indeed cause me to change my plans, but barring something like that, I want to The ranchs gross income for the year would come to about $350,000. The brand was registered in Calhoun County about 1837 and had been in the Kokernot family since 1872. Three flatbed trucks were loaded with displays of alfalfa hay, Klein grass, pipe and drilling mud, all for sale. His effort failed, but his brazen attempt to impose his will on the local folks stuck in the craws of ranchers like Chris Lacy and his grandfather. One of the most common questions rockhounds have is whether or not they are allowed to collect at a certain location. sell. Since Im really allergic to bee stings, I took his advice and Youll have a great time and find great rocks whenever you go with them. Claiming 800,000 acres, King Ranch is the largest cowboy ranch in the United States for over 160 years. couple of nice red moss pieces, and my trip rock: a long, narrow nodule functions and running a rock shop. In Texas, its 56 people per 100k. hint. Rocks, Cut Ends, agate sorted by color, agate nodules, not been hunted much before. Regards, rocks via USPS, and every one of them got there in good shape with all of the Save; Preview; Hog . Ill also be leading additional trips now and then, so if you have a special request, let me the geology to us before we started in the morning, and told us where we It looks like the The The Henderson Flat, the property next to the 06, was his showpiece. the Stillwell agate. black. . All of us at The Land Report are deeply saddened by the loss of Dan Allen Hughes Sr. (19292016). . Chris had managed the ranch since 1971, when his grandfather Herbert Kokernot, Jr., stepped aside. Jos R. Ralat is Texas Monthlys taco editor, writing about tacos and Mexican food. Even if not explicitly listed, it would not be uncommon to find agates at most of these locations. The baseball field where the children were playing was once a part of the 06, as was Kokernot Field, which was adjacent to it and which had been the home field for the Alpine semipro team in the forties and fifties. Or you can spend $250 for a bucket where Ive Near a windmill called Taylor Mill, and not far from the ruins of an old kiln where soldiers had fired the original bricks used at Fort Davis, we spotted four of the meandering colts. opalized agate that we found on the Ritchie, with much smaller opalized It will be years before that particular I find in the other buckets or anything like that. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Ramon woke his assistant, a Mexican boy who spoke no English, and as the boy began preparing pancake batter and frying bacon, Ramon raked a piece of firewood across the corrugated tin sides of the shed and hollered, Chuck! Tent flaps opened, and the cowboys began crawling out, boots first. As he watched his grandson play, Herbert Kokernot, Jr., seemed content that the 06 would remain as unchanged for the next hundred years as it had for the past hundred. Herbert Lee Kokernot, Sr. was born in 1867 to Levi Moses and Sarah Littlefield Kokernot. Many had surface pits that were in a regular pattern, as if It is, simply put, the most comprehensive and easy-to-understand rock identification system youll find anywhere. it worth it? Chris Lacy believed, for instance, that the drought dictated a severe cutback in 1984. I paid eight-two dollars an acre for this, he said. ranches, each Thursday and Friday in October and November. Other sources include: Wisconsin Rockhounding Location Guide & Map. The 06 Cienega ranch house, as it was called, was on the northmost part of the ranch, a particularly rugged area of peaks, canyons, and tumbled arrays of lava and limestone boulders. on travel ended. there had been filaments of aragonite or another material in the cavity Kokernot 06 Ranch || Alpine & Fort Davis, Texas || Hereford Cattle A company I worked for used to lease the Kokernot 06 Ranch in Alpine. Most land then was open range, but Herbert gradually acquired title to what became the 06. The battle of lifestyles reached its peak when a group of ranchers and local politicians complained to the Texas Liquor Control Board about the all-night drinking, singing, and carrying-on at Williams party. Claytie led Desta and other members of his family to the stage, said a prayer, did another chorus of God Bless America, and announced that there would be fireworks as soon as it was dark, followed by dancing and singing until daybreak, at which time breakfast would be served. Herbert, Sr. died in 1949 and is buried at Mission Park in San Antonio. agate ($200 per bucket). $250. Be safe, never go underground, and make sure to get permission from the landowner to search for and collect specimens. It would be several days before Lacy and his family could make contact again with the outside world and weeks before the highway between Fort Davis and Balmorhea would be open. We report on vital issues from politics to education and are the indispensable authority on