The historic headquarters of the Yturria Ranch founded in 1858 is the Punta del Monte Ranch just north of present day Raymondville.
Three generations of the Butler family recently gathered on the porch of the venerable office where Francisco Yturria, founder of the ranch, conducted business.
Danny Butler, Ranch Owner says, "Our grandmother Francisca Yturria worked very hard to see that Richard and I inherited this, and it is our turn now to get it down to the next generation and hopefully keep passing it down.”
More than 95 percent of the remaining wild lands in Texas are in the hands of private landowners, and ranchers such as the Butlers who are dedicated stewards of the land hold the key to the future of wildlife in the lone star state.
Richard Butler says, "My grandmother would always tell me, this is not our land, it belongs to the lord and you leave it better than you found it. And that was our direction in life was to leave it better than we found it. And that is what Danny and I have tried to do, that is what the girls are working to do."
"I am the sixth generation, my father is the fifth and my son McClain is the seventh generation. And when you start to think about seven generations on the property, over 150 years of family working this property it is kind of jaw dropping …you are in awe about the history," explained Quita Wittenbach.
"You are never going to have anybody take as good a care of the land as the people that have that emotional tie to it…The landowner, it is their responsibility to take care of the land not just for themselves but for all of Texans,” says Tina Buford.
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forKGBT