Texas' Largest Ranches: King, Waggoner, and the Legacy of Cattle Empires

The Top 5 by Acreage (Deeded + Leased)

Texas ranches are the stuff of legend—vast, oil-rich, wildlife-heavy, and historically pivotal. Rankings vary by methodology (deeded vs. leased, contiguous vs. fragmented), but the consensus top five are:

1. King Ranch — ~825,000 acres (1,289 sq mi)

• Founded: 1853 by Capt. Richard King (steamboat captain) on Santa Gertrudis Creek.
• Location: South Texas (Kleberg, Kenedy, Nueces, Willacy counties). Four divisions: Santa Gertrudis, Laureles, Norias, Encino.
• Innovations: Developed Santa Gertrudis cattle (first US beef breed, Brahman × Shorthorn), King Ranch Quarter Horses, pioneering wildlife management.
• Diversified: Oil/gas (since 1930s), farming (citrus, cotton, sorghum), hunting, ecotourism, saddle shop, publishing.
• Ownership: King family descendants (private).

2. Waggoner Ranch — ~535,000 acres (835 sq mi) *deeded*; ~785,000 total with leases

• Founded: 1849 by Dan Waggoner; expanded by son W.T. "Tom" Waggoner.
• Location: North Texas (Wilbarger, Foard, Baylor, Archer, Wichita counties) — "Biggest ranch under one fence" (contiguous).
• Sale: 2016 — Stan Kroenke (Wal-Mart/Arsenal/Kroenke Sports) bought for ~$725M (largest US ranch sale).
• Assets: 6,000+ cattle, 1,000+ horses, 26,000+ acres cultivation, 1,000+ oil wells, huge hunting operation.

3. YO Ranch — ~700,000 acres (deeded + leased)

• Founded: 1880 by Charles Schreiner (Kerrville banker/merchant).
• Location: West Texas (Kerr, Real, Edwards counties) — Hill Country / Edwards Plateau.
• Famous for: Exotic game ranching (since 1950s) — 60+ species (addax, oryx, kudu, zebra). "YO" brand = Schreiner's initials + "O" for "Original".
• Current: Partially sold/subdivided; core ~18,000 acres remains with Schreiner family; rest private owners/hunting leases.

4. XIT Ranch (Historical) — ~3,000,000 acres at peak (1885–1912)

• Origin: Capital syndicate (Chicago) built Texas Capitol (Austin) in exchange for 3M acres in Panhandle (10 counties). "XIT" = "Ten In Texas" (brand).
• Operation: 150,000+ cattle, 1,000+ cowboys, 325 windmills, 1,500 mi fence. Largest fenced ranch ever.
• End: Drought, low beef prices, homesteader pressure → liquidated by 1912. Land broken into farms/ranches. Legacy: XIT Rodeo (Dalhart), museum.

5. Pitchfork Ranch — ~666,000 acres (deeded + leased)

• Founded: 1881 by D.B. Gardner & J.M. Williams (St. Louis capitalists).
• Location: West Texas (Dickens, King, Motley counties) — Rolling Plains / Caprock Escarpment.
• Features: Headquarters (Guthrie) = historic district. 6,000+ cattle, quarter horses, oil/gas, hunting. Still family-owned (Gardner/Williams descendants).

Honorable Mentions

• Four Sixes (6666) Ranch: ~260,000 acres (Guthrie/Carson) — legendary horses, Burnett family, sold 2021 to Taylor Sheridan group.
• Matador Ranch: ~130,000 acres (deeded) + leases — Scottish syndicate origin, now Koch family.
• Spade Ranch: ~250,000 acres — West Texas, oil-rich.

Why They Matter

These ranches shaped Texas' economy, ecology, and mythology. They pioneered range management, cattle breeding, wildlife conservation, and energy development. Today, they balance tradition with modern stewardship, tourism, and energy transition.