American Hunting: Starting with Solitary Life in the Wilderness

Chapter 298 The Warrior's Charter
“We have a strong agricultural machinery force. At its core are twelve John Deere heavy-duty tractors and combine harvesters, which are the guarantee of efficiency.”

“Ground commuting relies on fifteen Ford F-350 heavy-duty pickup trucks and thirty Polaris UTV all-terrain vehicles for rapid commuting in complex terrain.”

"Sir, these twelve Green Legion units are the secret weapon that can control the seemingly high feed costs to three million three hundred thousand dollars."

"Without them, our total feed expenditure last year would probably have exceeded five million dollars!"

He switched the projection, and on the map, a long, narrow green plain winding along the Giant Stone River was highlighted.

“In Wyoming, water is everything. We rely on our unparalleled superior water rights.”

"The former owner, Mr. Hunter, established a nearly 3,000-acre modern irrigated agricultural area, entirely controlled by computers, in the most fertile river valley of the ranch."

"This is the main battlefield for the agricultural machinery unit, which fully follows Wyoming's efficient agro-livestock integration model, rotating two core forage crops to ensure the sustainability of soil fertility."

Arthur's laser pointer was first pointed at a piece of land that covered about two thousand acres.

"Alfalfa is known as the king of forage. It is a perennial legume with roots that can penetrate deep into the ground to fix nitrogen and improve the soil."

“Wyoming’s high altitude, abundant sunshine, and dry climate are ideal for alfalfa growth, allowing for maximum protein accumulation.”

“Sowing is usually done in early May, and thanks to ample irrigation, efficient harvesting can still be achieved during Wyoming’s short growing season.”

“From the first harvest at the end of June to the last harvest at the beginning of September, there can be a total of three to four harvests.”

"Last year, these two thousand acres of land produced a total of about 12000 tons of top-quality alfalfa hay, which is equivalent to about 12,000 catties (6 tons) per mu."

"The crude protein content of these alfalfa plants is consistently above 20%, and their quality far exceeds that of most commercially available hay on the market."

Then, he moved his laser pointer to about a thousand acres of land next to it.

"Then there is high-energy silage corn, which provides a burst of heat during the fattening stage."

[P.S.: No need for a picture of the corn, right?]

"The farm does not grow ordinary sweet corn, but a special feed variety, characterized by its tall plants and amazing biomass."

"Because of the longer growing cycle, the farm will sow in mid-to-late May, after the frost period has completely passed."

"Then, in mid-to-late September, when the corn cobs reach the waxy maturity stage and the nutritional value of the whole plant is at its highest, the whole plant is harvested using a large silage harvester."

"Sir, it is important to emphasize this point. Nowadays, most commercial ranches in the United States choose genetically modified herbicide-resistant or insect-resistant corn varieties in order to increase yields and reduce costs."

“But Mr. Hunter established the strictest rule from the beginning: no genetically modified crops are allowed on the land of ‘Great Rock River’.”

"Therefore, we spend a huge amount of money every year to source non-GMO corn seeds from a very limited number of suppliers that have undergone the most stringent certifications."

"This undoubtedly greatly increases our planting costs and the difficulty of field management, because we have to use more traditional and meticulous manual methods to weed and control pests and diseases."

"But Mr. Hunter firmly believes that this absolute control over the source and the adherence to the concept of pure naturalness are priceless."

"This is precisely the source of Jushihe's confidence in promising absolute purity."

"These shredded corn stalks and ears will be immediately transported to sealed silage pits for fermentation."

"This process perfectly preserves its energy and flavor, and is the key to creating top-quality marbling in the final fattening stage of the beef!"

"Last year, this 1,000-acre land produced about 9,000 tons of high-quality silage, which is equivalent to 18000 jin (9 tons) per mu."

Lin Yu'an nodded slightly, completely agreeing with this extreme control over the source. But he immediately found the most vulnerable and fatal link in this seemingly perfect closed loop.

