Land Investor

Matt and Ryan sit down with Theo Beaumont, Head of Partnerships at Halter, to talk about how virtual fencing is changing the way ranchers manage cattle. Theo explains how solar-powered GPS collars use sound and vibration to contain and move a herd, and how ranchers draw grazing boundaries from their phones. The conversation covers grazing management, carrying capacity, gathering on public land, wi...

Matt and Ryan revisit the session they led for a room full of land professionals at a recent seminar in Billings, Montana, and dig into what makes a ranch price defensible. They walk through why there's no such thing as a perfect comparable and how to handle the hard adjustments: conservation easements, scale, and time between sales. They also cover how turnkey improvements and scarcity earn a pre...

In Part 2, appraisers Mike McDonnell and Tom Kingsbury of NC Wheeler & Associates shift from the report to the mechanics of ranch appraisal: how improvements and conservation easements affect value, where the corner crossing debate could change access, and how water rights and the income approach factor into what a Montana ranch is really worth.     Subscribe now at https://landinvestor.com/subscr...

Matt and Ryan sit down with appraisers Mike McDonnell and Tom Kingsbury of NC Wheeler & Associates to unpack their new report, The Quiet Land Rush, which maps 35 years of Montana land sales data and value trends using AI-assisted heat maps. In Part 1, they trace how amenity-driven demand, elk migration, and water access have reshaped values from Eastern to Southwest Montana, and why today's market...

In Part 2, attorney Jim   Bradbury  shifts the lens to the buyer's side of conservation easements, from purchasing land that's already encumbered to buying land specifically to place one. Ryan and Matt dig into what a real relationship with a land trust looks like, why amendments are nearly impossible to get, and a real-world deal that nearly unraveled over an access easement.  Jim closes with an...

Attorney Jim Bradbury returns to the Land Investor podcast for a deep dive into conservation easements from the landowner's side. In Part 1, Ryan and Matt walk through what these agreements actually do, how the process works, and the real financial benefits, from tax deductions to cash grants, that come with placing land into a perpetual easement. Jim also walks through the pitfalls landowners sho...

Justin Howe, Ben Munger, and Billy Freeman return to close out their roundtable with Matt and Ryan, picking up where Part 1 left off on what good grass is really worth. The conversation moves through public land grazing permits and allotment values, how to structure a fair private grazing lease, and inventive multi-use strategies like grazing sheep beneath solar arrays and protecting sensitive spe...

This week on the Land Investor podcast, three members of the Ranch Managers Guild join Matt and Ryan for a roundtable discussion on what really drives long-term ranch value. Justin Howe of A Bar A Ranch returns, along with Ben Munger from Sequoia Riverlands Trust, and Billy Freeman from Sierra Foothill Conservancy, to break down capital planning, water infrastructure, and the telltale signs of a w...

In this episode of the Land Investor podcast, Matt and Ryan sit down with Hillary Rosner, environmental journalist and author of  Roam: Wild Animals and the Race to Repair Our Fractured World , to dig into how land fragmentation is reshaping wildlife movement across the American West and what private landowners can actually do about it. Hillary breaks down why more than 80% of species depend on pr...

The Land Investor podcast sits down with Pat Byorth, fisheries biologist turned water attorney and Montana Water Director for Trout Unlimited, for a wide-ranging conversation on what every western landowner needs to understand about water rights, stream health, and land stewardship. Matt and Ryan dig into the doctrine of prior appropriation, the real difference between paper water rights and consu...

The Land Investor podcast is back with Part 2 of our conversation with wildlife biologist and drone operator Dan Morina. Matt and Ryan dive deeper into habitat and herd management strategies for landowners looking to maximize elk and deer hunting on their property, from rotational grazing philosophies and the cattle-elk relationship to invasive weed management using precision drone spraying. Dan a...

In this episode of the Land Investor Podcast, Matt and Ryan sit down with Dan Morina, PhD candidate in wildlife biology at the University of Montana and founder of Resource Management Specialists,  for a fascinating deep dive into elk behavior, population dynamics, and what cutting-edge research means for hunters and landowners across the West. Dan shares his work building a statistical population...

