Dos Venadas Ranch for Nature Photography FAQ

FAQ

1. Why is a guide required?

The ranch is remote and no one lives on the ranch. It would be unsafe and unproductive to allow someone unfamiliar with the area and the ranch to attempt to photograph without a guide. It is also our desire that your shoot be as rewarding as possible. All of our guides are experienced photographers who know the ranch intimately. Your guide will work with you toward fulfilling your individual goals.

2. Will you pick my guide or may I pick the guide?

There is an approved guide list on our website. You may contact each of the guides individually and visit with them to see if you prefer one over another. Or we may assign you a guide.

3. Will my guide shoot with me or may I shoot alone?

This is between you and your guide, but typically the guide will only stay with you if you request it. They wil help you get to your blind, setup and arrange props. Once you are situated, they will leave, but be on standby should you have a problem. Most will offer photographic help and advice if needed, but in-depth photographic lessons are not part of their job.

4. What if my guide and I do not agree on things?

Your guide is the final authority on all items during your shoot.

5. Do I pay the ranch and the guide separately or together?

You'll pay the ranch a single fee which includes the guide fee.

6. May I rearrange props and settings at the blinds?

You are allowed to make minor rearrangements. A supply of perches is kept nearby. You and your guide may also search the ranch for other suitable perches. However, any major reworks or cutting of habitat requires your guide’s permission.

7. Will I have to share the blind or camp with other photographers who are not in my group?

See our rules on exclusive bookings. If you do not have an exclusive booking and other photographers are present, some sharing may be required. To the extent possible we will match people and blinds to fit individual needs and desires. If a given blind is preferred by more shooters than it will accommodate, we may have to rotate or have some form of drawing. Such events will be rare.

8. How do I communicate with my guide if he or she is not in the blind with me?

We will put a two-way radio in each blind so that shooters may communicate with their guide or with other shooters if needed.

9. May I drive myself around the ranch?

Your guide will get you to and from your blind. The two of you can work out the details of whether you ride with the guide or follow in your vehicle. Once you know y our way around, your guide may allow you to drive to and from the blind if you desire. Driving around the ranch alone is not permitted.

10. May I use my own portable blind or use my own equipment?

You may use your own blind. You may choose to remove the camo from the front of our blinds and replace it with your own camo if you desire. You may remove our chairs from the blinds and use your own. You may not cut holes in our camo material, which exists in 2’ strips and may be hung in any arrangement.

11. May I use calls to lure wildlife?

Some calling may be permitted by your guide. The guide will approve, and possibly participate in, your planned calling.

12. Do you have electric outlets for charging my equipment?

The camp has a number of electrical outlets which may be used for recharging equipment and running laptops.

13. Does the ranch have phone service?

There is no land line phone on the ranch. Most cell phones work well from the ranch.

14. What kind of rest room facilities are at the ranch?

At the camp, there is an enclosed (but open-air around the top) rest room which consists of a flush toilet and a cold-water shower. In the camp there is a sink where you may wash your hands.

15. What type of mid-day amenities are there?

The camp has a brick floor and a laminated metal roof. There is a picnic table and other seating for relaxing. There is a sink, a small refrigerator and a microwave in the camp which you may use. There is a water drip and bird feeder in camp, and the camp birdlife is quite tame. While this is primarily for viewing, some guests have chosen to do their afternoon shoot there and many will shoot pictures while eating lunch.

16. What about lodging and meals?

This is up to you and your guide to arrange. It is 20 miles from the ranch to Rio Grande City where there is a Best Western Motel (956-488-0866) and a Holiday Inn Express. Both have broadband internet service and the Best Western gives a discount to Dos Venadas photographers. There is also a brand new hunting lodge on a neighboring ranch just 4 miles from the ranch which offers nice quarters, meals and broadband internet to our clients who may wish to stay out in the brush rather than in town. For the lodge contact Hardy Jackson at (956)486-2504.
View images of the lodge here
Porch outside the lodge. and here
The Great Room.

Popular eating spots in Rio Grande City are Caro's (Mexican food), Texas Cafe, Che's at La Borde House, Pizza Hut, and Whataburger.

