JL Bar Ranch and Hawks Double Mountain Ranch - Long Distance Shooting and Lodge in Texas

[Ichi]

The wife has been looking to get out of town for a few days. To accommodate her I suggested that we find a place that also offers some long distance shooting here in Texas and not too far from Fort Worth.

JL Bar Ranch and Hawks Double Mountain Ranch

Anyone ever stay at or train at either of these ranches? If so, how was your experience?

Unfortunately, Hawks is booked thru February since hunting season is starting up. The gent that I spoke to also mentioned that there may be a group from Sniper's Hide that has some training scheduled for May of 2023.

Here's a couple videos I found...

JL Bar Ranch Long Range


1.72 Mile Extreme Long Rang Shot at Hawks Double Mountain Ranch

 

[dfwglockguy]

I’ve been to Hawks DM several times with a few friends. The people running the place have always been helpful and accommodating. Booking a date can be challenging, just plan ahead. Their range has steel out to somewhere around 3500 yards (JL Bar Ranch is limited to 1500 yards per their video). At Hawks DM you shoot from right in front of the lodge. That means if you want to take a break from the heat or cold you just walk back into the lodge.
Their accommodations are not fancy, but they are clean and comfortable. You can stay upstairs in the lodge in a dormitory type setup, or in one of a couple of cabins. Each cabin has two bedrooms and a small common area. Each bedroom has its own bathroom and a shower. When we go to Hawks we try to stay in the cabins.
The lodge has a full kitchen and dining area that you can use for meals. We just pick up our food on the way out to the place and use the kitchen to warm it up.
I‘ve never been to the JL Bar Ranch. After looking at their website I would think their accommodations are probably nicer and more complete than what Hawks DM offers. I would also be willing to bet that the cost is much higher. After watching the video of the shooting setup at JL Bar Ranch from above, I think Hawks DM has a nicer LR shooting setup.

 

[Ichi]

I’ve been to Hawks DM several times with a few friends. The people running the place have always been helpful and accommodating. Booking a date can be challenging, just plan ahead. Their range has steel out to somewhere around 3500 yards (JL Bar Ranch is limited to 1500 yards per their video). At Hawks DM you shoot from right in front of the lodge. That means if you want to take a break from the heat or cold you just walk back into the lodge.
Their accommodations are not fancy, but they are clean and comfortable. You can stay upstairs in the lodge in a dormitory type setup, or in one of a couple of cabins. Each cabin has two bedrooms and a small common area. Each bedroom has its own bathroom and a shower. When we go to Hawks we try to stay in the cabins.
The lodge has a full kitchen and dining area that you can use for meals. We just pick up our food on the way out to the place and use the kitchen to warm it up.
I‘ve never been to the JL Bar Ranch. After looking at their website I would think their accommodations are probably nicer and more complete than what Hawks DM offers. I would also be willing to bet that the cost is much higher. After watching the video of the shooting setup at JL Bar Ranch from above, I think Hawks DM has a nicer LR shooting setup.

Thanks for the information.

You are right about booking a date at Hawks DM. The first available date for a cabin, when I called in October was late February 2023. But it is half the price of staying JL Bar Ranch and you get a full day on the range shooting at greater distances.

 

[jackmarchese]

Only have great things to say about Hawks Double Mountain Ranch.

I went there yesterday and had the place and range to myself. Guess that the heat of summer scares folks away. I shot from the outdoor patio of the lodge and it was entirely shaded. The inside lodge is well air-conditioned, so I never felt heat duress and they offered free bottles of water.

Kudos to them for the following extra services I hadn't expected...
1. Alone, they assigned a ranch-hand to me to man a scope...something I graciously accepted. Many thanks, John Ryan.

2. I brought some $30 Caldwell "Flash Bang" LED shot hit indicators (like Magnetospeed T1000 but cheaper) and they didn't have an issue driving out to the 1500, 2278, and 2428 steel targets and placing them on the targets. They had to retrieve them too, at day's end.

3. I had my ejector roll pin break during re-zeroing. James Nixon (ranch manager's brother) offered and fixed it with one of his punches. I had not packed one.

4. They talked to me the day before and cleared the area of my target objectives, knowing that dirt splash is "required" for me to walk in my "lob" shots. I didn't have any issue picking up misses and this was the key for me to successfully hit 2428 yards with my 6.5 Creedmoor.

