Member Profile

Robert Dullnig

Grounded in the Land

Article by LORIE A. WOODWARD Photo courtesy of ROBERT DULLNIG

Land grounds Robert Dullnig's life—past, present and future.

“Working with the land gives you a constant reminder that Mother Nature is in charge,” said Robert, who owns and operates Dullnig Ranch Sales in San Antonio and ranches near Uvalde. “Land, because of the hard work required to take care of it, keeps you humble and grounded.”

PAST

Robert was reared in San Antonio, but spent every holiday, most weekends and the majority of his summers on the family's ranch.

“My earliest memory of the outdoors—and I must have been four or five—is my dad feeding a herd of javelinas out of a tin bucket,” Robert said.

His father Bobby Dullnig taught him to hunt whitetails and was with him when Robert shot his first buck. His mother Jeannie helped Robert take his first turkey.

“I had a wonderful life in San Antonio with all the benefits of the city, but I was all about Uvalde and the ranch,” he said.

As a child, a visit to the ranch headquarters was a high point of any trip. In the late 1970s to early 80s, the headquarters was a constant beehive of activity. A great uncle was a Santa Gertrudis breeder, so there were always some cattle in the pens along with a remuda of 20 to 30 horses. Three families of ranch hands worked the property day in and day out. Their houses were at the headquarters along with all the barns, pens and equipment.

“Something was always going on down there,” Robert said.

In the midst of the action, a very young Robert found a role model outside his immediate family.

“Marcelino, a ranch worker, was a hero of mine,” he said. “He would work and work and work—and get more done in a day than anybody I've ever seen. I truly admired and respected this.”

In addition to knowing the people of the land, Robert's upbringing gave him a front row seat for the transition of Texas ranching. He witnessed the industry broadening its livestockonly perspective to include wildlife.

Over time, the value of hunting leases in his neck of the woods rose from $1/acre to $20/acre. As the economics of hunting shifted, so did ranchers' perspective on brush management. To a grazier, brush is an income stealing nemesis to be fought to the death. To a wildlife manager, brush is a high-end lodge and all-you-can-eat buffet for desirable critters that needs to be selectively maintained.

“When I was a kid what I experienced was how ranching was done in Texas,” Robert said. “I'm grateful for what hunting has done, though, because the additional income it generates has allowed ranches across the state to survive.”

The cowboys moved off the ranch in the mid-1980s. The family, who were outdoor enthusiasts, transitioned to a wildlife operation with a focus on whitetail deer, turkey and quail. The three homes that once housed ranch hands now serve as hunting lodges.

PRESENT (RANCHING AND WILDLIFE)

When Bobby began managing the low-fenced ranch for native whitetail deer in 1975, the buck: doe ratio was 1 buck:10 does. By the time he passed the reins to Robert in 2000, the ratio was 1:2.5. Today it is 1:1.6 and remains consistent. It is just one hallmark of progress.

“My big love is whitetails,” Robert said. “From the beginning our goal has been bettering our overall deer herd in a native, low-fenced environment.”

Bobby did most of the “heavy lifting” to get the population numbers in line. Building on this foundation, Robert has focused on knowing the herd and identifying which bucks to harvest and which to leave.

To improve the herd, Robert and Bobby have worked hard to improve the habitat. Brush management has included mechanical and chemical treatments. Bobby replaced their cowcalf operation with a grazing lease to maximize flexibility. The lessee runs stocker calves for no more than seven months during the year.

In dry years, which come around with great frequency in South Texas, they have the option of shortening the grazing period or not allowing the lessee to graze at all. There are no cattle on the ranch during extreme drought periods.

“We want to keep our habitat in as good a condition as possible, so we opt for light grazing in periods of stress,” Robert said.

Most recently, Robert has focused on water distribution and supplemental feeding. His long-term goal? Having a water source available every 150 acres. Abundant water and superlative habitat obviously benefit the deer but is critical for quail and turkey to thrive as well.

While successfully managing land is a never-ending endeavor, visible progress and invisible satisfaction are the dual rewards. According to Robert, one visible measure of success is the increasing size of the mature bucks. In the first 35 years of management, the ranch produced a single buck that measured more than 170 inches. In the past 22 years, it has produced five bucks measuring more than 180 inches.

“It is extremely satisfying to watch a buck age from a promising 3-year-old to a mature 7-year-old,” Robert. “I love seeing the exponential growth of antlers during the growing season and picking up sheds in the spring. I have a passion for the overall quality of the deer herd.”

And for the overall condition of the ranch.

“There is a feeling of pride in every improvement…whether it's the condition of the habitat or the fences or the roads or more plentiful water,” Robert said. “Every milestone continues our family tradition of working to leave the land better for the next generation.”

Time and first-hand experience have made him realize the challenges inherent in keeping ranches in a family.

“As a kid, I always looked up to my dad, but what I didn't see was everything he was doing to maintain the property behind the scenes—all while working full-time,” Robert said. “Now that I participate in the management and deal with land for a living, I admire him even more. He has taught me so much that has given me an advantage in my career today.”

PRESENT (RANCH REAL ESTATE)

Robert's career in ranch real estate is a natural outgrowth of his innate love of land.

“For as long as I can remember, I've always had an interest in the land—and the people who lived there and worked it,” Robert said. “I truly believe I am in ranch real estate because of this.”

As his graduation from the University of Texas, where he played football for the Longhorns, approached, a university alum suggested ranch real estate as a career path. Robert ran the idea past his father, who enjoyed a successful career as a stockbroker.

