Raised between Alabama and the Cayman Islands, Bill joined Hall and Hall as a ranch partner in the fall of 1996. He came to Montana to work as a fly-fishing guide and ranch hand during a summer break from law school. Bill returned to Montana after graduation and became the Tribal Prosecutor for the Crow Tribe. In addition to his law degree, Bill holds an undergraduate degree in music from the University of Miami and remains passionate about his music. He is also a skilled photographer specializing in underwater imagery with images having been published by National Geographic, the BBC and elsewhere. He is an FAA licensed UAS (drone) Pilot which he uses for real estate photography and cinematography. He is also a hospice volunteer and dedicated practitioner of hot yoga. It was inevitable that he found his way into a real estate career as the profession stretches back four generations in his family. His love of the northern Rocky Mountain region compelled him to move to Missoula where he handles transactions in the “backyard” as well as those stretching from Florida to California. Bill is currently licensed as a real estate broker in Montana (RRE-BRO-LIC-8609), Idaho (#AB00021997), Florida (#BK3229636), Georgia (#347418), Tennessee (#317360), and California (#01455038).
Spring Creek Ranch encompasses approximately 1,530± acres at the headwaters of California’s renowned Fall River, offering unparalleled private fishing, exceptional wildlife habitat, and productive agricultural land. The property controls two of the river’s primary spring-fed tributaries—Spring Creek and Lava Creek—and features over a mile of frontage on the world-famous Fall River itself. These pristine waters support trophy rainbow trout averaging three to six pounds, with exclusive access for the ranch and its guests.
Beyond its remarkable fisheries, the ranch provides premier waterfowl and upland bird hunting along the Pacific Flyway. The property’s lush meadows, riparian wetlands, and forested areas attract an extraordinary diversity of wildlife, including ducks, geese, deer, and raptors such as bald eagles and peregrine falcons.
Located ten miles from Fall River Mills, with its jet-capable airport and proximity to Redding, Spring Creek Ranch combines privacy with convenience. Improvements include a comfortable three-bedroom residence overlooking Spring Creek, a custom-designed Airstream fishing camp, barns, shops, and supporting ranch infrastructure.
With reliable water rights, 650± acres of irrigated farmland and pasture, and a proven history of hay production and grazing, the ranch offers a balance of recreation and income potential. Its scenic beauty, abundant resources, and world-class fishing make Spring Creek Ranch one of Northern California’s most distinguished legacy properties.
Co-listed with Terry Hundemer of The Chickering Company.
Spring Creek Ranch is one of the two most revered ranches in the Fall River Valley, renowned for its beauty, wildlife, and fishing. For once, it is not an exaggeration to say this is a genuine “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity. A ranch where the most experienced fly fisherman can be challenged in the gin-clear private waters of Spring Creek, while a novice fisherman can fine-tune his skills on one of the many other waters on or adjoining the ranch. Wildlife is second to none, with incredible upland birds, waterfowl, and big-game hunting, yet you are only a few minutes from restaurants, golf, and an airport for easy ingress and egress.
Spring Creek Ranch is at the north end of the Fall River Valley, in northeastern Shasta County, ten miles from the small ranching community of Fall River Mills. Fall River Mills has a jet-capable county airport (089), and commercial air service is available in Redding (RDD), about one and a half hours from the ranch.
The Fall River Valley is known for its scenic beauty, world-famous fly fisher’s destination, and dense numbers of waterfowl, all framed by the majestic 14,000-foot Mount Shasta dominating the northwestern skyline. The magic of Fall River Valley lies in its unparalleled water features. Emanating from large underground lava tubes, believed to be from glaciers on Mount Shasta, numerous immense springs well up gin-clear from the ground, creating some of the country's most significant spring creeks and rivers. In addition to the fishing in these streams, the area attracts birders and hunters for the upland birds and waterfowl that migrate through it.
Access is via Highway 299 from Interstate 5 in Redding. The town of Fall River Mills, California, is located between two mountains: Mount Shasta and Mount Lassen. The legendary valley is home to a small town with an 18-hole golf course and a reputation as the home of California’s wild rice industry. The Fall River winds for 16 miles, primarily through private agricultural land with few access points open to the fishing public. Crops include wild rice, alfalfa, lavender, strawberries, and mint. From old-fashioned family diners to trendy cheese-and-wine stores, the town has a small-town appeal with something for everyone.
Spring Creek Ranch experiences a warm-summer Mediterranean climate characterized by warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters. The average high temperature in the summer months of June through August ranges from the mid-80s to low 90s, while the average low temperature during these months ranges from the mid-40s to low 50s. In the winter months of December through February, the average high temperature ranges from the mid-40s to low 50s, while the average low temperature ranges from the mid-20s to low 30s. The area receives the majority of its precipitation during the winter months, with an average of 20 inches of rainfall per year. Overall, the ranch enjoys a pleasant climate with mild temperatures and moderate precipitation throughout the year. Sunshine is abundant, with 248 sunny days on average annually.
