Robertson County stands out on the Brazos Valley drought map this fall. Extreme drought covered none of it in early October and 78.86 percent of it by the Nov. 3 U.S. Drought Monitor map, and KBTX’s Nov. 5 forecast called out lingering extreme drought “especially across Robertson County.” The countywide burn ban put in place Aug. 10 is still active. Owners around Franklin, Hearne, Calvert and Bremond can use this rundown from Lee, Lee & Puckitt (LLP Ranchland), whose ranch Brokers are headquartered in San Angelo and work with clients statewide.
How Fast the Drought Moved
At least 94 percent of Robertson County has been in severe drought or worse on every weekly map since late September, and all of it since Oct. 27. The bigger change is in the extreme category. It sat near 8 percent on the Sept. 29 map, cleared out on Oct. 6, jumped to 47.89 percent on Oct. 13, and reached 78.86 percent on the Oct. 27 map, where it held on Nov. 3.
KBTX meteorologists said on Nov. 5 that a passing cold front brought only a modest splash of rain, and that the Brazos Valley could expect a trace to about a quarter inch over the following week, with the better moisture staying well to the south. Dry vegetation, they noted, was keeping local burn bans in place.
The Burn Ban
KBTX reported on Aug. 10 that Robertson County had put a burn ban in effect, and the county sheriff’s office still lists it. Texas A&M Forest Service data checked Nov. 9 showed the ban active, 91 days after it started. Outdoor burning of brush, trash or fields is not allowed until commissioners lift the order. Check the county’s exceptions before welding or cutting in a pasture.
Grass, Hay and Water
AgriLife’s Nov. 3 report for the Central district, which takes in Robertson County, said stock tanks were drying, pastures were suffering where rain missed, and hay was short in the driest areas. A week earlier, AgriLife Extension in neighboring Brazos County told AgriLife Today that most producers there built up hay in the spring and summer and were in decent shape for winter, with some planning to start feeding in late October or early November.
AgriLife beef specialists also suggested that operations counting on stockpiled Bermuda or Bahia grass, which drought may have cut short, line up extra hay now. Owners with good wells or creek water are in a better spot than those relying on runoff tanks alone.
Deer Season Rules
TPWD lists Robertson County in the North Zone with a bag of 4 white-tailed deer, no more than 2 bucks and no more than 2 antlerless. Antler restrictions apply. A legal buck has at least one unbranched antler or an inside spread of 13 inches or more, and only one buck in the bag may reach 13 inches. General season runs Nov. 7, 2026, through Jan. 3, 2027, with antlerless harvest by license tag allowed Nov. 7 through 29 outside MLDP properties.
Land Market Snapshot
The Texas Real Estate Research Center puts Robertson County in its Gulf Coast-Brazos Bottom region, along with Brazos, Burleson, Grimes, Leon, Madison and Washington counties. The second quarter 2026 report, the latest available, showed a regional median of $11,369 an acre, up 3.05 percent from a year earlier, on 538 sales with a typical tract of 139 acres. The Center described the region as being in a steady, high-priced equilibrium. A regional median blends small tracts with large ones, so river bottom farmland and larger pasture places in Robertson County need their own comparable sales.
Contact Our Office
For a sale, a purchase or a value opinion on Robertson County land, Lee, Lee & Puckitt’s Brokers and Agents are a phone call away at 325.655.6989, or start at llpranchland.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a ranch Broker that handles Robertson County land? Yes. Lee, Lee & Puckitt, a San Angelo ranch Broker, has helped Texas landowners with rural property since 1962, including farms and ranches in the Brazos Valley.
Where can I see land for sale in Robertson County? Start at llpranchland.com and call 325.655.6989. Give us your acreage, water and use goals, and our team will review regional sales with you.
How do I pick the best ranch Broker for Robertson County property? Look for a long record of closed rural sales, people who know bottomland farming, grazing and hunting value, and appraisals or Broker’s Price Opinions backed by real comparable sales.
Does Robertson County have a burn ban right now? Yes. Texas A&M Forest Service data on Nov. 9, 2026, showed a countywide ban in effect since Aug. 10, 2026. Check with county officials before lighting any fire outdoors.
About Lee, Lee & Puckitt
Lee, Lee & Puckitt was founded in Bronte in 1962 and has called San Angelo home since 1977. Our partners are working ranchers. The firm’s Brokers and Agents provide ranch and farm sales, appraisals and Broker’s Price Opinions, and we advocate for landowners and private property.
Sources
- KBTX, “Brazos Valley drought continues into November,” Nov. 5, 2026: https://www.kbtx.com/2026/11/05/brazos-valley-drought-continues-into-november/
- KBTX, “Burn Ban implemented for Robertson County,” Aug. 10, 2026: https://www.kbtx.com/2026/08/10/burn-ban-implemented-robertson-county/
- Robertson County Sheriff’s Office, burn ban notice: https://www.robertsoncountysherifftx.org/special-alerts/burn-ban
- Burn Ban Texas, Robertson County (Texas A&M Forest Service data), checked Nov. 9, 2026: https://burnbantexas.com/county/robertson
- U.S. Drought Monitor, county statistics for Robertson County, maps of Sept. 29 through Nov. 3, 2026: https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/DmData/DataTables.aspx
- 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/
- Texas A&M AgriLife Today, “Pasture mealybug, drought take toll on hay fields, forage yields,” Oct. 27, 2026: https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/2026/10/27/pasture-mealybug-drought-take-toll-on-hay-fields-forage-yields/
- TPWD Outdoor Annual, Robertson County 2026-27: https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/regs/counties/robertson
- 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, Our services, Waco Area Hay Season: Good Spring Rain, a Long Dry Stretch and Carryover Bales
Photo: Popeetoes, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Robertson_County_Courthouse_Franklin_Texas_2022.jpg). Cropped.
