Off Market Archives - Walker & Martin Ranch Sales

Sevilleta Hills Elk Ranch

Posted on: November 2nd, 2023 by Greg Walker

Boasting significant water rights, and surrounded on 3-sides by the 230,000-acre Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, Sevilleta Hills Elk Ranch presents a unique hunting and investment situation. Besides a strong population of 360+ class bulls which I will elaborate on, the ranch’s farming element holds very valuable water. New Mexico’s State Engineer has already recognized 252 diverted acre-feet associated with the 84 acres of irrigated ground, which the seller is confident is pre-1907 water. And seller expects more valuable water rights to be confirmed. Then, there are tangible solar rights to consider here; there is geothermal underground water presenting opportunities; and the mineral rights should also be intact. Seller would consider some owner carry with large down payment.

230,000 acres is a big piece of open space to adjoin. A survey is underway to determine the exact acreage of the fee simple land, but an NRCS map shows 1074, and that is the reference we are using currently. The 85-acre farm in the middle is irrigated by underground pipe with water from the Alamillo ditch. The fields are currently planted in alfalfa and tall fescue for the elk. The house is supplied by the San Acacia Water Association. The livestock drinkers (six) are fed by a well that feeds to a storage tank at the top of the property and then gravity feeds back to the drinkers. The landscaping at the house is also supplied by the well. Improvements are modest with a 2 bed, 2 bath adobe home that sleeps 6, and a storage barn and equipment carport.

That said, outstanding Mule Deer and Trophy Elk lead the appeal of this property. Located in GMU 13, a mostly “primitive” hunting-only unit, the ranch is in the secondary zone, which allows all weapons (rifles). Landowner tags are unlimited! Last year (2022) the owner sold 12 tags securing 12 for 12 bulls with 4 of those bigger than 350. This harvest did not dent the visiting bull population. This year the owner has sold 17 tags for $15K to $17K each. The seller does feed and house the hunters. 5 hunters can easily hunt the ranch at the same time. Archery Hunts are from September 1st through September 24th. Then Any Weapon hunts are from October 1 thru December 31st. An-any-weapons-hunter chooses 5 days for their license. An elk license can coincide with the deer season and a hunter could hunt both at the same time.

Big game hunting is not allowed on the wildlife refuge and will never be. Covenants were established when ownership moved to the Nature Conservancy and on to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. With limited water on the wildlife refuge, the drinkers and farm crops on this ranch are wildlife magnets. The broker assumes that New Mexico Game and Fish appreciates the help controlling the population of this growing elk herd.

Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge is one of the largest wildlife refuges in the lower 48 states, and it is the biggest in New Mexico. Four different biomes intersect here and support a wide array of biological diversity. What a great neighbor!

Sevilleta Hills Elk Ranch is co-listed with Robert Martin of Fay Ranches.

Chupadera Ranch – Off Market

Posted on: August 15th, 2023 by Greg Walker

Chupadera Ranch is 37,644 acres of grazing land characterized by gently rolling hills with pretty purple mountain views. Lying about 40 minutes east of Interstate 25, the ranch is 54% deeded acreage, 36% state lease, and 10% BLM lease all in Socorro County. Rated to carry 580 cow-calf pairs, it also boasts the attraction of quality hunting (GMU 18) for elk, deer, pronghorn, and Oryx. A cattleman leases the ranch grazing for approximately $10,000 a month. Further, a $35,665 annual lease with White Sands Missile Range for fly-over and evacuation provides additional payments if evacuation is called for. Co-listed with Robert Martin of Fay Ranches.

Currently, the ranch is conservatively stocked with 400 pairs. Moreover, the monsoon rains have been excellent this year, and the range is very healthy! There are five wells on the property, and water is distributed to a variety of drinkers. The drinkers attract wildlife, are thick with dove, hold coveys of quail, and anchor big-game-animal movement across the ranch. The owner has kept hunting to a minimum but can issue Landowner Tags for elk, deer, and Oryx at their discretion. Oryx are visually stunning, and good populations like this are rare. Free-ranging African Oryx in the United States are unique to New Mexico and can be hunted year-round. Additionally, the ranch receives four pronghorn (antelope) tags each year.

Mountain View Farm

Posted on: August 15th, 2023 by Greg Walker

Distant gentle mountains surround Las Nutrias – the little historic community whose southern edge just touches Mountain View Farm. Nestled in the Rio Grande Valley south of Albuquerque, this place along the river feels timeless. The architecture of the Las Nutrias San Ysidro Catholic Mission church, origin 1860, best represents the character of this charming place. The villages original name was La Vega de Las Nutrias meaning Meadow of the Beavers. The farm’s 320 acres are mainly cultivated ground, with water rights recognized as pre-1907, the oldest designation New Mexico’s State Engineer identifies. In the desert southwest, water is life, and this is the good stuff. Note: Seller Sold Some Water! The block of water associated with offering and the price change now reference 333 annual consumptive acre-feet! Co-listed with Robert Martin of Fay Ranches.

