3,794 Acres in Cee Vee, TX - $5,121,900

The property was named the "Pease River Ranch" by the Thomas Bros. when it was part of their 14,000+ acre ranch operation in Cottle County a couple of decades ago. This particular 3,794 acre block was one of three tracts making up the Thomas Bros. ranch. After their death and subsequent liquidation of the three tracts in 1997, the "Pease River Ranch" tract was purchased by the Pease River Ranch, Ltd., who remain the current owner as of this day.

TERRAIN/VEGETATION:

The land terrain is rolling, with some elevation changes being more dramatic than others. Towards the north end are several large mesas and plateaus. Deep draws run all throughout the property, lined and filled by tall trees such as cottonwood, willow, and hackberry. The hilly pastures have a variety of native grasses and brush, with mesquite and sparse cedar. The ranch's elevation ranges between 1900' - 1732'.

WATER:

The ranch is well watered by eight wells across it. Six of these are operated by solar powered pumps, one with a windmill, and one with an electric sump pump. All of them have either concrete or metal round troughs to collect and hold the water. A city water line has been ran to the ranch headquarters for the three houses.

Richland Creek winds through the middle of the property for 3.5 miles before it merges with the North Pease River, just a mile after it leaves the ranch. This creek will usually have water in it, but can go dry in extreme droughts. It is fed by over ten miles of ravines and draws across the ranch, several of which have springs that run water as well.

Annual rainfall for Cottle County is around 23". The soils are sandy and well drained. Predominant farm crops in this area of the county are cotton, wheat, and sorgum hay.

HUNTING/RECREATIONAL USE:

The Pease River Ranch is a fantastic bobwhite quail hunting ranch. Prior to the current owner's purchase, the ranch had been leased to the Texas Bird Hunters Association for over 30 years. The current owner has continued, and even expanded, the former tenant's management practices through brush control and pasture improvement, making the ranch even more conducive to the birds. Over the last decade, hundreds of acres of pasture land have been sprayed and/or grubbed, where the mesquites had grown to be too thick. This stimulated the grass growth and created plot areas for milo and sunflower introduction. To help protect the bird's young, predator trapping has been an on going effort as well, targeting raccoons and bobcats primarily.

In past years, it has not been uncommon for a hunter to jump over 30 coveys in a day. On one recent winter outing, the owner ran fifteen with his dogs. The native vegetation and land terrain here creates a perfect habitat for the birds. The pastures are full of sideoats grama, ragweed, bluestem, and brume, with spotted native sunflower and indian grass, providing a diverse seed diet and plenty of nesting areas for the birds. Sage brush and yucca provide additional cover and production from predators. The birds can easily water from the creeks or scattered water troughs throughout the ranch.

In addition to quail, the ranch boasts trophy mule deer and whitetails. You can't hardly drive through the place without seeing several deer making their way through a pasture, or a buck running up a hillside in the distance. Mule deer are so abundant in this area that you will see them in groups of twenty or more in the farm fields along the county road on your way to the ranch itself. The Pease River Ranch has just enough cover and bedding areas to attract and hold deer, while allowing them easy access to the cultivated fields surrounding the ranch for grazing. No fields are within the ranch's borders itself, but as stated above, there are multiple cleared grass flats where food plots and staging areas could easily be installed.

Other hunting opportunities exist for Rio Grande turkey along the hardwoods on the creek bottoms, and year around sport for feral hog. The owner has enjoyed years of Fall dove hunting in the pastures as well.

INCOME PRODUCING:

The land is currently being leased to a local rancher for $1800/month, or $21,600/year. This lease is adjusted on an annual basis for both price and animal unit limitations. The current lease allows for 106 momma cows, their calves, and four bulls. The ranch has an abundance of pasture grass and could easily run up to 150 cows, but the owners have kept the animal limit lower (and rental rate too, in compensation) than its full grazing capacity to ensure that the ranch is not overgrazed.

A small gravel pit on the west side was used by Cottle County prior to the current owner, and could possibly be leased to the county again. The ranch's tall mesas and hills, which line the Pease River valley to the north, provide a good location for a windfarm as well, and have been eyed by an energy company for such use. There are no current wind leases or planned projects, though.

IMPROVEMENTS:

The fences on the property on in fair to excellent condition, with some $50,000 in recent upgrades spent on the perimeter fence. There are two older sets of wooden corrals and working pens; one is in the southwest pasture near the CR 179 entrance, the other is located at the headquarters. The ranch has three gated entrances - one on CR 179, and two on the paved FM 1440. The main ranch entrance off of FM 1440 has two tall sandstone pillars. A gravel road from this entrance leads through the front pasture to the headquarters, where a metal barn and three manufactured houses sit. Details of the three houses are as such:

HOUSE #1:

- 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms

- large kitchen with breakfast nook

- fireplace

- metal roof

- CH/A

- fully furnished (beds, sectional couch, tables, chairs, etc)

HOUSE #2:

- 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms

- large living room with fireplace

- enclosed porch

- separate dining room

- metal roof

- CH/A

HOUSE #3:

- 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms

- kitchen/living area

- attached wooden deck

- CH/A

All three houses have their own septic systems and utility meters. The barn has wooden rafters and an attached carport for storing equipment. A tractor with front-end loader will be included with the sale, equipped with a no-till drill, soil aerator, and chisel plow. Several spin feeders and quail feeders will included with the sale too.

The ranch is easy to navigate with a pickup and has a thorough system of ranch roads. The land has enough open country that a UTV or 4-wheeler can go off-road virtually anywhere.

MINERAL AND PROPERTY RIGHTS:

The owner is willing to convey 50% of their mineral rights, and they believe to own all of them under the ranch, except for one section. This percentage of mineral rights is not guaranteed or warrantied by the owner or broker and will require the buyer's own verification to confirm. There are no current mineral leases on the property or active production; there is some oil play a few miles south of the ranch. All other property rights, such as wind, water, etc, will transfer in full to the buyer at closing.

ASKING PRICE:

The Pease River Ranch is currently being offered for $1350/acre, which includes the three houses, one of which is furnished, all fixtures, the tractor and its implements, various misc items, such as some fence posts and feeders, and the above-referenced property rights.

The owner will consider financing part of the sale with sizable down payment and 1st lien position retained on the land. Terms will be competitive to current market financing.

CONTACT:

For more information or to schedule a private viewing of this ranch, please contact land agent Ben Belew at cell phone (940) 357-9940.