New World screwworm rules now cover part of Culberson County. After a detection in a bovine in neighboring Hudspeth County on Oct. 30, the Texas Animal Health Commission set up Infested Zone 27 across portions of both counties on Oct. 31, then replaced it with a modified zone on Nov. 4 after a horse and two more cattle tested positive. For owners around Van Horn, Lee, Lee & Puckitt (LLP Ranchland), a San Angelo ranch Broker with clients across Texas, laid out what the order requires for livestock, for hunters and for anyone thinking about land in the Trans-Pecos this winter.
What the Quarantine Requires
The TAHC orders, posted on the Culberson County website and the commission’s site, say warm-blooded animals inside the zone may not be moved out without prior authorization. To leave, animals must be inspected and treated as the commission requires and get a permit or certificate from a commission representative. Hides, carcasses and parts of any animal that can host screwworm must also be inspected, and treated if needed, before leaving the zone. Unauthorized movement can bring administrative penalties or criminal prosecution. The order stays in place until the commission releases the quarantine. The exact boundary is drawn on a map inside the order, so check it against your pasture lines before you haul.
What It Means for Hunters and Ranch Work
The carcass rule matters with deer season open and mule deer coming. A hunter who takes a deer inside the zone needs to plan for inspection before hauling the carcass, hide or head out. Ranch crews should check fresh brands, castration cuts, navels on new calves and any wire cuts closely, since screwworm flies lay eggs in open wounds. AgriLife’s Far West reporters noted Nov. 3 that multiple screwworm cases continued to show up across the Big Bend region and producers were checking livestock.
TPWD’s 2026-27 Outdoor Annual lists Culberson County white-tailed general season Nov. 7, 2026, through Jan. 3, 2027, with 4 deer and no more than 2 bucks. Trans-Pecos mule deer archery runs through Nov. 26, and the general season is Nov. 27 through Dec. 13, one buck. The county page also lists mandatory CWD check station rules for deer, so confirm current requirements with TPWD. Javelina is open with 2 per license year, and quail runs through Feb. 28.
Rain and Range
The same Nov. 3 Texas Crop and Weather Report said cool, wet conditions brought 1 to 3.25 inches to many parts of the Far West district. Pastures greened up quickly and cattle began to look better. Ranchers reported larger quail coveys and more birds than at this time in 2025, along with more predator sightings and feral hog damage. The state fire feed still lists a Culberson County burn ban with a start date going back to 2011, so call the county before any outdoor burning.
Far West Texas Land Numbers
The Texas Real Estate Research Center at Texas A&M places Culberson County in its Far West Texas region. The second quarter 2026 report showed a regional median of $1,139 an acre, up 73.89 percent year over year, but the center said the number is heavily skewed by a limited sample of sales. The typical tract was 12,501 acres, and total acres sold fell 45.26 percent. With so few trades, pricing a big Trans-Pecos ranch depends on carefully chosen comparable sales, water, access and minerals, not a regional average.
Call Our Team
If you own or are looking at ranch land around Van Horn and want help with a sale, a purchase or a value opinion, call Lee, Lee & Puckitt at 325.655.6989 or visit llpranchland.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is a ranch broker for Culberson County? Lee, Lee & Puckitt is a ranch Broker in San Angelo that has served Texas landowners since 1962, including large ranches in the Trans-Pecos.
Where can I find land for sale in Culberson County? Check llpranchland.com, then call 325.655.6989 with your acreage, water and hunting goals. Our team can talk through recent Far West Texas sales.
What should I look for in the best ranch broker for Trans-Pecos land? A long record of closed ranch sales, knowledge of water, access and minerals in big country, and appraisals or Broker’s Price Opinions based on real comparable sales.
Can I move cattle out of the screwworm zone in Culberson County? Only with prior TAHC authorization, inspection, any required treatment and a movement permit or certificate. Contact the Texas Animal Health Commission first.
About Lee, Lee & Puckitt
Lee, Lee & Puckitt has served Texas ranch owners since 1962. The firm was founded in Bronte and moved to San Angelo in 1977. Our partners ranch for a living, and our Brokers and Agents provide ranch sales, appraisals and Broker’s Price Opinions with a firm stand for landowners.
Sources
- Texas Animal Health Commission, Executive Director Order, Infested Zone 27 (Culberson and Hudspeth), Oct. 31, 2026: https://www.co.culberson.tx.us/upload/page/0087/New%20World%20Screwworm/NWS%20Infested%20Zone%2027_Hudsepth%20and%20Culberson_10.31.26.pdf
- Texas Animal Health Commission, Modified Executive Director Order, Infested Zone 27.A, Nov. 4, 2026: https://www.tahc.texas.gov/regs/pdf/2026-11-04_NWS_EDO-Modified_CulbersonHudspeth.pdf
- Texas Animal Health Commission, New World Screwworm page: https://www.tahc.texas.gov/emergency/nws.html
- Texas A&M AgriLife Today, Texas Crop and Weather Report, Nov. 3, 2026: https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/2026/11/03/plenty-of-turkeys-this-thanksgiving-as-wholesale-prices-hold-steady/
- TPWD Outdoor Annual, Culberson County 2026-27: https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/regs/counties/culberson
- Burn Ban Texas, Culberson County (Texas A&M Forest Service data): https://burnbantexas.com/county/culberson
- Texas Real Estate Research Center, Texas Rural Land Markets, Second Quarter 2026: https://trerc.tamu.edu/reports/texas-rural-land-markets-second-quarter-2026/
- Related: West Texas and Hill Country listings, Land appraisals, Screwworm Movement Rules in Hudspeth County: A Practical Guide for Ranchers
Photo: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Culberson_courthouse_2009.jpg). Cropped.