“Dad really encouraged me to give ranch real estate a try,” Robert said. “Without his support I probably wouldn’t be in this industry today.”

Robert started selling land or as he said “tried to sell land” back in 1999.

“I got off to a rough start,” Robert said. “It took me two years to sell my first ranch.”

His first sale was 365 acres in Dimmit Co that sold for $600/ac.

“I still remember the excitement of that sale—and of my first listing which was Judge Ross E. Doughty’s Uvalde County ranch,” he said.

Over the past 22 years, Robert has become one of the state's preeminent ranch real estate brokers. To date, he has sold more than 600,000 acres.

The superlatives, which are numerous, include: Land.com’s Land Star Award as the #1 Ranch Broker in the State, #80 ranking in the United States per the Wall Street Journal, “most solds” in the Texas Top 100, and most importantly to him being ranked #1 in both the South Texas and the Hill Country regions in sales volume. Through the years, Dullnig Ranch Sales has listed and sold a host of iconic historic ranches such as the YO, Burr, Double Dime, Sabino Grande, El Mirador and Oppenheimer ranches.

TALKING ABOUT TWA

“My dad was an early TWA member. I don't remember exactly what membership number, but it was a low one.

Every month when Texas Wildlife arrived at our house, I'd grab it and flip to the last page. I couldn't wait to read 'Along the Back Sendero' [the monthly column written by thenExecutive Vice President David K. Langford]. It was one of things that shaped my thinking about land and stewardship.

On several occasions, when I was younger, TWA helped my parents with private property rights issues. Working together they positively addressed—and fixed—a couple of significant issues through the Texas Legislature. I've seen first-hand what an effective advocate TWA is for Texas landowners.

My personal involvement is a natural extension of the organization's long-term relationship with my family. I just happen to have a 2007 issue of Texas Wildlife right here on my desk. That year I earned the distinction of 'Numbers Champ' for recruiting the most new members.

I've served on the Board of Directors and hope to do more in the future. I've been to every convention since I graduated from college—and now my wife and I bring our boys. Dullnig Ranch Sales advertises in the magazine and helps sponsor the convention.

Anyone who cares about the outdoors for any reason— whether it's hunting, fishing, hiking, paddling, floating, ranching, bird watching, photography or anything else— should join. It's an organization that is worthy of support.”

~Robert Dullnig

“Personally, I enjoy learning the history of the various places, seeing how people manage and improve the land throughout the state,” Robert said. “On the buying side, the enthusiasm shown by a new owner is so rewarding for me.”

While the impetus for the brokerage was Robert's passion for land, he attributes a large portion of the business' success to the team of people, who have joined the ranks of Dullnig Ranch Sales. Today, the staff numbers 10 and collectively has more than 150 years of combined experience in selling only farms and ranches. There are two agents in Austin, one in Kerrville and the others are in San Antonio.

The two most senior members, Al Philip and Madeleine Bartholomew, have been with Robert for 22 years and 21 years respectively. Patrick McNamara and Randy Cadwallader have been with the firm for more than 10 years.

“I actually learned the business from Al, so it is great to still have him as part of our team,” said Robert. “Everyone on our team grew up around land, so our shared roots run deep. We trust each other, bring our respective expertise to every project— and work hard.”

In fact, he will put his team's work ethic up against anyone in the industry. During 2020, his 10-person team recorded $214 million in sales, placing Dullnig Ranch Sales in the upper echelons of Texas ranch real estate brokerages. Other brokerages achieving the same sales volume have 2 – 4 times more agents in their firms.

“It's just a testament to my team's individual work ethics,” Robert said. “In business, just like in land improvement, you won't ever achieve success if you don't stay disciplined, stay focused and work at it every day.”

FUTURE

Robert met Linda Gail, his wife of 11 years, at an Earl Thomas Conley concert in Uvalde. He and his friends had been hog hunting at the ranch and didn't bother to clean up before they went to town.

“Obviously, I didn't expect to meet my future wife that night—or I would have at least taken a shower,” he said laughing.

Linda Gail, who comes from a ranching family, is a native of Uvalde.

“Our running joke is that I married her so I could spend more time at the ranch,” Robert said. “Plus, my friends have always teased me about being a 'wannabe' Uvaldean, so I figured that this might make me a true Uvaldean.”

It, all kidding aside, worked. Although the couple resides in San Antonio, they take their three sons, a 9-year-old and 6-year-old twins, to the ranch every chance they get. At the peak of 2020's pandemic, they spent five months on the ranch.

“We think it's important for our kids to be out in God's creation…in the open space…enjoying all that nature has to offer,” Robert said.

The oldest harvested his first buck when he turned seven. The twins will get their first opportunities this hunting season.

“Linda Gail took the biggest buck we've ever taken off the ranch,” Robert said. “Their mom is their hero.”

In addition to hunting and fishing, the boys get to be boys, exploring the brush and splashing in the Nueces River, which runs through the property.

“They come out of the river covered in clay from head to toe…and laughing,” Robert said.

Of course, as a man who knows the value of a strong work ethic, Robert involves them in ranch chores. Recently, they helped him lay waterline as part of the ongoing water distribution project. Initially, the chore was met with grumbles, but Robert insisted they persist at the task. When the day's job was complete, the boys had helped install about 2,500 feet of line and knew first-hand the satisfaction of a job well done.

“The boys finally figured out if they kept messing with each other, it was going to take longer,” Robert said. “As a parent, I want them to understand that in land—and in life—you get out of it what you put into it…and it seems to me that a pasture is a really good place to learn that lesson.”