TK14 RANCH

TK14 Ranch Report by Steve Schooley - October 2011

2011-10-04T06:08:00.000-05:00

I caught myself aimlessly staring into the sky the other day. Amazement filled every corner of my soul as I gazed at the pure beauty of the cloudless clear blue. A strange feeling overtook my thoughts as reality began to creep upon me. Most of the cedar had turned brown, the algerita wilting, cactus leaves curling a pale green with little color at all; even the mesquite was beginning to dry. The drought was beginning to take its toll on the land. I had noticed the wildlife acting strangely in the past several months; the fear of humans had been slowly diminishing with the growing threat of starvation increasing daily. The fox and coyotes were even becoming reckless; abandoning their nocturnal habits and searching for food and water during the heat of the days. Even with the ranch seemingly burning before my eyes, the beauty was breathtaking.
My thoughts have began to stray in the past several weeks to the “what ifs”. What if it never rains again, what if the animals begin to die, what am I going to do? I have been managing the TK14 for the past three years. The first year was dry, but the rains came during the fall and brought life to the lifeless country. The second year was easy; it was a record year for rainfall. This year has broken all of the records; lowest rainfall, highest days over 100 degrees and the least number of cattle in Mason county since the Great Depression. It is the first time in 100 years some ranches across the county have been without cattle. The harsh conditions made the perfect scenario for wild fires, which had began to destroy an acre here and there; seemingly taking my little corner of the Texas Hill Country and turning it a dismal grayish black.
October is now upon us and the first hunters will be arriving in just a few short weeks. The feeders are filled, the bow blinds re-covered and the deer are in the best health they could be in under such harsh conditions. With only a few last minute chores, the hunting season will be underway. I look forward to seeing old friends and meeting new ones in the coming months.
LET’S HUNT!!

TK14 Ranch Trophy Aoudad

2011-10-04T05:36:00.000-05:00

Kyle harvested a Super Trophy Aoudad with his bow this past weekend at the TK14 Ranch. Ranking in the top 10 in the world taken with a bow with 15 inch bases and 34 inches of length, it was truly a once in a lifetime trophy.
After searching until dark for the ram, we gave up and returned early the next morning. We located its track and trailed it through open country for 1/2 mile. The trail lead us into some thick brush down a rocky hill where we lost its track. Debating what to do next, we decided to split in opposite directions and start a sight search. It began to feel a little hopeless when Old Dixie found deep it a cedar thicket. Kyle said it was big but we couldn't believe the size of the animal and its massive horns.

TK14 Ranch Barbecue Chicken

2011-06-06T11:56:00.000-05:00

TK14 Ranch smoked barbecue chicken is a family favorite. Start by selecting a 5 to 6 lb. plump bird. Rinse well with water and remove inside parts. Rub chicken with lemon pepper, garlic powder and cayenne pepper then place in a sealed plastic bag and marinade over night.

Stand chicken over a wrack with a can holder filled with 1/2 can of beer. Place chicken toward the back of pit away from fire or fire box. Toss 3 or 4 wet mesquite chips on the coals and smoke bird for 1 hr at 225 degrees F. Mop with sauce shown below every 30 to 45 minutes. Cook for another 3 to 4 hours at 225 until outside chicken skin is crispy brown.

BBQ Chicken Mop Ingredients:
6 lemons
1 cup butter
1 cup beer
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 med onion finely chopped
1 clove garlic finely chopped
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp Tabasco
1 tsp Pepper
1 tsp Salt

Saute onions & garlic in butter.
Add other ingredients and simmer for 15 minutes.

Central Texas Headed for Drought of Record

2011-06-01T05:41:00.000-05:00

May is typically our wettest month in Central Texas and this year we received little to no rain. The LCRA reports current inflows to the Highland Lakes similar to the worst drought of record and we’re headed for one to make the record books unless a tropical system comes ashore this summer. It can happen. The Pedernales at Johnson City had its top 5 historical crests during hurricane season in 9/1952, 7/1869, 10/1959, 8/1944 & 7/2002 respectively. In September of 1952, the river’s highest peak was 42.6 ft which took out the bridge on Hwy 281 north of town.