His question hit the nail on the head: "Arthur, I completely agree with the principles of non-GMO and ecological pest control. But this is, after all, three thousand acres of open farmland, not a sterile laboratory."

"If we encounter explosive, migratory pests like armyworms or locusts, relying solely on beneficial insects may not be enough to react in time."

"Does Mr. Hunter have a contingency plan for this kind of event? We can't just stand by and watch a year's harvest be ruined, can we?"

"Sir, your concerns are entirely valid, which is why the core of the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) system for the Great Rock River, which Mr. Hunter developed in collaboration with the Yale Ecology team, is..."

"The system is divided into four lines of defense."

"The first line of defense is ecological defense; through crop rotation, beneficial insect buffer zones, and healthy soil, we can prevent 99% of common pests and diseases to the greatest extent possible."

"The second line of defense is scientific monitoring; Hank has two young cowboys under his command whose main job is to drive UTVs every day, carrying professional monitoring equipment, to conduct grid-based inspections of farmland and record the population density of pests and beneficial insects."

“The farm has a strict intervention threshold; we only initiate intervention when the pest density is likely to cause more than 5% economic loss.”

"The third line of defense is precise biological intervention; there are two types of intervention. Once the intervention is initiated, the farm will prioritize the use of drones to precisely release parasitic wasp egg cards in specific areas."

"Or spray Bt preparations or azadirachtin, which are environmentally friendly biological pesticides."

Arthur's tone became extremely serious, "And the fourth line of defense, which is rarely used, is surgical chemical intervention."

"The farm will use emergency chemicals that have undergone the most stringent environmental certifications, have the lowest toxicity, and can decompose rapidly in the soil."

"But the use of this scalpel is strictly controlled by General Manager Hank and you personally."

"It will only be approved for use in extreme situations, such as locust plagues, which could have a devastating impact on crops, after being jointly signed and confirmed."

“In the past five years, this scalpel has only been used once, when a drone was used to spray a 50-meter-wide isolation zone along the boundary of farmland, successfully stopping a swarm of migrating locusts.”

"And all records of operations in this area will be submitted as an appendix to our top beef customers for filing."

Arthur concluded with a tone of pride: "So, sir, Rock River isn't selling the empty slogan of 'never using pesticides.'"

"What we are selling is a complete and transparent management system that reduces risks and unnatural interventions to near zero."

"This is one of the key reasons why Jushihe brand beef is so expensive!"

Arthur glanced at the documents and continued, "So, of the farm's total feed cost of 3.3 million last year, 2.7 million was used for planting on this farmland."

"This includes seeds, organic fertilizer, irrigation, labor, and agricultural machinery wear and tear. An additional 600,000 will be used to purchase ingredients that cannot be produced by ourselves, such as dark chocolate, maple syrup, and brewer's grains."

"According to financial calculations, if the farm were to purchase equivalent products from the market, the total cost of this batch of feed produced by the farm itself would exceed four and a half million US dollars."

"This means that this owned farmland and our agricultural machinery fleet can directly save the ranch nearly two million dollars in cash expenditures every year!"

"It is the true cornerstone that enables us to maintain a 13% net profit margin and achieve a perfect ecological closed loop."

This discovery excited Lin Yu'an even more than seeing the profit of 1.6 million!
Profit is just a result, while this farmland is the core engine for creating profits, controlling costs, and mitigating risks!

He once again experienced the mindset of his former master, Mr. Hunter, a big player who not only created a luxury brand but also built an independent kingdom with core production capabilities.

Arthur's voice pulled Lin Yu'an back from her thoughts, "On the northern edge of the ranch, there is a 1500-meter-long private paved track certified by the FAA."

"The runway is equipped with a night navigation lighting system and an ILS instrument landing system, which is sufficient to meet the needs of night takeoffs and landings. In fact, it can easily handle medium-sized business jets like the Gulfstream G650."

