The company started in 1993 when Ron Thiel originally bought the Terry Ranch for the purpose of raising Bison. Dan Thiel, the son of Ronald and Janice thought it would be a great idea to start a company that would allow people to be able to get up close and personal to the "great North American Bison". Of course after over 1 year of red tape "Jan Thiel Inc." dba Terry Bison Ranch Resort became a reality.
Back in the beginning of our history there was no Senator's Restaurant as they would serve chuckwagon dinners in an old barn called the Wagon Wheel. This building only had 3 walls and a roof and the food was cooked at the old Cookshack building. (This building is now the photo shop at the Depot). Back in the early years the 7XL stables hadn't been created yet as we had another company that provided the trail rides for our guests.
We didn't feel that our guests were getting the proper attention so Dan started Horseshoe Bison. The horseback tours had to change over the years due to the major drought that Wyoming was experiencing during the 90's. Because of the drought, Ron Thiel with Iron Mountain Bison had to change the landscape of his grazing operation. He introduced "Holistic Grazing" which forced him to put up fencing and change the landscape throughout the Ranch to herd the Bison from pasture to pasture. This of course changed the way we had to do our tours and horseback riding. That is how the horseback tours at the 7XL stables came to be the way they are.
Every year we try to make an improvement somewhere at the Ranch whether it was the addition of the Gazebo, or the Stone entrance into the Ranch, or the addition of the Pershing Room at the Steakhouse. It seems that there is always a need for something neat and cool. This year we are going to try to lay some grass on the South side of the Gazebo so that our guests that book birthday partys with the Kid Corral will have a nice grassy area to enjoy. We are also building an array of standing planters and flower boxes for beautification of the Ranch. Behind the Bunkhouse there will be a large greenhouse to not only grow our flowers for all the planters, but also to grow tomatoes for the Senator's Steakhouse. Don't let me leave out the Chicken Bus too...... This is going to be something we feel is really cool. The bus will be a movable vehicle that will be the home to a bunch of egg laying hens. This will be an organic egg that will be available for purchase in the Trading Post. All these chickens will be cage less pasture laying chickens. Well, thanks for taking the time to read this article and till next time......