Over two years after it first aired, Todd Graham's episode on optimizing ranch performance remains one of the most actionable conversations we've published. This week, Matt and Ryan revisited it with fresh commentary — connecting Todd's framework on stock water, grazing distribution, and the "performance trough" directly to what they're seeing in today's market. With cattle markets staying tight,...

In this episode of the Land Investor podcast, Matt and Ryan break down what it takes to enter the land market as a prepared, credible buyer. They cover how to define your intent, choose the right broker, demonstrate financial readiness, plan efficient property tours, and navigate diligence and offer strategy with more confidence.   Subscribe now at https://landinvestor.com/subscribe Check out what...

In this episode of Land Investor, Matt and Ryan walk through the practical steps ranch owners can take before bringing a property to market, from aligning family decision-makers and pricing strategically to organizing records, improving showability, and addressing maintenance concerns. The conversation focuses on reducing buyer uncertainty, protecting seller leverage, and presenting a ranch with a...

Operational cattle ranches are gaining renewed attention in the Western land market. In this episode of the Land Investor podcast, Matt and Ryan discuss why strong beef demand, limited cattle supply, and the value of grass and water are shifting how buyers evaluate ranches. They break down what sophisticated investors look for, from carrying capacity to infrastructure, and where buyers can get int...

In this episode of the Land Investor podcast, Western Landowners Alliance CEO and founding member Lesli Allison joins Matt and Ryan to break down how private land stewardship strengthens wildlife habitat, water resources, and the long-term health of working lands across the American West. The conversation centers on a new report quantifying $407 million in annual out-of-pocket conservation investm...

What does it look like to go from suburban Chicago and environmental policy to starting a bison ranch from scratch in Montana?  Matt  and Ryan sit down with  Matt   Skoglund  of North Bridger Bison Ranch for a practical look at bison production, rotational grazing designed to mirror natural movement, and why biodiversity  matt ers on a working landscape. They also dig into conservation easements,...

In this episode of the  Land Investor  podcast, Matt and Ryan break down the most important questions sellers can ask in 2026 to position a ranch, farm, or recreational property for a strong, defensible sale. They explain unbiased comps, building a clear story backed by proof, and how early inspections and addressing water, access, and title issues can keep a transaction moving smoothly to closing...

In this episode of the  Land Investor  podcast, Matt and Ryan break down the top questions buyers are asking as they evaluate ranches and recreational land in 2026, from water rights and access to insurance, pricing, and exit strategy considerations. Drawing on real-world transactions, they explain how informed buyers can reduce risk, validate value, and avoid late-stage surprises by asking the ri...

In this episode of the Land Investor Podcast, hosts Matt and Ryan sit down with Justin Howe, manager of the iconic A Bar A Ranch in Wyoming, for an in-depth discussion on modern ranch management in the American West. Drawing on decades of on-the-ground experience, Justin explains how today's ranch managers balance cattle operations, guest ranch hospitality, conservation initiatives, technology, an...

This end-of-year episode of the  Land Investor podcast brings Matt and Ryan together for a thoughtful recap of 2025, highlighting standout conversations on land investment, stewardship, and the forces shaping ownership across America. Through select clips and commentary, they revisit timely discussions on cattle markets, land management, public lands, and the cultural tensions surrounding land use...

In this episode of the Land Investor podcast, Ryan and Matt break down the key trends shaping ranch, farm, and recreational property values across the West. They explore the ripple effects of record-high cattle prices, tightening grass supply, and buyers seeking balanced operations with both production and recreation. The conversation also touches on recent corner-crossing developments and what th...

This episode of the  Land Investor  podcast features a detailed conversation with Zack Porter, the Vice President of Boa Safra Ag, who explains the Legacy Nutrient Deduction and how it allows agricultural landowners to depreciate the value of certain nutrients in their soil. Zack walks through the history of the tax provision, the scientific process behind soil analysis, and the steps required for...

As Veterans Day approaches, Warriors & Quiet Waters CEO Brian Gilman and Fay Ranches CEO Chris Alvino join Matt and Ryan on the  Land Investor  podcast to share how land, water, and community help veterans rediscover purpose after service. From personal stories of combat and transition to the science behind recovery, this episode reveals how access to Montana's landscapes fuels healing, connection...