"Next to the runway is a temperature-controlled hangar with independent fuel storage tanks and ground power equipment. The hangar is currently empty and ready to be occupied by its new owner's vehicle."

"In addition to these conventional buildings, the ranch also possesses a unique asset that is worthy of being recorded in the history of the development of the American West—a privately owned railroad line."

"The Great Rock River Heritage Ranch was originally founded in 1888 by Patrick Connery, a railroad tycoon and mining mogul in the late 19th century."

"The ranch was initially established to provide meat and timber supplies for his North Pacific United Mining Company."

"In 1902, the Connery family spent a huge sum of money to build a five-mile-long siding on the main line of the BNSF (Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway)."

"This railway leads directly to the heart of the ranch. In that era, owning such a private railway was undoubtedly the ultimate symbol of wealth and power."

"And now, your ranch has a truly private railway station." "Whenever you need it, you can dispatch BNSF freight trains to transport heavy supplies from anywhere in the world directly to the heart of your kingdom."

"This asset is currently valued at approximately eight million US dollars on paper. But its strategic value is immeasurable by any amount of money."

"It has given this seemingly isolated land the ability to conduct industrial-grade logistics exchanges with the entire North American continent."

Lin Yu'an already knew about the existence of this railway, and he planned to use it to transport materials for the construction of the Arctic Pavilion in the future, so he was not very surprised by it.

Arthur switched to the last page of the report, which contained no charts, only a stunning aerial panoramic view of the ranch.

"Finally, the most precious and truly priceless asset of the Great Stone River Heritage Ranch is its intangible privileges and living ecosystem."

"The ranch owns the Great Stone River and its main tributaries, which were recorded as first-priority superior water rights by the state government in 1888."

"The year 1888 was crucial because, according to the principle of priority occupancy in the American West, it meant that no matter how severe the drought Wyoming might face in the future."

"When all water rights registered after 1888 were restricted or even had their water supply cut off."

"The Great Stone River Heritage Farm still has the right to take all the water permitted by law!"

"Based on flow monitoring data from the past decade, the total flow of the Great Stone River can drop as low as 300 cubic feet per second during the driest month of August."

“Based on our water rights permit, we have the right to take away 60 cubic feet of it, which is 20% of the total flow.”

"This is enough to guarantee the irrigation of our three thousand acres of farmland, as well as water for all livestock and personnel."

"In the American West, where water resources are increasingly scarce and water rights trading prices are hitting record highs, this right is real gold and the absolute, unshakable cornerstone of this kingdom."

“Secondly, there are hunting and fishing rights. Sir, what our ranch possesses is not an ordinary permit.” Arthur’s tone carried a solemnity and reverence as if recounting history.

"It originates from a special appendix to the Land and Freedom Act of 1892, which was passed by the newly formed Wyoming legislature and personally signed by the governor."

"This appendix is ​​intended to honor thirteen brave warriors who made outstanding contributions during the westward expansion, the Indian Wars, and the establishment of states in the United States."

"The state government granted them thirteen plots of land at the time, along with a near-state-level permanent autonomy over fishing and hunting activities on those plots."

"At the time, this was considered the highest honor bestowed by the new state government upon its founding heroes."

Arthur's tone was tinged with excitement, and a hint of emotion flickered in his eyes as he spoke.

"After more than a hundred years of vicissitudes and family changes, most of the original thirteen Warrior Charters have been withdrawn or invalidated by the state government for various reasons."

"To this day, only three copies remain fully recognized and strictly enforced by law."

"And the core land of our Giant Stone River Heritage Ranch is the largest and most complete of those thirteen heritage sites!"

"This Warrior Charter is older, more advanced, and more unshakeable than any 'Class A Permit' subsequently issued by the State Department of Fish and Game!"

"It grants you, as the rightful owner of this land of merit, near-absolute autonomy over it."

"Simply put, the Wyoming Department of Fish and Game recommends a scientific hunting quota for you each year based on our population census data."