TK14 Ranch Barbecue Brisket Recipe

2011-05-29T12:32:00.004-05:00

TK14 Barbecue Brisket:
Smoking brisket on a pit is a Texas tradition which we enjoy frequently at the TK14 Ranch. There are more ways to cook a tender brisket than flees on a cow-dog's back. However, without exception the most important ingredient of all, is time. So unless you have 14 uninterrupted hours to spare, don't try. The preparation for the event actuarially begins at the local grocery store, a day or two before the fire is started. Selecting the right brisket is an art since each cut of meat is the different. Choose a 10-12 lb non-trimmed brisket that is consistent in thickness, not too thick or thin at either end. Purchase two 10 lb bags of charcoal, 1 small bag of mesquite wood chips, a roll of wide aluminum foil and the dry rub and barbecue sauce ingredients as shown below. Oh, and don't forget the beer and ice.

Follow our TK14 Ranch step-by-step cooking process and you'll discover a tender mouth-watering brisket at the end of the day. Invite your family and friends over to experience the process, have a friendly game of pitching washers or horseshoes and wait for the meat to cook. Remember, the real difference between a great brisket and a good brisket is about 2 hours. Tell everyone the brisket will be ready to eat at 6 and serve them at 8. Trust me, works ever time!

TK14 Cooking Process:
1. Trim most of the fat from brisket leaving at least 1/4 inch and remove the silver membrane from meat side if it has one.
2. Lightly oil brisket and generously spread dry rub on meat side and a small amount on fat side. Allow brisket to soak in refrigerator over night.
3. Smoking a brisket requires a pit (see pic below) that has a fire box or a pit long enough to build the fire on one end. Never place the meat over a direct fire or bed of coals.
4. Soak the wood chips in water while allowing about 5 lbs of charcoal to burn and make coals. Once the pit reaches 225 degrees F place the meat at the far end of the pit with the fatty side up and add the soaked chips. Turning or mopping the meat with sauce isn't necessarily.
5. Keep the pit at 225 by adding more charcoal and adjusting the vent or slightly raising the pit's lid. Smoke intensely for 2 hours by adding more chips regularly then cook without smoke for 8 hours. After a total of 10 hours, pour 1/2 cup of beef broth on cooked brisket and wrap in double aluminum foil. Place back on the pit and cook for 2 more hours at 225. Finally, store the wrapped brisket in an ice cooler with a towel in the bottom and keep the lid closed for 1-2 hrs.
6. Trim the blackened fat and burnt ends from the meat, slice the brisket across the grain, dip in BBQ sauce and serve.

TK14 Dry Rub Ingredients:
3 Tsp coarse ground pepper
2 Tsp salt
1 Tsp sugar
1 Tsp mustard powder
1 Tsp onion powder
1 Tsp garlic powder
1 Tsp cayenne pepper

TK14 Sauce Ingredients:
1 tsp ground pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 Tsp brown sugar
1 Tsp butter
1 med. white onion finely chopped
2 garlic pod finely chopped
1 med. pickled jalapeno diced
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup mustard
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 5 oz. bottle Pickapeppa sauce
1 tsp Tabasco
* add water if you prefer thinner sauce

Saute onion and garlic in butter, stir in dry ingredients, add remaining mixture and cook for 20 min at a very low boil. Extra sauce will keep in refrigerator for several weeks.

TK14 Smoke Pit:

Great restaurants and Great wines experienced in Napa & Carmel

2011-05-10T05:55:00.000-05:00

After a couple weeks of restaurant grazing and wine tasting in Napa & Carmel, we discovered some great restaurants and great wines to add to our favorite lists.

Wines: Kelham Vineyards Red Wine, Robinson Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Palazzo Napa Valley Red Wine, Steltzer Vineyards Merlot & Bella Zinfandel

Restuarants: The French Laundry in Yountville; Grasing's & Aubergine at L'Auberge in Carmel; Roy's at Pebble Beach

Austin Restaurant - El Arbol (South American Cuisine)

2011-03-27T22:53:00.000-05:00

Great Restaurant with a fantastic wine selection. The beef filet may be the best I've experienced. Grilled over a oak wood flame Argentina style. The grilled beef heart appetizers were a bit hit at our table of eight. Each dish was prepared and presented with a special touch. A friendly and knowledgeable wait staff left us wanting to return. Located at 3411 Glenview in Austin, Texas

3 Truly Unexpected Restaurants in Atlantis, Paradise Island

2011-02-10T23:04:00.001-06:00

1. Dune - a great French-Asian restaurant with a local flare. Offers magnificent ocean views draped with a white sand beach. The duck and grouper were both outstanding. The beachfront bar is a place to start and end a wonderful dining experience.

