American Hunting: Starting with Solitary Life in the Wilderness

Chapter 276 The Farm Choice! (Multiple Images, Must Read!)

Lin Yu'an pulled the two of them back to sit on the warm bearskin rug in front of the fireplace. The huge map of Alaska was still spread out there.

But at this moment, in the eyes of the three, it was no longer their only destination, but more like a springboard to a wider world.

Emily picked up her tablet and waved it in her hand, like a CEO preparing to present a major project to the board of directors.

"Alright, before our hunter sets off tomorrow, shouldn't we discuss our future farm?"

As she spoke, she unlocked her screen and opened a folder she had saved long ago. The folder icon was a heartwarming photo of the three of them.

Inside is the culmination of their hard work over the past twenty-odd days: information on three top-tier farms for sale in Montana.

"While you were engrossed in studying those cryptic flight manuals, preparing to conquer the skies, Leah and I weren't idle either."

Emily handed the tablet to Lin Yu'an. The professional Sotheby's International Realty showcase on the screen was dazzlingly alluring.

“We screened hundreds of large farms for sale in Montana, and studied almost every property with a listing price of over eight million dollars.”

“We even anonymously consulted top real estate agents at Sotheby’s and Christie’s to learn a lot of undisclosed market information. These three were the finalists for our family board.”

Lin Yu'an looked at them with great interest. The first farm was called Paradise Valley Ranch. It was priced at $1250 million.

Emily swiped the screen, and the first thing that caught her eye was a panoramic photo taken by a drone at dusk.

The composition of the image is so perfect, it's as if it were the work of a master landscape photographer. The rolling green hills resemble gently undulating green waves, and the famous Yellowstone River, like a ribbon of molten gold, meanders through the heart of the ranch.

In the distance, the majestic silhouette of the Absalocárka Range of the Rocky Mountains is tinged purple by the sunset.

In the foreground, a herd of purebred black Angus cattle are leisurely grazing, swishing their tails, creating a scene filled with a tranquil and idyllic pastoral atmosphere.

“Leah, you go first. This is her favorite. She even gave it a nickname: Yellowstone’s Backyard,” Emily said with a smile, handing the reins to Leah.

Arya cleared her throat and, like a professional real estate agent, swiped through the detailed photos, beginning her introduction: "Paradise Valley Ranch is located south of Livingston, just a 40-minute drive from Bozeman International Airport."

"This means that our friends, or my parents, can fly over directly, and then we can drive over and pick them up and take them home very quickly, which is very convenient."

“The total area is 1500 acres, of which more than 800 acres are irrigable top-quality alfalfa pastures.” She zoomed in on a photo showing a modern automated irrigation system spraying water mist.

“Look here, the seller is a Texas oil tycoon who has invested heavily here and owns complete agricultural facilities.”

"It also includes a modern cattle shed that can hold 300 cattle, three huge hay barns, a full set of John Deere agricultural machinery, and three separate staff dormitories."

“Once you buy it, you can immediately start a profitable Angus beef business. They say the annual profit can exceed $300,000.”

"Moreover, life here is very comfortable." She switched to a photo of the main house, a classic Montana-style stone and wood villa, full of rustic yet luxurious beauty.

"The main house is 8,000 square feet and has five bedrooms, each with its own fireplace and bathroom."

She pointed to a photo of a huge, heated equestrian arena: "The best part is this. We can practice riding here anytime without worrying about the cold winter."

She switched to the last photo, which showed two cowboys riding tall Quarter Horses, casting their fishing rods on the riverbank, their shadows long in the setting sun. "Most importantly! It has over two miles of private Yellowstone River shoreline!"

"There are so many trout here that you could catch them with your eyes closed! Plus, it's only an hour's drive from the north entrance of Yellowstone National Park, so we can drive into Yellowstone for hiking and camping anytime on weekends."

Arya's introduction was full of passion and longing for a convenient and comfortable life.

“But its drawbacks are also obvious.” Emily picked up the conversation, swiping her finger across the screen to bring up a satellite map showing the boundaries of the property, with the ranch’s area clearly marked in red.

"This place is too civilized. It borders several neighboring ranches to the east, west, and south. Although it is not small, it lacks privacy. We can even see our neighbors' houses. It's more like a country club composed of many wealthy people."

