They are penned when home on the ranch. Roberts is situated next to the East Walker River on 300 acres. He raises as much as 1,200 tons of hay and feeds the sheep around 500 tons only during lambing. He sells his leftover hay. He also grows garlic.
Predators are a real problem in the summer pastures.
Once a herder had to shoot two lions in one day. Roberts said the lions are worse in winter. Wildcats and bears also kill. Roberts estimated the total loss of lambs from sickness and predators to be 10 percent. The unique fences are constructed of stacked willows and help keep the lambs warm.