2. Seafire Steakhouse - great atmosphere, great steak and a great wine list. Oh, the fish is great too. Basically, it's a great restaurant that will not disappoint.

3. Cafe' Martinique - an elegant restaurant featuring French cuisine. Take a step back in time as you ride the elevator to the second floor. Seems as though you're entering an old southern plantation with a French Colonial twist. The main courses are specially prepared and served to your delight. The service is the best we found on the island.

Try These 3 NYC Restaurants

2011-01-13T06:07:00.002-06:00

Next time you're in NYC try these 3 proven restaurants.

1. Shun Lee Palace in Midtown is fine Chinese food fit for a king. It's a veteran place with a top notch wait staff who are all business. The duck is the best I've tasted.

2. Rosa Mexicano near the Lincoln Center is a stylish restaurant serving mexican cuisine with its own twist. The selection of margaritas is the best in NYC. Make sure you experience the guacamole made fresh at your table.

3. Opened in 1897 at the corner of Spring and Mott in Little Italy, Lombardi's has been designated as America's first pizza parlor. NYC city offers some amazing pizza joints and Lombardi's is among the best. The smoky-crust is the genius of this pizza and the fresh signature toppings of fresh tomatoes and mozzarella keep its customers returning for more. Probably the best pizza in the United States. Get there early or plan to wait. Bring cash, no CC's accepted. I can't wait to go back.

First 2011 Trophy Hunt

2011-01-12T08:30:00.000-06:00

The TK14 Ranch opened its season with this superb trophy Blackbuck taken by a young Texan. Congrats!

Stop And Smell The Bluebonnets

2010-12-24T04:54:00.000-06:00

On a cold January morning in 2007, a young man played six Bach pieces with a violin in Washington, D.C. at a Metro Station. During his one hour solo performance, over 2,000 people passed by as they walked hurriedly through the station. This is what happened.

After 3 minutes:
A middle-aged man noticed a musician playing.
At 4 minutes:
The violinist received his first dollar. A woman tossed the money into a hat without stopping.
At 6 minutes:
A young man leaned against the wall to listen then noticed his watch and moved quickly down the hall.
At 10 minutes:
A 3-year old boy stopped to observed but his mother tugged him along hurriedly.
At 45 minutes:
The musician played continuously. Only 6 people had stopped to listen for a short time. 20 gave money but kept walking at a normal pace. The man collected $32.
After 1 hour:
He finished his solo and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded. There was not a single recognition of his extraordinary performance.

No one knew, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the finest musicians in the world. Dressing incognito, he played one of the most intricate pieces ever written by Johann Sebastian Bach on a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before, Joshua Bell sold-out at a Boston Theater where seats averaged over $100 for those to sit and listen to him play the exact music.

TK14 Ranch 2010 Season

2010-12-20T12:07:00.000-06:00

We competed our 2010 hunting season this past weekend. Our hunters had a successful year taking 10 trophy whitetails averaging 151 B&C with the largest setting a new record of 192 and harvesting 18 trophy exotic species. Check out the TK14 website at www.tk14ranch.com for all the trophy pictures.

TK14 Ranch Trophy Whitetail & Exotics

2010-12-06T08:13:00.001-06:00

TK14 Ranch trophies taken this past weekend.

TK14 Ranch Trophy Whitetails

2010-11-21T18:15:00.000-06:00

Trophy Whitetail bucks taken this past weekend at the TK14 Ranch. Congrats to the hunters, guides and Mason (yellow lab) for his help!

TK14 Ranch Axis Buck

2010-11-16T20:37:00.000-06:00

Trophy Axis buck taken recently at the TK14 Ranch. SCI score was 152 2/8 inches with a 33 3/8 inch main beam and 9 inch cottle tines.

TK14 Ranch WT Buck

2010-11-16T07:01:00.000-06:00

A nice Texas Hill Country whitetail buck taken last weekend at the TK14 Ranch. Scored 141 B&C, 9 points and a 22 inch inside spread.

FOBs vs Fletches

2010-11-16T06:27:00.012-06:00

The FOB is a simple piece of aerodynamically plastic which replaces the arrow Fletches used since the days of the Indians. It was invented to make the arrow fly straighter and faster resulting in a more accurate shote placement. However, there is another good reason to consider changing to this odd looking little toy trinket.

