There are the two elderly 800-pound boars who "rule" the area, including a very distinguished blonde giant.

Recently Karl witnessed a fight between a black bear and a grizzly not too far from the Rappold ranch buildings. The event ended in a standoff, with both bears remaining on the hillside for some time, presumably while they "cooled off."

The Rappolds, who recently signed a conservation easement with the Conservancy, regularly see grizzlies on their land – sows with several cubs, and boars both young and old. "We often see them in the open or hear them thrashing through the aspens," says Teri.

Spend time with Karl and Teri and you’ll hear the pride – almost affection – in their voices as they talk about the big bruins that live comfortably on their land. As anyone who lives in close proximity with one of the largest predators on earth, the Rappolds respect the bears, but they’re not fearful.

One might argue that the bears feel the same about the Rappolds. "They seem to know us and our truck," says Teri.

These bears cause few problems for the Rappolds or their cattle. According to Karl, the only time they lost a cow to a bear was back in the ‘60s when Yellowstone National Park sent their problem bears to the Bob Marshall Wilderness, which borders the Rappold ranch. The Rappolds have seen no bears on the ranch with radio tracking collars. They’re wild and wary, yet they seem secure in their habitat and food source. The elk are plentiful, and wetlands on the property offer the bears both a source of food and recreation. "The bears like to cool off in the ponds," says Teri.

The Rappold ranch is a "beautiful place and a tremendous area for grizzlies, for wildlife overall," says Mike Madel, grizzly bear management biologist for the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

The ranch is in one of the wildest areas on the Front, says Madel. Its location – in one of the last remaining areas where the grizzlies can wander onto the plains – offers plenty of isolation. "The Rappold place is difficult to get to. Here the bears aren’t disturbed so they use it more intensively than other areas."

The ranch has a wide diversity of habitat – stands of aspens and shrubs, grasslands and riparian areas – which make it attractive for wildlife. The property includes about five miles of the headwaters of Scoffin Creek and its tributaries, which attract not only bears but also mountain lions, wolves, bighorn sheep, large populations of mule deer and elk, and a diversity of bird species.

"Karl always knows what the bears are up to. He knows where the tracks are. He’s very knowledgeable about bears and wildlife. And he’s a fantastic steward of the land," says Madel.

The Rappold family has been ranching here west of Dupuyer since 1882, when Karl’s grandfather Karl Rappold homesteaded the ranch, eventually turning it over to his son John Rappold.

When John passed away in 1986, he left the ranch to his sons Karl and John W. Rappold. While both sons are partners in the ranch operation, Karl manages their successful certified Angus cattle operation while John spends much of his time in public service, as a Pondera County commissioner.

"Dad always appreciated the wildlife. The wildlife have always been an integral part of the ranch," says Karl.

So when the Conservancy made an offer for a conservation easement and a land trade, the Rappolds felt it was the right thing to do. "I felt like this agreement with the Conservancy complements what we are trying to do. We want this ranch to stay the way it is."

It’s hard to imagine that the bears don’t feel the same way.