Caiden Flynn races between two pick-up riders after his horse turned back toward him and the gate during the bareback riding competition on June 18, 2021, as a part of Chris LeDoux Days weekend in Kaycee, Wyoming. The Flynn was one six riders in the bareback contest, kicking up billows of dust as the sun set behind the stands.

Dan Towsley, right, grabs his bag and supplies from the car after fixing up all the guests fly rods during a half day trip in late July on Grouse Mountain. Visiting from out of state, family friends Ed and Mary Clark, left, and Debbie and Chris Baum have been coming to Paradise Guest Ranch for several years and try to fish. Guest ranches and local guides help promote ecotourism and safe and respectful use of the land. 

Mike Curuchet pulls one of the dogs through the fence wires after going out to check on the sheep as they arrive in the holding area on Thursday morning. The holding area is set aside as a place for sheep and cattle to rest with water as they trek toward the mountain. Because the weather has been so hot during the day, moving livestock has to be done early in the morning and late at night when the weather is cool enough to keep them healthy.

Patriotism is in high supply in rural Johnson County, with palettes painted to resemble to the American flag spread around dirt roads and neighborhoods. As the political conversation remains heated across the United States and in Wyoming following the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol, people are continuing to use old symbology as well as adding new visuals signs to display their values. 

From left, Heather Rozema, Aniya Tegenu and Hailee Vahoski sit with two market lambs while they wait for their turn in the sale ring. Aniya had a hard time selling her lamb but is still excited to try the high school's FFA shepherding program again next year. The program makes it possible for students who live in town or can't keep livestock at home to raise the animals at school. 

Dozens of carcasses in the hanging cooler after dumping scraps at the end of a long day on June 10 at Purcella’s Meat Processing. Because of COVID-19 shutdowns, local meat processors saw a large increase in business that led to fuller coolers and longer days. As of June, Purcella’s was already fully booked through Feb. 2021 even with extended work weeks.

Trooper, a four year old black gelding, has been trained both in and outside of the show arena, working both as a working cattle and hunting horse, and as an all-around show and fair queen horse.  

Growing up fishing Clear Creek, Zac Sexton knows the pools and straights of the creek like the back of his hand. He fishes as often as he can, taking hunting dog Hefe along and wearing his favorite fishing sweater — decorated with llamas and matching the color of the winter grasses. 

Pierson Hodgens walks a few calves out of the bunch as they con- tinue sorting the pen near Fort Phil Kearney in northeastern Wyoming. The Hodgens wean later than most because they calve later — not until May. This later calving season allows for fewer losses to extreme weather.

Brothers Hugh and Raymond Turk run a third-generation beef and sheep ranch just outside of Kaycee, Wyoming. Ranching in the winter provides unique challenges ranging from frigid temperatures to high expenses to emotional isolation. Every rancher has to face these challenges to reach the summer months, and every rancher takes it on in their own way. Here, Raymond Turk spreads some grain on the ground for the bucks before laying out their daily hay while feeding in the morning with his brother Hugh.

From left, Dan Thiele, Kevin Monteith and Heather Abernathy carry a mule deer doe away from the base vehicles and people to be released on Dec. 16, 2021 near Mayoworth. The animals are given a light sedative and pain killer to prevent stress and pain while the research team takes measurements and collects a variety of data from each collared doe. The data collection wraps up a three year long research study on the health and size of the heard in southern Johnson County. 

The Moore family ran the ewes into the chute, squeezing in as many as they could safely load while they vaccinated and paint branded each ewe on April 30, 2021. Once in the front, a ewe would find a way to turn around backwards with almost every batch. Ewes are split into two pastures, one of experience ewes and one with first year ewes that stays closer to the house where they are easier to monitor. The Moore family is one of a few across the country participating in permitted eagle trapping. Golden and bald eagles predate on lambs and have learned what time of year each ranch will begin lambing season. The program allows eagles to be safely trapped for either falconry permits or to be relocated in a different range in hopes of protecting livestock. 

In order to avoid the growing summer heat that rises with the sun, days start early for the Curuchets. With parents waking up and getting horses ready around 3:30 a.m. and kids waking up around 4 a.m., the day begins in near darkness. The timing of the migration of sheep from the flatland up to the mountains varies every year. Because of minimal rain and hot temperatures the Curuchets were forced to begin their journey a bit early, moving sheep off of their land before they completely depleated the water and grass supplies. Several Wyoming ranchers continue the centuries old tradition of migrating sheep to summer pastures, grazing on permits in the national forests.

Once a month, the Buffalo Livestock Auction holds an all critter sale to offer animals other than cattle.The all animal sale held on March 2 included piglets, a lamb, two horses, cattle and bison calves. The auction has been serving the county for more than a decade. 

Kaycee rancher Hugh Turk checks the chains after hooking them on the skidsteer tires. The tires are old and need to be replaced but in order to keep budgets tight during slow winter months they adapt pickup truck chains to help with grip on snow and ice.The chains are a little too big for these tires so they ended up using twine to tighten the chains around the tires to keep them effective. Ranching in Wyoming winters is challenging - financially, emotionally and in terms of weather.

Hunter Bailey, 10, pulls a bird out of his dad, David’s, coat while his brother, Brigham, lays the other two birds out for a group photo on the ground on Nov. 20, 2021. The trio comes to the youth-only pheasant hunt on the Bud Love Wildlife Habitat Management Area every year with their yellow lab, Nelli. Their tradition begins at 5 a.m., to get an early start to the hunt, walking out into the foothills with flashlights before the sun comes up.

Adam Todd, right, rubs the head of his dog Bella while holding the pack rope tight for friend Tim Peterson as they pack one of the mules. Todd, owner of Black Tooth Excursions, bought the business with his wife Claudia almost five years ago but started working with the outfitting business several years before that. Ecotourism is a major industry in Johnson County and a way in which local businesses are making a living while also teaching visitors how best to utilize and to take care of local resources. 

Created from old pipe left around town after it emptied out, the Linch family created a "Praise God" entryway to the original farm house on the hill above the ranch. Faith is important to the multi-generation ranching family as is the idea of home. Ronda Linch, the daughter of the settlement's founder, moved away from the ranch a few times with her family as a child but reflected that every time they topped the hill and saw familiar buildings and hills, she knew she was home.