Shooting a Ruger precision 6.5 Creedmoor, I achieved a personal best of 2428 yards. The Caldwells worked well. At >1 mile, the ammo used, and summer mirage -- we couldn't pick up any target hits without the green blinking LED lights. It was easy to see the green flashing LEDs. I lucked out with a mild day for wind. It never got above 8 mph. I am guessing that is not typical. The ranch has dozens of electricity generating windmills on the south end of the ranch. Shooting occurs pointing north and northwest.

5 out of 5 stars to HDMR.

I will be looking to get back. It is one of the few places that offers ultra ELR distances, without having to shoot in a competition, sign up for a class, or become a member.

 

[timintx]

Love the Hawks ranch .Hawks is the best range and the best people which makes for a memorable shooting experience every time we go. I have seen no place better.

 

[nikonNUT]

Hawks is great and I want to do a buffalo hunt there soon! Another ELR option is Rebel Ridge in Syracuse, KS. They have 3643 yards (tad over 2 miles) and the range fee is $50.00/day. No accomidations but there are digs in town.

 

[jackmarchese]

Hawks is great and I want to do a buffalo hunt there soon! Another ELR option is Rebel Ridge in Syracuse, KS. They have 3643 yards (tad over 2 miles) and the range fee is $50.00/day. No accomidations but there are digs in town.

Went to Rebel Ridge Outfitters ranch again this past weekend and shot 2800 yards with my stock Ruger precision rifle 6.5 Creedmoor. Maxed out my elevation (57 mils/196 MOA) using factory loaded Berger 144gr and 153.5gr LRHT ammo.

A key fact...Rebel Ridge is at 3232 ft altitude. At 100 F, my density altitude was over 7000 ft and my bullet SG was extremely stable. Wind was calm (5-10 mph) in the morning. Much windier in the afternoon (max 25 mph).

Another important fact...Matt Gould has a 3 mile steel target now. The length of the ranch property accommodates this distance.

P.S. Stayed at Trail City bed and breakfast in Coolidge, 8 miles away. Highly recommend it. Great breakfast (pancakes, eggs, potatoes, sausage, bacon, yogurt, fresh fruit, coffee, OJ)

 

[Nik H]

Went to Rebel Ridge Outfitters ranch again this past weekend and shot 2800 yards with my stock Ruger precision rifle 6.5 Creedmoor. Maxed out my elevation (57 mils/196 MOA) using factory loaded Berger 144gr and 153.5gr LRHT ammo.

A key fact...Rebel Ridge is at 3232 ft altitude. At 100 F, my density altitude was over 7000 ft and my bullet SG was extremely stable. Wind was calm (5-10 mph) in the morning. Much windier in the afternoon (max 25 mph).

Another important fact...Matt Gould has a 3 mile steel target now. The length of the ranch property accommodates this distance.

P.S. Stayed at Trail City bed and breakfast in Coolidge, 8 miles away. Highly recommend it. Great breakfast (pancakes, eggs, potatoes, sausage, bacon, yogurt, fresh fruit, coffee, OJ)

What optics and mount are you using to get 57 mils? What distance did you zero?

 

[jackmarchese]

What optics and mount are you using to get 57 mils? What distance did you zero?

40 moa cant on base to use full elevation adjustment on Vortex Viper PST 5-25 x50 FFP (got me 21.5 mils) + Eratac 20 mrad adjustable scope mount. Zeroed at 100 yds (Eratac at 0) but Eratac gave me the zero offset once I set it at 20. Used all 10 mil of reticle lines, and then went 5.5 mil past that using 10-12x power and the horizon to set my elevation to a raised reticle line. =21.5 +20+10+5.5. Lobbed in the 6.5 Creedmoor bullet for sure. Also couldn't have seen the hit without $30 Caldwell "Flash Bang" LED hit indicators...too much mirage.

 

[jackmarchese]

No MarkandSam video proof. Only pics...

 

[Nik H]

40 moa cant on base to use full elevation adjustment on Vortex Viper PST 5-25 x50 FFP (got me 21.5 mils) + Eratac 20 mrad adjustable scope mount. Zeroed at 100 yds (Eratac at 0) but Eratac gave me the zero offset once I set it at 20. Used all 10 mil of reticle lines, and then went 5.5 mil past that using 10-12x power and the horizon to set my elevation to a raised reticle line. =21.5 +20+10+5.5. Lobbed in the 6.5 bullet for sure. Also couldn't have seen the hit without the Caldwell flash bangs...too much mirage.

That is awesome!