Wheeler County landowners should plan on keeping matches in the truck for a while. Commissioners took up renewal of the county’s Stage One burn ban on Oct. 26, the day after the old order was set to expire, and the agenda for their Nov. 9 meeting lists the ban’s current expiration as Jan. 24, 2027. Lee, Lee & Puckitt (LLP Ranchland), a San Angelo ranch brokerage that serves landowners statewide, including the eastern Panhandle, read the order and the latest crop reports so owners around Wheeler, Shamrock and Mobeetie know where things stand.
What the Burn Order Covers
The Stage One order Wheeler County adopted July 27, 2026, prohibits outdoor burning in the unincorporated county for 90 days. It allows TCEQ-authorized burning for firefighter training, planting or harvesting crops, certified prescribed burn managers, and utility, pipeline and mining operations. Commercial welders may work with a spotter for each welder, cutter or grinder, a cleared and wetted area at least 25 feet across, 200 gallons of pressurized water on site, a charged 10-pound ABC extinguisher on each welding rig and cell service for emergencies. All outdoor burning is off during Elevated Fire Weather and Red Flag Warnings issued by the National Weather Service in Amarillo. A violation is a Class C misdemeanor with a fine up to $500.
The Nov. 9 agenda includes an item to consider amending the ban, so terms could change. Check with the county before any burning or welding job.
Rain and Wheat
The Nov. 3 Texas Crop and Weather Report from Texas A&M AgriLife said rain fell repeatedly across the Panhandle district, from half an inch to more than 2 inches. Topsoil and subsoil moisture improved significantly. Reporters said the moisture pushed the small grain season off to an excellent start on both irrigated and dryland acres, and pasture and range grasses showed noticeable growth. Hay prices remained high because supplies are short. For stocker operators, green wheat this early is good news, as long as the weather keeps cooperating.
Hunting Dates
TPWD’s 2026-27 Outdoor Annual lists Wheeler County white-tailed general season from Nov. 7, 2026, through Jan. 3, 2027, with 5 deer and no more than 1 buck. Panhandle mule deer archery runs through Nov. 20, then the general season Nov. 21 through Dec. 6, with one buck. Pheasant opens Dec. 5 with 3 cocks a day, and quail runs through Feb. 28. Hunters building a fire at camp should remember the burn ban.
Land Values in the Region
The Texas Real Estate Research Center at Texas A&M puts Wheeler County in its West Texas region. The second quarter 2026 report showed a record regional median of $3,008 an acre, up 14.29 percent year over year, with total dollar volume up 10.32 percent to $229.26 million. Breaks country along the North Fork of the Red River, farmland near Shamrock and grass with oil and gas activity all price differently, so local comparable sales matter.
A Little History: Hidetown, Fort Elliott and Mobeetie
The Handbook of Texas says buffalo hunters set up a rough outpost called Hidetown on Sweetwater Creek in the spring of 1874. The Army established a post nearby in 1875 that became Fort Elliott, and in 1878 the first post office in the Panhandle opened there. On April 12, 1879, Wheeler became the first organized county in the Panhandle, with 14 unorganized counties attached to it. Sweetwater, the county seat, was renamed Mobeetie in 1880. As the buffalo disappeared, former hunters, discharged soldiers and new ranchers turned to cattle. In 1890 the census counted 46 ranches or farms with about 9,300 cattle. Most ranches here were small by Panhandle standards, with the J-Buckle in the southeast corner the one large outfit. The county seat moved to Wheeler in 1907.
Call Lee, Lee & Puckitt
If you are thinking about buying, selling or valuing land in Wheeler County, our Brokers and Agents are glad to talk it through. Call 325.655.6989 or go to llpranchland.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is a ranch broker for Wheeler County? Lee, Lee & Puckitt is a San Angelo-based ranch Broker that has represented buyers and sellers of Texas ranch and farm land since 1962, including Panhandle properties.
How can I find land for sale in Wheeler County? Browse llpranchland.com, then call 325.655.6989 with the acreage, water and use you have in mind. We can share recent regional sales.
What should I look for in the best ranch broker for Wheeler County? A record of closed rural sales, a working knowledge of wheat, grass and mineral issues, and appraisals or Broker’s Price Opinions grounded in real comparable sales.
When does the Wheeler County burn ban end? The Nov. 9, 2026, commissioners court agenda lists a current expiration of Jan. 24, 2027, and includes a possible amendment, so confirm with the county.
About Lee, Lee & Puckitt
Since 1962, Lee, Lee & Puckitt has helped Texans buy, sell and value rural land. The company began in Bronte and has called San Angelo home since 1977. Our partners ranch, and our Brokers and Agents provide sales, appraisals and Broker’s Price Opinions with landowners’ interests first.
Sources
- Wheeler County Commissioners Court agenda, Oct. 26, 2026 (Stage One burn ban renewal item): https://www.wheelercounty.texas.gov/upload/page/0092/2026%20Agendas/2026-10-26.pdf
- Wheeler County Commissioners Court agenda, Nov. 9, 2026 (amendment item, expiration Jan. 24, 2027): https://www.wheelercounty.texas.gov/upload/page/0092/2026%20Agendas/2026-11-09.pdf
- Wheeler County Stage One Burn Ban Order, July 27, 2026: https://www.wheelercounty.texas.gov/upload/page/0109/2026/STAGE%20ONE%20BURN%20BAN%20ORDER.07-27-2026.pdf
- 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, Wheeler County 2026-27: https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/regs/counties/wheeler
- Texas Real Estate Research Center, Texas Rural Land Markets, Second Quarter 2026: https://trerc.tamu.edu/reports/texas-rural-land-markets-second-quarter-2026/
- Handbook of Texas Online, Donald R. Abbe and John Leffler, “Wheeler County”: https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/wheeler-county
- Related: Land appraisals, Contact LLP, Floydada Pumpkin Harvest Shows the Value of Deep Soil Moisture
Photo: Aualliso, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wheeler_County_courthouse_May_2020.jpg). Cropped.