She continued her analysis, "Moreover, its terrain is mainly gentle river valleys and hills, with less forest and mountainous areas, lacking that true, untamed wilderness feel. It might be a bit... too civilized for you."

The second farm, named Blackfoot River Territory, was sold for $1180 million.

Emily swipes the tablet, and the style instantly changes, switching from a lush pastoral scene to a rugged and primitive western wilderness.

The vast expanse of primeval Douglas fir and poplar forests stretches as far as the eye can see, like a green ocean undulating in the wind.

A river, wider and more turbulent than the Yellowstone River, rushes by, its banks littered with massive rocks that have been eroded by the water for millions of years.

In the corner of the photo, you can even see a majestic elk, nearly two meters tall at the shoulder and with huge antlers on its head, standing proudly by the river. You can feel its powerful vitality even through the screen.

“This is cool too!” Arya excitedly reclaimed the floor. “Blackfoot River Territory, in eastern Missoula, covers 2200 acres.”

"Have you seen Brad Pitt's masterpiece 'A River Runs Through It'? The picturesque fly fishing scene in the movie was filmed here!"

"It boasts three miles of private waters along the Blackfoot River, where cutthroat trout are the ultimate dream for fly fishing enthusiasts across the United States!"

She zoomed in on a professional topographic map, marked with various symbols in red, blue, and green. "Moreover, this map is a wildlife observation record provided by the seller. Red dots represent bear activity tracks, blue dots are red deer, and green dots are white-tailed deer."

“Look, over 90% of this area is undeveloped forest and mountains; it’s practically a private national park! The broker says the ranch gets several top-tier hunting quotas from the Bureau of Fish and Game every year.”

“This perfectly matches your requirements for the wilderness! You can even teach our children how to track and hunt here.”

These words struck a chord with Lin Yu'an.

Emily calmly pointed out the problem. She pulled up a photo of the main house, a solitary A-frame log cabin in the style of the 1970s, sitting alone in the woodland by the river. Although well-maintained, the design was completely outdated.

"But its living facilities are outdated and require at least two million dollars for a major renovation. You see, its kitchen still uses an electric stove, and the windows are not double-insulated."

"Furthermore, its terrain is too rugged, with almost no flat land suitable for farming or grazing, making life much less convenient. The nearest Whole Foods Market is an hour and a half drive away. It's also too primitive."

The third farm, Flathead Lake Estate, sold for $1400 million.

In the photo, a luxurious wooden house with an extremely modern design and huge floor-to-ceiling windows spanning three floors looks like a work of art perched on a hillside, overlooking a vast, sapphire-like lake.

A beautiful Italian Riva classic speedboat, made of mahogany, is also moored on the lake.

This time, it was Emily's turn to introduce it, and clearly, this option was more in line with her aesthetic.

"This is the most compromised one, located on the eastern shore of Flathead Lake, the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi River. The estate covers 800 acres, making it the smallest of the three."

"But it boasts over a mile of private lake shoreline and two private deep-water docks. In the summer, we can sail, waterski, and enjoy all the water sports here."

"The main house was designed by a renowned Seattle architect. It is over 10,000 square feet and features an infinity pool, a temperature-controlled wine cellar that can hold 200 bottles of wine, a home theater with a Dolby Atmos system, and a professional gym."

"All the furniture is custom-made, so you can move in right away. Plus, it's very close to Kalispel, with abundant shopping, medical, and educational resources, and even a decent private airport."

Arya pouted and pointed out what she didn't like: "But it's more like a lakeside resort than a farm. 800 acres, mostly hillside, and all it's good about is being pretty. A bit... cheap."

Lin Yu'an listened attentively to their analysis and looked at the beautiful photos on the tablet, but a feeling of... dissatisfaction welled up in her heart.

Each option is like a character with obvious strengths and weaknesses, unable to perfectly match all his imaginations about the future.

“They are both excellent.” He smiled and acknowledged his two loved ones’ hard work, embracing them. “Your analyses are very professional, and each one could be the home of our dreams.”

He paused, then looked up, his eyes gleaming with a light that felt both strange and exciting to them.