My son has been using and promoting FOBs to the hunting world for several years. Three years ago, we hunted in Africa and he used the FOB. Guys were laughing and joking about them until they started seeing the results - 11animals taken with 11 arrows guided perfectly by the FOB. Even though I had witnessed his results on many hunting expeditions, being a traditionalist I would not change. Most shots were never over 25 yards so more accuracy was not a real issue for me.

The decision to convert finally came one weekend at our Trophy Whitetail and Exotic Game hunting ranch in Texas Hill Country. A TK14 Ranch customer and longtime hunting buddy changed to the FOB for more accuracy on longer shots required when hunting in New Zealand. One weekend, I was guiding him on a Whitetail hunt when he stuck a big management buck and we found no trace of blood. Because it was getting dark, it was difficult to pin point the exact spot the deer was last standing. We needed a precise location for our tracking dog since there were many other deer in the area.

As you may know, the FOB falls straight to the ground as the arrow penetrates the target. The spot location is important information when starting a dog on the right trail. We found the FOB and that was all Old Dixie needed to get on the right track and locate the animal. So, no more technical “BS” debate around the camp fire needed for me. Old Dixie said enough with her nose. Like my Dad wisely would say, "It's hard to teach an old dog new tricks unless they're convinced it's necessary to learn."

Bordeaux Wine Tour

2010-10-29T05:10:00.000-05:00

Our first stop was in the historic city of Bordeaux, a wine lover’s Mecca located on the banks of the Gironde River in southwest France. We spent five nights in the heart of central city at the Majestic Hotel and found Bordeaux to be rich in arts, culture, music, legendary wines, shopping and fabulous restaurants. Not only is Bordeaux the “fine wines” capital of the world, it is also a vibrant center of trade, industry and business.

During the day, we spent time shopping and touring the surrounding wine region which occupies about 287,000 acres of grapes and produces approximately 850 million bottles of wine annually. Wine has been grown in the region for over 2,000 years before the arrival of the Romans. We visited the wine regions of Medoc, Graves, Pomerol, Saint Julien, Saint Emilion and Sauternes. After each day of tasting and sightseeing, we explored Bordeaux's charming restaurants which in most cases amounted to at least three hours of fun and delicious cuisine experiences.

While on the 3-day wine tours, we learned that during the 17th and 18th centuries, merchants from England, the Netherlands and Germany controlled most of the wines produced in the Bordeaux region. Originally, wineries sold and exported their wine in barrels and casks to other countries. In 1855, the merchants were commissioned by Napoleon to create a classification system to distinguish the finest Bordeaux wines. The classification system still exists today and is known as Grand Crus Classe's (Great Growths) or as simply the Classification of 1855.

On the final day in Bordeaux, we rented a car and drove to the coastal city of Arcachon where we visited the sand dunes, walked the beach and enjoyed some fresh oysters and seafood. The next day we left Bordeaux, traveled to Saint Emilion and checked into the Chateau Grand Barrail on the outskirts of town. The Grand Barrail, located in the middle of a Saint Emilion vineyard, is a famous 19th century Castle that has been converted to a modern hotel including a popular day Spa, walking park and friendly gourmet restaurant.

Saint Emilion is a beautiful town surrounded by gentle hills of vineyards. It was named after the Benedictine monk, Emilion, who arrived in the 8th century to live a reclusive life as a hermit. Soon the town became the center of religious life as the monks began to construct the famous church which was carved from a single piece of limestone over the course of 300 years. It remains today as the greatest monolithic church in Europe. To protect the residents and commerce, the town became fortified and surrounded with strong walls. During the 12th century, the town became even more fortified with the addition of a moat, protective gates, the King's lookout tower and inner ramparts built to strengthen the fortifications. Saint Emilion held on until the start of the French revolution in 1789. During the period of the revolution, most residents abandoned the town leaving it as an easy target for revolutionaries and vandals who defaced and pilfered the old city. Saint Emilion remained almost completely unoccupied until the mid 1800’s when the growth of the wine trade brought new prosperity to the region. As the reputation for the fine wines of Saint Emilion grew, so did travel to the region by traders and tourists. The residents of the area started restoring the town to accommodate the wine trade and to take advantage of the traffic it created.