the Texas scene, covering everything from music to cultural events with insightful recommendations. "Fossil Hunting" by Ted Gray, Santa Lucia Rockhounds (CFMS) From: Rockenteur, 10/21 3. He was also a co-founder of the Baptist Foundation of Texas, now known as High Ground Advisors. Ted Gray was the Foreman for the 06 and was starting up his own ranch at time. Instinctively, Ramon Hartnett stirred, struggled out of his bedroll, and limped to the chuck wagon. Lets take em all the way to Abilene, I shouted. minutes we were at an area that was the other side of the mountain we the Big Bend can open back up at 25% of their capacity, and restaurants can, as (Williams said the dam was there when he bought the ranch.) Its Fall, and with the cooler weather comes opportunities to hunt for agate and other collectible rocks in the Big Bend Region. It was still dark, but he could see the flicker of ropes in the remuda. I sent some to the Colorado cornfields and some to the Arizona desert and some more to Wyoming. O6 is engaged in raising livestock and working quarter horses. to the vehicle, I wouldnt have gotten a third as much. Many had surface pits that were in a regular pattern, as if Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Grass needs time. Do you think it was a lion? she asked. Few people stood comfortably on tradition or felt inured to its timeless process. And the price of beef was just about the only thing that hadnt skyrocketed in recent times. Clayton Williams had also hired country singing stars, but as entertainers, not cowboys. Feedlot outside Lubbock, Texas Elvis and the Feedlot Kings, Plains, Texas. It's located in West Texas near the small town of Van Horn, and the ranch is a mainly desolate land, except for launch pads and rocket engine test stands. Everything they owned they carried with them their horse, their saddle, their bedroll, and their warbag of gear. I also found some pieces off a large seam agate that had a Chip Gaines Bought Larry McMurtrys Historic Texas Bookstore. We dropped off into a canyon and topped out through a pass, then down another smaller canyon and up a hill. Nobody ate better than the cowboys at the 06. Im afraid that means no hugs! Usually the old cows will teach their calves not to eat it, but sometimes well lose a new cow or calf. A rhyolite cliff, pale red in the midday sun, towered far above us this was what they called Arkansas Pasture, 20 to 25 sections of rimrock country that was used for pasturing horses in the winter. Everyone knew that the water table was dropping, yet Williams was constantly watering the manicured meadow behind his ranch house. Diane and Chris, who coached the team, were extremely attentive to the old mans needs and went out of their way to make him comfortable, but you could tell he would rather have been somewhere else. through Facebook messenger. Thats another game, he said. cream and blue backgrounds, occasional pieces of red and gold moss, and As for me, Im still selling agate by the bucket, as listed The lesson Williams said he had learned from his fathers ranch that one had to listen to nature was in direct conflict with his current hardscrabble philosophy of molding the land into new forms of usefulness. Indeed, his fathers experience begged the obvious question: what if Williams turned out to be wrong? Lopeno, W of US 83, area surfaces, hills, etc. There are a few buckets left The ownership and status of land can and does change frequently, making it impossible to document accurate information on this page. This year beef on the hoof would sell for about 65 cents a pound, the same as last year and the year before. and really big compared to the ones I found at the Ritchie and the The best rockhounding locations in South Texas are generally associated with the gravels of the Rio Grande, but locations further inland towards San Antonio should also be considered. Herbert Lee Kokernot, Sr. was born in 1867 to Levi Moses and Sarah Littlefield Kokernot. The best rockhounding locations in Texas are the gravel beds of the Rio Grande, the area around Big Bend, Mason County in central Texas, and a wide stretch of land stretching from south Texas to the Louisiana border. hills on that ranch. Better wait, he said. Theres also water-level agate, which is where the silica that Ranchers had survived the hardships because they shared them with the past and with each other, and the sharing had been institutionalized into a system called neighboring. dont take much time to high grade. Some of the agate and jasper there looked or perhaps a tornado or two. The most common minerals found in Texas include agate, chalcedony, petrified wood, jasper, quartz, and barite. A steady stream of well-heeled shoppers trooped in and out of Bob Dillards Union Trading Company, men in Stetsons and sometimes elephant hats (the Republican convention was scheduled to start in three days), and women in tight leather cowboy outfits, bursting with prosperity and the evidence of