I know Tom had a ranch somewhere down there, but never really knew where. It just blew my mind back then that I was actually on part of what had been part of the King ranch way back when. I'd been to the King ranch back in the early 70's when I was stationed at the air station in Kingsville. I still cannot quite grasp having land from Kingsville to almost Zapata.

I think it is because of the East split, that's why they set up the King Ranch Corporation.

The story goes Tom east married a Kleberg and moved to the ranch. They fell into some finnancial straits and sold the ranch to the King. After a few decades when another King ranch heir died she willed the ranch back to the East family.

So it was East country before it was king ranch country.

Love the history of some of these old, big places.

I was on the Guerra Ranch, just under 1,000 acres. They say it was one of the very first ranches deeded from Mexico. Heard lots of stories about the history of the place, very cool and some solid deer there. One of the stories I was told was that Mr Guerra way back when, had a pretty wife and a number of ranch hands. Supposedly his wife had shenanigans with one of the hands, so Mr Guerra invited all of his hands and his wife to sit down at his table and eat supper. Story goes he asked them who was sleeping with his wife and when no one admitted to it, he shot all of them right there (including the wife) and buried them in a little cemetery on the ranch. One of the guys I was on the lease with found that cemetery hiding way off in the brush. There was some talk about ghosts drinking a few around the campfire, LOL. As far as I know that place is still up for sale.

My pick would be the one with the best quail hunting

BOBO Brewster is for sale, reach in that left pocket of your's and just pay cash for it Only $320,000,000

https://www.drovers.com/article/massive-brewster-ranch-listed-320-million

I would like to hunt in the Guadalupe Mountains

Our Quail lease is right down the road from the 6666 ranch, when we called around looking for a Vet in case of emergency we were told to call them so we did, they said they have vet on duty 24/7 and if we ever needed them, to come right over anytime and they would help us out. So, from the list I would pick 6666 ranch in Guthrie.

Guerra? Isn't that on 649 at San Roman? It does butt up against the East ranch close to the SW corner. If that's the right place, I saw my first ever mountain lion there crossing 649 and going into the ranch. Been a longtime ago that I was down in that part of Starr County. I loved it. Hot and humid as could be in the summer and you'd get sleet storms in the winter.

There was also some Guerra's who had a little convenience store on the west side of 649 right before you get to the cut off that goes to La Gloria back then.

No Sir. This ranch is pretty far off the beaten path. Just South of Hebbronville if you turn S on 1017 headed to Rio Grande City, you go 17.5 miles and turn left into the Jones Alta Vista. The Guerra is almost 10 miles in on all dirt roads. Well, part of it is caliche and then it turns into just pasture trails. It does butt up to the Robert East, I don't remember now which corner. There's some BIG deer on the East. Also LOTS of illegals and BP LOL.

Okay, I'm familiar with 1017 out of Hebbronville and Jones Alta Vista is on the East side of 1017, while Jones Borrego Ranch is further south on the West side of 1017. We actually ran a check point out of a UPS type truck on 1017, just inside the Starr County line for years. RGC gave it up and let Hebbronville run it now way up the road.

I have hunted on part of the old Chittim for 13 years. Not as big as the King, etc. but was originally 250,000 acres. An incredible ranch.

The original Chittim family member started the ranch in the 1800s on a land grant. He grew it into a massive cattle operation by buying property around him when he could. Story is that he lived in San Antonio while owning this ranch. There were cowboys out on the quarter of a million acres working cattle. He would travel out to the ranch and get on a horse to see his property. (keep in mind that during this time there were NO electric lines, paved roads, towers, etc. to have as landmarks. Totally raw land. He would ride his property and get lost so the cowboys would have to come find him. He became one of the top cattle producers in the USA back in the day. Of course the property has been divided up many times over the years but a really cool history.

Yes Sir, went through that check point every weekend that season. I love that area, well, pretty much all of S Texas LOL. I love the brush country. I've seen a lot of good animals on the Jones but the rule was drive no faster than 15 MH and don't stop, so I didn't except for when my little girl choked on some Cheetos and puked all over me and my truck LOL. I never stopped and glassed any of them. I really liked that place and wish I could still be on it, but there was too much drama in the group I was with so it was a one and done for me. Anyway

I like this thread. Really awesome reading about some great Texas history.

Me too. One of the best threads in a long time.

The history of land is one of the reasons I enjoy my job so much. Every place has a story.

From Native American history to early Settlers to 19th and 20th century land barons, every place has a story to tell.

So much history has been lost I’ve spent many an hour researching history on a place trying to piece together stuff to answer a question I’ve found.

Aoudad tags are easy to draw and not too expensive on the New Mexico side.

Another good looking ranch is the Yturria ranch West and North of Sanderson. They butt up against Longfellow along 90 W of Sanderson and range North, on 285 into Pecos County.

I know there are Yturria Ranches in Cameron County along the coast off of 77, but I'm not sure if it's the same family.

The ranches west of Sanderson hold some good mulies and elk.

Same family.

The Ship ranch out of Laredo was 25k mas or menos.

They also had a ranch in Ft. Davis that recently sold. Think it was 32k

I drew a Feb tag this year. We shall see, guessing it’s going to be a tough hunt but beats the hell hole of an office

I wouldn’t call it easy, but from what I’ve seen, it’s not terribly tough. I guess it depends on trophy goals, more than anything. You got an area picked out, yet?