About the Ranch

Established in 1882 by J.L. Matthews on profits from mavericking South Texas longhorns and driving them up the Chisholm Trail to Dodge City, the Matthews Ranch is now owned and operated by 4th generation family members, Bob and Nancy Matthews. 

The Matthews Ranch encompasses a variety of different microclimes, ranging from heavily treed creek bottoms to mesquite-covered brush country to guajillo-covered ridges, all of which combine to support the rich diversity of wildlife and trophy whitetail deer for which South Texas is famous.

Since the early 1990s the Matthews Ranch has been intensively managed for whitetail deer.  Operating under a Texas Dept of Parks and Wildlife MLDP-level 3 permit, the entire ranch is high-fenced in order to enable strict control of deer genetics, herd size, and buck/doe ratios.  All deer are free-ranging and native to the ranch.  Their native browse is supplemented from late winter to early fall by antibiotic-free high protein feeds, made available on a free-choice basis.

Cattle numbers are kept low in order to protect deer browse and wildlife habitat more generally, with cattle being removed entirely during periods of drought.  As a consequence, the ranch enjoys an exceptionally rich diversity of native South Texas fauna and flora, including a number of little seen species of mammal and bird.