The script was originally written by Sam Peckinpah for the western series Gunsmoke (1955). When that show's producers turned it down, he submitted it to Dick Powell, head of Four Star Productions, which produced the anthology series Zane Grey Theatre (1956). Powell liked it and gave the go-ahead for its production. It aired on March 17, 1958: The Sharpshooter (1958).
Chuck Connors was left-handed. In the opening credits he holds the barrel with the left hand while operating the rifle with his right hand. At the turkeyshoot. At the saloon and subsequent episodes in the body of the show he holds with the right while operating the rifle with the left. The end credit art shows him holding the operating end in the right hand.
During the opening sequence when Lucas McCain (Chuck Connors) and Mark McCain (Johnny Crawford) ride up to inspect the Dunlap Ranch the trees seen growing all over the ranch land are "Valley Oaks" or "Live Oaks." (Genus Quercus) North Fork is supposed to be located in New Mexico Territory. The trees clearly indicate that the shows exterior shots were filmed on the Fox Movie Ranch (Now the Wildwood Regional Park) in Thousand Oaks, California. These two species of trees do not occur naturally in New Mexico.
This series' regular air time was on ABC (American Broadcasting Company) channels from 9:00 to 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday nights during television Prime Time. The series premiered on September 30, 1958. "The Rifleman" finished the year in the top ten of Prime Time programs that same year.
The Dunlap Ranch in this episode was the former Morrison Ranch in Agoura Hills, CA. The ranch house burned in a 2018 wild fire.