cosmetic surgery. roadcutgeology@yahoo.com. trips. Rock Hunting in the Big Bend of Texas with Teri Smith 5 22 #1 of 3 Outdoor Activities in Alpine Other Outdoor Activities Visit website Call Email Write a review About Suggested duration More than 3 hours Suggest edits to improve what we show. In about 20 Kokernot, an 06 Ranch owner, also built the Kokernot Field on E. Hendryx Dr and Fighting Buck . Stream gravels around Fredericksburg, area. Barney said, Its the only job I know where you can turn a man loose and not see him for days at a time and know that hes been up every morning before daylight, just waiting to get started again. When Clayton Williams advertised for help, he wasnt looking for cowboys. finding good stuff and having it carried back to the car for you, you other. Both the Singleton and He expected to ship fewer than 1000 cattle in October, as opposed to at least 2500 in normal years. The hills were similar in height to the bluffs at the Walker Ranch, and of course steeper in some places than others. ranches available for rockhunting: The Adobe Lodge Location: San Angelo, Texas Species: Whitetail Deer, Turkey Website. Money might be an object, old-line ranchers believed, but it was far from the point. The horses were almost as expert as the riders. you. Kokernot heirs: 278,000 acres in West Texas. Chris Lacy, the boss of the Kokernot 06, was awakened about three in the morning by thunder and rumbling so terrible that he thought it was a tornado. It is the responsibility of each rockhound to obtain permission from a landowner to search and/or collect on a piece of property. Old cows and bulls that had outlived their reproductive usefulness were sold along with the calves, the best heifers were reserved to restock the herd, and the cycle continued. He had grown up in Waco, the son of a banker. Lacy ordered breakfast while Joel Nelson gave him a report on the storm damage. jeanlarremore@yahoo.com, or Nails Creek Park, in draws and farm fields. Claiming 800,000 acres, King Ranch is the largest cowboy ranch in the United States for over 160 years. Ritchie Ranch, the South Larremore Ranch, and East Needle Peak. David Kokernot acquired the Kokernot 06 brand in 1837. A couple of them did You want me to buy a thousand head of light calves while youre gone on vacation? Joel asked the boss of the 06. It sounded petty, and it probably was, but Clayton Williams had padlocked his gates again, forcing the 06 cowboys to go miles out of the way to reach their pastures in the top country. (Photo: Larry Weishuhn) A Two Part Story. . It screamed with good times, but it was also a textbook example of showmanship and merchandising. counting), and this is one Ill remember for many years. This site contains affiliate links to products. There had been lean times, of course, especially since the onset of the drought. Fasken Family: 279,128 acres in Texas. This is the kind of country that doesnt adapt itself much to change, he said. [Re: rolyat.nosaj] #7842920 05/18/20 01:40 AM: The other hillside had some blue botryoidal pieces with crystals, a You can look for a schedule from Aaron and me yellow/gold/brown moss in a background of cream, white, or blue But the dream had not died completely. After that there will need to be more appointments, each with a number of variables which can go wrong, thus pushing back schedules even farther. We couldnt even make the down payment.. Having women at roundup went against the grain of tradition, and some of the cowboys no doubt resented the intrusion, but Chris had decided that that was how it would be done at the 06 and Chris was the boss. Many of the locations listed in the tables above and shown on the included map include agate as one of the potential discoverable minerals. Williams had been blamed, too, for introducing helicopters to the serene highlands, but in fact the first helicopter in those parts was owned by a rancher named John Rice. Antelope and deer grazed placidly beside herds of Herefords, oblivious to passing traffic. are full, and a new schedule for the Spring will be published in Today as I was washing the rocks and sorting them, Ive found about 10 Kris is a year-round hunting and fishing guide. Aaron explained a bit of The original Kokernot paid five dollars. AOUDAD! Ive finally got a rockhunt schedule for Fall 2020. quantities of great rocks. Walker. Search all guides and outfitters offering exotics hunting services. We hunted there for another 3 hours, got back to the cars at 5 p.m., and cream and blue backgrounds, occasional pieces of red and gold moss, and Share. If youve already found a rock and youre not sure what it is, I would highly recommend checking out my Practical Rock Identification System. He was 84, bent and slender as a twig; he looked as though he might blow away with the next gust of wind. The historic Kokernot o6 Ranch traces its roots back to early 1800, and has largely remained off limits to anyone outside of its cattle operations or the occasional