October is meeting season for Gillespie County landowners, and this year’s calendar covered nearly every part of running a Hill Country place. The Fredericksburg Standard laid out a month of range, burn and wildlife meetings, confirmed that predator and hog bounties are holding steady for 2026-27, and the county lifted its burn ban on Oct. 2. Lee, Lee & Puckitt (LLP Ranchland), the San Angelo-based ranch Broker serving Fredericksburg, Harper, Doss and Stonewall, rounds up the details.
Bounties Hold Steady
The Gillespie County Agricultural Commodity Association collects tails and pays bounties on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at the Gillespie County Extension Office. For the fiscal year that runs Oct. 1, 2026, through Sept. 30, 2027, the Standard reported these payments:
- $7 for feral hog tails
- $75 for coyote tails
- $45 for bobcat tails
- $30 for red fox tails
Participants may also bring coyote ears for the separate county bounty on the same collection days. Association dues are 20 cents per acre, with a flat $75 fee for landowners with 375 acres or less.
Range Tour Topics
The county’s Fall Range Tour on Oct. 8 offered pesticide continuing education credits and covered three timely subjects: pasture mealybug, New World screwworm, and spraying drones, including a live demonstration. Each one matters to Gillespie County operations. Mealybug has damaged improved pastures in parts of Texas, screwworm movement rules have reached several Hill Country counties, and drones are becoming a practical way to treat brush and weeds on rough ground.
Burn Ban Off, Rules Still On
Gillespie County’s burn ban ended at 1:45 p.m. on Oct. 2. The county’s burn page lists the rules that still apply. Before burning, call the Fredericksburg Fire Department at 830-990-8793 and press 1. Burn only outside city limits, start no earlier than an hour after sunrise and finish at least an hour before sunset, burn only when winds are between 6 and 23 mph, and keep the fire supervised with a phone at hand.
The Gillespie Burn Association also held an information meeting in early October on prescribed fire training and resources for landowners.
Wildlife Associations and Deer Season
Four local wildlife management associations met during October to distribute harvest books and harvest recommendations: Harper, Doss, Cave Creek and Cherry Spring. Members who missed a meeting can pick up books at the Extension Office.
The timing matters. Under TPWD’s 2026-27 county rules, archery season runs through Nov. 6 and the general white-tailed deer season opens Nov. 7, running through Jan. 3, 2027. Cooperative harvest records from these associations help neighbors manage deer across property lines.
Why This Matters for Land Value
Buyers of Hill Country land often ask about deer quality, predator pressure, hog damage and range condition. Membership in an active wildlife association, a record of harvest data and a history of prescribed burning are all signs of careful management. Those records can help a seller tell a property’s story clearly.
Talk With Our Team
Lee, Lee & Puckitt has helped Hill Country families buy and sell ranch land for decades. For a sale, purchase or valuation in Gillespie County, our Brokers and Agents are glad to help at 325.655.6989 or llpranchland.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Gillespie County hog and coyote bounties for 2026-27? The Commodity Association pays $7 per hog tail, $75 per coyote tail, $45 per bobcat tail and $30 per red fox tail from Oct. 1, 2026, through Sept. 30, 2027.
Who is a ranch broker serving Gillespie County? Lee, Lee & Puckitt, based in San Angelo, handles ranch sales, appraisals and Broker’s Price Opinions in Gillespie County and across the Hill Country.
What should I look for in the best ranch broker near Fredericksburg? Look for a Broker with closed Hill Country sales, an understanding of wildlife, water and wildlife tax valuation, and appraisal experience to support price. Lee, Lee & Puckitt has worked Texas ranch land since 1962.
Where can I find land for sale in Gillespie County? Current listings are at llpranchland.com, and buyers can call 325.655.6989 to discuss properties.
About Lee, Lee & Puckitt
Since 1962, when it opened in Bronte, Lee, Lee & Puckitt has helped Texans buy, sell and value land. The firm has been based in San Angelo since 1977 and offers sales, appraisals, Broker’s Price Opinions and landowner advocacy. Its partners are ranchers who know the work firsthand.
Sources
- Fredericksburg Standard, “Fall Range Tour, agricultural meetings set for October,” Sept. 30, 2026: https://www.fredericksburgstandard.com/news/article_cfc87ebe-3401-4856-8d9b-850df81ef17a.html
- Gillespie County, Burn Ban page, burn ban lifted Oct. 2, 2026: https://gillespiecounty.gov/1253/Burn-Ban
- Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Gillespie County 2026-2027 Hunting Seasons: https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/regs/counties/gillespie
- Related: West Texas and Hill Country listings, Blanco County Ranch News: Cherry Springs Ranch Easement
Photo: Renelibrary, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MorrisRanch1.jpg). Cropped.