Some shooters wish to return to town or the lodge for meals and some want to eat a sack lunch at Dos Venadas to maximize their time on the ranch. We have nice picnic area complete with electricity, running water and rest room for this purpose.

We do not have overnight accommodations on the ranch.

17. I see that mid-day camp has a BBQ pit and stove top. May we bring food and prepare our own meals?

No. The camp is property of the ranch owner and his family and is being shared in a limited capacity with the photographers. You may bring sandwich materials or prepared food and eat in the camp facility. No cooking or fires are permitted on the ranch.

18. What is a typical shooting day and may I change it?

Dos Venadas defines a day as beginning at dawn and ending at dusk. Visitors may not stay after dark. A typical day day consists of three parts: morning, mid-day and afternoon. The photographers will be put in blinds for the morning and afternoon sessions. The mid-day session is a variable. Some choose to leave the ranch during that period, some choose to shoot macro around the camp or do photoshop sessions. Photographers will not be shuttled around between blinds during any of these sessions unless there is a problem with the blind or settings. Requests to shoot after dark or do special projects, if permitted, may entail extra charge.

19. Where is closest convenience store?

There is a small convenience store 6 miles away which has much of what you might need. There are larger stores and a major farm & ranch supply store in San Isidro (15 miles). Rio Grande City (20 miles) is a major town with all of the amenities (including a hospital)

20. What about my non-photographer spouse?

We do not offer discounts for non-photographer guests. Our fees are based on numbers of people on the ranch, regardless of whether they are photographing. Non-photographers must sign a release and abide by all ranch rules also.

21. What activities are there for non-photographers?

On the ranch, a non-photographer may bird watch at any of the many blinds and feeders or in the camp. They may walk our 4 mile hiking trail which winds through the ranch. They may relax in camp and read or they may choose to accompany the photographer to the blind.

If there is a non-photographer in the group who will not be coming to the ranch, you should consider staying in McAllen as there are many things to do. McAllen has many restaurants, malls, stores, museums, theaters and parks. There are several state and national refuges nearby also.

22. What type of vehicle do I need?

You do not need four wheel drive, but we do suggest a vehicle with high clearance such as an SUV or minivan.

23. Is the ranch water drinkable?

The ranch water is safe to drink, but like most well water it is more salty and has more minerals than town water. We suggest that you bring bottled water from town.

24. What about first aid?

We keep a reasonable supply of bandaids, Cortaid, aspirin, etc. on hand. If you have any special medical needs however, be sure to bring your medications.

25. What else should I pack?

Sunscreen, chapstick, tweezers, antihistamines.

26. Are there rattlesnakes on the property?

Lots. And coral snakes, scorpions, brown recluse spiders, black widow spiders, wasps, bees, ants, velvet ants. Also, most of the plants have thorns. Welcome to south Texas. Use common sense about where you walk and place your hands. Always check blinds over before entering. This includes checking the ceiling for wasps as well as the ground for snakes.

Swarms of bees are particularly dangerous. If you should find a swarm and wish to photograph them, be extremely careful not to provoke them. Keep your distance.

27. May we handle wildlife to pose it for photos?

Yes, provided your guide approves and the wildlife is not harmed. Use common sense, some things are not safe to handle. Some species are threatened or endangered and state law limits what can be done. Poisonous snakes may be photographed in the course of thier natural activities, but we do not manipulate them.

28. What about bad weather, rain checks, cancellations, half-days, etc.

See our official policies on this elsewhere on the site.

29. Is there any way to reduce the cost of shooting at Dos Venadas?

Yes. You can come in groups of four or more to get a volume discount. Or you can shoot four days or more, to get an extended shoot discount. Not only do these two methods reduce the ranch fee, but they also reduce the guide fee. The most cost effective way to shoot at the ranch is with a workshop. A list of workshops that come to the ranch may be located here on the website.

30. How far is Dos Venadas from the McAllen and Harlingen airports?

Depending on time of day and traffic, it will take about an hour from McAllen and about 2 hours from Harlingen.

31. Where exactly is Dos Venadas?

Locate highway 755 going NE from Rio Grande City. Approximately 20 miles north you will see the junction with FM 2294, which goes east to San Isidro. The ranch gate sits on the west side of Hwy 755 at that junction. A private road will take you a little over a mile into the ranch.