What are everyone's thoughts on these "ranches" were you can buy 20-80 acre lot with maybe 50+ lots being offered? A lot down south (Rocksprings/Junction are), but have seen a few more popping up further north.

Some have water and electric, looks like most offer a shared water station.

I have seen some represent that they have a management program and tags are given out each year. Others don't say anything.

Are they a trap? Just folks trying to make a buck? Are they worth it? Anyone with firsthand experience?

Big family ranches being sold piecemeal for more money. Its a way for people to get into the land game but if everyone hunts those places deer populations will diminish very quickly, i think we all realize this.

Per acre, smaller parcels are usually easier to sell for higher price than selling the whole for the higher price.

I would do it for an investment but not hunting if I thought it would increase in value to offset the expense of maintaining it. Driving 3 to 4 hours ain't cheap anymore to just see a few deer so better be worth it. I am very lucky where I hunt in North Texas considering what land values are doing so hope it lasts. Our landowners don't ever plan on selling and those land developers are buying up ranches and selling 10 acre crap you can't even shoot a 22 on. Our fence line neighbor did that so have 15 ranchettes on one side. There are 15 mini ranches. Cows,, apps, tractors, barns. Kinda funny.. Actually hasn't bothered our hunting at all. They have zero cover anyway and have to keep cows on each 10 acre plot for ag.

The trap is most of them are being bought by “owner finance” with 5-10% and usually 10% interest. The seller is betting on the buyer defaulting and they get the land back. Most of the time the sellers won’t even bother with running credit checks or employment verification, they just want the down payment in hopes of a quick default.

I talked to a developer down there last year doing exactly this, but on his developments they use active game management and only pass out X amount of tags and require owners to participate in the feeding program by charging a POA fee. He said they do this because a lot of people will buy 40 acres with the owner finance deal, shoot them out and let them go back to the original owner, it’s almost cheaper than a lease and a hell of a lot cheaper than paying to hunt a game ranch.

Unless you are buying within a tightly managed high fenced development such as the YO Ranchlands or Dominion Ranch, these types of smaller tracts in subdivisions are almost all garbage (as far as hunting goes).

Lots looking at them for Covid type escapes and other social disaster scenarios. Lots of activity with them.

You'll find properties up this way that sell lots and reserve part of the ranch as undeveloped and allow hunting. Many have no improvements and electricity is expensive to get on your lot.