“But… don’t you think they’re still a bit small?” “Small?” Arya was stunned. “One or two thousand acres is small? Darling, that’s already the standard for the super-rich!”

“That was yesterday’s standard, darling.” Lin Yu’an’s tone carried a hint of confidence and charisma that arose spontaneously after taking control of billions of dollars.

"How much did we just earn? Two hundred and ninety million dollars! Why should we limit our dreams to a ten million dollar framework?"

These words were like opening a door to a new world, leaving Arya and Emily belatedly realizing what was happening. Yes, their thinking was still at the level of multi-millionaires, while this man before them had already made their family's assets worth over a hundred million.

"So...so what do you mean?" Emily asked tentatively.

Lin Yu'an gently swiped through the three options on the tablet, his eyes becoming incredibly deep.

“What I mean is, we can have it all. We can have the convenience of Paradise Valley and the ranches we can operate, the pristine wilderness and top-class rivers of Blackfoot River, and the magnificent lake views and the ultimate in comfort of Flathead Lake.”

"We're looking for a kingdom of territory, combining all the advantages of these three farms."

His words made the air in the entire cabin seem to be on fire.

Just then, it was as if lightning had struck Arya's mind! She clapped her hands and her face showed an expression of extreme excitement.

"Wait! Honey! I...I've got it!" She was so excited she was almost incoherent. "Amy and I, when we were filtering through options, we saw a final option that we thought was absolutely unbelievable, and we didn't even dare to click on it to look closely!"

“We even joked that unless we win the lottery or discover a gold mine, we’d never be able to afford it in our lifetime! Its information page wasn’t even publicly available; you had to have your assets verified by a top broker to get access!”

She quickly snatched the tablet from Emily's hand and started scrolling through the browser's history.

"Look! This is it!" She held the tablet up to the two of them.

On the screen appeared a breathtaking aerial video. The video began with a simple yet powerful line of text: "Rock River Heritage Farm—Montana's Last Private Kingdom."

The camera pans across a vast, majestic mountain range covered in primeval forests, below which lies a huge, azure lake that shimmers like a sapphire in the sunlight.

Surrounding the lake are rolling golden meadows where herds of deer roam leisurely. A clear river originates from the snow-capped mountains, flows into the lake, and then meanders away into the deep canyons in the distance.

Emily stared at the breathtaking scene, slowly scrolling through the page, and softly read out the detailed description below: "Rock River Heritage Farm..." She paused, as if the name itself carried immense weight.

"Located on the border of Montana and Wyoming, adjacent to the northern boundary of Yellowstone National Park, the farm is the largest and most important privately owned piece of the complete ecological puzzle in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem. It covers a total area of ​​31,200 acres."

She paused to help the still somewhat bewildered Arya grasp the concept of the number: "Thirty-one thousand two hundred acres, which is equivalent to one hundred and twenty-six square kilometers."

"Manhattan Island in New York City has an area of ​​59 square kilometers. That means this ranch is larger than two Manhattans."

Lin Yu-an added, "This size is indeed sufficient, equivalent to 1.5 times the area of ​​Hong Kong Island, China."

Arya instantly grasped the concept of this area. Emily continued reading, her voice filled with awe for this land.

"Included within the ranch"

"Hydrological resources: Mirror Lake, an 800-acre high-altitude private lake, is fed year-round by glacial meltwater from the Absalok Mountains. The water quality has been tested and meets Class I drinking standards. The deepest part of the lake is over 200 feet."

"And the 12-mile-long private waterway of the Great Rock River, which was named one of the top ten trout fishing spots in the United States by Forbes magazine and is home to the legendary giant rainbow trout and Yellowstone cutthroat trout."

"Ecological and hunting resources: Over 20,000 acres of pristine coniferous forests and alpine meadows. This is one of the most important seasonal migration corridors for Yellowstone National Park’s red deer, elk, bighorn sheep and pronghorn populations."

"The ranch possesses a permanent, transferable top-tier hunting quota jointly granted by the Wyoming and Montana Departments of Game and Fish, including permits to hunt eight red deer and twelve pronghorn per year, a privilege extremely rare throughout the American West."

Emily's tone became excited, because this was the core of their previous discussion.

