I Grew Up Visiting Montana Ranches — Here’s How Accurate the ‘Yellowstone’ Universe Really Is
From family feuds to livestock auctions—here's what Taylor Sheridan's hit show got right and wrong
Key Takeaways
- Family legacy and land passed down through generations is very true to real Montana ranch life.
- Fairs, rodeos and livestock auctions are staples of Montana culture—just like on 'Yellowstone.'
- Unlike the Duttons, real ranchers don't kill rivals—and they don't dress nearly as well.
I was born and raised in Colorado, but because all of my extended family lived in Montana, Wyoming and Utah, I spent most of my summers driving around to visit relatives–and their cattle ranches. Now, I’m not going to sugar coat anything: those ranches can smell awful. They can also be loud, gruesome and almost gory at times, but at the end of the day they are important to our society. Also important to our society? Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone universe, which centers around cattle ranching in Montana. But how accurate is the show compared to the real thing? And is real life ranching as dramatic as the Duttons make it out to be? I share what you need to know below.
What the ‘Yellowstone’ universe got right about ranching
From families to tourists, here’s everything the show got right.
Family dynamics
First thing’s first: Yellowstone is very family-centered, The ranch they all work on has been passed down through generations and all of the Dutton do everything in their power to protect it. And so do real life ranchers! Most of the ranches my family owns or works on were passed down by either a family member or a family friend.
Now, some people do buy land and their own cattle and launch a brand new ranch, but doing that can be expensive since there is so much property tax on patches of land in Montana.
Fairs, rodeos, stock shows and livestock auctions
Spend 10 minutes in Montana and you will most likely stumble upon a fair, a rodeo or a stock show. My personal favorite is the rodeo—I am a big fan of bull riding—but when it comes to ranches, livestock auctions are the most important because that’s when ranches can buy and/or sell their animals.
The Duttons can be seen participating in a variety of auctions in Seasons 1 through 5 of Yellowstone, and there was even a Texas action in Episode 2 of the new spinoff Dutton Ranch. Talk about realistic!
Drinks on drinks on drinks
In Montana there’s not a whole lot to do aside from ranching, hunting, fishing, skiing and hiking, which means that, yes, a lot of people there spend time drinking either at home or at bars. Another fun fact about Montana? A lot of the bars’ stools are in the shape of horse saddles, which helps all the cowboys and cowgirls feel right at home.
Tourist troubles
One of the most talked about issues in Yellowstone is the Duttons’ hatred for tourists. And while some people in Montana understand how important tourist dollars are for the local economy, others just want them to leave the state so they can ranch—and drink—in peace.
What the ‘Yellowstone’ universe got wrong ranching
From clothes to killings, here’s what the show got wrong.
Ranchers don’t tend to kill people
As far as I know, none of my family members have ever killed someone that got in the way of their ranch. The Duttons, however, do, which makes sense since the show is so dramatic.
No one wears fancy clothes
Sure ranchers buy nice jeans and boots, but for the most part they aren’t walking around in expensive business casual clothes like Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) sometimes does.
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