I graduated from high school in the same class and played football with the guy who is now the patriarch of the O'Connor Family ranches and while I went to the ranches when we were teenagers, I never hunted on them. I guess I would pick that one for that reason although the King has attraction also for the reasons already mentioned.

I'd go with the Hughes, I like the country and it's probably got the widest range of critters.

I’d probably go 6666 just because it’s close to home and I’ve seen some bruiser WT and Muley’s out there over the years.

06 or Longfellow for me, would like to hunt that country again some time.

One of the 6666 ranches I would also like to hunt is one they own in Montana. Hunted a ranch that bordered it several times and there are some good mule deer, pronghorn and elk there.

Either the Longfellow or the 06. Mule deer, elk, pronghorn, blue quail. I'd pick the one that also had bighorn sheep and turkeys. I know the first has the former and the second has the later, but not sure if they both have both.

I would thank God if I was ever able to hunt any of them.

Isn't that the plain ol' truth.

My grandfather got to hunt the Callaghan regularly back in the day. If any kin of the people he ran with are still involved, I'd love to hunt out there.

Fun place to bow hunt javi’s

Jones Ranch, more consistent quail hunting than the King Ranch.

My Britt got to hunt on the 6666. I had to pick her up at the feed store in Guthrie, no guest allowed on the ranch.

agreed. open pasture and oak motts. big deer and nilgai as well.

shhhhhh let them spend their moneys!

Jokes aside I didnt even know about all these ranches until this thread came up.

All I can really say is, just because a place exists on a large contiguous piece of property that don't make it a bigger adventure, nor does it mean there is better habitat.

I would bet King Ranch broken up situated around good water throughout the state, is probably one of the best.

And yes, if I had the disposable cash, I probably would do a nilgai hunt there.

King.

I was on a deer lease in the Jones Alta Vista 2 yrs ago, that bordered the Robert East Sanctuary. Yes, lots of big deer, pigs, javis, turkey, quail. Wish I was still on it.

Waggoner for whitetail - low fence beastly whitetail, great variety of terrain - just an amazing place.

King for quail and nilgai and South Texas variety - hell you can find yourself redfishing. Great whtietail, but pound for pound and consistency I'd stick with Waggoner.

For wildness and variety, I'd go west. I'd start with the 06 for personal and family reasons but would love to get on the other huge west Texas ranches. Pronghorn, elk, mule deer, bighorn, lions.

The Pitchfork. Right next to 6666 and it’s a magical place.

The Mariposa and Encinitas are also awesome ranches that grow some great animals.

King, Longfellow (pretty good elk population there), and then the East Ranch in Zapata County. When Robert was alive he did not allow hunting. Quite often you would run into him out working with his hands on the ranch, he looked almost like one of them until you got close. He'd always offer you water. He had too many 150's and bigger, to count.

Robert's ranch used to be part of the King ranch. There was an old house on the SW end of the ranch that still had the King Ranch running W on it. We had a deal with Robert, we would not pick up his illegals and we were allowed to run a trail going through his ranch. Robert would not let Hebbronville BP agents on his ranch period. He had 125 windmills on that ranch and had 3 illegal guys there that all they did was work on the windmills.

You could get lost (turned around) on his ranch real easy, especially in the Fall and Winter when it was cloudy. You learned it by running one road at a time from beginning to end and then turning around. Next time up there run that road again and follow on branch off of it from beginning to end.

Good times.

Hadn't read this when I posted. You could go West to East on Robert's Ranch and end up going through Jones' Borrego Ranch to hit 1017 and go back to La Gloria and 755 back to Rio Grande City.. Roberts ranch was at least 4 hours driving South to North and a little over 2 hours driving from West to East.

I sold a ranch they bordered they Mariposa.

Tons of nilgai

deerfeeder how big was the Robert's ranch at the time.

I don't remember. I roamed it from mid-1980 until Feb. of 1983 when I went over to Customs. The times I gave above are what it took to drive it maybe 10 15 miles an hour. Robert didn't like you speeding on the ranch.

The King Ranch isn't all that great. Pretty ugly terrain honestly.

If it’s the San Antonio Viejo south of Hebbronnville they claim it’s 77k acres.

Believe it or not, the East’s would have owned another 200k acres if Sarita Kennedy East had not left her land holdings to the Catholic Church and Corpus Christi Diocese. I believe Tom East Jr. received a few thousand acres ( I believe it was called the San Pablo ) from his Aunt.