Executive Summary
Lucky Star Ranch is a unique and diverse ranch property located in southwest Wise County, approximately 7 miles southwest of the community of Bridgeport, Texas. The property is large for the area, encompassing 2,465± contiguous acres and is very private in terms of access to the interior of the ranch as well as location of the landscaped and very well maintained main improvement site. The ranch consists of a diverse mix of open native pasture, open improved pasture, cultivated land, light native brush, and areas with a dense canopy of brush along riparian areas that are home to deer, turkey and hogs. The property has not been hunted in 12 years and enjoys a single large ranch neighbor along the entire west boundary. The main improvement site is secluded with frontage along a quiet cove of Lake Bridgeport. Access to the site is by electronic gate at the main ranch entrance and a private paved road through the body of the ranch. The property features a tasteful 8,000 square foot primary residence that could also serve as a corporate or family retreat. The property is operated as a working cattle ranch, but has tremendous recreational appeal. The ranch is just 60± miles from downtown Ft. Worth, 65± miles from the DFW airport and less than 30 miles from the equestrian hub off Weatherford. The property has infrastructure in place to accommodate a small or large scale equestrian facility in addition to being a working ranch of moderate size with outstanding recreational amenities.
Just the Facts
- 2,465± contiguous acres
- Modern 8,000± sq. ft. owner's residence with lake frontage and paved private road access
- Private access to Lake Bridgeport by boat dock at the main improvement site
- Working cattle ranch with tremendous recreational appeal
- Less than 60 miles to downtown Fort Worth; 65 miles to the DFW airport
- Bridgeport Municipal Airport (4,000) just northeast of the property
- Diverse land mix including areas of cultivated land, improved pasture, open native pasture and dense brush along riparian areas
- Tremendous interior roads, cattle guards and electronic gates
- Very private with limited access points to the interior of the ranch
- Single large ranch neighbor along the entire western boundary
- One additional manager's residence
General Description
The Lucky Star Ranch is comprised of a single contiguous block located on either side of Farm to Market Highway 920 southwest of Bridgeport in Wise County, Texas. The majority of the ranch is located west and north of FM 920 between the highway and the southern tail of Lake Bridgeport. The main ranch entrance is off FM 920 with a secondary residence located just south of the main entrance. The primary residence and main improvement site are secluded, enjoy frontage on Lake Bridgeport and are accessed by private paved road through the main body of the ranch.The ranch lies in an irregular configuration, but in a general sense is approximately 2.25 miles north and south and just over 2 miles east and west and contains a diverse mix of topography and land classes. In addition to the main entrance, there are several secondary access points along FM 920 that are rarely used due to the central location of the main entrance and the quality of the interior roads, gates and cattle guards. The interior roads provide access to all parts of the property and also serve as excellent hiking and riding trails. The northeast portion of the ranch has significant topography change with a few rough escarpments and rock outcroppings. Much of the hay production, and related activity, comes from an open prairie area on the southwest side of the ranch. This area enjoys access by a county road that dead ends at the ranch gate.
Broker's Comments
Lucky Star Ranch is a rare opportunity to own and operate a sizeable working cattle ranch in close proximity to the Dallas-Ft. Worth metroplex, having year-round recreational appeal and exquisite improvements in a very private setting. This ranch truly has it all.
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Location
The Lucky Star Ranch is located in western Wise County approximately 7 miles southwest of the small community of Bridgeport. Bridgeport Municipal Airport (single 4,004’ runway) is located just to the northeast of the ranch. Decatur, the Wise County seat, is approximately 17 miles east northeast of the ranch, and the growing community of Weatherford in Parker County is approximately 30 miles south of the main ranch entrance. Assess to the ranch is by Farm to Market Highway 920 with the bulk of the ranch located northwest of FM 920 between the highway and the southern end of Lake Bridgeport. There are approximately 110 acres east of the highway across from the main entrance. All highway frontages have four-rail welded pipe construction fencing. The southwest part of the ranch can be accessed by county road that dead ends at a gated entrance to the ranch.
Locale
Wise County is located in north central Texas approximately 40 miles from the Oklahoma border and adjacent to the more densely populated counties of Tarrant, Denton, and Parker that include Fort Worth and the western and northern growth areas of the Fort Worth metropolitan area. The county is divided from north to south between the Eastern Grand Prairie and the Western Cross Timbers ecoregions of Texas with the ranch located in the latter region and having a characteristic mix of prairie, savanna, and woodland. Elevation of the ranch ranges from 840 feet along the bank of Lake Bridgeport to approximately 1,065 feet at the summit of West Mound in the north central portion of the ranch. Lucky Star Ranch offers a rare opportunity to own a large contiguous tract in this area of north central Texas with private access to a large public lake. The property is operated as a working cattle ranch, but has tremendous recreational appeal just 60± miles from downtown Ft. Worth, 65± miles from the DFW airport and less than 30 miles from the equestrian hub of Weatherford along interstate 20 to the south.
