Ruggs Ranch FAQs

Thanks for giving us a chance to earn your business.

Our ranch spans over 100,000 acres, with about 86,000 acres (134 square miles) dedicated to hunting. To put that in perspective, that’s larger than the entire state of Rhode Island and not far off from New Jersey’s footprint. It’s huge.

For comparison, many hunters are used to clubs of just 3,000 acres, where they still haven’t explored every corner. At Ruggs Ranch, the scale is staggering. Two state highways cut through our property, and we even surround two small towns.

When we meet hunters at shows across the country, we hear many of the same questions. Chances are, you may be wondering some of them too, so we’ve pulled together answers here to help clear up any confusion.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Are the animals on your ranch wild?

All of our big game is wild.

Q: Are they in a fence?

We are NOT a high fence operation.

Q: Do you have pen-raised birds?

We do release birds in our preserve.

Q: Are all the birds wild?

All the birds you will encounter on our horseback hunts are 100% wild. If you go on that hunt you will see why it’s the only way it could be.

Q: How large is your preserve?

Our preserve is 8000 acres and is located in parcels all around the lodge.

We offer 30+ unique hunting areas, showcasing our diversified terrain and landscapes. Inside our preserve, we farm for food plots and wild bird habitat. We have a better percentage of wild Pheasant and Chukar in our preserve than pre-released birds. If you come to the ranch to hunt pheasant, we can assure you that the hunting is just like going to other states known for great pheasant hunting, except we have no bag limits. The overall hunting area on our ranch is huge; you won’t hunt the same piece of ground twice.

Q: Is it crowded?

Though we can accommodate 16 guests, our usual group size is closer to 12, and we don’t ever overload the hunting. We break our upland bird hunting guests into groups of no more than 4 hunters per area. Some of our hunts are very limited. Horseback hunts are limited to a maximum of 4 hunters, and our deer and elk hunts are limited to 8 hunters.

Q: Does it snow a lot at the ranch?

We can get light snow, but normally, you can expect a pleasant outdoor climate. January can be cold, so if you are up on a horse, we suggest talking to our pro shop about the proper clothing.

Q: How is the weather?

The hunting at Ruggs is as good as it gets anywhere in the world. The weather is generally predictable for the season. By that, we mean September to the middle of October is very pleasant and temperate. From mid-October through mid-December, we enjoy a typical western fall, low to mid-20s at night and mid-50s in the day.

Q: When is the best time of year to hunt at Ruggs?

Hunting around the lodge in December and January can be the very best for pheasants, though it can also be cold. February is like hunting in November, with cool mornings and mild afternoons; however, we can get some rain. March and October are very temperate. If you need more information, please don’t hesitate to ask us; we are happy to help.