Fall River Mills is nestled between the Sierra Nevada and the Cascade Mountain ranges in the far Northeast corner of Shasta County, California. The town is surrounded by mountains in all four cardinal directions, with Mount Shasta and Mount Lassen visible from anywhere in the valley. Elevation varies slightly throughout the valley floor, ranging from 3,200 to 3,400 feet (1,000 m). The surrounding passes vary from 3,600 to 4,200 feet.
PARCELS AND ZONING
Spring Creek Ranch comprises 15 different assessor’s parcels and four zoning designations in Shasta County. Approximately 840± acres are exclusive agricultural/agricultural preserve, 160± acres are timberland, 45± acres are unclassified, and 346± acres are limited residential. It has been reported that there are 15± existing legal parcels on the ranch, which should be confirmed as part of a buyer’s due diligence. Please get in touch with us for more detailed information.
The ranch includes one residence, a custom Airstream fishing camp, barns, shops, and outbuildings. The owner’s residence, located on the banks of Vineyard Spring, is a comfortable three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom cabin with a full kitchen, living room, and covered porch overlooking Spring Creek and the ranch.
The architecturally designed Airstream camp includes a custom kitchen Airstream with a screened-in dining area. There are two other Airstreams with custom interiors, each featuring a bedroom and bathroom, connected by a common deck area, all situated on the banks of Spring Creek.
Other improvements include a shop, hay barns, numerous storage sheds, irrigation pumps, fencing, and gates.
The ranch holds water rights from Spring Creek, Lava Creek, Vineyard Spring, and the Fall River as reserved in an Indenture between a previous owner and Pacific Gas and Electric Company. The right allows the ranch owners to pump water for domestic and irrigation purposes, provided that not more than three acre-feet of water shall be used per year on each acre and not more than one acre-foot of water during any thirty days.
The ranch also has a partial water right to Vineyard Spring for irrigation, allowing withdrawal for three weeks per month. The rights to the fourth week have been assigned to a neighboring property. A former long-time manager of the ranch states that the above water-right allowance has historically been sufficient to irrigate the ranch without affecting the owner's private fishing
Property taxes for the 2025-2026 tax year are $89,293.
Spring Creek Ranch abounds with fresh water and wildlife. Crystal clear Spring Creek originates and flows for its entirety, over one and a half miles, within the ranch's boundaries before it spills into the Fall River. Most importantly, unlike most Fall River fishing, fishing is private to the ranch and its guests. The ranch also fronts about a mile of the Fall River, upstream and downstream of the confluence with Spring Creek. In addition to the above, the ranch also owns one of the headwaters of Lava Creek within its boundaries, which is known for its superb dry-fly fishing. Lastly, the ranch boasts two large bass ponds for a well-balanced fishing experience.
With Spring Creek Ranch in private ownership for decades and with light pressure and controlled access, the water is prolific. Wild Rainbow trout average three to four pounds, and it is not uncommon to land a five-to-six-pound fish. The famous Fall River is well known for its large Hexagenia mayfly hatch and wild rainbows. Lava Creek enjoys an unusual variation of freestone-type fishery in its upper reaches. It then flows into the typical crystal-clear spring creek water, accessible to only a handful of adjoining owners. With California's typical stream fishing season closing from November 15 through the last Saturday in April, the Fall River and its tributaries are now open to fishing all year.
The ranch is an upland and waterfowl hunter’s paradise in the Pacific Flyway. Migratory waterfowl use the lush habitat on the ranch as a stopping place during their migration between Canada, the Sacramento Valley, Southern California, and Mexico. The Audubon Society conducts an annual bird count on the ranch, and it is not unusual to record 100 different species.
Other wildlife on the ranch includes mule deer (Zone X-1), bobcat, mountain lion, and black bear. Spring Creek Ranch has not allowed hunting for years, but it has produced astounding numbers of waterfowl, though the property is not an established sanctuary.
For the past few years, the ranch has been used as a private retreat and has contracted out the farming of the irrigated hay fields. A typical season includes two to three cuttings and around three tons per acre. The ranch has also leased the cattle grazing to a local rancher, running around 130 pairs for the season. Historically, the ranch carried 250 mother cows on a year-round cattle operation and produced around 700 to 800 tons of hay. The area requires one to two tons of hay to winter a cow, so there may be an excess of 250 to 300 tons of hay to sell. The total carrying capacity by the Historical Approach is 3,500 A.U.M.s or 292 A.U.
His (Bill's) expertise in the market and marketing of the property was excellent.
Bill McDavid was an outstanding and very patient partner in this sale. His expertise in the market and marketing of the property was excellent. I would use him again in a heartbeat to either buy or sell a ranch property. David...
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1,000± acres of pristine Northern California ranchland, an Architectural Digest featured home, rich wildlife habitat, and endless recreation. A turn-key family retreat unlike any other.
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