History & Sustainability
History & The Cattle Drive Era
Hickok Ranch was founded by SA Hickok (cousin of the notorious Wild Bill Hickok depicted in our logo) in 1878. SA Hickok settled in Karnes county and set up a major cattle operation spanning tens of thousands of acres. Since then, the lands had mostly been sold off, but The Hickok name and part of the ranch remained in the family. Located on the Chisholm Trail, Karnes City was once a hot spot for cowpokes, cattle barons, rustlers, and gamblers.
Our 1870's Cow Town 'Hogg Plum'
As an homage to this era, we have built a modernized (air conditioned and plumbed) cow town we call 'Hogg Plum'. Interested in visiting? Contact us on our hunting and accommodations page www.hickokranch.com.
Sustainable Practices
Our cattle live a simple life and eat nothing but grass and native plants. In South Texas where the grass takes a while to grow back, it takes a special kind of operation to achieve this goal.
The cows are not given a large field to roam as they please, but rather, they graze 3-4 small pastures a day. This is called 'rotational' or 'total' grazing. This keeps the cows from eating the grass down as it grows, not allowing for full germination and plant maturity.
Bypacking these smaller pastures for just a few hours, more nutrients are returned to the soil. Manure, urine, and stomped grass are compacted densely in these areas creating very healthy soil.
See our consultant's page for more information click here.
Rotational Grazing at a Glance
In the picture above, it's clear to see what has been grazed, and the abundant grass waiting to be grazed.