Our Hunting Ranches
Across Texas, the hunting land that stretches from North of Abilene to East of Lubbock and almost to the Ft. Worth/Dallas area is affectionately known as “The Big Empty.” Within this region is where Four County Outfitters has operated for more than 20 years. We are named for the four counties where our hunting land is located: Knox, Baylor, Archer, and Throckmorton counties. We have access to over 15,000 acres of hunting land within “The Big Empty” managed by local farmers and ranchers, primarily to raise cattle for the beef industry. Much of the hunting land we hunt is still owned by descendants of the same families who settled this area over 150 years ago.
Comprised of thick mesquite brush country, old oak woods, open grasslands, and large wheat fields, the hunting land is managed for cattle, with concern for preserving the wildlife habitat. The value of hunting land in our region has increased over the past few decades, and the landowners have taken notice of the benefits everyone gets from a well-managed and healthy wildlife ecosystem. Our hunting land is spread out among several different properties, which include a diversity of habitats that support numerous wildlife species within.
The Bell Ranch
This is the crown jewel of our Texas hunting land, with almost 2 miles of river frontage along the Salt Fork of the Brazos River, the Bell Ranch is known for its thick vegetation and abundance of wildlife. This hunting land supports the most game-rich environment of any of our ranches. Teaming with hundreds of Rio Grande Turkey, Whitetail Deer, and Wild Hogs, hunters of the Bell Ranch will never get bored of waiting for the animals to show themselves. You may even catch a glimpse at one of the Mountain Lions that roam the area.
With the diversity of the habitats on the Bell Ranch, we set up our hunting blinds with both rifle and archery hunting in mind. The hunting blinds here are set up in a variety of locations to help increase the success rate of our hunters: along the river, where only the game animals (and escaped cattle) travel, overlooking food plots that have been cut out of the dense woods, along trails cutting through the wooded pasture lands, and overlooking expansive wheat fields. Along with access to the Brazos River, the Bell Ranch has numerous stock ponds that attract the waterfowl of the Central Flyway.
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A favorite of many of our hunters, the Bell Ranch is a prime example of why Texas is one of the country’s top hunting destinations for sportsmen seeking a wild and free-ranging experience. It is truly one of the most diverse habitats our region has to offer. From big Texas trophy bucks to strutting Rio Grande long beards the Bell Ranch has an abundance of the trophy game animals hunters seek. This is one place you will have to see to believe!
The Heart Ranch at Miller Creek Reservoir
This ranch surrounds the waters of Miller Creek Reservoir and offers the ideal habitat for a wide variety of wildlife. The reservoir is famous for its fishing, but the hunting land that surrounds the water are full of game animals. Here hunters will get an opportunity to hunt some of the largest whitetail bucks the area has to offer. Not to mention, the Heart Ranch has a huge population of wild hogs and Rio Grande turkeys that run free for hunters to try their luck with.
The Heart Ranch is covered mostly with Mesquite woods and Prickly Pear Cactus. The overflow of the reservoir runs through our hunting land to help feed the spring-fed creek system that spreads from west to east across the hunting ranch, eventually ending up in the Brazos River. This unique ecosystem inhabits a wide variety of wildlife from small to large game animals, to protected species as well.
The Heart Ranch has a number of Pipeline rights-of-way that are cut out through dense woods, opening up wide shooting lanes for our hunters. Also, here we have fenced in acreage that we plant each year for wildlife food plots. Our tower hunting blinds on this property offer rifle hunters views for miles around. While the archery hunters are tucked away in ground blinds that have been blended in amongst the thick brush along the creek system. We even have a couple of box blinds on wheels that can easily be moved to optimize hunting opportunities.
The Heart Ranch is only one of our many properties, but you will find that it gives you the same game-rich environment that you can expect from any of Four County Outfitter’s hunting land. Big bucks, big boars, and big toms are what you can expect to find here. The trophy of your dreams awaits you on the Heart Ranch!
