William D. “Bill” and Billee Hackett – William D. Hackett was 14 years old when he left home. He went to work doing various odd jobs aroundGillette. He ended up at the Wagonson Ranch where he learned to break colts and work cattle. In 1953 he married Billee McClure. Together they continued working for several other ranches including the Greenough Ranch, TY Ranch (on the big Powder River), and various others… until 1971 they bought their own ranch on Bitter Creek where they still live today!
About every place that Bill went had at least one bad bronc that no one else wanted anything to do with and that’s usually the one Bill picked to work with!!! He produced many nice horses out of one’s that people thought had no use… and the ones that couldn’t be conquered were put in a bucking string! Bill was also a farrier and is still currently at 80 years old known for being the best Equine Adjuster around!!!
Billee has been by Bill’s side through it all. She is known for trailing more miles than any other woman around and cooking out of a sheep
wagon or a tent. She has ridden hundreds of miles horseback by Bill’s side! Together as a family with their kids in tow worked on neighboring ranches all around. Everyone had a job and knew how to do it… kids included! Billee and the kids spent many a night sleeping in the sheep wagon out in the hills with all the men camping outside for days until the job at hand was done. Billee always had a sour dough jug and was known for her fine sour dough cooking!
Today Bill and Billee still travel around to work on horses for a lot different college kids, rodeo people, ranchers, ropers, and anyone who needs their horse adjusted. They still work as a team just like they have from the beginning.