In the fall of 2015, father-son cattle ranchers are re-sentenced for public land arson on federally managed rangeland in Oregon’s remote high desert. Claiming “government overreach,” prominent land-rights agitator Ammon Bundy pressures Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward to intervene on behalf of Dwight and Steven Hammond. When Ward refuses, Bundy and a cohort of militia-style supporters descend on the frontier town of Burns, mounting an intimidation campaign that escalates into an armed takeover and occupation of the nearby Malheur National Wildlife Refuge headquarters.

A dive into the region’s volatile past reveals bitter disputes, echoing a legacy of conflict across the American West. The Indigenous Northern Paiute resist encroachment by land-hungry cattle barons, settlers, and others, resulting in their 1879, military-enforced march to a distant reservation. Survivors returning home face entrenched discrimination, but federal recognition reinforces a path toward self-determination. Skirmishes over land and water resurface—sometimes violently—even as 20th Century federal agencies reshape the modern public domain. A rising environmental movement demands sweeping land use reform. Meanwhile, the 2016 Malheur occupation captures worldwide attention, forcing Sheriff Ward to grapple with the latest chapter in the West’s enduring struggle around power and place, sovereignty and belonging.

In 1930, Edward Hines Lumber Company establishes a timber empire in Harney County, and the struggling rural community realizes unprecedented prosperity. But changing environmental policies and market competition combine to shutter the mill in 1980, spurring anti-government sentiment. Meanwhile Ammon Bundy’s pitch to dismantle federal agencies wins some support, though many resent the arrogance of an outsider speaking for them. Community meetings deepen divides and erupt into emotion, as local and federal law enforcement eye potential strategies to resolve the standoff.

A deeper look reveals the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge’s complex past. Established by Teddy Roosevelt in 1908, Malheur’s oasis protects wetlands critical for migratory waterfowl, but the adage, “Water is for fighting and whiskey is for drinking,” evokes eternal Western conflict—including Dwight Hammond’s 1994 arrest and bittersweet triumph over a refuge waterhole. A tentative alliance between ranchers, conservationists, and agencies emerges…but the occupation threatens its success. Inside the refuge, face-offs between “patriots” and public land advocates ease into unlikely camaraderie, until new tensions develop.

Seeking to spread their anti-federal doctrine, Ammon and his brother Ryan Bundy announce a meeting in neighboring Grant County, opening an opportunity for their arrests along a snowbound forest route. Evading capture, occupier LaVoy Finicum is killed by State Police; seven are apprehended. Anger over LaVoy’s death explodes during a rally in Burns, as locals match occupation supporters in cathartic response. After most refuge occupiers flee, the FBI negotiates with four holdouts at the now fortified complex, broadcast in a livestream reaching 70,000.

A peaceful surrender allows cautious relief in the Harney County community and all transfixed by the 41-day ordeal. Twenty-six are ultimately indicted, fueling protests and counter-protests in Portland and beyond. Spring welcomes massive flocks of birds—and birders—to the Harney Basin’s verdant landscape. Ranch brandings, town activities, and elections signal a return to regular rhythms. As autumn nears, the county fair bridges the divided community, as it celebrates the region’s harvest. In Portland, prosecution and defense teams prepare for the first trial in the Bundy case.

The first trial spans six weeks. Conspiracy, guns, and the limits of protest are examined in an exhilarating, surreal scenario mirroring the occupation itself. Outside the Portland courthouse, Bundy supporters occupy “Patriot Corner,” yielding a dynamic display of flags, a bugling shofar, and at least one horse. A final twist propels the jury toward an unexpected verdict, and Ammon Bundy’s attorney is arrested. In Burns, with the general election just days later, Dave Ward is re-elected as sheriff and Donald Trump becomes America’s 45th president.

The second Bundy trial nets convictions and prison time for several occupiers. Soon, a new “occupation” rattles the still-raw Harney County community—the 15,000-strong Rainbow Family of Living Light’s annual gathering, followed by 2017’s total solar eclipse. In mid-2018, President Trump pardons Dwight and Steven Hammond, drawing Ryan Bundy and other former refuge occupiers back to Harney County. Successes in socio-economic and environmental collaboration offer a glimmer of reconciliation across differences in a time of deepening dissent. A new, more violent spectacle of anti-government protest brews across the nation.