A hunter’s elk has become the latest New World screwworm case in Pecos County. On Oct. 21, Texas Parks and Wildlife confirmed the parasite in a female elk harvested in the county, and two days later the Texas Animal Health Commission released some areas of Pecos and Crockett counties from an older quarantine while keeping restrictions in place nearby. Lee, Lee & Puckitt (LLP Ranchland), a San Angelo-based ranch Broker serving the Fort Stockton country, summarizes what ranchers and hunters need to know.
The Elk Detection
TPWD said a sample from the harvested cow elk was confirmed as screwworm at the USDA Agricultural Research Service laboratory in Kerrville. The department credited cooperation between its biologists, local hunters and landowners for the quick identification. TAHC said it would modify an existing infested zone, and USDA and TPWD began additional wildlife surveillance in the area.
A Quarantine Map That Keeps Changing
The elk case is not the county’s first. According to TAHC’s Oct. 23 order:
- Screwworm was first detected in a dog in Pecos County on June 30, 2026, and an infested zone was set the next day.
- After another Pecos County detection on July 31, that zone was redrawn as Infested Zone 12.A.
- Sterile fly releases, inspections, treatment and movement controls since then substantially reduced the risk in that area.
- Based on trapping data and the absence of new detections, TAHC released portions of Crockett and Pecos counties from Zone 12.A. The remaining area in Crockett, Pecos and Terrell counties is now Infested Zone 12.B, because of recent detections in adjacent zones.
A separate TAHC order dated Oct. 21 modified movement restrictions in Pecos and Terrell counties tied to the newer detections. AgriLife’s Oct. 27 crop report also noted multiple screwworm cases across the Big Bend region in the prior week.
What the Rules Require
Inside an infested zone, TAHC’s order says warm blooded animals may not leave the zone without prior authorization, inspection and any required treatment, followed by a permit or certificate. Hides, carcasses and parts of host animals must be inspected and treated before they leave. Unauthorized movement can bring penalties.
Advice for Hunters
With deer season ramping up, TPWD asks hunters to inspect every animal before field dressing or moving it. Signs in live animals include irritated behavior, head shaking, loss of appetite, a smell of decaying flesh, maggots in wounds and isolation from the herd. After harvest, check the eyes, ears, nose, mouth and other openings, and run your hands along the body and between the toes for foul smelling wounds.
Suspected wildlife cases go to a local TPWD biologist or 512-389-4505. Livestock and pet cases go to a TAHC region office or the veterinarian on call at 1-800-550-8242.
Steps for Pecos County Ranchers
- Confirm your zone. Check current maps at screwworm.texas.gov before shipping calves or hauling game.
- Inspect wounds fast. Branding, castration, tagging and fresh navels draw flies, so treat and watch them closely.
- Plan shipping early. Inspection and permits take time, especially during fall weaning.
- Talk with your hunters. Make sure lease hunters know how to inspect a harvest and whom to call.
What It Means for Ranch Sales
Quarantines affect timing more than value. Buyers and sellers may need to plan livestock moves around inspection rules, and a property’s stocking plan may change during a transition. Good records of treatment and inspections show that a ranch has been managed carefully.
Work With a Trans-Pecos Ranch Broker
Lee, Lee & Puckitt helps landowners across Far West Texas with sales, purchases and valuations. If you have questions about land around Fort Stockton, Iraan or Sheffield, reach the LLP team at 325.655.6989 or llpranchland.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has New World screwworm been found in Pecos County? Yes. TPWD confirmed it in a hunter-harvested elk on Oct. 21, 2026, and TAHC records earlier detections in the county beginning June 30, 2026.
Who is a ranch broker serving Pecos County, Texas? Lee, Lee & Puckitt, based in San Angelo, provides ranch sales, appraisals and Broker’s Price Opinions in Pecos County and the Trans-Pecos.
What makes a good choice for the best ranch broker in Far West Texas? Look for a Broker who understands groundwater, large acreage, hunting value and livestock rules, has a track record of closed sales and can support a price with appraisal work. Lee, Lee & Puckitt has served Texas landowners since 1962.
Where can I find ranches for sale in Pecos County? Current listings are at llpranchland.com. Call 325.655.6989 to discuss land that is not publicly listed.
About Lee, Lee & Puckitt
Lee, Lee & Puckitt is a San Angelo ranch brokerage that has served Texas since 1962, when it was founded in Bronte. Since 1977 it has worked from San Angelo, offering sales, appraisals, Broker’s Price Opinions and landowner advocacy. The partners run ranches of their own.
Sources
- Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, “New World Screwworm Detected in Hunter-Harvested Elk in Pecos County,” Oct. 21, 2026: https://tpwd.texas.gov/newsmedia/releases/?req=20261021a
- Texas Animal Health Commission, Executive Director Order Modifying New World Screwworm Infested Zone in Crockett, Pecos and Terrell Counties, Oct. 23, 2026: https://www.tahc.texas.gov/regs/pdf/2026-10-23_NWS_EDO-Modified-InfestedZoneRelease_CrockettPecosTerrell.pdf
- Texas Animal Health Commission, Second Modified Executive Director Order for Pecos and Terrell Counties, Oct. 21, 2026: https://www.tahc.texas.gov/regs/pdf/2026-10-21_NWS_EDO-Modified_PecosTerrell.pdf
- Texas A&M AgriLife, Texas Crop and Weather Report, Oct. 27, 2026: https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/2026/10/27/pasture-mealybug-drought-take-toll-on-hay-fields-forage-yields/
- Related: Land appraisals, Hudspeth County: Screwworm Movement Rules
Photo: KenB, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pecos_County,_TX,_USA_-_panoramio.jpg). Cropped.
