Fort Davis, TX 79734(Jeff Davis County)

The Bat Cave Ranch is located in the heart of the Davis Mountains, a Sky Island of the Chihuahuan Desert with elevations ranging from 5,100 feet to 6,400 feet. Merrill Creek and its tributaries provide riparian woodlands and seasonal flowing clear waters surrounded by excellent high desert grasslands. The ranch has outstanding views of the nearby high mountains including Mt. Livermore which is owned by The Nature Conservancy as a Preserve. The adjoining ranch to the north with a common boundary of over five miles has a Conservation Easement which prohibits development and subdivision in perpetuity and protects Bat Cave Ranchs landscape views. Box Springs located along the banks of Bat Cave Creek is a year round spring with a historic rock hand dug spring box that captures the water and gravity flows into a beautiful large rock tank.

Habitat

This inside the scenic loop ranch on the south slopes of Mt Livermore is dominated by mile high grasslands and woodlands of the Davis Mountains. Cane Bluestem, Blue Gramma, and Sideoats Gramma with diverse native Emory Oaks, Gray Oaks, and Mexican Walnut provide some of the best Mule Deer and wildlife habitat in the area. There is also an interesting exposed geological rock uplift at the center of the ranch where you can find several caves along the banks of Bat Cave Creek. Several large hills create excellent topography and the views of the mountains are nothing short of stunning. Excellent grasses and Chihuahuan Desert plants provide habitat not only for the native animals but for the people who visit there. This is historic ranching country and represents some of the best cow/calf range in West Texas.

Wildlife

Big mule deer, blue quail, and dove populations are tremendous and create great hunting opportunities. Native brush and grasses provide excellent habitat for these game species and many native birds and other non-game animals.

Improvements

-Spring, spring box, and rock tank.

-Windmill with several water troughs.

-New capped well drilled and ready for solar pump near Box Springs.

-Ranch roads.

-Fencing.

Water

1 mile both sides of Merrill Creek and over 5 miles both sides of Bat Cave Creek both seasonal wet weather creeks. Groundwater is shallow and of excellent quantity and quality. Box Springs and its water system provide shallow dependable year round water for wildlife and livestock. This shallow water could be pumped to other elevated storage providing the opportunity to easily expand watering throughout the ranch.

Bat Cave Windmill is located at the center of the ranch and could also be expanded for additional wildlife and livestock water distribution.