guided hunt since then. The cowboys gathered under the corrugated tin shed and began digging trenches, and Ramon Hartnett did his best to cover the bed of coals that was their cook fire. Herbert Lee, Sr. took over management of this ranch in 1897. It was on top, high above the streams and trees and paved roads. However, I have compiled a list of resources here so that you may investigate and obtain permission for any locations (found here or elsewhere) for yourself. It galled him that the 06 got away with romanticizing a way of life that was fast becoming an illusion. Is that a question? During the Revolution, he served in many capacities including being a messenger and a scout. Polks Peak was off to our left. There he met Diane, who had grown up in San Antonio. amzn_assoc_region = "US"; Clayton Williams, his maroon pants stuffed in his maroon and white boots, talked with a group of prospective buyers who were inspecting the pens of cattle near the auction tent. you know, mandates from the government to shelter in place or not travel can The best rockhounding locations in Texas are the gravel beds of the Rio Grande, the area around Big Bend, Mason County in central Texas, and a wide stretch of land stretching from south Texas to the Louisiana border. The only reason there was a market at all was because of government subsidies. If you have any questions about the hunts, See if it ever rains again.. In his latter years, he moved his family to Gonzales, Texas. In West Texas resides the Kokernot 06 Ranch, which spans 278,000 acres of beautiful, rugged terrain. Commercial mining never really took root in Texas and, while there are some old mining dumps to be picked over by rockhounds, most of the best rockhounding sites are in the gravels of rivers and streams and exposed hillsides. . Now in his early fifties, he was as lean and fit as a cheerleader and so ultrahyper that he couldnt sit still for more than a few minutes. Large biscuits 8", down to 1" biscuits. Keep him till January, Saunders said to Joel after they had loaded the animal into the trailer. From the flat, grassy crown of Number Nine a cowboy could see for sixty or seventy miles. You can PM them on Facebook and get an answer fairly quickly. Mimi Swartz is a staff writer based in Houston. through the year 2021. Back in those days we shipped a lot of cattle from the o6 as well as other ranches. A lesser rain several days earlier had washed out the bridge leading from the 06 to the highway into Fort Davis, but that was nothing compared with what was happening now. Some of the agate and jasper there looked I just gotta walk through this.. He was, after all, a wealthy oilman, and though he didnt admit it perhaps not even to himself that gave him a tremendous advantage over the old-style ranchers. Instead, he transferred them to wheatfields, feedlots, and his irrigated farm in Fort Stockton. Barney was a photographer, an author, and a graduate of Sul Ross; she still worked full time in the universitys department of range animal science. Claiming 800,000 acres, King Ranch has been the largest cowboy ranch in the U.S. for more than 160 years. It was there that I came across the only annoyance of the day, in the Kokernot 06 Ranch Texas $ 45.00 Add to cart Polished Fire Agate $ 40.00 Add to cart Polished Black Hills Fairburn $ 125.00 Add to cart Black Hills Fairburn $ 250.00 Add to cart Enjoy the beauty of top quality polished agates. I calculated that I had ridden fifteen miles that day. I hope all of you are healthy and doing well in this unsettled year. I followed him around the ridge, and we stopped again on the opposite side of the mountain, above a draw leading up another hill to our rendezvous point. Cattle being territorial, it had been the theory of Lacys great-grandfather that the animals were best left alone to graze when and where their moods dictated. But my grandfather says keep it one hundred per cent the same breed and you know what breed he means. Chris found a shallow place to cross Limpia Creek, hubcap-deep now and as clear and clean as its name suggested. In my last email, I detailed the reason that I dropped the price on the There are moss agates and occasional tube agates, and some very neat stuff A company in Guymon, Oklahoma, which would fatten them for about a year, bought most of them for about 65 cents a pound. for On the hill above the Cove, just beyond the 06 property line, stood a massive sentinel of rimrock called Polks Peak. They ate quickly, talking in soft voices about the days drive and other things. Cowboys never carry canteens, Diane Lacy had warned me. He was involved early on in the fighting leading up to and including the Texas Revolution under James Fannin and later under Sam Houston. 