"But according to this ancient charter, the power to ultimately decide how much to hunt, when to hunt, and how to hunt is entirely in your hands."

"Of course, Mr. Hunter has always considered himself the guardian of the Warriors' Legacy and is an extremely responsible manager. The actual number of hunts each year is far below the Bureau of Fishing and Hunting's recommended quota."

"Thanks to Mr. Hunter’s decades of protection, this area has become one of the regions with the highest density and healthiest populations of wildlife in the entire Greater Yellowstone ecosystem."

“Hunter collaborates with an ecology professor at the University of Wyoming to conduct a detailed population census every fall.”

Last year's data showed that stable life existed within the farm's boundaries:

A core population of over 500 elk, including several top males with enormous antlers that rival world records.

Nearly a thousand white-tailed deer and mule deer.

With over 300 pronghorn antelopes, they are the fastest running animals in North America.

In addition, our infrared cameras have been monitoring black bears, occasional gray wolves, elusive cougars, and large numbers of grouse and various waterfowl year-round.

Based on our permit level and last year’s population census data, the Wyoming Department of Fish and Game issued our ranch the theoretically highest annual hunting quota.

Specifically, last year we could legally hunt up to:
40 male elk

60 female elk (used to control population size)
80 male deer

50 pronghorn
Two black bears.

"Sir, these top-tier hunting slots alone would be incredibly valuable if sold through a professional hunting guide company."

“A typical stag hunting package at a ranch of our quality would cost around five to eight thousand dollars. But the real value lies in the elk.”

“Because of the presence of top-quality male elk with multiple large antlers, a week-long ‘trophy-grade male elk’ hunting pass can easily sell for over $20,000 or even $30,000.”

"The super-rich are willing to spend a fortune for a perfect hunting experience and a giant antler that they can show off on the wall for a lifetime."

"Just this one item alone, if you were willing to commercialize those 40 male elk slots, could generate nearly a million dollars in revenue each year. And that doesn't even include the value of other deer species and black bears."

“Mr. Hunt’s stance was very clear: he saw himself as the manager of this land, not a plunderer.”

"He only hunts a symbolic number of large game animals each year, either personally or by inviting his most distinguished guests, in order to maintain ecological balance."

“He rejected all the top clubs that wanted to conduct commercial hunting here, even though they offered exorbitant prices.”

"For him, seeing the elk drinking water peacefully is far more valuable than having a deer head specimen hanging on the wall or millions of dollars more in his bank account."

"The same applies to fisheries," Arthur said, his tone still solemn.

"That Warrior Charter also grants you absolute fisheries management rights over all waters within the ranch, including the 15-mile-long main channel of the Great Stone River and all its tributaries."

"Our private stretch of river has been named one of the top five private fly fishing spots in the United States by Forbes magazine."

"But this is not because of the luxurious service, but because it has a nearly pristine, undisturbed aquatic ecosystem."

"The aquatic ecosystem here is also extremely healthy and diverse. Aquatic biologists assess that the core section of the river here is home to a perfect pyramid of cold-water fish populations."

"This includes a large number of native Yellowstone cutthroat trout, which are native to the area and are protected under the Endangered Species Act."

"Fishing for this fish is strictly limited in most of Wyoming's public waters, but within the scope of our charter, you have the right to self-manage."

"There are also numerous rainbow trout and brown trout, which are larger and more challenging to catch. And mountain whitefish are an important ecological supplement."

[P.S.: It must be so annoying for a white bar to grow this big.]

"Based on comprehensive assessment, the total number of various trout species per mile of water has remained stable at over 4000. This is an extremely impressive figure that represents the health of the water quality and ecosystem."

Arthur's expression turned serious, and his tone carried a hint of admiration.

"Sir, that's exactly what I admire most about Mr. Hunter. To maintain this number and protect the genetic purity of the flagship species, the native Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout."

"Mr. Hunter has been waging a silent ecological war every year for the past few decades!"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

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(End of this chapter)