The Dutton Ranch Cast Was 'Ready To Take A Breather' From The Series After Filming Season 1

They say everything is bigger in Texas — and that apparently includes the size of the break needed after filming a popular neo-Western series for Paramount+. While shooting in Montana wasn't always easy for the cast of "Yellowstone," the Texas set of sequel series "Dutton Ranch" came with its own unique set of challenges. In fact, according to returning series star Cole Hauser, by the time the show's nine-episode-long debut season wrapped, just about everyone involved was ready to leave Dutton behind, at least long enough to recharge their batteries. 

Speaking to People in August 2026, Hauser cited the Texas weather — more specifically, the sheer unpredictability of it — as one of the major reasons working on "Dutton Ranch" took so much out of its cast and crew. "We went through a lot of weather issues with the heat, then the freezing cold, and there were ice storms. It was just nuts," the actor shared. Elsewhere in the interview, Hauser noted that, after nine months on set, he and his co-workers were more than a little "wiped out." 

As the actor pointed out, "Everybody at the very end of episode 9 was ready to take a breather, go home, rest up and get ready for this next year." Make no mistake, though, Hauser loves being part of "Dutton Ranch," which quickly became the most popular "Yellowstone" spinoff series upon its May 2026 debut, and was renewed for a second season the following month. "All in all, I think the whole season was tough, but it was very rewarding in the end," Hauser reasoned. "The audience loved it. The critics loved it. I can't wait to continue to make 'Dutton Ranch' as good as it can be." 

Notably, "Dutton Ranch" star Cole Hauser's August 2026 interview with People wasn't the first time he discussed just how grueling the weather conditions could be on the show's Texas set. In fact, during a previous interview with People, in June 2026, Cole Hauser opened up about facing an unexpected challenge with his weight on "Dutton Ranch," as a result of the intense heat in the Lone Star State. The actor likes to pack on a few extra pounds to convincingly portray Rip Wheeler, the fan-favorite role he reprises from "Yellowstone." While Hauser was apparently able to do that in Montana without too much trouble, the Texas sun immediately had him sweating so profusely he had a hard time keeping the extra weight on. 

As the actor subsequently mentioned in his August interview, the only reprieve from that first week of 100-plus-degree heat came in the form of an ice storm that shuttered production for days. "Our crew is really intrepid. Our cast is really intrepid. We got through all of it, but it wasn't easy," he noted in June. All that being said, harsh weather wasn't the only obstacle Mother Nature had in store for the team behind "Dutton Ranch." 

As Hauser and co-star Kelly Reilly shared during an appearance on "The Kelly Clarkson Show," in May 2026, the abundance of rattlesnakes in Texas also injected a fair amount of danger while filming "Dutton Ranch." "That particular location we were at, we actually were going to go film there at night and got turned away. [...] [Lead director Christina Alexandra Voros] found, like, I don't know, 40 or 50 rattlesnakes," Hauser revealed.