"Agricultural and Livestock Resources: The southern part of the ranch is a gently sloping river valley with approximately 5,000 acres of irrigated, high-quality pasture. It is currently operated by an experienced ranch manager and raises over 1,000 organically certified purebred Angus cattle and more than a dozen fine Quarter horses."

“In addition,” she pointed to a specially marked area on a map, “there is a separate agricultural area of ​​about 300 acres to the south of the main house, with fertile soil, plenty of sunshine, and its own irrigation system.”

"The previous owner established a huge organic vegetable garden here, and even a five-acre vineyard dedicated to making Pinot Noir ice wine."

"Oh my god..." Arya was completely captivated. "We can not only raise cattle and horses, but also grow our own vegetables, pick our own fruit, and make our own wine?"

“Yes,” Emily nodded. “That’s not all.”

"Geographical and recreational resources: The ranch has a private gate at the southern end, allowing direct access by car or horseback to the northern uninhabited area of ​​Yellowstone National Park. It is only a 40-minute drive to the west of Montana's famous Big Sky top-rated ski resort."

"This means that in winter we can sled on our own ranch in the morning and ski on world-class slopes in the afternoon."

Arya swiped through the photos, beginning to showcase the ranch's complex of buildings, which resembled a small luxury resort, her voice becoming as if she were introducing a rare treasure.

"The main house, Eagle's Nest, is located on a granite ridge by Mirror Lake, offering panoramic views of the entire lake and distant snow-capped mountains. Spanning over 8 square feet, the entire house is constructed of stone and wood and features eight luxurious suites with private viewing balconies and fireplaces."

"A professional-grade constant-temperature wine cellar that can hold 5000 bottles of wine, and an indoor-outdoor connected infinity pool with direct views of the lake and snow-capped mountains."

"The basement also has a private IMAX theater with 4K laser projection and 32 channels! Honey, I love this theater so much!"

She continued scrolling, showcasing other breathtaking amenities: "In addition, there are three separate luxury cabins, each over 3,000 square feet, named after a bear's paw, a deer's antler, and a trout."

"There's also a top-notch equestrian center with 20 stables and standard indoor and outdoor training arenas. And..."

She paused, took a deep breath, and said, “A 2000-meter-long private asphalt runway with night-flight lighting and a matching temperature-controlled hangar, capable of accommodating Gulfstream G650-class private business jets.”

When Lin Yu'an heard about private jet runways and hangars, his eyes lit up instantly. This was exactly what he needed; it was the ultimate infrastructure for absolute freedom.

Emily, however, pointed out the most crucial and fatal temptation, drawing a line across the map on the screen with her finger.

"Don't forget its geographical boundaries! The total area is over 30,000 acres, of which about 21,000 acres, including the main house, private runway, and major agricultural areas, are all located in Park County, Wyoming!"

"Only nine thousand acres of woodland in the north extend into Montana!"

Aria had no idea about these details, but Lin Yu'an immediately explained the secret: "Wyoming is a well-known tax haven in the United States! There is no personal income tax, no capital gains tax, and no estate tax!"

"By making our home there, we can save astronomical amounts of taxes on all our future income and asset transfers! This is not just a ranch; it is a perfect sanctuary for family wealth that can be passed down for centuries!"

After hearing this explanation, Arya finally understood how much value, which could not be measured in money, was hidden behind this seemingly simple geographical division.

Her voice trembled as she read out the price that had previously deterred them: "Listing price... two hundred and thirty-five million US dollars."

Three days ago, this number was an astronomical figure that seemed unattainable to them and could only be used as a joke.

And now, it has become... an option that can be added to the shopping cart.

The three looked at each other in silence, but in each other's eyes they saw the same flame, a flame that could start a prairie fire.

Lin Yu'an reached out and gently tapped the magnificent land on the screen. His voice was soft, but it carried an undeniable determination.

"My dears, this farm will soon be our kingdom."

------

(Phew~ the groundwork is finally done. All that commercial content, balancing multiple interests, and pulling people in to form alliances—it was all for this one-step farm.)
(As for why they weren't afraid of the SEC, it's because in reality, after the internet cable was unplugged, the SEC produced a 45-page report, and in the end, apart from the person who unplugged the internet cable being fined 7000 million, everyone else got away scot-free.)

(End of this chapter)