Seadrift, TX 77983(Calhoun County)

Harbor Gate Ranch is defined by its iconic stands of heritage coastal live oaks and post oak trees, scattered motts of native brush, intact wetlands, coastal prairies, and a range of fishery habitats. The combination of these natural habitats has provided for a huge diversity of wildlife, a fantastic recreation opportunity and a rich ranching history. Decades of proper range management such as prescribed burning, disking, brush management, contouring, and water control structures has created a turnkey recreation property.

The ranch is a working cattle ranch with additional resources that make it ideal for private use and enjoyment. With a series of roads, mowed lanes, and adjoining public roads there is great access to much of the ranch.

Habitat

Harbor Gate Ranch lies within the Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes Ecoregion and is part of the Ingleside barrier-strand plain geologic system, a unique Pleistocene coastal system limited to a narrow band stretching from Calhoun County to Kleberg County, much of which has been impacted with development. Many say the habitats at Harbor Gate are very similar to Aransas National Wildlife Refuge and with the network of similar protected areas in the immediate vicinity, a wildlife mecca. This system is characterized by a diverse complex of soils, and habitat associations, including live oak mottes, tallgrass prairie, sand barrens, freshwater marshes, and freshwater pothole ponds. Tidal bayous, brackish emergent marshes, and creeks further enhance the ranches biological diversity. This broad soil diversity supports a unique assemblage of native grasses, forbs, brush, and trees.

Wildlife

Hunting, fishing, birding, and just enjoying the array of wildlife is easy to do within this diverse assemblage of habitats. Fresh and Coastal waters are home to a wide array of wintering waterfowl, shorebirds, and waterbirds such as ducks, geese, cranes, stilts, plovers, egrets, bitterns, and herons. Sandy soils, prairies and oak mott woodlands provide for bobwhite quail, native whitetail deer, and turkey hunting.

Fishing on the ranch and in adjacent waters is world class. Redfish, trout, flounder, and drum are all part of the fishery that makes this area a fishing destination.

Improvements and Water

The ranch is largely unimproved, with several great locations to build homes and other ranch infrastructure. Brand new Interior fencing was constructed recently and 2 water wells with distribution serve the cattle operation. 2 freshwater lakes also provide excellent watering resources for cattle and wildlife. 3/4 of a mile of coastal frontage with potholes, tidal pool and creeks make excellent redfish and speckled trout habitat along with migratory waterfowl.

Conservation and Management

The ranch was placed under a Conservation Easements as part of a comprehensive plan to implement a wildlife and landscape Conservation Strategy while simultaneously preserving and providing for the future recreation development. The easements allow the ability to improve the ranch tremendously with homes and recreational infrastructure.

Hand in hand with the conservation strategies on the ranch, significant improvement has been made in habitat management, infrastructure, and wildlife management. Prescribed burning has been an ideal tool for coastal prairie management and regular use of it has had significant impact on the health of the native range.

Contact: Harrison King, Listing Agent at 432-386-7102