The Truth About The Bales Of Clover On Yellowstone

If you're wondering who'd dare to take such despicable action against John Dutton and his family, well, there was a pretty long line of folks looking to tangle with the Duttons on Yellowstone season 2. Given the timing of the event, logic would've pointed at Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham), the Native politician with big plans for a Yellowstone casino, or Dan Jenkins (Danny Huston), the greedy developer who very nearly scooped the Yellowstone Ranch away from the Duttons on season 1, as the culprits of the clover-bale-dropping.

As that that scheming duo were partnering on Rainwater's planned casino project, there was clear incentive for both to make a move against the Duttons. But as the season unfolded (and with it the investigation into the cattle kill), it became clearer that Rainwater and Jenkins weren't behind the dastardly act — though Jenkins callously wished he had done it. Instead, Yellowstone's newest bad boys, the Beck Brothers, quickly became the more likely the culprits. Their motivation, however, was less clear — particularly as the vile Malcom Beck (Neal McDonough) turned up at the Dutton Ranch the very day the cattle kill was discovered with his finger firmly pointed toward Jenkins, and looking to partner with John for some retaliation.

Viewers soon learned what prompted the Becks to make such a contemptible move: to get John to attack Jenkins and/or Rainwater and kill their casino deal. They did so in hopes of putting together their own casino plan. It obviously didn't work, and the Duttons soon figured out who masterminded the cattle kill for themselves. Once they did, it was all out war with the Beck Bros., who had indeed met their match in the Duttons — even if they also managed to inflict some serious pain on the man behind Montana's largest ranch and his fiercely loyal flock.