Ranch, Scenery & Wildlife

Greiner Studio/Home/Ranch

The Texas Hill Country is known for its abundance of wildlife, exceeded only by Alaska and Africa .  The Greiners live on a beautiful 125.5 acre ranch, about seven miles from the small city of Kerrville .  Starting in 1978, Max and Sherry began to pray for God to give them a beautiful track of land to live out their lives, where Max could experience the solitude and beauty of nature, conducive to creating his art.  They asked for dramatic scenery, beautiful vistas, water, hardwood trees, excellent wildlife habitat, privacy and a southern exposure to the view, ideal for their passive solar, studio/home design. God answered their prayers on July 4, 1981, when the Greiners moved to theirKerrville land.  However, it was 18 more years before they were able build their "dream house" and art studio.  The property has eight "live" springs, which comprise the head waters of a local creek, that runs into theGuadalupe River .  The house is located on a peninsula of land, surrounded on three sides with rugged canyons, filled with Texas oaks, live oaks, shin oaks and juniper (cedar) trees. Sculptural limestone ledges and massive boulders the size of cars make dramatic views to the distant horizon, which is over 15 miles away, from some vantage points.  The property was the home in previous times to the American Indian, including the Tonkawa and Comanche.  The property has been identified by the US Geological Survey as an area where flint was mined by the Indians and traded to other Indians across the continent.  

Native wildlife actually observed on the Greiner ranch includes:  White-tailed deer, Rio Grande wild turkey, bobwhite quail, white-wing doves, road runners, golden eagles, bald eagles, hawks, coyotes, wild hogs, bobcats, gray foxes, raccoons, ringtail cats, porcupines, gray squirrels, ground squirrels, jack rabbits, cottontail rabbits, armadillos, opossums, skunks, with dozens of species of birds and reptiles.  Collared Peccary and mountain lions also live in Kerr county, but haven't been seen yet on the Greiner ranch. 

Free roaming exotic wildlife species seen on the Greiner ranch include aoudad sheep, axis deer, fallow deer, sika deer, and emus birds.

Click on the images to enlarge.

Young woman beside a light-colored horse Armadillo foraging among leaves Longhorn cow standing outdoors Roadrunner perched on a wooden rail Opossum walking across a rocky surface Raccoon holding food with another raccoon nearby
Small rabbit held gently in a person's hands Rabbit resting on rocky ground Rabbit crouching among dry leaves Woman bending toward animals in the garden Close-up of a tortoise's head and patterned shell Raccoon being gently fed by hand
Raccoon standing upright among green plants Deer resting indoors near another small animal Deer standing near a person in a doorway Wild turkey standing near the ranch buildings Wild turkey with a red head standing among green foliage Wild turkeys gathered beneath a spreading tree
Wild turkeys gathered beneath a spreading tree Male turkey displaying its fanned tail and spread feathers Close-up of a turkey's head and fanned feathers Antlered deer in side profile against green woodland Antlered deer in side profile against green woodland Antlered deer standing beside a tree trunk
Antlered deer standing in a grassy clearing Two antlered deer standing together Antlered deer in side profile among green plants Antlered deer standing in a wooded clearing Antlered deer standing in a wooded clearing Spotted deer standing in green grass
Antlered deer in side profile on a grassy slope Distant deer standing beneath a tree in a hazy landscape Antlered deer looking toward the camera Two antlered deer standing together in grass Two antlered deer standing together in grass Deer lowering its head while standing on a grassy path
Two deer standing beside a tree, one facing away Two antlered deer in a green clearing Two antlered deer in a green clearing Close view of an antlered deer's head and neck Antlered deer walking through short grass Antlered deer looking toward the camera in a grassy clearing
Antlered deer looking toward the camera in a grassy clearing Antlered deer standing alert in sunlight Deer standing near a ranch shelter Antlered deer in dappled light beneath trees Close view of an antlered deer among rocks and tree trunks Close view of an antlered deer among rocks and tree trunks
Close view of an antlered deer among rocks and tree trunks Antlered deer looking back from a wooded path Deer silhouetted beneath a tree against a bright hillside Young deer standing in a sunlit clearing Young deer standing in a sunlit clearing Young deer standing in a sunlit clearing
Backlit antlered deer in an open field Deer standing with dark wild turkeys behind it Deer and wild turkeys scattered across a dry grassy clearing Young deer in deep shade with bright sunlight behind Antlered deer in side profile near a tree Deer standing among tall dry grasses
Deer gathered beneath a tree, with one close to the camera Young deer facing the camera in a dry clearing Small group of deer in a green wooded clearing Antlered deer walking through green plants Two antlered deer beside a tree trunk Antlered deer looking toward the camera in green woodland
Antlered deer looking toward the camera in green woodland Antlered deer looking toward the camera in green woodland Antlered deer standing alert among green plants and trees Antlered deer standing alert among green plants and trees Antlered deer standing alert among green plants and trees

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