Established in 1909, Woody Creek Ranch lies in the western edge of the Cross Timbers region adjacent to the famed Chisholm Trail between the town of Bray and the Owens Prairie community in southwest Oklahoma. An area rich in water, hardwood oaks, and open native and introduced grass prairie lands make it an ideal part of the country for both cow-calf and stocker operators.

Lorenzo Richmond Smith, born in Tennessee in 1846 to Scottish immigrants John Butcher Smith and Elizabeth Byrom Smith, purchased the original land in the Chickasaw nation from Tom Jones, a native Chickasaw. We have continued to build on our responsibility to grow the ranch and preserve our heritage.

We maintain a herd of Angus cattle and raise our own replacement heifers. We believe the ideal cow weighs between 1000 and 1200 pounds and is a Frame 3. Knowing beef tenderness and flavor are genetic traits and not produced in a feedlot, we raise only healthy, grass-fed beef from grass-fed genetics. Cattle are expected to excel and produce a calf every year with only grazing and added mineral. We use no antiobiotics, parasitic wormers, hormone implants, or vaccines other than Blackleg.

Consumers have come to realize that so-called "Angus beef" programs may only have requirements such as a black hide to qualify for the program. These cattle don't have to be Angus at all and bear no relation to the true Angus breed that had the ability to thrive, marble, and finish on grass only. The cattle business has in some way become its own worst enemy by concentrating only on animal weight, a practice which consistently produces a lower quality product. This has given all of us the unique opportunity to differentiate ourselves from the produceer of a strictly commodity product and sell premium beef that provides a healthy and enjoyable eating experience for consumers. People today want to know the story behind what they are eating and feeding to their families.

A herd of black Spanish goats is kept to help control brush on certain areas of the ranch. They have been a nice addition to our operation, and there is an excellent market for meat goats.

Wildlife on the ranch includes an abundance of trophy class whitetail deer, wild turkey and hogs along with bobwhite quail and all types of waterfowl.