Climate
The climate for the area is the typical temperate climate experienced by all of north central Texas. Summer temperatures are warm with August being the hottest month with an average high of 95 and average low of 70. Winters are generally mild with January being the coldest month with an average high of 55 and average low of 30. Average annual precipitation for Lake Bridgeport is 33.5 inches with January being the driest month of the year with just over 1.5 inches of precipitation on average. May is the wettest month of the year with over 5 inches on average. Rainfall generally increases through late spring and early summer and then falls off in late summer. Rainfall picks up again in early fall and tapers off through the winter months. The growing season for Wise County is 248 days on average.
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Acreage (Deeded & Leased)
Deeded Acres: 2,466±
Total Leased Acres: 0±
Total Acres: 2,466±
Improvements
At the heart of the Lucky Star Ranch is the showcase custom-built 8,020-square foot main residence. The home is located in the very private northwest corner of the ranch along the bank of a finger cove on the south end of Lake Bridgeport. The home is built of limestone construction with standing seam metal roofing and is configured as a 6,100± square foot two-story main residence with an attached 1,900± square foot two-story “bunkhouse” with game room. There are an additional 2,500± square feet of balconies, screened porches, and enclosed porches with views of the lake and neatly manicured surrounding landscape. A permanent boat dock is located just down a walkway from the house. The main residence features an open kitchen, dining and large great room as well as a raised media room, walk-in gun safe, large mud room and dual stair cases to the second level. Size and configuration of the residence allows it to be utilized as a single family residence, while also accommodating large parties if utilized as a family compound or corporate retreat.Complementing the main residence is a heated and cooled limestone construction, multi-purpose structure that includes a two bedroom guest apartment flanked by a multi-bay garage on one side, and a shop and storage area on the other side. This building comprises a total of approximately 5,000 square feet and was reconstructed after a fire in 2009 and is in excellent condition.Located at the main improvement site is a series of lighted, pipe-fenced, irrigated horse pastures with three-sided stalls within each pasture for cover from the elements. The pastures are designed to feed to a holding pen that is adjacent to a pre-engineered covered riding arena. Equestrian facilities at the main improvement site are extremely attractive and support the current owner’s love of horses. The location and existing infrastructure would be ideal for a more extensive equestrian breeding or training operation if desired by a new owner.Adjacent to the main ranch entrance is an older residence, barn, cattle barn, pens and working corrals. The residence is approximately 2,850 square feet, has been remodeled by the current occupants and is currently configured as a duplex. Various other minor improvements in support of the cattle operations are located across the balance of the ranch.
Water Resources
The ranch is well watered by seven operating windmills, five submersible pumps and numerous ponds and earthen stock tanks. Several of the ponds can be fished for bass and catfish along with the finger cove frontage of Lake Bridgeport. The grounds surrounding the main improvement site have historically been watered by a combination of underground wells and water pumped from Lake Bridgeport. During the drought two additional dedicated deep wells were drilled to irrigate the grounds and corrals surrounding the main improvements site until the lake level returned to its current normal level.
Mineral Rights
No mineral rights are available. There are approximately 18 active oil and gas (mostly) wells located on the property.
Taxes
Wise County property taxes are approximately $28,725 annually.
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Recreational Considerations
The Lucky Star Ranch offers tremendous recreational opportunity from fall hunting of white tail deer, turkey and waterfowl to boating and fishing on Lake Bridgeport during the summer months. Riding, hiking, feral hog and varmint hunting are options year round. The ranch has not been hunted in the past twelve years and enjoys one of the only other large property ranch neighbors along the entire western border. Lucky Star and the neighbor to the west block up the entire southern portion of Lake Bridgeport. The diverse mix of open native pasture, open improved pasture, areas of cultivated land, areas of light native brush and areas with a dense canopy of woods and brush along riparian areas support large wildlife numbers. Interior roads, gates and cattle guards are excellent and well maintained making it easy to get quickly across the entire ranch from any location by horse, passenger vehicle or ATV.
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General Operations
Lucky Star Ranch is operated as a commercial cow/calf ranch by the owner. The current ranch manager has worked closely with the independent, non-profit Noble Foundation on improving the productivity and carrying capacity of the ranch. The Noble Foundation has inventoried the entire ranch and breaks it down into 35 available pastures for rotational grazing, most with permanent fencing. Noble estimates the grazeable acres at roughly 77% of the total ranch acres. Of the grazeable acres, the breakdown is approximately 50% native pasture and 50% introduced perennial grass (coastal bermuda), and annual crops for grazing. Under intense management, primarily spraying and fertilization for maximum hay production, Noble puts the carrying capacity of the ranch in excess of 300 head of cows year round. The current ranch manager has elected a more conservative stocking rate that is less dependent on favorable weather. He estimates the carrying capacity at 200 pairs year round under normal conditions, with the ability to retain a portion of the annual calf crop for a period after weaning during favorable conditions. In normal weather years, the ranch would produce excess hay for stockpiling, or sale, at the more conservative stocking rate. The diverse mix of open native pasture, improved pasture, winter forage crops, and densely wooded area supports tremendous wildlife numbers on the ranch in conjunction with the cattle operations.
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