I am continually amazed and humbled to see the effects of rainfall on the red sandy country south of San Antonio. Just weeks ago, I was resigned to yet another bad year for Bobwhite quail, perhaps spectacularly bad. Yet, unexpected rains over much of the Rio Grande Plain have brought to fruition our meager efforts […]
Managing Bobwhite Quail on a Smaller Tract in South Texas
Quail are in trouble in South-Central Texas and it can be frustrating to be a quail hunter in a poor year. Perhaps the biggest reason for the decline in quail numbers is the fragmentation of the habitat across the state combined Sorry, but not everyone can be an heir to a big ranch and, […]
Bobwhites are Pairing Up!
I am getting reports that pairs of Bobwhites are showing up all over South Texas so with eternal optimism, I pray for a great hatch. Last season was very bad over most of Texas, even in areas where the birds normally do well. As usual, I get reports of pairs where people say there simply […]
Tree Ducks Find the Feeder!
Built out of left-over PVC pieces and hardware cloth, this raised feeder with a store-bought feed bin finally saw some action. Known as Black-bellied tree ducks or Mexican whistling ducks, these birds nest in tree crags. Beautiful if somewhat subdued plumage, they actually sound as if they are whistling when in flight. More info below. […]
The Psychology of Locking the Gate
I like to give clients a lock when they close on their new ranch. There is just something rewarding about putting a lock on your gate to your ranch. Sometimes it takes a lot of study, work, and creative financing to buy a ranch, but once done, the rewards are great, starting with locking the […]
Small Tract Feeding Frenzy!
In an earlier post, I mentioned that smaller rural tracts were in great demand here in Medina Co. This was not reflected in the stats from the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M, so I asked what size acreage was being tracked. Turns out, the tract size was concealing the boom. Once adjusted for 50 […]
Stress Driving Buyers Out to the Country
The last 18 months have been increasingly stressful for Texans. This seems to have resulted in a “land boom” for country tracts. In a very interesting article from Bizjournals, Dr. Charles Gilliland from the Texas A&M Real Estate Center reports a 28.9% increase in rural land sales. I have experienced this surge here in Medina […]
TEXAS LAND, The Only Retirement Investment You Can Walk On!
In times of social and economic uncertainty, land, raw or improved, is a great comfort. Two hundred acres or twenty thousand, land in Texas is valuable and getting more so daily. Drop me a line and we can start the search for your getaway in South Texas or the Hill Country.
Stuck in Neutral, South Texas Needs Rain!
On a recent consulting job, the continuing drought in South Texas was brought home to me. As I was in eastern Frio Co., about 12 miles E-SE of Pearsall, it was not as bad as last weeks visit to Artesia Wells, but still sobering. This particular ranch is mostly a deep sand and as such, […]
Ruby is Five Years Old Today!
Such an amazing dog that has enriched and no doubt lengthened my life. A bit standoffish at first, she has warmed up to me and Eileen a lot in five years. Sometimes, she still thinks she is a puppy and curls up in her tiny puppy bed. Other times, she is the Master of the […]
