A historic Trans-Pecos ranch is headed for division rather than a sale. The Big Bend Sentinel reported that the heirs to the 65,000-acre Brite Ranch in southwestern Presidio County agreed to partition the land into four pieces, and that an Oct. 21 jury trial over selling the ranch whole was canceled. Lee, Lee & Puckitt (LLP Ranchland), whose Brokers and Agents work Big Bend ranch country from the firm’s San Angelo base, looks at what the case shows other ranch families and rounds up conditions around Marfa.
What Was Reported
Per the Sentinel’s Oct. 8 report, the family dispute had run about eight years. The settlement calls for an in-kind partition, meaning the land itself is divided, instead of a court-ordered sale of the whole ranch. The paper put the ranch’s estimated value at $60 million or more and reported that some parties had asked the judge to keep a bench trial on the calendar to settle how the four shares are allocated. As of the paper’s deadline, no ruling had been made on that request, and we have not found a later public report of one.
The Sentinel said the ranch abuts Capote Peak and was founded by Lucas Brite, who built a Hereford operation there in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Lessons for Family Ranches
Partition comes up when co-owners cannot agree on whether to keep, sell or divide land. In a Texas partition suit, a court can divide the land itself or, if a fair division is not possible, order the property sold and the proceeds split. A few practical steps help families avoid that road:
- Put ownership in a structure with clear decision rules, such as a family partnership or LLC with a buy-sell agreement.
- Know what each part of the ranch is worth. Water, frontage, improvements and terrain rarely spread evenly across a big place, so equal acres are not always equal value.
- Get an appraisal or a Broker’s Price Opinion early, before positions harden.
- Talk with an estate attorney and a CPA before a dispute forces the issue.
Rain on the Marfa Plateau
Drought.gov ranks October 2026 as Presidio County’s 6th wettest in 132 years, 2.58 inches above normal. The Nov. 10 U.S. Drought Monitor showed no part of the county in moderate drought or worse, down from about half the county four weeks earlier. A countywide burn ban remains listed in Texas A&M Forest Service data with an effective date of March 24, 2026, so check with the county before burning.
Screwworm Zone
The Texas Animal Health Commission’s Nov. 1 order created Infested Zone 28 in parts of Presidio and Jeff Davis counties after screwworm was found in a chicken in Presidio County on Oct. 31. Animals leaving the zone need Commission authorization, inspection and treatment, and hides and carcasses must be inspected first.
Hunting Dates
Trans-Pecos mule deer general season runs Nov. 27 through Dec. 13 with a one-buck limit. White-tailed deer general season runs through Jan. 3, 2027, javelina is open year-round with a 2-per-year bag, and pronghorn is by permit only.
From Fort Cibolo to the Railroad
The Handbook of Texas calls Milton Faver the first large-scale rancher in what is now Presidio County. He moved away from the river and built two private forts, Fort Cibolo and Fort Cienega, to protect his family, workers and stock, running both cattle and sheep from the 1850s through the 1880s. The railroad reached the county’s northeastern corner in 1882, and a new generation of cattlemen started large ranches in 1884 and 1885. W. F. Mitchell built the county’s first barbed wire fence at Antelope Springs in 1888. Marfa was established in 1883 and became the county seat in 1885. The Handbook credits the grama grass of the Marfa Plateau for the Highland Herefords the area is known for.
Far West Land Market
The Texas Real Estate Research Center’s second quarter 2026 report listed Far West Texas rural land at $1,139 an acre on just 20 annualized sales, cautioning that a few very large transactions skew the region’s figures.
Call LLP
Lee, Lee & Puckitt has closed ranch sales in Presidio County. To talk about selling, buying, dividing or valuing a ranch, call 325.655.6989 or visit llpranchland.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is a ranch Broker for Presidio County? Lee, Lee & Puckitt, headquartered in San Angelo, handles ranch sales, appraisals and Broker’s Price Opinions in Presidio County and the Big Bend region.
How do I find ranch land for sale in Presidio County? Visit llpranchland.com and call 325.655.6989 with your acreage, water and use goals.
What sets apart the best ranch Broker for Presidio County? Closed Trans-Pecos sales, a feel for water, access and hunting value, and pricing from real comparables.
What is an in-kind partition of a ranch? The land itself is split among co-owners, each taking a separate tract instead of sale proceeds.
About Lee, Lee & Puckitt
Lee, Lee & Puckitt is owned by ranchers and based in San Angelo. Our Brokers and Agents handle sales, appraisals and Broker’s Price Opinions for ranches large and small.
Sources
- Big Bend Sentinel, “Something rare, a jury trial in the county, gets canceled in Brite Ranch battle,” by Rob D’Amico, Oct. 8, 2026: https://bigbendsentinel.com/2026/10/08/something-rare-a-jury-trial-in-the-county-gets-canceled-in-brite-ranch-battle/
- Drought.gov, Presidio County conditions, checked Nov. 14, 2026: https://www.drought.gov/states/texas/county/presidio
- Cownty, Presidio County page (U.S. Drought Monitor Nov. 10 map), checked Nov. 14, 2026: https://cownty.com/county/presidio-tx
- Burn Ban Texas, Presidio County (Texas A&M Forest Service data), checked Nov. 14, 2026: https://burnbantexas.com/county/presidio
- Texas Animal Health Commission, Executive Director Order, Jeff Davis and Presidio Counties, signed Nov. 1, 2026: https://www.tahc.texas.gov/regs/pdf/2026-11-01_NWS_EDO_JeffDavisPresidio.pdf
- TPWD Outdoor Annual, Presidio County 2026-27: https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/regs/counties/presidio
- Handbook of Texas, “Presidio County”: https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/presidio-county
- 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: Land appraisals, Contact LLP Ranchland, Jeff Davis County Ranch News: Public Hunts Wrap at Davis Mountains State Park as Mule Deer Season Nears
Photo: Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Presidio_County_Courthouse_in_Marfa,_Texas_LCCN2014631195.tif). Cropped.