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Galveston County Ranch News: Extreme Drought Returns to Coastal Pastures While the Burn Ban Holds

November 10, 2026  |  By Lee, Lee & Puckitt

Galveston County Ranch News: Extreme Drought Returns to Coastal Pastures While the Burn Ban Holds

Coastal grass can turn on a rancher fast, and October proved it in Galveston County. On the Oct. 13 drought map, none of the county was rated worse than moderate drought; two weeks later, 65.05 percent sat in extreme drought, and the Nov. 3 map held there. For cattle and land owners from Santa Fe and Hitchcock out to Bolivar, the San Angelo ranch Brokers of Lee, Lee & Puckitt (LLP Ranchland) took a hard look at the dry turn.

How Fast the Coast Dried Out

The National Weather Service’s Houston/Galveston office summed up October in its monthly hydrologic report, issued Nov. 3. Heavy rain fell west of Interstate 45 in the first days of the month, then most locations saw less than an inch the rest of October, with only modest showers along the coast at mid-month. The office said severe to extreme drought had returned to the coastal counties.

The U.S. Drought Monitor shows the same slide for Galveston County:

  • Oct. 13: 100 percent in moderate drought, none severe
  • Oct. 20: 99.82 percent in severe drought
  • Oct. 27 and Nov. 3: 65.05 percent in extreme drought

An Oct. 23 drought statement from the same NWS office said soil moisture was running drier than normal in its southern and eastern counties. It added that the November outlook leaned wet.

Burn Ban Still in Force

Texas A&M Forest Service data checked the morning of Nov. 10 still listed the Galveston County burn ban, effective Aug. 18. Outdoor burning in unincorporated areas is off the table until commissioners lift the order. Call the county fire marshal before burning brush or welding near dry grass.

Pastures, Hay and Mealybugs

Galveston County reports with Texas A&M AgriLife’s Southeast district. The Nov. 3 district summary described little or no measurable rain, very short grass and producers starting to feed hay and put out syrup tubs. Pasture mealybug damage was widespread, and some producers were mistaking it for drought stress. Ryegrass was going in on prepared ground, and livestock were in fair to good condition.

On small coastal places, walk thin spots before blaming the weather, count bales against feeding days and check pond depth before winter.

Deer Season and Prairie Programs

TPWD lists Galveston County in the North Zone for white-tailed deer. The bag is 4 deer, no more than 2 bucks and 2 antlerless, and the county’s antler restrictions apply. General season runs Nov. 7 through Jan. 3, and antlerless deer may be taken with license tags Nov. 7 through 29 unless the property holds MLDP tags.

Owners of coastal grassland have another option worth knowing. The Texas Coastal Prairie Initiative, a partnership program that lists Galveston among 13 eligible counties, can reimburse most of the cost of practices like brush control, prescribed fire and cattle cross-fencing at NRCS rates. It can also fund voluntary conservation easements at 50 percent of the easement’s appraised value. This round’s applications were due to NRCS field offices on Nov. 4, and applicants must be registered with the Farm Service Agency. Free conservation planning is offered year round.

Gulf Coast Land Market Snapshot

The Texas Real Estate Research Center at Texas A&M puts Galveston County in a 14-county land market area with Harris, Brazoria, Fort Bend and Chambers, part of its larger Gulf Coast-Brazos Bottom region. In the Center’s second quarter 2026 report, the latest out, the regional median was $11,369 an acre, up 3.05 percent from a year earlier, on 538 sales with a typical tract of 139 acres. The Center called it a steady, high-priced market. Near Galveston, location and access can count as much as grass, so pricing a working pasture takes local sales, not a regional number.

Call Our Team

Need help selling, buying or valuing coastal pasture? The Brokers and Agents at Lee, Lee & Puckitt take calls at 325.655.6989, and listings are posted at llpranchland.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is a ranch Broker that handles Galveston County land? Lee, Lee & Puckitt works with rural landowners across Texas from its San Angelo office and has done so since 1962, including Gulf Coast pasture and ranch tracts.

Where can I look for land for sale in Galveston County? Browse the current listings at llpranchland.com, then call 325.655.6989 with the acreage, access and use you want so we can watch for a fit.

What should I look for in the best ranch Broker for Galveston County? Ask for closed rural sales, knowledge of grazing, flood risk and recreational value, and a pricing opinion backed by actual comparable sales rather than a regional average.

Is Galveston County under a burn ban right now? Yes. Texas A&M Forest Service data on Nov. 10, 2026, listed a countywide ban in effect since Aug. 18, 2026. Check with the county before burning anything outdoors.

About Lee, Lee & Puckitt

Lee, Lee & Puckitt opened in Bronte in 1962 and has worked from San Angelo since 1977. The partners run cattle, and our Brokers and Agents handle farm and ranch sales, appraisals and Broker’s Price Opinions while standing up for private property owners.

Sources

Photo: Patrick Feller from Humble, Texas, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Galveston_County_Courts_Building_1807011401_(43176278201).jpg). Cropped.

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