Round Timber Ranch
Our largest ranch and also the home of Four County Outfitters hunting lodge, the Round Timber Ranch is located in the first community to be established in Baylor County. Round Timber, Texas which was settled in 1874 and is named for the large groups of Oak trees that grow in the area. The Round Timber Ranch has the most unique and diversified landscape of all our ranch lands. From deer, turkey, hogs, ducks, and quail this hunting ranch has many types of game to hunt.
With the diversity of its landscape, the Round Timber Ranch is set up for both archery and rifle hunting. The large oak trees, that still grow old on this hunting ranch, make the perfect cover for our Family Traditions ladder stands. The large acreage wheat fields allow rifle hunters the opportunity to test their long-range shooting skills from our custom-built rifle blinds. Recently cut seismograph paths have offered new opportunities for us to hunt from elevated blinds along these newly formed Sendero's.
At the Round Timbers Ranch hunters get to experience a bounty of game and non-game animals. The age and location of the ecosystem here, has many locals calling this area the cradle of life for whitetail deer of the area. The large oak trees and wild plum thickets offer deer and other wildlife a unique food source they don’t get elsewhere in our region. This vegetation also offers the cover they desire for a safe habitat.
No matter the type of animal you choose to chase at Four County Outfitters, at the Round Timbers Ranch you will find it in large quantities. All this, along with some of the most beautiful scenery anywhere in Texas, come make this ranch your new favorite place to hunt!
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When you hunt with us, at any of our hunting lands in our four counties, you will be taken on a true Texas adventure. As if you are transported back in time to a simpler more primitive era. The scenic landscapes and diverse ecosystems are unlike any place in the world. You will experience Texas in its purest form. Another reason why we say Four County Outfitters is Texas Hunting, Done Right!
Game Management
Our resources and hunting techniques allow us to preserve our wildlife population to ensure amazing hunting for years to come. As a conservative minded outfitter, we only take a limited number of hunters each year seeking a trophy whitetail buck. Leaving plenty of mature deer around to chase for the next hunting season. We take the same approach when it comes to hunting Rio Grande turkey. This allows us to hunt our hunting lands without putting much pressure on the wildlife. Managing the number of hunters we take each year allows us to give each hunter their monies' worth and a great opportunity to harvest spectacular trophies.
We have wildlife food plots planted around many of our hunting areas. Food plots are not only used to attract wildlife, but we also use them to provide nutrition to optimize the health of these animals. We fence these areas in to block access of livestock and to allow our hunters more opportunities at targeted wild game species.
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In addition to our food plots, our hunting ranches also have expansive wheat fields for wildlife to feed on. A large majority of the crops grown in our area consist of winter wheat varieties, which are a favorite of local whitetail deer.
While these fields are planted by farmers and ranchers, primarily to sustain livestock through the winter months, they are a wonderful place to find herds of whitetail deer, flocks of turkey, and sounders of wild hogs. Also, watch the coyotes make their way across the fields to find their next meal or a bobcat spotting and stalking from the fringes of the woods towards the smorgasbord in front of him. Be ready to be amazed by what happens in our wheat fields, they are not only a major food source but a place where the wildlife show you what they do when nobody is looking.
Predator and varmint control is part of our game management program. We bait, trap, and hunt the predators and varmints of our area, to help preserve the number of game animals we hunt. As abundant as our region is with game animals, we are just as abundant with predators and varmints that can significantly hinder a growing population of wild game species. These animals hunt and kill some of the same game our hunters are after. So, along with the above-mentioned game management tactics, our hunters are allowed to shoot as many coyotes and varmints as they want. Also, bobcats are always in season for any hunter wanting to pay a small harvest fee.
For more than 20 years, Four County Outfitters has been making hunter’s dreams a reality. The hunting ranches that we hunt are some of the most game rich environments that Texas has to offer. But it takes more than just good hunting land to have a good place to hunt. A good game management program is key to have lasting success anywhere you hunt. This is why you will find success when you hunt with us and one more reason why we say that Four County Outfitters is Texas Hunting, Done Right!
