Originally named the Beaverhead Country Slide Stacker by its Big Hole Valley inventors, the large wooden device known as a Beaver Slide is used to stack hay up to thirty feet high.  The massive piles can last between two and six years – longer than baled hay.  Although modern technology may have reduced the prominence of Beaver Slides in the landscape, some ranchers are returning to the device as a way to save money and reduce fuel usage.  Check out the “Beaver Slide, Grant-Kohrs Ranch” YouTube video to see a Beaver Slide in use. 

Kayde E. Kaiser | University of Montana | Geography Department