Hunting @ the Ranch

About 13 years ago, God blessed, us with a small part of Texas.  David, my youngest brother, my dad, and I bought 83 acres of Real County- a little corner of God's country.  We call it the M3 Ranch for the 3 Martinez families.

To be sure we hunt there.  Over the years we've taken white tail deer, axis deer, aoudad sheep, turkey, and a couple of bobcats.  We've seen a fox or two as well and some black buck antelope and fallo deer.  There are likely more exotic game animals in our neighborhood.  M3 Ranch is within miles of several exotic game ranches and when the Hill Country floods, game fences get washed out and exotic animals begin to free range.  Their bad luck is our good fortune.

Though our place is small, we have a small rustic hunting shack.  An artesian well provides plenty of cool, clear, sweet water for hunters and animals alike.  The place has electricity so we don't have to rely on flashlights and Coleman lanterns.  The shack sleeps six in old barracks style bunk beds.  A wood stove provides plenty of heat for the cold autum and winter evenings.  Some day we hope to have running water, a stove and refrigerator, a shower, and most importantly flush toilets.  Ah- all of the comforts of home.  Be it ever so humble there is no place like- the shack.

The terrain at M3 Ranch is best described as slightly rolling- not hilly.  There is a draw down through the center running north and south that starts just north of the center line.  An underground natural gas pipeline runs east to west down the center, just south of the center line.  While we don't have much cactus, we make up for it in cedar or juniper trees.  There are quite a lot of oaks in small stands and even more shrub oaks.  Several shrub oaks were preserved when we built the pole barn turned hunting shack which we have watered and cared for at each visit.  What started out as small saplings have become 10 to 12 foot high trees.  We expect them to grow still higher and one day perhaps become some grand oaks with loads of shade for our shack.

Praise and glory to God through Jesus Christ for blessing our families with the M3 Ranch.  It has given us much pleasure and joy because it allows us to leave the daily grind and spend time out of doors.  David and I enjoy sharing the time together and sharing our place with our friends.  I thank God for my brother.  When we go to the ranch he always takes good care of me and watches out for me.  Dave is a good man, a loving son and brother, a terrific husband and dad.  I thank God and give Him praise and glory for my brothers.