Rancho Agua Grande is featured on the cover of the Spring 2022 issue of Texas LAND magazine. Click here to find out more.
The possibilities within Rancho Agua Grande’s fences are as big as the vast blue sky above
Agua Grande means “big water.” Fed by more than 30 springs, year-round Live
Oak Creek, which bisects the 17,132± acres Rancho Agua Grande for about seven
miles is indeed big water especially in the arid landscape of Kinney and Uvalde counties.
Located about 25 miles northwest of Uvalde and just two hours west of San Antonio, Rancho
Agua Grande is one of the largest live water ranches for sale in Texas today.
The creek’s flow is slowed and pooled by 10 dams strategically placed along its route.
Numerous lakes, some large enough for jet skiing, dot the landscape. Both banks of Live
Oak Creek lie within the ranch’s borders ensuring complete, private access.
The crystalline waters beckon waders, swimmers, splashers, tubers, kayakers and paddle boarders.
Largemouth and hybrid-striped bass, as well as rainbow trout, tilapia, catfish and bream thrive in
the clear water, offering an angling challenge to while away the hours.
In dry regions, water has long been the land’s most valued asset. As evidenced by the numerous
undisturbed Indian mounds and middens located near the creek, Native Americans relied on the
life-giving water. Arrowheads and other artifacts abound. Lumbering dinosaurs left tracks in the
once soft mud that have hardened into a unique historic record.
While the surface water is spectacular, the groundwater is equally abundant. Water wells
have been punched throughout the ranch to serve the needs of wildlife.
Both Boiling Mountain, the highest peak in Uvalde County, and Salmon Peak, the highest
point in Kinney County, are located on Rancho Agua Grande, adding craggy grandeur. The
rugged hills and deep canyons that characterize this transitional landscape contrast with the
shady pecan bottom along the creek, offering the best of all worlds.
The limestone hills are pitted by caves, five of which have been explored at different degrees.
Spelunking is just one of many activities offered by the unique landscape. Hikers and 4×4 offroaders
can test their skills against the everchanging terrain.
The velvety night skies, unpolluted by light, beckon amateur astronomers to gaze at the
heavens through night-vision goggles or the ranch’s Celestron telescope. With a bit of
patience, bird watchers can add to their life lists and nature photographers can capture images
worthy of magazine covers. And shotgunners can hone their skills on the eight-station range
that can accommodate skeet shooting, fivestand, trap shooting and wobble trap.
Wildlife
South Texas, West Texas and the Hill Country meet at Rancho Agua Grande. Because
three ecoregions converge on the ranch, the vegetation is diverse ranging from piñon pines
to live oaks and mesquites, huisache, guajillo and black brush. The textures draw the human
eye and the natural nutrition attracts the wildlife. Between 2007 and 2010, more than 10,000 acres
of cedar were cleared to open up the ranch to further improve the habitat.
Kangaroos, camels, zebras, gemsbok, sable, water buffalo, white bison, Iranian red sheep,
scimitar-horned oryx and waterbucks are just a few of the more than 60 species that call
Rancho Agua Grande home. The ranch boasts some of the largest herds of axis deer, blackbuck
antelope, and scimitar-horned oryx in the state.
Whitetails, turkey, dove and a limited population of quail are native to the ranch. More than 50
miles of high-fence encircle the perimeter keeping desirable wildlife inside and freeranging
game out.
Rancho Agua Grande, one of the nation’s premier hunting destinations, currently is run primarily
as an exclusive hunting operation and has been the site of numerous high-profile hunting shows.
Bowhunters have scored numerous Safari Club International Records including the number one
blesbok taken with a crossbow and a top-five four-horned sheep.
The ranch is managed under an MLDP Level three permit and features 30+ feeders and hunting
blinds located to make the most of the extended hunting season. One blind, dubbed as the Big
Blind, can hold up to 10 hunters simultaneously. With a live camera feed, fully stocked bar and
poker table, it is the ultimate “man cave.”
Lodging & Living
The ranch’s main residence, an expansive custom-designed, two-story rock house, is
sited near the geographic center of the ranch. Secluded and private, it overlooks Live Oak
Creek. Nothing has been left to chance. The home is resplendent with high-end finishes and
incorporates glass to help bring the light and beauty of the outdoors inside. This luxurious
retreat has to be seen to be fully appreciated.
Designed with entertainment in mind, the 6,000± square-foot lodge, featuring an antique
bar, dance floor and bandstand, is the perfect place to celebrate the day’s adventures or
special events such as weddings, retreats or reunions. The lodge easily accommodates 250
people. With an additional 2,300± square feet of covered porches, the guest list can swell.
The lodge’s sprawling main room is bookended by massive fireplaces that stretch from the floor
to the vaulted log ceiling that soars 34 feet above. A game loft offers another level of fun.
Eight mid-19th century cabins, transplanted from the mountains of Kentucky, have
been restored and updated to meet the most discriminating standards for modern
convenience and rustic elegance. Most include a Jacuzzi tub, a kitchenette and a spacious
living room with a fireplace. The cabins can sleep three to six guests depending on the
cabin’s size and arrangement.
The majority of the cabins are located lakeside, so lapping water lulls guests to sleep. The
exception? The Summit Cabin is perched on the top of a secluded mountain, providing a birdseye
view of the rugged countryside that is best enjoyed from the private pool or hot tub.
A blacktop road runs from the main entrance to the main compound. For those who prefer
air travel, Agua Grande has a 5,800 foot by 75 foot instrument marked, painted and lighted
runway that is surrounded by a high fence to ensure that the airstrip is always clear. Jet fuel is
available on the ranch.
Rancho Agua Grande is home to big water and big opportunities. It’s perfectly appointed as
a commercial hunting operation but is equally suited to becoming a corporate retreat, an
events center for weddings, birthday parties, family reunions, or an enviable private ranch.
The possibilities within its fences are as big as the vast blue sky above.
To see the unique splendor and unlimited potential of the Rancho Agua Grande for yourself, contact Howard W. Hood with Hood Real Estate Inc. at 830-739-3815. The ranch is available for $150 million.
17,132 Acres
Kinney and Uvalde Counties, Texas
View on LandsofAmerica.com
$150,000,000
Howard W. Hood Broker
830-739-3815 • Howard@HoodRealEstateInc.com
HoodRealEstateInc.com