F5 Ranch

06/20/2024

Some of the new faces on our ranch this year … Each born in a world that has everything they need, balanced with a natural amount of danger and risk.

except for Cisco, he’s just always up for a picture.

05/12/2024

Met up with part of my tribe in the Oregon Outback for the White Rock Gathering … a full week of learning and improving primitive skills. It’s hard to understand unless you’ve been to a camp like this, but they are great!

Looking forward to being back up in Idaho tomorrow and seeing the rest of my tribe … I miss those Buckeroos!

02/26/2024

11/09/2023

Hunter license plates from all over the country in Western CO right now, and this clever Buck is hanging out in town … a few other moments from a chilly but beautiful day

11/06/2023

Limited number of Steers and Wethers available next summer 2024, message us to get details and your’s reserved!

F5 Ranch Beef & Mutton
Herd Share Options

Regenerative agriculture practices. 100% grass fed, no vaccines, fed only pesticide and herbicide free hay.

208-651-9331

11/06/2023

Let us help you plan and your spring projects on the books!

F5 Ranch Werkes
208-651-9331

All Things Ranch ... Consulting, Maintenance & Construction
• Log Ranch Structures & Entries
• Stock Ponds & Waterways
• Food Forests & Soil Testing

11/04/2023

My brother in law Dave is an expert metal fabricator … I could have bought a China made hitch step cheaper than the cost of materials to make this one but, it wouldn’t have been as good, and it’s satisfying to build your own gear.

10/30/2023

We are super excited to announce that we have begun our A/2 A/2 breeding program with these cuties!
Please give a warm welcome to…

Claire❤️ our new A/2 A/2 milk cow!
and
Doug🔥 our new A/2 A/2 bull! He is naturally polled and roan! Can’t wait to see him in about a year!

09/19/2023

It’s going to be a good day … believe it

Good morning!

07/10/2023

Something for everyone…

04/22/2023

Wow!

10/10/2022

First Elk of the year harvested on F5 Ranch. Good job to our young neighbor on getting his first bull Elk.

Hunters … besides practicing good hunter safety, such as not shooting towards houses, barns or livestock, following a basic code of conduct will improve your relationship with ranchers.

⚒If your hunt may take you onto ranch property, even to retrieve a downed animal. Always ask permission prior to your hunt.

🛠Never, Ever, Ever cut fences, or locked chains on gates.

⚒If you twist the bottom strand of barb wire over the next strand up, in order to go under the fence … untwist the fence after you cross.

⚒Don’t step on the bottom strands and pull up on the upper strands to go through a fence. It stretches the fence out and causes problems with the posts.

⚒If you damage the fence, please own up and let the rancher know so that he can fix it before cattle or horses escape

⚒Don’t ride 4 Wheelers through muddy fields, or create ruts

⚒ If you bring it in, take it out. Don’t leave empty drink bottles and cans behind.

⚒ Follow the instructions of the Rancher about not harvesting specific animals. Some specific deer or other animals may be viewed as almost pets by the Rancher.

⚒Always offer some of the meat to the Rancher if you harvest an animal.

Following this code will go a long way towards access for future hunts.

Remember, a Ranchers priority is to produce whatever the ranch produces, it is not to provide access for hunters, you are a guest.

08/29/2022

Whether you eat animals or not, animal agriculture is important for restoring environmental and soil health.

The soil on the left is the result of regenerative agricultural practices being implemented and holds significantly more organic and Carbon matter. Sheep and cattle were carefully managed and rotated on the land. They ate the grass, deposited their urine and dung and were then moved away to let the grass grow back quickly.

The cycle is then repeated at a later date depending on season variability and vegetation recovery. This allows the pulling of carbon into the soil. It is darker because carbon from the atmosphere is now in the soil making it more nutrient rich and dense.

The soil on the right is from a commercial farm that grows grain and uses no animals on the land.

The soil with more carbon holds a lot more water (roughly 150,000 liters of water per hectare for every 1% of carbon that’s added) and is full of microbes.

Animals play a crucial role in regenerating the land and getting carbon into the soil when properly managed.

These ‘regenerative’ practices also can be applied to crop management through the careful integration of livestock.

03/27/2022

New homes for our pups are in Idaho, Utah, Oklahoma and flying one to Alaska next week!

3 males still available

12/28/2021

Crossing breeding for selective genetic traits in dogs can be tricky. But with specific goals in mind, and a basic understanding of dominant and recessive genes, hitting the target doesn’t have to be an unknowable gamble.

I have imported and trained my own working German Shepherds for 25 years. Even sticking exclusively to working bloodlines, there were some things that I wanted to change through an outcross from these bloodlines.

My goals were to:
🐕 leverage hybrid vigor
🐕 strengthen bone structure
🐕 improve coat utility
🐕 attenuate some of the prey drive to be more useful for working stock on a ranch
🐕 increase livestock guardian instincts
🐕 increase utility for an “all around” ranch dog, or for people with an active outdoor lifestyle

I also wanted to retain:
🐕 All weather coat performance
🐕 Confidence and central nervous system stability for a high level social intelligence and discretion
🐕 Civil drive for serious protection
🐕 Athletic ability and endurance

After considering many types of outcrosses, I decided that an Airedale from working/hunting bloodlines would likely produce what I wanted.

I bred 2 Airdale x German Shepherd litters in 2012 and 2013. The sire was a solid black German Shepherd with 100% DDR bloodlines that I had imported from Germany. The dam was an Airedale with hunting bloodlines from Oklahoma.

I kept one female from each litter, they are 8, and 9 years old now, and I can say that I hit the target in all aspects.

They:
🐕 Are bombproof around children and strangers with an extremely high level of discretion.
🐕Don’t harass or kill my stock.
🐕Are unafraid to jump into a fight against real threats and have the discretion to know the difference
🐕 keep our ranch predator free, have only had 2 predation events in 9 years. We live in extreme wolf, cougar and bear country, and there are coyotes without number.
🐕 live outdoors 365 days/year with no issues
🐕 have remarkable strength and stamina
🐕 have excellent coat, bone structure and feet
🐕 have an easy maintenance coat
🐕can cover the roughest country, water, etc, without issue

They are like compact, muscular German Shepherds with a slight attitude and incredible tenacity.

I acquired a unique male German Shepherd 2 years ago. He is a titled Slovakian import that fits our ranch like a glove. He is the perfect male to preserve and strengthen the genetic qualities that I have been after in a North Idaho ranch dog.

We now have 9 puppies for version 2.0 that I am super excited about.

Idaho Shags and Hanging Tree Cowdogs are 2 outcrosses that have definitely benefited the ranching community and made excellent working companions.

Have you ever considered an outcross on a specific breed? What would make an ideal outcross for you?

12/22/2021

Merry Christmas from Fawn the calf