The Legacy of
Dayton O. Hyde
Founder, Rancher, Author, Conservationist
(1925-2018)
↓
One of the last great American cowboys.
Dayton O. Hyde, founder of Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary, was a rancher, naturalist, environmental pioneer, award-winning author, decorated WWII veteran, and photographer. He possessed a rare combination of ranching knowledge and ecological understanding, pioneering methods that benefited wildlife and working lands alike. His conviction that humans are stewards rather than masters of nature, and his ability to turn these beliefs into action, made him a singular force in American conservation history.
“People were saying ‘it couldn’t be done,’ and that’s the wrong thing to say to a cowboy.”
—Dayton O. Hyde
Cattle Rancher Roots
Building a life’s work
At just 13 years old, Dayton O. Hyde left his home in Marquette, Michigan, to join his uncle at Yamsi, a 6,000-acre cattle ranch in Oregon's Klamath Basin. As he later wrote in The Pastures of Beyond, "Though I had no spare clothes or any money or had ever been more than sixty miles away from home...that day I became a cowboy.” It was here that Dayton’s passion for wildlife, nature, and ranching flourished, inspiring his numerous award-winning books that offer readers an unfiltered glimpse into the true American West.
At Yamsi Ranch, Hyde developed his unique approach to land management, where conservation and ranching worked hand in hand. He restored wetlands for migratory birds, protected native wildlife (including predators), and demonstrated that environmental stewardship could enhance successful ranching operations.
Igniting a conservation movement
Hyde pioneered an approach to predator-prey relationships that challenged conventional ranching practices which was to remove predators that threatened their livestock. Rather than waging war against wolves and coyotes as most ranchers did, he carefully observed their behavior and recognized their essential role in maintaining healthy ecosystems.
Dayton’s groundbreaking book Don Coyote documented how predators naturally controlled rodent populations more effectively than toxic chemicals, while also keeping deer and elk herds strong by culling the weak. In Hyde's vision of conservation, every species played a vital role.
His beliefs and practices in conservation methods, which included strengthening dwindling populations of sandhill cranes, helped ignite a conservation movement that continues today. Dayton Hyde’s deep appreciation for the natural world, along with his profound understanding of the coexistence between native plants and wildlife, remains essential to protecting our ecosystems.
An Equine Calling
In 1987, when Hyde encountered corrals of captured wild horses in Nevada, he felt a powerful calling. As he later recalled, "I called up my family and asked them to take care of Yamsi—I was headed to Washington D.C. to fight for America’s Wild Horses" At 63 years old, Hyde embarked on his most ambitious conservation project yet.
A New Mission
The Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary is born
"Imagine a crowded bone-bare feedlot, packed with captured Mustangs too weak to stand, listless, dejected, some have lost the will to live, spirits broken, unwanted, either too old, too ugly, or too independent to qualify for the adoption program."
Dayton O. Hyde had a vision of a creating a vast space where unwanted wild horses could roam free—and he was hell bent on making it a reality. He petitioned Congress for the release of captured horses to him, and formed a partnership and formed a partnership with South Dakota Governor George Mickelson, the Bureau of Land Management, and the South Dakota Community Foundation to secure 11,000 acres of land, saving it from industrial destruction.
By sheer force of will, he established the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary on this breathtaking terrain—rugged canyons, towering pine forests, the winding Cheyenne River, and ancient Anasazi petroglyphs. In 1988, the first horses arrived.
Hyde secured this land a created a non-profit organization to ensure the land would remain wild and undeveloped for generations to come. His Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary became a model for balancing conservation with practical land use, proving that the protection of endangered landscapes and species can be both visionary and viable. His work demonstrated that conservation doesn’t have to be a battle against ranching—it can be an evolution of it.
“These horses are my partners in saving this land forever.”
—Dayton O. Hyde
Lasting Legacy
On December 22, 2018, after thirty years in South Dakota, Dayton O. Hyde passed away peacefully at age 93, knowing his beloved sanctuary was in capable hands. His legacy lives on in the horses and land he saved, in his many books, and in the people he inspired to follow his path. In Hyde’s own words, "One old cowboy can do quite a bit, but it is up to us to carry on the dream of keeping these wild horses running free."
Captured On Film
Award-winning feature film documentary, Running Wild: The Life of Dayton O. Hyde
The award-winning documentary Running Wild was hailed by The New York Times as “a grand documentary” and praised by critics as “inspiring in the best possible way.” Set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary, Running Wild follows the extraordinary journey of a cowboy determined to protect wild horses and preserve the American West. Through stunning cinematography, the film powerfully conveys Dayton O. Hyde’s unwavering belief that wilderness and wild creatures must be safeguarded. Traveling to sold-out screenings across the country, Hyde captivated audiences and received standing ovations for his life’s work.
Purchase the DVD
Stream Online
Further Reading
Books by Dayton O. Hyde
With 20 published books to his name, Hyde was one of America's most distinctive literary voices on ranching, wildlife, and western heritage. His vivid storytelling and deep ecological insights earned him national acclaim.
Notable titles include:
Sandy
The Brand of a Boy
Yamsi
Last Free Man
Cranes in My Corral
Strange Companions
Raising Waterfowl in Captivity
Island of the Loons
Thunder Down the Track
Wilderness Ranch
One Summer in Montana
The Major, The Poacher, and the Wonderful One Trout River
Don Coyote – “American Library Association List Best Books of the Decade, 1987”
The Bells of Lake Superior
Life in the Saddle, essay
Thunder of the Mustangs, essay
Mr. Beans
The Pastures Of Beyond
All the Wild Horses
Alone in the Forest