If these hills could talk, they’d probably tell stories about cattle drives, frontier life—and one absolutely massive deer.
A 2,025-acre slice of Texas Hill Country known as the Owl Ranch just hit the market for $10,114,875, bringing with it nearly 150 years of history and a connection to one of the most famous whitetail bucks ever recorded in the state.
Located just west of Junction in Kimble County, the ranch dates back to the 1880s, when a retired British Royal Navy captain traded life at sea for the rugged terrain of the Edwards Plateau. More than a century later, part of that original ranch is now up for grabs—and remarkably, it’s still tied to the same family.
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“This is a special place with a lot of history behind it,” said listing agent Chris Wengierski of Hortenstine Ranch Company. “It’s still connected to the same family line. You just don’t see that very often anymore.”
The Owl Ranch in the Texas Hill Country.
The land didn’t just stay in the family—it was pieced back together over time. Generations held onto it, sold parts off and later bought sections back, eventually shaping the ranch that exists today.
Set above the North Llano River corridor, the land offers classic Hill Country terrain—limestone bluffs, rolling elevation changes and long-range views—along with a notable amount of water for the region.
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North Creek, a mostly year-round spring-fed stream, runs for more than two miles through the property, while Cedar Hollow Creek crosses another section of the ranch. Natural springs, stock ponds and four wells add to the overall water profile.
“It really feels like old Texas,” Wengierski said. “You sit under some of those bluffs along the creek and it takes you back—you can imagine what it looked like in the 1800s.”
That mix of landscape and water is a big part of the appeal.
“The combination of history, water and terrain is what really sets it apart,” he said. “It’s got all the right bones to be a truly great Hill Country ranch.”
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But what about the deer? The ranch also sits in an area known for its hunting history.
The Owl Ranch in the Texas Hill Country.
In the late 1920s, a local rancher came across what would become one of the most famous whitetail deer ever recorded in Texas. The animal—known as the Fred Mudge buck—measured 272 inches.
“The Fred Mudge buck is still the No. 2 (non-typical) whitetail ever recorded in Texas,” Wengierski said. “That kind of history is rare.”
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Owl Ranch in Junction, Texas.
Shannon Faulk/Hortenstine Ranch Company
The story of its discovery has become part of local lore.
“He was out riding horseback, checking fences and cattle, and came across it,” Wengierski said. “He knew right away it was something special.”
Today, a replica of the rack is displayed at the Kimble County Museum in Junction.
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Beyond that history, the ranch supports a wide range of wildlife, including whitetail deer, Rio Grande turkey and free-ranging exotics like axis deer, blackbuck, and aoudad. Hunting rights are currently leased.
As for the land itself, about half is covered in mature hardwoods—oak, mesquite, pecan—while the rest opens up into classic ranch country. There’s an older hunting cabin on-site with water and power, but much of the property is still wide open.
“It’s pretty raw land in a lot of ways, which is appealing,” Wengierski said. “It gives the next owner a chance to really make it their own.”
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