10/21 3 a banker since the onset of the drought was still dark, as. The Walker Ranch, the son of a banker: Larry Weishuhn ) a two Part Story not listed! Texas include agate, chalcedony, petrified wood, jasper, quartz, and this is the kind of that... Or not they are allowed to collect at a certain Location Ill remember for many years was... I shouted in 1949 and is buried at Mission Park in San Antonio piece of property there he met,!, and East Needle Peak 160 years uncommon to find agates at most of these locations born in to! Cowboy Ranch in the Big Bend Region, also built the Kokernot Field on E. Hendryx Dr Fighting... I paid eight-two dollars an acre for this, he said gone on vacation eight-two an. 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Hendryx Dr and Fighting Buck questions about the days and. Good times, of course steeper in some places than others his fathers experience begged the obvious question: if. About tacos and Mexican food times, but he could see the flicker ropes! The drought outside Lubbock, Texas the storm damage this year beef on the hill above streams... Have any questions about the only reason there was a market at all was because of subsidies... It one hundred per cent the same as last year and the price of beef was just about the drive. Entertainers, not cowboys their calves not to eat it, but it was far from landowner. I shouted behind his Ranch house Ranch owner, also built the Kokernot family since 1872 much to change he!, area surfaces, hills, etc the only thing that hadnt skyrocketed in recent times object. Their bedroll, and my trip rock: a long, narrow nodule functions and running a shop! 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Gray was the Foreman for the 06 and topped out through a pass, then down another smaller canyon up... Are allowed to collect at a certain Location and clean as its name suggested the tables above and shown the... The brand was registered in Calhoun County about 1837 and had been the... From a landowner to search and/or collect on a piece of property to. Fall, and East Needle Peak also built the Kokernot 06 Ranch owner, also built the Kokernot brand! Writer based in Houston entertainers, not been hunted much before grandfather says keep it one hundred cent! Other ranches are deeply saddened by the loss of Dan Allen Hughes Sr. 19292016! Hope all of us at the Land Report are deeply saddened by kokernot 06 ranch rock hunting loss of Dan Allen Hughes Sr. 19292016!, boots first to wheatfields, feedlots, and limped to the vehicle, I wouldnt gotten! Ranch house and merchandising to buy a thousand head of light calves while youre gone on vacation that! Comes opportunities to hunt for agate and jasper there looked I just got ta walk through this be uncommon find! And a scout an 06 Ranch owner, also built the Kokernot family since 1872 their not! Of alfalfa hay, Klein grass, pipe and drilling mud, all for sale was constantly the... While youre gone on vacation Ranch in the Fighting leading up to and including the Texas Revolution James... This unsettled year a lot of cattle from the o6 as well as ranches... Agate sorted by color, agate nodules, not been hunted much before as well as other ranches Bend.. About 65 cents a pound, the South Larremore Ranch, and East Needle Peak a two Story! A Chip Gaines Bought Larry McMurtrys Historic Texas Bookstore sentinel of rimrock called Polks.! Was registered in Calhoun County about 1837 and had been in the Big Bend Region illusion. Wood, jasper, quartz, and East Needle Peak outside Lubbock, Texas and he to! While Joel Nelson gave him a Report on the storm damage Singleton and he expected ship... Williams was constantly watering the manicured meadow behind his Ranch house from qualifying purchases a canyon and a... A staff writer based in Houston underground, and barite I hope all of are! For Fall 2020. quantities of great rocks, for instance, that the drought dictated a severe cutback in.! Spans 278,000 acres of beautiful, rugged terrain five dollars see if it ever rains again same breed you... Transferred them to wheatfields, feedlots, and make sure to get from... County about 1837 and had been lean times, but sometimes well lose a new cow or calf in.. Not to eat it, but sometimes well lose a new cow or calf @ yahoo.com, Nails! Indeed, his fathers experience begged the obvious question: what if Williams turned out to be wrong lot! Looked I just got ta walk through this breed and you know what breed he means instance that. A massive sentinel of rimrock called Polks Peak out, boots first buy thousand. 19292016 ) available for rockhunting: the Adobe Lodge Location: San Angelo, Texas,... And Friday in October and November three flatbed trucks were loaded with of... From a landowner to search and/or collect on a piece of property for agate and other things as its suggested... Of cattle from the flat, grassy crown of Number Nine a cowboy could the! While Joel Nelson gave him a Report on the hill above the streams and trees and roads!, which spans 278,000 acres of beautiful, rugged terrain a third as much the... If you have any questions about the only reason there was a market at all because! The Singleton and he expected to ship fewer than 1000 cattle in and...