We Have a Ranch Again - New Ranch - Follow Along

[DUKFVR]

Thanks for the update! Sounds like it continues to get better.

[cehorn]

Here are the pics:

This is the first water station we put up. We call this the cactus stand because my BIL busted his *** setting up the rifle blind and fell into a cactus. I think he is still picking thorns out. Anyway they should have plenty of food and water at this location.



This is also where we put out the new bow blind. I will probably add some brush around it and seal it up better at some point. The first picture is from the feeder looking at the stand. The second picture is from the stand looking at the feeder. I plan to clear around the 2 trees as well to help the trees out and increase visibility.




And here is the other water station. This location was already fully set up with bow and rifle blinds so all we did was put out the trough and fill it up.

[cehorn]

Thanks for the update! Sounds like it continues to get better.

It does get better after every trip. A lot less work with every trip as well so we are getting closer to being able to fish more and spend more time hammering pigs, coons and yotes. I'm hoping to be able to do a little of that this weekend.

I forgot to mention we got a decent amount of rain a few weeks ago. The electricians were down and said it rained quite a bit. It was a longer soaking rain which was good for the vegetation. It was actually more green last weekend than I expected. The only negative is we never got the down pour to put water in the tanks. We have a few tanks that are holding strong though and with the water stations I'm not too concerned with water to drink right now.

[cehorn]

One last post. I don't think I ever detailed how we are doing the cabin. It will be 40x110 on the inside with a 20x110 covered back porch and a 20x60 covered front porch.

Inside we are setting it up almost like a duplex. My sister and I will each have "a side" that will be about 1700 sq feet and be independent of the other side (bathrooms, kitchen, bedrooms, etc.). And then we will have a 900 sq ft common area in between the 2 sides for watching tv, family meals, etc. We tried to set it up looking into the future with my sister and my grandkids, etc in mind. Each of our kids will have their own bedroom and closet. I'm setting my side up where each of the kids bedrooms will have a bunk bed and another bed so we will have the ability to sleep 3 per room if we have guests. My side will eventually sleep 14 in beds with capacity for sleeping on the couch, air mattresses, etc. My sisters side will have sheet rock on the walls and be a little more like a house and the common area and my side will have plywood on the walls looking more like a cabin. Once complete, I think it will be really nice!!

[cehorn]

It has been a while and things are starting to move again on the cabin. I guess they have been moving slowly but visible progress hasn't been much. The electrician has been out a couple of times and wired enough to start on the plywood/sheet rock. We have about half of the plywood done and half of the sheet rock with more being done this week. Next weekend the electrician and plumber will be back up. I'm not sure the electrician can finish but the plumber should be able to finish. Then the electrician will be back around Sept 6 to finish. At that point we can do all plywood and sheet rock. The ac guy has also been out a couple of times and said he just needs an hour or 2 when the electrician is there and we will have cold air blowing. That should happen the week of Sept 6 as well. Cabinets are getting started this week as well. After that I think we will just need light fixtures, etc. for the inside to be done. I'm optimistic the inside will be done before bow season. If it isn't, it will still be livable and we can start setting some beds, etc. Then as hunting season rolls on the electrician will add outdoor lighting as he has time. I'm thinking we will be 100% finished by the end of the year. Fingers crossed. Anyway on to the cabin pics.

[cehorn]

I never posted the floorplan. Here is the overall layout of Side A (my side), The Common Area and Side B (my sister's side). As I previously mentioned we are are doing is similar to a duplex with a common area in the middle for family meals, games, watching football, etc.



And here is the floorplan for my side and the common area. My side will have 5 bedrooms and 2 baths. Each kid will have their own room and closet along with my wife and I having our own bedroom. Ultimately it will sleep 14 with just the beds but a lot more with couch space and space for mattresses.



Here are pics of the common area as you walk in and looking around the room. The plywood will be the finished look.






And here are pics of my side.
Walking in


Kitchen & Dining area


Closet area


Kids bedroom (all will be the same)


Living area looking back towards entrance


Kids Bathroom


Hopefully there will be more to post next week.

[cehorn]

As far as the actual ranch goes, we need rain!! Hopefully that happened today and continues all week. We do have a tank that is hanging on (first Pic) and a few springs providing water. The second tank went dry a while ago but that did allow us to clean it out and make it a little bigger. Hopefully they are both full when I go back next weekend.

This tank was also pictured in post #58.


And this tank was also pictured in post #1. You can also see how big Tracker has gotten.


We are up to 3 water stations now so I'm not too worried about water for the wildlife. We continue to feed corn and protein and they are hitting both pretty hard. We have a lot of decent deer on TC but so far nothing that has been put on my hit list. I'm sure some will get shot as my sister is looking for her first buck and they didn't shoot anything last year. I'll try to post a few trail cam pics tonight.

[cehorn]

Here are a couple of the bucks showing up.

[cehorn]

Well we didn't get as much rain as I had hoped last week. We got less than 2" which I'm grateful for but the tanks didn't rise any. So far today we have supposedly gotten another 2" and it is supposed to rain more this week so hopefully our tanks catch some water.

We did have a big weekend on the work front. The plumbers were back out Friday and Saturday and the electrician brought a small crew out Fri-Sun. Both crews finished to where the "framer" can finish all walls (plywood, sheet rock, doors, etc.) and ceilings as he is no longer waiting on other trades. He is out there this week so I'm hoping my side is pretty close to done when we go this weekend. As far as specifics, in addition to all the wiring the electricians (with the help of 2 of my sons) got 2 bedrooms "hot" with all outlets installed and the ceiling fans put up. So we now have some light in the cabin. In addition to all of the water lines and gas lines installed, the plumbers got an outdoor sink set up and 1 of the toilets inside set up and working. We now have an indoor bathroom other than the trailer.

I didn't hunt much but the electricians did a little coyote calling and pig hunting. They didn't have any luck with the coyotes but they did shoot a big boar that I think weighed between 150 and 175.

Pics to come in the next post.

[cehorn]

8-27-22 Pics

My son Drew installing outlets. He had never done it before but picked it up pretty quick. I previously talked about how hard my kids were working and how much they are learning. I'm truly proud and blessed.


I didn't get a pic of my other son installing the fans but he came down from Tarleton and worked all day Saturday helping out.


Outdoor sink


Toilet installed!!


Electrician w/ his pig


I also put out a blood trail for Tracker with a deer hide at the end. Here is a pic as he came running back with the deer hide.

[Arturo V]

Beautiful place !!

[DZM]

Man looking real good- really enjoying watching all of the progress

[bobby314]

Nice place!

[walker1983]

great looking place

[kmack]

Great update! Good to see the kids still helping and putting the work in. And learning new skills!