Capitan, NM 88316(Lincoln County)

Most ranchers in this area run cow/calf cattle operations, with some preferring summer grazing for yearlings. Rainfall is the ultimate controlling factor regarding stocking rates on area ranches. Higher elevation ranches in Lincoln County typically receive more annual precipitation than those ranches in the lower elevation flats and rolling plains. The Block Ranch has a desirable elevation ranging from 5,200 feet to 6,200 feet, with the property being located near the foot of the scenic Capitan Mountain Range. Historically, this immediate area receives approximately 12-15 inches of rain per year and 1 to 2 feet of winter snow. The Block Ranch is normally operated as a 700-800 animal unit cow/calf operation, with capacity increasing in times of favorable moisture.

The Block Ranch was purchased by the current owner in 2013. During this ownership period, the owner has spent considerable money updating water infrastructure, eradicating invading brush, and he and his wife have recently built a beautiful owners home on the property. Now, after much deliberation, they have made the decision to retire and pass the ranch on to a new owner. In addition to the cattle operation, the owners have developed a small commercial hunting operation focused on limited harvest of mature bucks and bulls in order to sustain a quality hunting experience for the Block Ranch hunter.

Property Description

Lying in the northern foothills of the Capitan Mountains, the terrain of the Block Ranch consists of a combination of rolling pion/juniper country with scattered ponderosa pines and live oak trees, transitioning to open grama grass prairies. Rolling and hilly, very productive open pastureland is generally found in northern pastures on the ranch. The Capitan Mountains, with an elevation of 10,201 feet above sea level offer the owner a beautiful view on all parts of the Block Ranch. Sierra Blanca, with an elevation of 11,981 feet above sea level, can be viewed from the northern pastures on the property. The open grazing areas generally have a solid turf of very palatable native grasses, such as grama, western wheat, along with some side oats and bluestem varieties. The southern portion of the ranch generally becomes a bit more rocky, more broken, and steeper with a moderate to sometimes dense canopy of juniper and pion. Portions of the ranch also have mahogany hillsides providing desirable browse for the wildlife population. Overall, it is estimated that approximately 80% of the ranch is described as open prime livestock grazing areas and the other 20% is rolling hillsides, interspersed with wide valleys, open meadows, and very productive sub-irrigated vega bottomlands. The owners have an ongoing program of removing invader trees and cholla cactus to provide better grass production for the livestock operation.

The owners have managed a robust livestock operation by breeding Angus cows to Wagyu bulls. The current livestock program includes both fall and spring calves. Weaning weights on heifers typically range from 640-650 lbs. and 680-690 lbs. on steer calves. Good stewardship, grass management, and conservation practices are apparent when touring the ranch.

Water Features

A tremendous and somewhat unique feature on the Block Ranch is the amazing Macho Spring, which flows an average of approximately 80-90 gallons per minute of clear, cool, spring fed quality water. The average flow of this spring only varies slightly based on the time of the year. This natural spring has long been the lifeblood of the ranch and provides 75%-80% of the ranch livestock water via solar and electric booster pumps and upgraded pipeline to multiple strategically located storage reservoirs and livestock drinkers. Macho Spring has produced consistent water to the ranch over the entire history of the property. This sizeable spring has a declaration claim of 480 acre feet per year for the purpose of watering livestock.

The spring itself is situated near the southwest corner of the property, in a productive sub-irrigated vega area. A large earthen berm has been constructed around the spring in order to retain and capture the tremendous water flow. Large trout can be viewed swimming around in this clear water pool. From that point, a six-inch waterline is used to direct the spring flow from the point of the spring throughout major portions of the ranch via waterlines. The flow of the spring is metered, and the Block Ranch is allocated 70% of the metered flow, which relates to approximately 60 gallons per minute. The remaining 30% of the spring water is diverted to the neighboring ranch to the west.

In addition to this tremendous flowing spring, two additional smaller live springs supply water to the ranch along with 4 electric wells on the Stokes portion and domestic wells at the headquarters. A live spring located a short distance south of the Macho Spring flows an estimated 15-20 gallons per minute. This spring is piped to a livestock drinking trough with the overflow draining through the vega. This spring could easily be piped to the waterline network from the Macho Spring, if needed; however, the need for supplementing the Macho Spring has never been an issue.

In addition to the above, there is a live spring located on the ranch property across the highway to the south. This spring is known as the Kyle Harrison Spring. The Kyle Harrison Spring is piped to a large reservoir south of the highway and from that point spring water gravity flows by waterline under the highway to the Block Ranch. The Kyle Harrison Spring has a declaration claim of 40 acre feet per year for livestock and ranch purposes. The Block Ranch is entitled to all needed water flowing from the reservoir to the Block Ranch.

In total, there are an estimated 55 miles of waterlines used to transport water throughout major portions of the property. Most of these waterlines are directly tied to Macho Spring, beginning with a 6-inch diameter pipe and gradually reducing the diameter of the pipe as this water source travels throughout the ranch. Other waterlines are tied to various wells and the Kyle Harrison Spring located on the neighboring ranch across the highway to the south. These combined water sources and storage reservoirs provide livestock water to some 75+/- livestock drinkers in 30 pastures throughout the ranch. From a livestock and wildlife ranching perspective, the Block Ranch is exceptionally well watered. From an economic standpoint, the cost of operating the water system is considered very modest, especially when compared to a typical ranch forced to maintain windmills and other similar sources of livestock water.

