The present-day von Netzer Ranch dates to 1850 when the original tracts were homesteaded by German settlers. George von Netzer, who immigrated from Germany in 1923 with a dream to own a "Texas ranch," acquired the ranch in 1949. He operated it as an angora goat, sheep and cattle operation until his death in 1980. His son, Garet, continues to operate the ranch today, running finewool Rambouillet and barbados sheep, along with an aggressive wildlife management program. Garet has received both conservationist and Texas Forest Service awards for his conservation and wildlife practices. The ranch house has been renovated and restored but is the same home built by German settlers. The two-story rock portion of the home, the original home, provides quarters for hunters. The "newer" portion of the home, added later with a fireplace usually crackling with oak logs in the winter time, was constructed in 1890. Out buildings and corrals are typical of what is found on working Texas ranches.   Family friend Danny Andrews of Plainview provides lunch for Parker, the resident orphan whose mother was killed in a highway accident.   Mardi von Netzer is proud of a pair of day-old Dorp-Croix lambs Day-old Dorp-Croix cross lambs     The ranch includes a hair sheep herd   The ranch also has a barbados sheep herd     White-tail bucks travel together in late summer-early fall   The velvet is drying by late August     An inquisitive 10-pointer   The entrance to von Netzer Ranch     Rambouillet sheep are among the several species on von Netzer Ranch   Barbados sheep     The ranch house   Gillespie County has the densest population of white-tailed deer in Texas     One of several ponds on von Netzer Ranch   Springtime is time for fawns in the Texas Hill Country     The ranch house, showing the original portion and the newer contruction, added in 1890   A large oak in front of the ranch house   See even more photos in our complete ranch gallery

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