The
ranch has four lakes (well, they are really "stock
tanks") and we keep them stocked. We use Florida Bass,
Blue Gill, and/or Channel and Blue Catfish depending on
the lake's size. The last few years it has been an uphill
fight due to the droughts, but we deepened two lakes this
year and so we are continuing to make strides at improving
our fishing.
We have several lakes that have been stocked
and depending on the rainfall we have fairly good fishing
for Blue and Channel Catfish, Bluegills, and Florida Bass.
Bird
Watching
Enchanted Rock Park and Comanche Rock Ranch area have a
rich bird population and a beautiful landscape for bird
watching. As long-term bird watchers we have been adding
to our life list here on the ranch and have provided our
Bird List for those who are interested in this excellent
outdoor activity. One of these days, we are going to test
our limited photographic skill and begin a long-term project
of taking photographs of the ranch birds.
The
best thing about bird watching at Comanche Rock Ranch is
that it gets you out into the Live Oak covered hills and
valleys that make up the ranch. The mixture of riparian
woodlands, high granite outcroppings, grass lands, fields
of wheat and oats, springs, and two wooded streams provide
a widely diversified habitat that is associated with good
bird watching. Take a few minutes and review our bird list.
Black vulture on Ranch Headquarters chimney
- well we know it's not a Golden-cheeked warbler but at
least it's a bird and an easy photograph.
Take
a photographic tour of some of the the birds found on Comanche
Rock Ranch.
View
our Bird List.
Butterfly
Identification
In
our long-term program of habitat improvement we have made
the selection of native plants with our butterflies in mind.
You ask why? Well, butterflies are extremely interesting
and beautiful creatures and to an old bird watcher they
are just a natural progression and one that has much to
say for it. In addition they have an extremely interesting
life cycle, migration patterns, identification difficulties,
and are so intimately associated with our native plant populations.
They are also a good marker insect and their presence demonstrates
to an aware observer just how balanced ones natural environment
is. It is also true that having many different types of
butterflies indicates you have a widely diversified plant
inventory that they feed upon and this implies your habitat
is in good shape. To attract a wide variety of butterflies
you need a wide variety of host plants and one can obtain
an idea of the balance and health of your native landscape
by observing your butterfly populations. Get yourself a
good pair of butterfly binoculars (bird watching binoculars
won't do the job) and an identification book and go forward
and enjoy this great hobby We have good butterfly populations
throughout our ranch, however at certain times of the year
we invite guests to wander through our first 6 acre exclosure
where we have been protecting the remaining native wildflowers
and grasses populations as well as reintroducing native
plants that were lost due to excessive and continuous grazing
pressure. This has 6 acres has been inclosed for 12 years
and allowed to repair and now has an abundance of butterflies
as well as a healthy and diversified inventory of their
native host plants. Also don't forget to look at the other
bugs, which increase along with the butterflies as the native
plants diversity flourishes. We will provide you with our
CRR Butterfly List when you are staying in the lodge.
Take
a photographic tour of the butterflies found on Comanche
Rock Ranch.
Comanche
Rock Ranch Butterfly List
Gillespie
County Butterfly List
Click
here for the Comanche Rock Ranch Plant List