Improvements

The Block Ranch is very well-improved, and the structural improvements have been well maintained. The original main headquarters, which are located on the southwest side of the property, consist of a well-kept ranch managers home, along with a large, detached garage, a good bunkhouse, horse barn, shop, storage barns, airplane hangar, and horse pens. This area of the ranch is surrounded by a number of large ponderosa pines and live oak trees, being in a scenic setting with great views of Capitan Mountain.

Several years ago, the owners built a beautiful ranch home north of the original headquarters. This quality home is located on an elevated hillside overlooking the wide vega bottom. This home has a large open porch area with outstanding views of the mountains to the south. The owners home contains approximately 4,000 square feet, featuring three bedrooms, four full baths, an office, a large open family area, an attached four-car garage, and a covered back porch with an outdoor fireplace. An insulated horse barn with three enclosed stalls is located nearby.

The south Stokes portion of the ranch has good working pens, two larger equipment and feed storage barns, and a hunting camp. Located in the north-central portion of the Stokes portion is a nice employees doublewide, a carport, and a barn with attached horse pens.

The main shipping pens are in the North Bull Pasture. A very good quality caliche road serves the shipping pens. Other working pens are in the West Cactus Pasture, the Worm Lake Pasture, and the South Macho Pasture.

The majority of the Block Ranch is fenced and cross-fenced with net wire on cedar posts. Most wire gates have been replaced with pipe gates. In more recent years, the newer fences are of barbed wire construction. Overall, fences on the Block Ranch are considered to be in average to sometimes good condition.

Considering all of the structural improvements, the extensive waterline network, fences, water facilities, roads, etc., the Block Ranch offers a very attractive depreciation schedule for a purchaser.

Wildlife , Hunting, and Recreation

The Block Ranch is currently enrolled in special game and fish sanctioned programs for pronghorn and deer hunting allowing flexibility in hunting dates. The Block is in a secondary elk management region allowing for flexibility in harvest on the ranch. Hunting in this region in Southeast New Mexico does provide additional income to ranchers, and the Block Ranch offers some of the better hunting in the area.

Because the current owner has elected to hunt the ranch very selectively for many years, the wildlife population and quality is in good health and condition. The ranch has been enrolled in the NM Game and Fish Private Land Deer Incentive Program and the Pronghorn Conservation Recognition Program, which allow an owner to hunt these species using elevated management techniques with more freedom of hunt dates. The mule deer gene pool is good for this part of the state. Over the years, hunters have taken bucks that have reached the 180+ range with the occasional high 180s-190 type buck on camera. In 2023, only three bull elk were hunted and harvested. All three of these bulls exceeded 340 Boone and Crockett. The largest bull taken from the Block was 377 Boone and Crockett points with larger bulls sighted on occasion. The gene pool of pronghorn antelope is very good on this ranch. In 2023, a 90+ gross pronghorn buck was harvested. In past years bucks in the mid 80s have been harvested. The ranch management program for this coming year includes the harvest of four bull elk, six mule deer bucks, and six pronghorn bucks. In addition to the above-mentioned species, Barbary Sheep, aka Aoudad, venture onto the eastern portion of the ranch from time to time.

Regional Notes

Lincoln County, New Mexico has a rich history of large cattle operations. John Tunstall, John Chisum, and Diamond A Cattle Company were a few names that brought attention to this portion of New Mexico. Billy the Kid and the Lincoln County War have been memorialized by many motion picture companies. A google search of the Block Ranch History will yield several links referencing the history back to the 1860s. The town of Lincoln has an annual historic pageant featuring the escape of Billy the Kid.

Ruidoso, New Mexico is located about 40 minutes south of the Block Ranch. Ruidoso is a recreation destination for many. The All American Futurity, winter skiing at Ski Apache, summer tourism, the Mescalero Apache Casinos, and the Spenser Theater are some of the many recreation activities located near this fun mountain town.

Broker Remarks

We are extremely proud to offer the Block Ranch for sale. This ranch is considered to be in quality ranch country and pride of ownership, along with careful management practices make the Block a property most anyone would be proud to own. Views from any portion of the ranch are calming to the eyes. The Block Ranch is realistically priced at $767 per deeded acre. All owned minerals, water rights, wind energy, and solar rights will convey with the sale of the ranch. Approximately 660 Block Ranch Angus cows are available to be purchased with the ranch at fair market price. All ranch operating equipment is also offered and can be purchased under a separate agreement. Basically, the ranch can be purchased turn-key to include the real estate, livestock, and rolling stock. The majority of the furnishings in the owners home will also be included. The owners of the Block Ranch own and maintain three New Mexico livestock brands, including the historic Block Ranch brand. These brands will transfer to the purchaser at closing. Property taxes are approximately 20 per deeded acre and the very small amount of New Mexico State Lease and BLM permit acreage will be transferred and assigned to the purchaser at closing.

Without question, the Block Ranch is a premier working cattle ranch, complimented with outstanding livestock grazing infrastructure. Ranches of this size and quality are seldom offered for sale. The Block Ranch represents one of the most desirable ranch offerings we have been privileged to handle in recent years. We are honored to have been selected to represent the seller in the sale of this exceptional offering.

To schedule a showing, please contact Sam at (817) 304-0504, Jim at (505) 967-6562, or Dwain at (505) 263-7868.