Location. Location. Location. This farm is 50 miles south of Albuquerque via Interstate 25, less than an hour from the Albuquerque Sunport. Moreover, friendly, growing Los Lunas lies between the farm and Albuquerque. To name a few employers, Los Lunas is home to a Facebook Data Center Campus, a Walmart Distribution Center, and a University Workforce Training Center. Then thirty miles south of the farm, you find the charming town of Socorro with its respected college, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, and its 18-hole public golf course.

Currently, irrigation water is delivered via Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District (MRGCD) ditches, and a dairy, 5 miles away in Vequita, leases the farm for $80,000 a year. Planted in Sorghum Sudangrass, the crop is utilized by the dairy that is milking four-thousand cows. The dairy farmer told the broker that the farm’s water right is interesting to him because it could also be extracted from wells if desired, not just delivered from MRGCD ditches, which could be very advantageous. The seller is also looking into the process of restoring an old irrigation well on the farm.

Lying in New Mexico Game Unit 14, the farm is home to dove, quail, pheasant, and turkey. Waterfowl use the irrigation ditches and flyway heavily including ducks, geese, snow geese, and magnificent sandhill cranes. There is also an annual depredation elk hunt in the Rio Grande Bosque and the farm is awarded tags.

Socorro County living is comfortable thanks to a mild, dry (low humidity), high-elevation (4600 feet) climate. The county boasts the largest wildlife refuge in New Mexico, Sevilleta National, which is immediately south of the farm, and one of the top birding destinations in the country, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, which is just south of Socorro.

Rio Grande del Norte

Posted on: August 15th, 2023 by Greg Walker

Rio Grande Del Norte is 810 deeded acres containing 3/4 mile of the Rio Grande River. It is a gorgeous canyon setting with elevations at 7,750 dropping down to 7,400 at the river bottom. A private trailhead (shared) provides rare river access into the gorge. Wild yet accessible, the ranch offers unique fishing for large brown trout and northern pike. Deer, elk, and other wildlife traverse the property constantly. A great variety of waterfowl utilizes the river heavily. In 2016 when the owner of an adjoining 275 acres applied, they received one private lands rifle-hunt deer tag. Co-listed with Robert Martin of Fay Ranches.

The ranch abuts vast public lands on two sides. A large tract of BLM makes up the western boundary (across the river), then to the south, the 243,000 acre Rio Grande del Norte National Monument sprawls into New Mexico. Massive, stunning 360-degree views take in distant snow-capped mountains, and Ute Mountain rises in the southern foreground begging to be climbed. A historic gauging station with a cable car still hangs over this vital watershed. This is an exciting, charismatic live water environment that sings out the majestic nature of the Rio Grande – a river wildlife corridor that reaches 1,900 miles across three states! A solitary but easy-to-access location, the property is less than one hour from Taos, New Mexico, with gas and groceries available in nearby Costilla, New Mexico.

Costilla County is 95% privately owned. Land trusts and the BLM are very interested in expanding protected lands here. Large private river parcels are not common, so this one presents an opportunity for conservation. Currently, however, there are no conservation easements or restrictions. It is just a dramatic, private get-away where one can fish, explore, hunt, and hike to their hearts content. Bring your pop-up, Fifth Wheel, or rock-star bus. The county-maintained dirt roads are pretty good. There are also some off-grid homes in the immediate area.

Much is written about the Rio Grande Gorge, but in The Last Beautiful Days of Autumn, Milagro Beanfield War author John Nichols reflects, I experience a great lust to disappear into the Rio Grande Gorge, there to spend afternoons among basalt boulders, plying the low clear river for trout. Everything physical seems to come together, in my body and on the surrounding land. Each perfect day, I know, is going to be the last beautiful day of autumn.

Las Nutrias Farm

Posted on: August 14th, 2023 by Greg Walker

Distant gentle mountains surround Las Nutrias the little historic community whose southern edge just touches this farm. Nestled in the Rio Grande Valley south of Albuquerque, this place along the river feels timeless. The architecture of the Las Nutrias San Ysidro Catholic Mission church, origin 1860, best represents the character of this charming place. The villages original name was La Vega de Las Nutrias meaning Meadow of the Beavers. The farms 320 acres are mainly cultivated ground. The seller currently holds some pre-1907 water rights which they could sell along with the farm, or the buyer could lease irrigation water from the seller, other private water sources, or maybe the MRGCD. Co-listed with Robert Martin of Fay Ranches.

Currently, irrigation water is delivered via Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District (MRGCD) ditches, and a dairy, 5 miles away in Veguita, leases the farm and water for $80,000 a year. Planted in Sorghum Sudangrass, the crop is utilized by this dairy that is milking four-thousand cows. The seller is also looking into the process of restoring an old irrigation well on the farm.

Socorro County living is comfortable thanks to a mild, dry (low humidity), high-elevation (4,600 feet) climate. The county boasts the largest wildlife refuge in New Mexico, Sevilleta National, which is immediately south of the farm, and one of the top birding destinations in the country, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, which is just south of Socorro.