Crane County still shows a burn ban on the state fire feed as white-tailed deer season opens Nov. 7, while Trans-Pecos mule deer general season does not start until Nov. 27. Lee, Lee & Puckitt (LLP Ranchland) is a San Angelo-based ranch Broker serving Crane County, and we gathered the burn status, the split deer calendar, Far West land figures and a bit of cattle-drive history along the Pecos.
Burn Ban Still Listed for Crane County
BurnBanTexas, updated Nov. 7, 2026, at 5:00 AM CST from Texas A&M Forest Service data, showed a burn ban in effect for Crane County. The feed listed an effective date going back to March 13, 2024. That long date may reflect renewals rather than one unbroken order, so treat it as a current listing and confirm the active order with the Crane County Judge’s office at 432-558-1100 or at co.crane.tx.us before any outdoor burning. Neighboring Crockett, Ector and Pecos counties had no ban that morning, while Upton and Ward did.
Violating a county burn ban is a Class C misdemeanor under Texas Local Government Code Section 352.081, with a fine of up to $500.
White-Tailed and Mule Deer Rules
White-tailed deer in Crane County fall in the North Zone. The bag is three deer, no more than one buck and no more than two antlerless. Antlerless harvest by license tag is allowed in archery only unless the ranch holds MLDP antlerless tags. During other seasons, antlerless white-tailed deer are by MLDP only. Archery ran Oct. 3 through Nov. 6. General season runs Nov. 7, 2026, through Jan. 3, 2027.
Mule deer follow Trans-Pecos dates: archery Oct. 3 through Nov. 26, then general season Nov. 27 through Dec. 13, 2026, with a bag of one buck for all seasons combined. Fall turkey in the North Zone runs Nov. 7 through Jan. 3. Quail season is Nov. 1 through Feb. 28.
Far West Land Numbers Come With a Caveat
Texas A&M’s Texas Real Estate Research Center places Crane County in Far West Texas. In second quarter 2026 that region averaged $1,139 an acre, up a striking 73.89 percent from a year earlier. TRERC itself flags that figure as skewed by a limited sample. Typical tract size was listed at 12,501 acres, acres sold were down sharply, and demand was described as weak or inconsistent. Use the number as market color, not as a clean comparable for a Crane County ranch.
History: Horsehead Crossing and Early Crane County Ranches
The Handbook of Texas entry on Horsehead Crossing by Glenn Justice describes a ford on the Pecos at the Pecos-Crane county line, named for horse skulls and used as a Comanche Trail camping place and a Butterfield stage stop. In 1866, cattle drives crossed there: Charles L. Pyron with about 10,000 head, John Chisum with 600 steers, and Charles Goodnight, Oliver Loving and W. J. Wilson on the Goodnight-Loving Trail. Goodnight later called the Pecos “the graveyard of the cowman’s hopes.” A state marker went up in 1936.
John Leffler’s Handbook entry on Crane County notes the county was formed in 1887. The 1900 census counted only 51 people, 12 ranches, about 17,650 cattle and 3,750 sheep. Settlement stayed sparse until oil arrived in 1926. That long ranching stretch before the oil boom still shows up in how large Far West tracts trade today.
Talk With a Crane County Ranch Broker
For selling, buying or valuing land in Crane County, call Lee, Lee & Puckitt at 325.655.6989 or visit llpranchland.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a burn ban in Crane County? Yes. Texas A&M Forest Service data listed a ban on Nov. 7, 2026. Confirm the current order with the Crane County Judge before burning.
Who is a ranch Broker in Crane County? Lee, Lee & Puckitt, based in San Angelo, has represented ranch buyers and sellers across Texas since 1962 and works Crane County and the surrounding Permian Basin and Far West Texas ranch country.
Where can I find land for sale in Crane County? Check llpranchland.com for current listings, then call 325.655.6989 with acreage, water and minerals in mind. Our Brokers can also review recent sales.
How do I choose the best ranch Broker in Crane County? Look for closed sales in Far West and Permian Basin counties, comfort with large-tract comps, minerals and grazing leases, and appraisals or Broker’s Price Opinions that do not lean on a single skewed regional average.
About Lee, Lee & Puckitt
Lee, Lee & Puckitt has served Texas since 1962. The firm was founded in Bronte and has operated from San Angelo since 1977. Our Brokers and Agents handle ranch sales, appraisals and Broker’s Price Opinions, and we stand up for landowners.
Sources
- Texas A&M Forest Service burn ban data via BurnBanTexas, Crane County, Nov. 7, 2026: https://burnbantexas.com/county/crane
- Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Outdoor Annual, Crane County regulations, 2026 to 2027: https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/regs/counties/crane
- Cownty Texas drought map, updated Nov. 3, 2026: https://cownty.com/tx
- Texas Real Estate Research Center, Texas Rural Land Markets, Second Quarter 2026: https://trerc.tamu.edu/reports/texas-rural-land-markets-second-quarter-2026/
- Handbook of Texas, “Horsehead Crossing,” Glenn Justice: https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/horsehead-crossing
- Handbook of Texas, “Crane County,” John Leffler: https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/crane-county
- Related: West Texas and Hill Country listings, Land appraisals, Reagan County Ranch News: Burn Ban Stays in Place as Deer Season Opens Around Big Lake, Texas Ranch News: West Texas Rural Land Averages $3,008 an Acre in Second Quarter 2026
Photo: Aualliso, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2019_Crane_County_Courthouse.jpg). Cropped.
