Six black Angus cows have not been seen on a place off Highway 573 near Comanche since the middle of October, and the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association is asking ranchers in Comanche County to watch for them. TSCRA published the case Nov. 2 in its Crime Watch report, with brand and tag details anyone working cattle in the area should know. Lee, Lee & Puckitt (LLP Ranchland), a San Angelo-based ranch Broker that serves Comanche County, pulled together the case details, local conditions and a few practical steps for protecting a herd.
What to Look For
According to TSCRA, the missing cattle are black Angus cows four to five years old. Each carries:
- A “rocker y” brand on the left hip
- A white ear tag in the right ear
- A blue fly tag in the left ear
The cows were last seen in mid-October. Anyone with information can contact the TSCRA Special Ranger assigned to District 9 at 254-396-1747 or call the Operation Cow Thief tip line at 817-916-1775.
If you buy at auction, pick up strays or help a neighbor gather, a quick look at hips and ears costs nothing. Cows that drift through a down fence can end up miles away.
Why Cattle Theft Still Pays for Thieves
Six mature cows represent a serious loss for any operation. A Comanche County Extension column in September noted the cattle herd is at its lowest level in 75 years, and tight supplies have kept good cows valuable. Higher values also make cattle a more attractive target.
Many cases turn on brands, records and a call from someone who noticed something off.
Simple Steps That Help
The basics are worth repeating heading into winter:
- Register your brand with the county clerk and make sure it is current.
- Keep photographs and written records of cattle, including tag numbers, and count regularly.
- Lock gates on pastures near highways and county roads, and check fences after storms.
- Note unfamiliar trailers and vehicles parked near pastures, especially at odd hours.
- Report losses to TSCRA and the sheriff’s office quickly.
Electronic ID tags paired with good records also make ownership easier to prove.
Conditions After the Late October Rain
The Comanche Chief reported relief at the Oct. 30 Commissioners Court meeting after rain fell across the county in the days before. The county’s emergency management coordinator polled the volunteer fire chiefs, and the seven of eight who responded all recommended keeping the burn ban lifted. As of Nov. 4, Texas A&M Forest Service data showed no burn ban in Comanche County. The same meeting heard about illegal dumping along Highway 16 North.
Land Market Context
Comanche County is in land market area 13 of the Texas Real Estate Research Center, alongside Brown, Callahan, Coleman, Eastland and Erath counties, within the center’s Region 7. That region averaged a record $8,040 an acre in the second quarter of 2026, up 8.63 percent from a year earlier, though the center described the statewide market as flat over the quarter with cautious buyers. Comanche County prices vary widely between small tracts near De Leon and larger grazing places, so local comparable sales matter more than any regional figure.
Deer Season
Comanche County’s general whitetail season runs Nov. 7, 2026, through Jan. 3, 2027. The limit is four deer, no more than two bucks and no more than two antlerless, and antler restrictions apply. Hunters headed to leases this weekend can help ranchers by closing gates behind them and reporting anything unusual they see near cattle.
Work With a Comanche County Ranch Broker
Lee, Lee & Puckitt helps Comanche County families buy, sell and value working cattle country, with a clear view of what fences, water and access add to a ranch. Call 325.655.6989 or visit llpranchland.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who do I call about missing or stolen cattle in Comanche County? Call the TSCRA Operation Cow Thief tip line at 817-916-1775 or the TSCRA Special Ranger for District 9 at 254-396-1747, and report the loss to the Comanche County Sheriff’s Office.
How can I identify the six missing cows near Comanche? They are black Angus cows four to five years old with a “rocker y” brand on the left hip, a white ear tag in the right ear and a blue fly tag in the left ear.
Who is a ranch Broker for Comanche County? Lee, Lee & Puckitt, headquartered in San Angelo, works Comanche County ranch and farm properties and has served Texas landowners since 1962.
Where can I find ranch land for sale in Comanche County? Current listings are posted at llpranchland.com, and the firm’s Brokers and Agents can also tell you about properties as they come to market.
About Lee, Lee & Puckitt
From a small office in Bronte in 1962 to its San Angelo headquarters since 1977, Lee, Lee & Puckitt has focused on Texas ranch land. The firm’s partners run cattle themselves, and its Brokers and Agents provide sales, appraisals, Broker’s Price Opinions and a voice for landowners.
Sources
- Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, “Crime Watch: Six black Angus cows missing in Comanche County,” Nov. 2, 2026: https://tscra.org/crime-watch-six-black-angus-cows-missing-in-comanche-county/
- The Comanche Chief, “Burn ban and executive session discussed at October 30 Commissioners Court,” Oct. 30, 2026: https://www.thecomanchechief.com/news/burn-ban-and-executive-session-discussed-at-october-30-commissioners-court/article_5621cd72-40c3-4e27-8534-7479e13ea6b1.html
- The Comanche Chief, “Comanche County Ag Extension Report: Cattle Gathering Beef Program,” Sept. 14, 2026: https://www.thecomanchechief.com/agriculture/comanche-county-ag-extension-report—cattle-gathering-beef-program/article_92fbaff8-67be-4944-804f-5b3aac586026.html
- Texas A&M Forest Service burn ban data via BurnBanTexas, Comanche County, accessed Nov. 4, 2026: https://burnbantexas.com/county/comanche
- Texas Real Estate Research Center, Texas Rural Land Markets, Second Quarter 2026: https://trerc.tamu.edu/reports/texas-rural-land-markets-second-quarter-2026/
- Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Outdoor Annual, Comanche County regulations, 2026 to 2027: https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/regs/counties/comanche
- Related: West Texas and Hill Country listings, Land appraisals, Erath County Ranch News: Free Healthy Streams Program in Dublin Covers Grazing and Feral Hogs
Photo: Anne Worner, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Angus_(Explored)_-_Flickr_-_Anne_Worner.jpg). Cropped.
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