Heavy rain on Nov. 3 bought the pine woods around Huntsville some time. With the front through, Walker County Judge Colt Christian cancelled a burn ban that had been set to begin at 9 a.m. Nov. 4, The Huntsville Item reported, but county officials had already flagged how dry the timber had become. Below, Lee, Lee & Puckitt (LLP Ranchland), ranch and rural land Brokers working across Texas from San Angelo, explains what happened and what Walker County timber and pasture owners can do before the next dry spell.
A Ban That Almost Happened
The county lifted its August burn ban Oct. 5 after heavy weekend rain and cooler weather, according to the Item. By early November things had turned dry again. Emergency Management Coordinator Josh Mizrany told commissioners on Nov. 2 that live fuel moisture in loblolly pines was critically low, the lowest it had been at any point since 2001, a stretch that includes the 2011 fire year. Low fuel moisture means more wildfire risk.
The court lined up a burn ban for Wednesday morning, Nov. 4, unless rain came first. It did, and the judge cancelled the order. Texas A&M Forest Service data checked Nov. 10 showed no countywide ban in Walker County.
Fire Prep for Timber and Pasture
One good rain does not refill a pine stand. A few steps help while the woods are still dry:
- Mow or disk firebreaks along fence lines, roads and around barns, hay storage and homes.
- Keep gates and interior roads open so a fire truck can get in.
- If you plan to burn brush, call the county first, pick a calm day and stay with the fire until it is out.
- Timber owners should know where their stands and access roads are on a map, which also helps when it is time to sell or appraise.
Drought and Water
The U.S. Drought Monitor’s Nov. 3 map had all of Walker County in moderate drought, with no severe or extreme drought on the county map. Lake Livingston, on the Trinity River east of Huntsville, was 89.8 percent full on Nov. 9, according to the Texas Water Development Board, down from 93.3 percent a month earlier.
Walker County reports with AgriLife’s Southeast district, which on Nov. 3 described little to no measurable rain, very short grass, hay feeding getting underway and widespread pasture mealybug damage. Ryegrass was being planted on prepared ground, and livestock were in fair to good shape.
Deer Season Rules
TPWD puts Walker County in the North Zone with a bag of 4 white-tailed deer, no more than 2 bucks and 2 antlerless, and antler restrictions on bucks. General season runs Nov. 7 through Jan. 3, and antlerless deer may be taken with license tags Nov. 7 through 29 on properties without MLDP tags. Hunters on timber leases should know where the lease lines and fire lanes are before they head out in the dark.
Land Market Snapshot
The Texas Real Estate Research Center counts Walker County in a land market area with Montgomery, San Jacinto, Harris and 10 other counties, inside its Gulf Coast-Brazos Bottom region. The second quarter 2026 report, the latest available, put the regional median at $11,369 an acre, up 3.05 percent from a year earlier, with 538 sales and a typical tract of 139 acres. The Center described the region as steady and high priced. Walker County timberland, pasture and recreational tracts each sell differently, so pricing one takes sales of similar land nearby.
Talk to Lee, Lee & Puckitt
Our Brokers and Agents help owners sell, buy and value timber, pasture and ranch land across Texas. Call 325.655.6989 or visit llpranchland.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a ranch Broker who covers Walker County? Yes. Lee, Lee & Puckitt has helped Texans buy and sell rural property since 1962 and works with timber and pasture owners in East and Southeast Texas from its San Angelo office.
How do I find land for sale in Walker County? Visit llpranchland.com to see our current listings, then call 325.655.6989 and describe the timber, pasture or hunting land you are after.
How do I tell which ranch Broker is best for Walker County land? Ask about closed sales of similar property, how they account for timber, access and hunting value, and whether their pricing rests on appraisals or Broker’s Price Opinions using real comparable sales.
Does Walker County have a burn ban? Not as of Nov. 10, 2026. A ban planned for Nov. 4 was cancelled after rain, but the county can act again quickly if it turns dry.
About Lee, Lee & Puckitt
Lee, Lee & Puckitt has served Texas since 1962, starting in Bronte and based in San Angelo since 1977. The firm’s partners are ranchers. Our Brokers and Agents provide farm and ranch sales, appraisals and Broker’s Price Opinions, and we stand with landowners on property rights.
Sources
- The Huntsville Item, “County judge opts not to impose burn ban” (earlier headline “Tuesday rain may cancel need for Wednesday burn ban”), Nov. 3, 2026, updated Nov. 4: https://www.itemonline.com/news/county-judge-opts-not-to-impose-burn-ban/article_50decb71-b68e-4c38-9261-56619f8c6046.html
- The Huntsville Item, “County lifts burn ban effective Monday, Oct. 5,” Oct. 6, 2026: https://www.itemonline.com/news/county-lifts-burn-ban-effective-monday-oct-5/article_27bbc7d3-cb91-4ceb-bc93-71ab0d6402f1.html
- Burn Ban Texas, Walker County (Texas A&M Forest Service data), checked Nov. 10, 2026: https://burnbantexas.com/county/walker
- U.S. Drought Monitor, county statistics for Walker County, Nov. 3, 2026: https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/DmData/DataTables.aspx
- Texas Water Development Board, Water Data for Texas, Lake Livingston, Nov. 9, 2026: https://www.waterdatafortexas.org/reservoirs/individual/livingston
- 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/
- TPWD Outdoor Annual, Walker County 2026-27: https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/regs/counties/walker
- 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, West Texas and Hill Country listings, Limestone County Ranch News: Burn Ban Holds and Lake Limestone Slips to 81 Percent Around Groesbeck
Photo: William L. Farr, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Longleaf_pine_(Pinus_palustris),_Sam_Houston_National_Forest,_Walker_County,_Texas,_USA_(September_2020).jpg). Cropped.
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