A sliver of moderate drought is about all that is left on the Sherman County map. On the U.S. Drought Monitor valid Nov. 10, only 0.03 percent of the county remained in D1, down from a half percent a week earlier, as wheat and grass around Stratford responded to a wetter fall. Here is how Lee, Lee & Puckitt (LLP Ranchland) reads the turnaround for Panhandle landowners who work with our Brokers and Agents from San Angelo.
From a Dry Year to a Wet Finish
Drought.gov still ranks January through October 2026 as the 26th driest such stretch in 132 years in Sherman County, 3.56 inches below normal. October itself, though, was the 14th wettest on that record, 1.36 inches above normal. That late moisture is what pulled the drought map almost clean.
A month earlier, on the Oct. 27 map, most of the county was still listed as abnormally dry, with a thin band of moderate drought. By Nov. 3 that moderate drought was down to 0.5 percent. The Nov. 10 map left only 0.03 percent. Drought.gov now counts a 92.8 percent drop in the number of people in drought since the prior week.
Wheat and Cattle in the Panhandle District
Sherman County sits in AgriLife’s Panhandle district. The Nov. 13 report said humid, overcast weather gave way to cool, sunny days, with highs in the low 70s and lows to 37 degrees. Rain earlier in the period had delayed harvest for some growers for at least two weeks, but a few dry days let cotton and feed grain harvest resume. Cotton harvest was nearly at the halfway point, and corn harvest was nearly complete.
Winter wheat was 85 percent planted and 73 percent emerged, in very poor to excellent condition. Improved and native grass pastures had responded to recent moisture, and livestock conditions were poor to good. Topsoil moisture was short to adequate, while subsoil ran short to surplus. For Stratford-area farms, the open question is whether that wheat stand is thick enough to graze and whether calves can still be found to put on it.
Burn Ban Status
Texas A&M Forest Service data, as compiled by Burn Ban Texas on Nov. 13, still listed a Sherman County burn ban with an effective date of Feb. 20, 2026. County orders can be renewed, and the feed can lag, so confirm with the Sherman County judge or fire marshal before any outdoor burning.
Mule Deer, Cranes and Quail
Mule deer general season in the Panhandle opens Nov. 21 and runs through Dec. 6, one buck for all seasons combined. Archery season closes Nov. 20. Unlike some neighboring counties, TPWD does not list a 20-inch antler restriction for Sherman County, but the bag is still one buck. For white-tailed deer, hunters may take 3 deer (no more than 1 buck and no more than 2 antlerless). The general season is Nov. 7, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027.
Sherman County is in Sandhill Crane Zone A, open Oct. 31, 2026, through Jan. 31, 2027, daily bag 3. A federal sandhill crane permit, in addition to a hunting license, migratory endorsement and HIP certification, is required. The statewide quail season continues through Feb. 28. Pheasant hunting in the Panhandle runs Dec. 5, 2026, through Jan. 3, 2027, three cocks a day.
Panhandle Land Market Snapshot
The Texas Real Estate Research Center at Texas A&M places Sherman County in its Panhandle-South Plains region. Second quarter 2026 figures, the latest available, put the regional median at $1,719 an acre, down 7.53 percent from a year earlier, on 313 sales and a typical 403-acre tract. Dollar volume fell 25.36 percent to $79.98 million. Wheat pasture, irrigation and grain handling all affect what a Stratford farm will bring, so local comparable sales matter more than the regional number.
Call Our Brokers and Agents
For a sale, a purchase or a grazing lease in Sherman County, reach Lee, Lee & Puckitt at 325.655.6989 or llpranchland.com. Our San Angelo Brokers and Agents work the Panhandle as well as the rest of western Texas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is a ranch Broker for Sherman County property? Lee, Lee & Puckitt, based in San Angelo, handles farm and ranch sales, appraisals and Broker’s Price Opinions in the northern Panhandle, including land around Stratford.
How can I find land for sale in Sherman County? Review current listings at llpranchland.com and call 325.655.6989 with your acreage, water and intended use.
What should the best ranch Broker for Sherman County offer? A record of closed farm and ranch sales, a feel for wheat, grass and irrigation value, and a price built from comparable sales.
Is Sherman County still in a drought? Only a trace. The Nov. 10 Drought Monitor left 0.03 percent of the county in moderate drought, with the rest out of drought.
About Lee, Lee & Puckitt
Lee, Lee & Puckitt started in Bronte in 1962, is based in San Angelo, and has been selling ranch and farm land since that first year. Our Brokers and Agents also prepare appraisals and Broker’s Price Opinions and stand with landowners on the questions that come with a place.
Sources
- U.S. Drought Monitor, map valid Nov. 10, 2026 (released Nov. 12, 2026): https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/
- Drought.gov, Sherman County, Texas, conditions, checked Nov. 13, 2026: https://www.drought.gov/states/Texas/county/Sherman
- Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Texas Crop and Weather Report, Nov. 13, 2026, by Adam Russell, as published in North Texas e-News: https://www.ntxe-news.com/artman/publish/article_147455.shtml
- Burn Ban Texas, Sherman County (Texas A&M Forest Service data), checked Nov. 13, 2026: https://burnbantexas.com/county/sherman
- TPWD Outdoor Annual, Sherman County 2026-27: https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/regs/counties/sherman
- TPWD, Sandhill Crane 2026-27 seasons: https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/regs/animals/sandhill-crane
- 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, Dallam County Ranch News: Dalhart Buyers Want Wheat-Ready Calves as Drought Lifts and a Grain Rail Hub Opens
Photo: Aualliso, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sherman_County_courthouse_May_2020.jpg). Cropped.
