Dryden, TX 78851(Terrell County)

The Ranch was once called Casa de Piedra as it described the main headquarters and its cut limestone rock home. Set up today as a recreation hunting ranch this is land West of the Pecos, a region full of early Texas history, including Judge Roy Bean and his iron hand of the law, who ruled from nearby Langtry. Prehistoric people lived in limestone shelters on the ranch and along the major canyon systems including Bear Canyon. The area is a recreation mecca for both whitetail and mule deer hunting or exploring the canyons in search of adventure. The Serranias del Burro Mountains create a backdrop of high elevations to the south in Old Mexico and serve as a source of black bears dispersing back into this region of Texas.

H Bar H is predominantly within the Bear Canyon drainage with steep hills, cliffs, and drainages along with grass covered flats. A road system gets you down to the river and around the ranch making this place private and extremely accessible. Seven wells with several watering troughs provide amazing water distribution for wildlife.

The headquarters is a compound with a 3 bedroom and 2 bath main house with custom rock fireplace, hunters camp, barns and outbuilding. The house today, although original rock built decades ago, is a modern with very nice furnishings and is ready to go day one. A Caliche county road give access to the entrance from Highway 90 at the north end of the ranch where there is electricity, water and is the jumping off point for the ranches many roads. Elevation ranges from 1,850 feet at the headquarters to 1,300 feet along the river. There is an old hanger with a caliche airstrip located at the HQ.

Habitat and Wildlife

Tamaulipan brushland, hill country and chihuahuan desert habitats are all part of H Bar H Ranch. From ocotillo and sotol, to hackberry, persimmon, and mesquite woodlands, to black brush and juniper, the ranch represents a crossroads of diverse habitats with excellent cover. The propertys browse and grasslands are in excellent condition, a result of the ranchs evolution from a historic sheep and goat operation into todays recreational uses of hunting, hiking, and enjoyment of the scenic beauty. Native grasses, forbs, browse, brush, cacti and trees not only provide excellent habitat for game species such as deer, turkey, quail, Barbados Sheep, and dove, but also for non-game species such as Texas horned lizard, neotropical songbirds, golden eagles, fox, ringtail cat, mountain lion, black bear, and many other mammals and birds.

Recent use and management has been focused on improving and growing both mule deer and whitetail deer populations, which are tremendous. The population is about 80% mule deer and 20% whitetail and with the water distribution and excellent cover, this is some of the best Blue Quail hunting in Texas.

Water

The Edwards Trinity groundwater under H Bar H Ranch is high quality and is accessed by 7 wells three of which are solar. The Rio Grande and its 1.75 miles of frontage allows you to canoe and enjoy the water but is also a great place for a takeout from the multi night Lower Canyon adventure upstream.