Ralph and Darla Chain, owners of Chain Land & Cattle Co. in Canton, Okla., have been selected as winners of Region IV, which includes Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas. They were nominated by the Oklahoma Beef Council.

Located near Canton, Chain Land & Cattle Co. has been in the family for six generations and has always been distinguished by the special care its owners take to preserve and manage local wildlife. The ranch breeds more than 2,500 cows and heifers each year, including 500-600 mother cows on the Medicine Lodge, Kan., ranch that are bred to top Angus bulls. They also run a purebred Limousin cow herd that is bred to Red Angus bulls, producing cross-bred bulls to be used on their commercial cow herd. All of their raised and purchased calves are marketed through Coleman’s Natural Beef in Denver, Colo.

The Chains have worked extensively with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation to develop an effective wildlife management program. Through leased hunting, the Chains have been able to turn the problem of increased wildlife populations into an opportunity. The Chain ranch manages its wildlife through selective harvest, population inventories and habitat enhancement.

Additional stewardship practices include a comprehensive brush control program, which includes prescribed burning to control the spread of eastern red cedar. This program is adjusted to fit the differing landscapes found on the more than 60,000 acres of Oklahoma and Kansas. This management program has been featured on several ranch tours, demonstrating to other producers the importance and practicality of environmental stewardship.

The Chains are acutely conscious of their family’s history and the history of the area. To that end, the Chains have worked persistently to control the spread of eastern red cedar, a growing problem in western Oklahoma and southern Kansas.

“Accepting challenges and working to build a better future for our children and grandchildren is as much a part of our job as is improving our stock and protecting our natural resources,” Ralph says. “Therefore, we must become educators and share the story of our industry and our commitment to safeguarding our natural resources and food supply.”