We easily labeled the city of Bordeaux and the town of Saint Emilion as a "must see" for travelers. Both have a unique living historical lesson retaining much of the atmosphere and charm of past centuries. Touring the wine country of Bordeaux was an exciting vacation where one could share the passion of fine wine and discover how past and current vintners established the blueprint and standards for the rest world to duplicate.

9/11

2010-09-10T15:38:00.000-05:00

Shall we never forget that day....

9/11 is a historical marker which has altered the lives of all Americas. As we watched the smoke belch out from the Twin Towers, a unified anger spewed toward the murderous fanatics who intentionally crashed 4 commercial jet airliners into the NYC’s World Trade Center, the Pentagon and an open field in rural Pennsylvania. Since that shocking moment, 9/11 has become a significant life changer along side other historical events such as WWI & II, Armstrong’s first step on the moon, the great depression, assassinations of JFK & MLK, Vietnam & the crumbling Berlin Wall. Shall we never forget and may we continue to pray for the 2,996 civilians who lost their lives that horrendous day and all the loved ones left behind.

New Zealand - A Tourist's Delight

2010-08-27T08:14:00.002-05:00

New Zealand's spectacularly landscape includes vast mountain chains, steaming volcanoes, sweeping coastlines, deeply indented fiords and lush rain-forests. Comparable in size to Great Britain, Colorado or Japan, New Zealand has a population of only 4 million making it one of the world's least crowded countries.

It’s a haven for those seeking peace, rejuvenation and relaxation as well as a playground for thrill seekers, trophy hunters and adventurers. A temperate climate with relatively small seasonal variation makes it an ideal year-round holiday destination.

Our vacation began with Alpine Hunting, a world class trophy hunting operations owned by Shane Quinn. Shane’s serious about hunting and remains New Zealand’s leading trophy Red Stag outfitter.

After the hunt, we spent a week touring the beautiful countryside, quaint cities and the fast growing wine country. It was our first visit to New Zealand and quickly became one of our favorite places to vacation. The friendly people, unique architectural heritage and many adventure opportunities offered by the country only add to its natural beauty. In short, New Zealand is quite an attraction and a tourist’s delight.

New Zealand

Hunting Whitetails for Sport & Taste

2010-08-27T04:57:00.003-05:00

Deer hunting in Texas has certainly changed over the years...
Growing up in Blanco County, I learned to hunt deer for the meat. My grandfather taught us to harvest the younger deer because the back straps were more tender and had a less gamey flavor. One of his favorite sayings were, "you can't eat those horns." We used the old tough bucks for grinding into chili meat and making sausage. In the Texas Hill Country, we have so more many deer than in the 50's & 60's and today most hunters are more interested in taking the mature bucks or trophy bucks and could care less about the tasty venison. Hunting for the "wall hanger" trophy buck is a great sport which I still enjoy; however, when we need meat in the "deep freeze" I turn my sites to a yearling or a fat doe. In my opinion, nothing tastes any better and we really do need to reduce the deer population in Texas!
Enjoy the hunt...

Best NY Strip Ever Tasted

2010-08-18T06:01:00.000-05:00

Perry's Steakhouse in Austin recently got our vote as one the best restaurants in Austin and as serving the best NY Strip that I've ever sliced & tasted. The ambiance, food and service were excellent and the wait staff didn't try to push us out the door for another seating which has become our pet peeve. It's easy to see that much attention is given by Perry's management team to make your evening an enjoyable & relaxing experience. We'll be back!

Alaska - An Alluring State

2010-07-17T06:19:00.001-05:00

The complete story of Alaska cannot be told without a road trip to Deadhorse along the James W. Dalton Highway or “Haul Road” as referred to by the many truckers who earn a living transporting their loads up the 500 mile mostly gravel roadway from Fairbanks. It’s not surprising that our largest state, known for it’s pioneer spirited people, accepted the challenge of some of the most ambitious construction projects in modern history. Building the Alaskan Railroad (1910’s), Alaskan Highway (1940’s) and Alaskan Pipeline (1970’s) stretched the imagination of engineers and construction crews through some of the most severe terrain and climate conditions on the planet. The trans Alaskan Pipeline, from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez, is an amazing 800 mile masterpiece of human perseverance.

