetail deer and the Sandhill cranes are not uncommon. Fly fishing on the Big Hole River is catch and release.

Charles Kuralt, an award-winning American journalist, was best known for his long career with CBS, including his “On the Road” segments for Walter Cronkite and position as the first anchor of “CBS News Sunday Morning”. His travels for “On the Road” took him many places in the United States and through this career he became enchanted with Montana. Charles purchased these 110 acres in 1986 and continued to frequently visit the property. His pride can be seen in the improvements that he made to the land, allowing the wildlife to flourish, as well as the purchase of the historic Pageville Schoolhouse and its extensive restoration.

The sanctuary has a total of five structures on the property - the historic schoolhouse, two fishing cabins, small shed and a river cabin built in 1986. The schoolhouse of approximately 1,800 square feet was built in 1885 but has been immaculately restored with exquisite hardwoods and now functions as a one-bedroom guest home. The two fishing cabins are located on the bluff next to the schoolhouse and are approximately 300 square feet each, ideal for guests that come to enjoy the gorgeous surroundings and world-class trout fishing. The 1,078 square foot river cabin, built in 1986, consists of one bedroom and a loft with incredible views of the Big Hole River.

The Charles Kuralt Wetlands & Wildlife Sanctuary sits on ¾ mile river frontage of the lower Big Hole River, which has a diversity that is hard to match. Rainbow, brown, cutthroat and brook trout call this river home as well as a few Rocky Mountain whitefish and the last river-dwelling population of Arctic Grayling in the lower United States. The Big Hole is one of the most beautiful freestone rivers in Montana and flows for 155 miles before emptying into the Jefferson. Due to its picturesque scenery and varied populations, fishing the Big Hole is a must. Some sections of the Big Hole River have produced shock-counts of over 3,000 trout per mile.

The Lower Big Hole Valley is home to a wide array of wildlife. On the sanctuary there is wonderful wildlife viewing which includes populations of moose, Whitetail and Mule deer, Bald and Golden eagles, wild turkey, and Hungarian partridge. Migratory birds include various ducks, Canada Geese, Sandhill Cranes, White Pelicans and dozens of smaller birds.

Stream Team Visit Report

Property Fished – Charles Kuralt Wetland and Wildlife Sanctuary

Date – August 12, 2008

Stream Team Member – Scott Smith

Guest Name(s) – James Briscoe

Time of Day Fished – 10 until 2

Weather:

Partly cloudy, warm (80s), light and variable wind

Water clarity, flow and temperature (stream conditions):

Very clear – 300 cfs – starting temp low 60s, ending temp upper 60s

Hatches encountered:

Micro caddis (#22), am spinner fall (likely epcorus)

*terrestrials best

Fishing Techniques and Flies used:

Caddis dries worked well in flats and riffles while hoppers and flying ants worked on banks and timber lies.

Species, size and number of trout landed and released:

Mostly brown trout 7” – 14”, about 10 or so. Some bows early and late, again 7” – 15”, 6 landed. Whitefish also aggressive on dry flies.

Wildlife viewed:

Whitetail deer, beavers, eagles, osprey, herons

Other notable sights or events:

Visited the beautiful schoolhouse of Charles Kuralt on the banks of the Big Hole, an amazing place!

General comments:

Great fishery of world-class status. This day the fished seemed a little off due to warm water conditions. A fantastic run of river that is prime in early summer and fall.