The Villages developer sells off hunting preserve near Ocala for $15.5 million
By Ashley Gurbal Kritzer
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Aug 9, 2021

A sprawling hunting preserve in Central Florida that was assembled by the developer of The Villages has sold for $15.5 million in what appears to be a cash transaction.

The property, which is known as Cow Hammock Ranch and spans 2,725 acres in Ocklawaha, five miles outside of Ocala, has sold to a corporate entity linked to Connecticut real estate developer Carl Kuehner, according to Marion County property records. A mortgage for the transaction has not been filed.

Jeff Bewsher, an adviser and certified wildlife biologist at SVN | Saunders Ralston Dantzler Real Estate in Lakeland, represented Kuehner in the sale. Daryl Carter and John Evans of Maury L. Carter & Associates Inc. represented the seller, a corporate entity linked to The Villages CEO Mark Morse and his daughter, Kelsea Manly.

Kuehner was not immediately available for comment Monday. Cow Hammock is a fully licensed hunting preserve, according to Bewsher.

It is home to more than 20 species of native and exotic wildlife, including elk, trophy whitetail deer and Osceola turkeys, according to the property's marketing materials, and entirely fenced in. Exotic species include bongos, audads, fallow deer and more.

There are several buildings on the property: a 1,300-square-foot owner's home; a 6,000-square-foot lodge; a four-bedroom bunkhouse; a game cleaning station with a walk-in cooler.

Morse and Manly first filed plans for the property in 2013, Ocala.com reports.

“There are a lot of listings out there, but only certain properties have the amenities and location that offer high quality and maximum recreational potential," Bewsher said in a statement. "I try to focus on those properties and what they can offer to my client. Cow Hammock Ranch is certainly one of the best remaining high fence ranches in Florida."