Location

Situated in eastern Webb County, with access along U.S. Highway 59, it is easy traveling getting to and from the ranch. Freer, home of the famous Muy Grande deer contest, has your basic groceries and supplies and is only +20 miles away. Laredo and the Laredo International Airport are a convenient +35 miles from the gate. The approximate distances to other metros are Corpus Christi 80 miles to the east, San Antonio 130 miles north, and Houston 270 miles up Highway 59.

Topography, Rangeland & Habitat

The ranch has lightly rolling country that falls off from south to north with the ranch’s elevation ranging from +520’ down to +410’. Wet-weather Black and Mesquitoso Creeks traverse the ranch, eventually joining each other in the north central portion of the ranch. These creeks provide additional relief and habitat beneficial to the wildlife. Ranch soils are predominantly clay and gravely clay, with +30% lighter sandy clay loam and sandy soils. Grasses are a mix of native species, including various bunch grasses along with the perennial buffel grass common in the area. The brush is typical of the high-quality deer browse Webb County is known for and includes guajillo, blackbrush, brasil, guayacan, lime prickly ash, kidney wood along with plenty of mesquite, pear, and tasajillo. The ranch features numerous strips in various stages of regrowth. Often mistaken for a live oak, the native coma tree (a preferred browse species) can be found scattered across the ranch with both individuals and small stands present.

Wildlife

Under MLDP game management and located in an area known for growing large, native, Texas white-tailed deer, the Continental is a fair-chase, trophy deer hunting opportunity. Properties of this size that are predominantly low-fenced do not commonly make it to the public market. Approximately 80% of the ranch’s 20 mile perimeter fencing is low-fenced, with thousands of low-fenced adjoining acres. Bobwhite and blue quail, hogs, javelina, dove, and varmints round out the primary hunting opportunities on the ranch.

Agriculture

This is a working ranch, cross-fenced into six pastures that are watered by numerous tanks, and features a set of working pens on the north end of the ranch and a set on the south end. Perimeter fencing ranges from excellent to fair condition.

The Continental’s deer herd is managed under the Managed Lands Deer Program (Conservation Option, fka Level III).

Improvements

An all weather ranch road runs from the gate at Highway 59 well north into the ranch to the northern set of pens. Numerous lateral ranch roads and senderos provide good access to the remainder of the ranch.

Vertical improvements consist of small equipment sheds/barns, and a very small labor ranch house.

Water

This ranch is watered by numerous tanks. There are 14 tanks spread across the ranch, including a +20-acre tank in the northern section and a +10-acre tank in the central portion. Many of these tanks are actually “stacked” dams and pits, with the upstream pit and tank spilling over into a second tank–so this number is actually understated. This infrastructure was developed by a long time South Texas ranching family–they are done “right”. The wet weather creeks will pool during wet periods.

Water from one tank near the headquarters is pumped to the north pens for trough water when necessary.

Electricity

Distributed in multiple locations around the ranch.

Minerals

Surface only. There are no leases nor active production.

Area History

Webb county has been inhabited by early settlers dating back millennia starting with the Paleo-Indian period. Evidence indicates that these early Coahuiltecan groups were pushed out by other Indian groups like the Comanche and Lipian Apache by the early 1800’s. During their time inhabiting these lands they left behind little treasures we get to stumble upon today. There is no doubt they were living on what is now called the Continental Ranch. Watch your step or you might trip on an arrowhead!

The first ever Texas deer contest was started just up the road in the town of Freer, TX. Leonel R. Garza, a gas station manager at the time, founded the Muy Grande deer contest in 1965. This iconic deer contest has brought the area’s hunters and landowners together for decades to admire a fellow hunters trophy.