The Magazine of the American Landowner is an essential guide for investors, landowners, and those interested in buying or selling land. The award-winning quarterly is known for its annual survey of America's largest landowners, The Land Report 100.
Issue link: https://landreport.epubxp.com/i/738657
I n 2005, Steve Hageman, founder and chairman of the board of Indianapolis- based Hageman Group, set his sights on acquiring top-tier farmland in the Lone Star State. The land was attractively priced and in some cases the quality exceptional. One tract caught his eye: a 14,000-acre parcel at the confluence of the North and South Forks of the Sulphur River near the small town of Sulphur Bluff. From an agricultural standpoint, the property had it all: rich blackland soil, lush pastures, abundant post oak mottes, a mixture of gentle hills and bottomland, abundant surface water, and proximity to Dallas. Previous owners included a European prince as well as a series of agricultural investors. The Midwest native immediately recognized the potential. Hageman's son-in-law, Shad Schenck, a pro angler, recognized something else: incredible wildlife habitat. The same ecological richness that powered the property's agricultural potential also lured tens of thousands of ducks from the central flyway every winter. That also meant the presence of the requisite bottomland fertility needed to nurture largemouth bass in lakes and ponds. Oak mottes dotted long stretches of grassland and created miles of high-quality habitat and cover critical to countless species such as whitetails. With proper planning and long-term management, the surrounding uplands could become prime habitat for game birds such as bobwhite quail and pheasant. Thus, a unique hunting and nature reserve was born. 76 The LandReport | FA L L 2 0 1 6 LANDREPORT.COM ABOVE: No one takes their work as seriously as the residents of the kennel. Guests often bring their own dogs. OPPOSITE TOP: The lodge, made of Texas limestone and roofed in slate, is perched atop the highest point in Hopkins County. OPPOSITE BELOW: From the materials to the workmanship, attention to detail is apparent in all aspects of the 65,000- square-foot structure.