Stephen Schwartz
Agent
Ask Stephen Schwartz
Overview: Buck Creek Ranch is an exceptionally structured and well-watered recreational hunting ranch located in the Piney Woods of Northeast Texas. The Cass County property has an incredible history of pioneering by previous ownership dating back more than 100 years. The 579+/- acres boast crystal-clear springs, most of which feed a 29+/- acre lake, a wide variety of mature hardwoods, managed plantation pine, diverse plant life, and strategically located food plots that provide exceptional hunting opportunities for deer, hogs, waterfowl, and turkey.
Tucked away in the towering pines of Northeast Texas is an excellent, historic ranch perfectly set up for hunting, fishing, and recreation. Buck Creek Ranch has something for everyone. Whether you're into deer and turkey hunting, waterfowl hunting, bass fishing, mountain biking, hiking nearly 7 miles of trails, or simply exploring the woods, you'll never run out of activities for the entire family. For day trips, one could tour Caddo Lake State Park (only 35 min. from the ranch), enjoy BBQ at Joseph's Riverport BBQ in Jefferson, dine at Big Pines Lodge at Caddo Lake, or spend a nice evening at Enoch's Stomp Winery in Harleton, TX (45 min. from the ranch).
Location: Buck Creek Ranch is located at 945 FM 130, ~5 miles west of the quaint town of Linden, Texas, home of Don Henley.
Distance to nearby points of interest:
History: Buck Creek Ranch is rich with history. The previous owner's family settled and homesteaded the property in 1919. Then in 1930 they built a 2-room log cabin overlooking the spring-fed lake. The cabin was built with timbers harvested from the lake site, hewn and milled right there on the property. The family lived here and worked the land through the mid-century years, eventually building the main house on FM 130. During those years, the land served many different purposes, from harvesting timber and sharecropping to raising cattle and eventually planting pine timber. Along with the original cabin, which has been updated and added onto throughout the years, the original "potato shed" can still be found near the shop SW of the lake. This shed was built to store potatoes and corn and was also used as a smokehouse. Like most centennial ranches, this one has a unique fingerprint left by its predecessors, with plenty of room for new memories for years to come.
Improvements: Buck Creek Ranch is a turnkey property with 3 homes spread throughout the ranch.
Main House- The main home is located on the west side of the property along FM 130. The 2,500+/- SF home features 3 BR, 1.5 BA, a propane stove and hot water heater, electric HVAC, and updates throughout. Additional improvements near the main home include a 46' x 16' RV cover and a 30' x 20' outbuilding for convenience.
Log Cabin- This was the original homestead on the property, built in 1933 on Skelton Lake and added onto and updated several times since construction. The cabin is ~900+/- SF (1 BR, 1 BA) and sleeps up to 4. It has modern conveniences such as an electric stove and water heater, screened-in porch, propane heat, and wood-burning stove. Near the cabin there is a storage building and fishing pier on the lake.
Cottage- The cottage (1 BR, 1.5 BA) is the third home that was added in the 1990s overlooking the south-central portion of Skelton Lake and sleeps 4. It has a full kitchen, screened-in porch, new septic system, all-electric utilities, and its own storage building and fishing pier.
Pole Barn- 64' x 60' wood frame.
Surface Water: The ranch features exceptional recreational surface water, with a 29+/- acre lake serving as the centerpiece of the property. Skelton Lake was built in 1929, with mules pulling timber out on sleds and an old dragline used to excavate the lake. Its builders even had the forethought to install a well-built concrete spillway. The lake is stocked with black bass, crappie, Coppernose bluegill, various other panfish, and baitfish and provides an incredible ~1.7 miles of shoreline. The lake also serves as an excellent resource for waterfowl in both the fall and spring. Nearly 1,800' of Buck Creek runs through the ranch, feeding the lake before exiting along the northeast boundary. Buck Creek is a substantial, year-round creek lined with century-old hardwoods, cypress, and birch trees. An additional 4,000' of spring-fed creeks traverse the ranch, providing reliable water for wildlife and recreation.
Wildlife & Fisheries: In terms of wildlife, Buck Creek Ranch has it all. The topography and diverse, thick cover provide excellent habitat for deer. Native forbs such as beautyberry, greenbrier, pokeweed, Chickasaw plum, goldenrod, muscadine, and other prime forage can be found across the ranch, primarily in the successional regrowth along abundant edge habitat and among the mature pines. In addition to forbs, soft mast such as wild plum and persimmon is also common. The phenomenal cover provides habitat for Eastern turkey and other wildlife. There are several prepared food plot areas and many more that could easily be developed to supplement the ranch's native habitat. The property's abundant water assets also provide excellent waterfowl hunting opportunities.
Along with duck hunting, the 29+/- acre lake provides incredible bass fishing. Cypress trees were brought in from Caddo decades ago and planted around the lake, giving it the unique feel found only in this part of East Texas.
Timber: The ranch features not only incredible recreational attributes but income-producing ones as well. Buck Creek's ~266+/- acres of 26-year-old plantation Loblolly Pine will be ready for thinning again soon and could potentially provide a new owner with future income over the next ~10-12 years. An additional ~80 acres of Loblolly Pine planted around 2016 could provide supplemental timber income within the next few years. The ranch also has nearly ~185 acres of native hardwood and mixed pine stands boasting abundant white and red oak varieties, black walnut, hickory, dogwood, maple, elm, and sweetgum. The amount of acorn mast provided by the native oaks on this property is astounding and certainly plays a strong role in how wildlife utilizes the ranch.
Topography: The topography is undulating throughout the ranch, with significant elevation changes surrounding the creeks and ridges on the property. The ranch has a high point of ~390 feet above sea level and a low of ~255 feet above sea level.
Easements: There are two main electrical easements: one runs along the northern portion of the property, and the second runs through the middle portion of the ranch. There are also two shorter easements for service lines to the cabins, barns, and main house.
Utilities: Electricity is provided by Bowie Cass Electric Cooperative, and water is provided by Western Cass WS and a deep-water well.
Taxes: $7,870 per the Sellers. The majority of the ranch has a timber management plan in place and carries a timber Ag exemption.
Minerals: Ask Broker for details.
Co-Brokered: Buck Creek Ranch is co-brokered by Hortenstine Ranch Company, LLC and Rusty Lowe, licensed associate broker with Century 21 Harvey Properties.
Asking Price: $3,700,000
Contact:
Stephen Schwartz - Agent, Hortenstine Ranch Company
903-738-7882 mobile
stephen@hrcranch.com
Rusty Lowe - Associate Broker, Century 21 Harvey Properties
903-782-4010 mobile
rustylowe@c21php.com
Broker & Commission Disclosure: Buyer's Agent/ Broker must be identified upon first contact with Listing Broker/ Listing Agent and Buyer's Agent/ Broker must be present at the initial property tour in order to participate in the real estate commission. Commission splits will be at the sole discretion of Hortenstine Ranch Company, LLC and Century 21 Harvey Properties.
Directions:
Directions: From Dallas- take I-30 east for 114 miles then take exit 160 for US-271/TX 49 toward Mt. Pleasant. Turn south onto US-271 for 0.4 mi then bear left on TX-49 E/W Ferguson Rd. Continue on TX-49 for ~19 mi into Daingerfield. Then left a left on TX-11 E and continue east for 18.5 mi. then take a left onto FM 130. Follow FM 130 to the north for ~1.1 mi., the entrance to the ranch is on the right.
