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VISITING
DOS VENADAS RANCH
Working
with your guide, you can tailor your shoot at Dos Venadas to suit your
individual needs and goals. Your guide will make suggestions as to how
best to accomplish your goals and will be aware of any unique photo
opportunities that may exist at the time of your visit. Most guests
choose a morning and evening session in an established blind, then use
the middle part of the day for shooting subject matter elsewhere as
possible. Some go into town and eat lunch, returning later for an afternoon blind session. Some prefer to rest, recharge batteries and review the morning’s
pictures in camp during the middle part of the day. But, it is your
day and we will do all we can to make it a rewarding experience.
LENS
AND LAND
Dos Venadas in a member of Lens and Land. This is a small
group of private ranches, all set up for photography, that market and
manage their properties jointly. Including one or more of these other
fine ranches in your south Texas photoshoot will add diversity to your
Dos Venadas experience. Visit the Lens
and Land website for more information.
PLANNING
YOUR TRIP
Consider what your photographic goals are while planning your visit.
See a list of ranch activity by month, or
download our species list in Microsoft Word format.
Dos Venadas photographic seasons are from March 1 to June 30 and October
1 to November 15 each year. Access is granted at other times of the
year to workshop groups - see a list of workshops
offered at the ranch.
GUIDES
An approved guide is required to shoot at Dos Venadas, unless shooting
with a workshop. See
our approved guide list. You may hire any guide from the list or
let us make arrangements for you. All of our guides are published and
experienced photographers who know the ranch intimately. Your guide
will be in charge of your shoot; you should communicate with your guide
in advance regarding any questions and goals relating to your upcoming
shoot.
PRICES
All fees will be paid to RGV Nature Inc.
 Ranch
Prices
Guide Prices
- $150 per day
for single shooters.
- $125 per day
per person for 2 photographers.
- $100 per day for 3 - 6 photographers.
- $400 limit for groups over 4 photographers.
Groups
of 4 or more shooters may reserve exclusive use of the ranch. A scheduled
shoot will be considered booked when a deposit of one half is received.
This is fully refundable up to one month before the shoot. After that,
the deposit is not refundable.
This applies to ranch fees only. Guides will make their own decisions
regarding refunding deposits and you should discuss this with your guide
in advance if it concerns you.
DIRECTIONS
The gate for Dos Venadas is located off of FM 755. From Rio
Grande City, take FM 755 for about 20 miles towards La Gloria. You will
pass FM 490, which will be on the right. The gate is on the left side
of the road opposite 2294. For directions from other locations, please
consult Google Maps.
Interactive Google Map
- Center of map
- map
- Road into Dos Venadas Ranch
- map
- Santa Catarina
Starr County, TX
Directions: To Here
BAD
WEATHER
If the weather is too bad to shoot, the photographer may cancel any
time before shooting starts and will receive a raincheck to shoot another
day, which must be scheduled. This decision must be made before shooting
starts. Once the decision to shoot is made, there are no rainchecks.
The raincheck applies to ranch fees only. In the event that a photographer
decides to cancel shooting due to weather, individual arrangements must
be made with the guide as to his or her fees for the day. You should
discuss this with your guide in advance.
RELEASES
A standard hunting lease release is required to be signed prior to shooting
at Dos Venadas. You may request a copy of this in advance.
 BLINDS
Dos Venadas has a variety of blinds in service, seating from
1 to 4 shooters. None of our blinds are situated to attempt both morning
and evening shooting. On most blinds, the top, sides and back are permanently
covered with burlap or shade cloth, which provides adequate cover yet
it breathes, which makes the blind more comfortable. The front is covered
with camo netting, which is not left up between shoots. There are top
and bottom ropes from which the netting is suspended with clothes pins.
The camo is cut in 2 foot strips so that it can be hung as needed for
various camera, tripod and flash configurations. Taking the camo down
between shoots keeps it in good condition and hanging it in strips removes
the need to cut any holes at all.
A variety of chair types are available. Some have
the legs cut short for gaining low camera angle in non-sunken blinds.
Each blind has a weather proof box equipped with camo netting, clothes
pins, insect repellant, wasp spray and a brush for cleaning perches.
There is indoor/outdoor carpet available to place in the floor of the
blind if you desire it. All permanent blinds have running water conveniently
located if needed.
RANCH
POLICIES
To ensure you have a productive visit, Dos Venadas has implemented
some ranch policies. Please see our policies
page. A list of ranch rules is also posted in the camp. These rules
must be strictly followed. Any variations from these rules must be approved
in advance by your guide.
REASONABLE
EXPECTATIONS
All of the Lens and Land property owners work diligently to provide
nature photographers with a quality experience. Feedback from clients
and guides is invaluable towards shaping this new and evolving venture.
Individual
preferences and needs vary considerably among photographers. We make
every effort to accommodate each visitor. Please keep in mind that weather
and wildlife movement are beyond our control. We ask that you maintain
reasonable expectations regarding your visit.
See
the official Lens and Land "reasonable
expectations" policy.
REFERENCES
A number of photographers who visited the ranch are willing to provide
a reference regarding their experiences at Dos Venadas. See our list
of references.
FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS
Have a question that wasn't answered here? Please see our FAQ
page for more details!
We also have a page of helpful hints on shooting
at Dos Venadas.
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