During our journey through Alaska, we were introduced to the highest mountains, the largest free-flowing rivers, the harshest environment, the most abundant of natural resources, the wildest wilderness and the tastiest fish in North America. We traversed through three distinct seasons of winter, spring and summer within a 24 hour period witnessing the bear play, caribou migrate and bald eagles soaring above mountain slopes. On board the Island Princess, we heard the glacier’s fracturing ice explode into the water and watched gentle waves carry huge icebergs out to the open sea. Of the many highlights during our trip perhaps the most memorable was being treated to a spectacular view of Mount Mckinley or by many Alaskans simply called “the mountain” or Denali. Whatever the preferred name, it is a living masterpiece that represents the loom in which true survival is woven from nature’s wilderness with civilization which has shaped the alluring state of Alaska.

Uchi - Is It Worth the Wait?

2010-05-31T06:38:00.005-05:00

Is waiting 2 hours to be seated on a warm muggy Sunday night and then being presented with a $180 tab for three worth it? Most definitely, if you want to explore your gastronomic limits to the fullest. Fresh is the key word to describe the fish. Flavor comes to mind when experiencing the meal. Tyson Cole brings it all to the table with each creative selection. The well trained wait staff never appears in a rush as they present and explain each serving in detail. What a delight to find such great service and amazing food! It's beyond expectations and worth the wait.

Great Steak Restaurant

2010-05-29T21:44:00.007-05:00

III Forks is the best steakhouse in Austin, TX. You get great food, great service & special attention from the manager. We had the prime filet and lobster paired with a Cakebread Napa Cab. The III Forks salad was fabulous made with a chilled fresh green leaf lettuce topped with blue cheese crumbles, special dressing & sugar coated pecans. The filet was so tender you could cut it with a plate and the lobster was prepared to perfection. Sides of fresh sliced tomatoes, green onions & creamed corn tasted like they were right out of the garden. Can't say enough about our attentive waiter and the manager's visits to our table. They've been trained well to serve the customer. A fantastic wine list of variety and many vintages is available. We topped the entrée off with a delicious mango sorbet, hot espresso and a glass of Far Niente Dolce. The dining experience is well worth the price. We gave it a +10 for both food & service.

Too Late Smart

2010-05-17T10:07:00.005-05:00

Someone once said, "too dumb early and too late smart." Each day we get a little wiser whether we want to or not. Cheers, there's still hope!

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-09T06:48:00.001-05:00

"A mother is a person who seeing there are only 3 pieces of pie for 4 people, promptly explains that she's not really in the mood for pie today."

Pristine Texas Hill Country Ranch For Sale

2010-05-08T06:27:00.003-05:00

TK14 Ranch listed with Frosty Miller Ranch Reality, Inc.
This pristine Hill Country ranch is entirely game fenced with 8 foot tight lock net wire, has 2 rock houses in good to fair condition...one which is the owners cabin/house and the other is a worker's house. There is a new lodge being built at this time that will house several hunters and provide storage for barn materials & vehicles. There is another large barn in very good condition at the foreman's house. The set of scientific breeder pens are new and in excellent condition. The roads have been very well maintained and provide easy access to all areas of this spectacular ranch.
WILDLIFE:
The ranch is blessed with a reputation of having some of the very best deer in central Texas. The whitetail deer have been managed on this ranch for at least 30 years. It was being managed before most people even thought about managing deer. The buck to doe ration is approximately 1 to 1. Some of the high quality bucks on the ranch will score in excess of 170 B&C. In addition, there is an Elk herd of excellent quality with 4-6 trophy bulls, blackbuck, Addax, Oryx and Zebra.
WATER:
5642.29 feet of the San Saba River frontage. There is a concrete dam that forms a large lake which backs up water for more than a quarter mile. Much of this water is 6 to 8 feet in depth and provides for excellent fishing. There are 4 wells that furnish water over the ranch. Ther is also a creek that runs through the center of the ranch which is also dammed up and the water runs at all times. This is a beautiful area that is spring fed and provides water for wildlife and livestock.
COMMENTS:
This ranch has it all! This is one of the top hunting and fishing ranches anywhere. The quality of the animal population is exceptional and is well representable of its reputation.
CONTACT:
Frosty Miller Ranch Reality, Inc. in Llano, Texas

Clear & Sunny

2010-04-27T06:51:00.002-05:00

“You bring your own weather to the picnic. So how clear & sunny do you want to make it?”

