Missouri River and Eagle Canyon Ranches

Landowners’ Corporation

Welcome to the Missouri River and Eagle Canyon Ranches Landowners Corporation (LOC) website!

In the summer of 2022, the Board of Directors (Board) unanimously voted to engage the services of Innovative Solutions Group out of Helena (https://inovativhosting.com/contact-us/) to create a website for the LOC so that Members could be kept informed about the governance of the LOC and activities that committees are engaged in.

The Board is always seeking landowners who are willing to participate on a Road Committee. Committee members provide input on area roads and crossings that are in disrepair, and assist the Board of Directors in prioritizing annual maintenance. The Board encourages Members to come together and form additional committees to address issues of concern in an organized manner that can be submitted to the Board for review and action.

You will find links to information about the governance of the LOC to include past minutes of meetings and financials, plus information about the Directors and updates about road maintenance and other activities in the subdivisions.

There are also links to email the Board about any concerns related to the governance of the LOC and to email the Developer about any concerns related to enforcement of the Covenants or concerns related to enforcement of the Declaration of Easements.

The site is fairly new and the Board will continue to work on the content with additions and improvements. Input from Members in the way of constructive comments or suggestions are welcome.

Notice from the Developer of the Missouri River & Eagle Canyon Ranch Landowners Corporation

The Developer has contributed significantly over the past 3 years with the improvements of the subdivision roads. Beginning in 2025, the Board of Directors of the LOC will continue with the seasonal maintenance of the roads, and at the same time, budget for any necessary repairs in the future.

Up until the summer of 2024, the use of a water truck to help compact the road after grading was used by taking water from the North Fork of Stickney Creek. In the late summer of 2023 someone in the subdivision sent in a complaint to the DNRC about taking water from the creek for road maintenance.

The road maintenance for the 2024 season was performed without a water truck. The condition of Charbonneau Drive with the extreme washboard in some areas may have been an effect of not having water to help compact the loose road material after grading. The speed in which people drive over a gravel road also has an effect on the road surface and can contribute to washboard.

This notice is to inform the Members of the LOC that the Developer has entered into a lease with the LOC to allow the Road Maintenance Committee to take water from the North Fork of Stickney Creek for the seasonal road maintenance at one of the locations where he has a water right.

During the process of investigating the water right laws of Montana, it was also noted that anyone wishing to take water from a source in Montana must have a water right. Further information can be found at the DNRC Website. 

The location on North Fork Road where the LOC will draw water will be posted. No one, other than the driver of the water truck, can take water from the creek at that location, nor any other location in the subdivisions unless they have a water right to do so.

Road Base Materials

Trucks have begun delivering road base materials to Missouri River Ranch Lot 87 (located on Rocky Road, just before Charbonneau). Community members traveling during business hours may be sharing the entry road with larger vehicles as these deliveries are taking place.

Just a reminder, these materials are privately owned, and not available for community use. Although this area was previously used by some landowners for sighting in rifles, target practice and had some fill dirt available, it is now under new ownership and trespassing is not permitted.

Hunting & Trespassing

Unattended vehicles have been reported along several of our common roadways. This is more apparent during hunting season. Non-residents must have permission from all landowners if they intend to hunt on or cross through private property. If you believe trespassing and/or illegal hunting is occuring in the LOC, you are encouraged to photograph the vehicle (including license plate) and report it to the local Fish & Wildlife Protection office and/or the Sheriff Department. 

Mountain Lion Awareness

Mountain lions (Puma concolor) are also called cougars, pumas, panthers, and catamounts. They roam throughout this area in both desert and mountain country, and are usually quiet and elusive. Although your chances of seeing one of these secretive animals is slight, people sometimes encounter them. Typically, mountain lion sightings occur from a distance and usually around dawn or dusk. However, lions are unpredictable and can be dangerous.

Mountain lions are solitary animals, traveling alone except during mating season or when a female is supporting young. They can be seen at any time of the day or night, but are most active at dawn and dusk, corresponding with deer activity.

Mountain lions are carnivores (meat eaters) and prey mostly on deer. They also eat small animals like porcupines, rabbits, squirrels, marmots, and skunks.

Do not feed deer. Feeding deer encourages them to remain in close proximity to humans. Keep the wild in wildlife! Avoid carcasses as mountain lions will occasionally return to their kills to feed over several days. Do not leave pets outside at night.

Here are 10 things you can do to stay safe in mountain lion habitat

  1. When it comes to personal safety, always be aware of your surroundings, wherever you are; conduct yourself and attend to children and dependents accordingly.
  2. If you encounter a cougar, make yourself appear larger, more aggressive. Open your jacket, raise your arms, and throw stones, branches, etc., without turning away. Wave raised arms slowly, and speak slowly, firmly, loudly to disrupt and discourage predatory behavior
  3. Never run past or from a cougar. This may trigger their instinct to chase. Make eye contact. Stand your ground. Pick up small children without, if possible, turning away or bending over.
  4. Never bend over or crouch down. Doing so causes humans to resemble four-legged prey animals. Crouching down or bending over also makes the neck and back of the head vulnerable.
  5. Try to remain standing to protect head and neck and, if attacked, fight back with whatever is at hand (without turning your back)—people have used rocks, jackets, garden tools, tree branches, and even bare hands to turn away cougars.
  6. Don’t approach a cougar. Most cougars want to avoid humans. Give a cougar the time and space to steer clear of you.
  7. Supervise children, especially outdoors between dusk and dawn. Educate them about cougars and other wildlife they might encounter.
  8. Always hike, backpack, and camp in wild areas with a companion.
  9. Don’t feed wildlife. Don’t leave food outside. Both may attract cougars by attracting their natural prey.
  10. Keep pets secure. Roaming pets are easy prey for cougars.

Bids Now Being Accepted For Snow Plow Services

The Missouri River and Eagle Canyon Ranch subdivisions are looking for bids on snow plowing for the 2025 and early 2026 season. Applicants must have access to appropriate equipment and be able to prove they are licensed and insured. Previous experience plowing gravel roads preferred. Applicants will need to be on call and able to come plow when needed. The amount of plowing will depend on snowfall for the year. In past years it has been approximately 65-80 hours for the season. If interested please send bids to mrecrloc@gmail.com.

Trash Dumpster Update

At the Annual Meeting, the Board presented the estimated costs to maintain a dumpster year-round within the ranches. Since that time, additional factors have caused the possibility of a dumpster to no longer be a viable option.  Factors include the cost of security fencing and controlled access to prevent unauthorized users, liability insurance to protect the Developer and LOC from lawsuits at the site, and a legal opinion strongly discouraging the Developer from continuing to allow his lot to be used for this purpose.  

The results of the 2025 Missouri River and Eagle Canyon Ranches Landowners Association ballot count is as follows:

  • 15 votes for Liberty Beecham
  • 4 votes for Mike Burcusa
  • 181 votes for Mark Pieloch
  • 2 votes for Randy Trefry (write in)
  • 1 vote for Don woody (write in)
  • 1 vote for Wade Crittendon (write in)
  • 1 vote for Dave Jones (write in)
  • 1 vote for Russell Maulding (write in)
Thank you to everyone who  participated in this process.