Tasting In Napa

2010-04-27T05:09:00.004-05:00

Visited the Stags Leap District in Napa this past weekend and experienced some great red wines on the V2V tour from the Chimney Rock Winery, Hartwell Vineyards, Pine Ridge Vineyards and Shafer Vineyards. Top on the tasting list was the 2006 Hartwell Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon with distinctive layers of blackberry, spicy currant and aromas of cedar and cigar. Gave +90 points to the 2006 Pine Ridge Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2007 Shafer One Point Five Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2006 Chimney Rock Elevage. Can't wait for the 2008 Pine Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon vintage which was sipped from the barrel. Also, took the opportunity to tour Stonestreet Alexander Mountain Estate in Sonoma and discovered 2 great Cabernet Sauvignons in a 2005 Black Cougar Ridge and 2005 Christopher's which were both powerful reds with a long full body complex touch. The mountains at Stonestreet produces fruit that is complex, rich and concentrated due to the various elevations the grapes are grown.

Threesome Turkey Hunt

2010-04-18T18:43:00.002-05:00

What happens at the TK14 Ranch stays at the TK14 Ranch - unless you bag a Turkey Tom!
On a soggy & chilly morning, Mark, Trace & PaPa Tim called in an old mature gobbler. It was an action-packed hunt as we watched the Tom in full strut put on a show for the hen decoy. The old boy couldn't resist our soft yelps & purrs as he slowly maneuvered his way through the pasture painted with bluebonnets. Like a pro, Trace (3 yrs old) sat perfectly still in Papa Tim's lap and never made a peep during the 45 minute ordeal.

Secret of Happiness

2010-04-07T07:36:00.005-05:00

"Go after what makes you happy in life and your life will be happy. Life's journey is full of choices and its path is determined by what you choose to do. So, get rid of all those things that are not beautiful or joyful in your life. No one is in charge of your happiness but you."

A Happy Life

2010-04-06T20:41:00.004-05:00

“Go after what makes you happy in life and your life will be happy.”

Six Words

2010-04-05T15:56:00.002-05:00

“Frame your worries and every burden with these six words. In five years, will it matter?”

Life

2010-04-02T08:14:00.004-05:00

"Life isn't fair, but it's much better than the alternative."

Incredible Detour

2010-03-24T08:10:00.004-05:00

Recently flying out of Austin on a Cougar hunt in Alberta, I boarded a connecting Continental flight in Houston with a ticket to Calgary and landed in Costa Rica. My bags went to Canada without me. Admittedly it was my big mistake to enter the wrong gate; however, both the ticket agent and the computer allowed me to board the wrong flight. I've tried without success to get the airlines to help me understand the mystery. Seems like they want to brush this security incident quietly under the table. So much for all the screening hassle we go through to properly identify airline passengers.

Alberta Cougar Hunt

2010-03-22T10:58:00.000-05:00

After arriving in Calgary via Costa Rica, Double Diamond Outfitters met me at the airport. We loaded my gear and headed north to Rocky Mountain House, Alberta. This historic fur trading town provided the perfect setting to begin a cougar hunt. The hunt actually started two years prior when my wife & I first met with Double Diamond at the Reno SCI convention.
Cougar hunting is all about tracking the cat. You search for the biggest male track, locate his path of travel and trail the cat into the bush. Once on the cat’s trail, you soon wonder why in the hell you paid money to do this as your legs get dead tired and your toes begin to freeze from the cold temperature and deep snow. Then, after hearing the howl of the hounds opening on a fresh track, you’re immediately pumped with the excitement of the chase which provides enough stamina to push ahead.
Cougars are amazing creatures which are seldom seen in the wild. They survive by killing anything in their path when hungry. When you find a kill, you know the cat is nearby. Trust me, hunting Alberta Cougar is a hunt of a lifetime and for those who enjoy getting out of the box.

Let's Play Golf

2010-03-19T09:03:00.000-05:00

Tiger and I are ready for some golf!!

Tiger's return

2010-03-17T07:31:00.000-05:00

Tiger's tastes may change but his principles never will. He will never loose his desire to do the impossible or take the unpredictable risk. It's entertaining to see his competitive juices flow as he engineers his way out of a predicament on the course or makes the unimaginable putt. Although his nature and actions outside the ropes cannot be denied, his greatest will prevail. Welcome back Tiger and give 'em hell!