Tag: wildlife exemption in texas

Should You Convert Your Land to Wildlife Valuation?

Is your agricultural exemption really working for you? Many landowners throughout Texas have found that maintaining their agricultural exemption can directly conflict with their reasons for owning property. Some of those landowners have found a better fit by converting to the wildlife management open spaces exemption, otherwise known as a wildlife exemption or wildlife valuation. It’s all the same. Under wildlife valuation, landowners can maintain their ag valuation tax rate while allowing you to focus on improving your property for wildlife.

Wildlife Valuation Background

Back in 1995 the voters of Texas voted 2-1 in favor of creating an open-space (agricultural) appraisal for land used to actively manage wildlife. The State Comptroller, with the assistance of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), and Texas AgriLife Services, was charged with creating the guidelines for qualifying lands for this tax rate. The original guidelines came out in 1996 and they were finalized in 2002.

The wildlife valuation program has been very successful in allowing rural landowners to diversify their income generating activities from livestock and row-crop management to include hunting leases, bird watching, fishing, and other nature-tourism related activities. It has allowed other landowners to invest their time and money in rehabilitating overworked land instead of continuing damaging practices to avoid residential or commercial taxes. It has the most beneficial to landowners whose property goals include the ative management of wildlife populations one their land. Continue reading Should You Convert Your Land to Wildlife Valuation?

Guidelines for Qualification of Agricultural Land for Wildlife Management

The Guidelines for Qualification of Agricultural Land in Wildlife Management Use will outline the requirements that land must meet to qualify for wildlife management use (wildlife valuation), how to value this land, and each of the seven wildlife management activities mandated by state law.

Texas voters approved Proposition 11 (1995), which amended Article VIII, Section 1-d-1 of the Texas Constitution to permit agricultural appraisal for land used to manage wildlife. H.B. 1358 implemented the constitutional amendment by making wildlife management an agricultural use that qualifies the land for agricultural appraisal but “converts” the land to wildlife valuation, which falls under ag valuation. Continue reading Guidelines for Qualification of Agricultural Land for Wildlife Management

Predator Managment for Wildlife Valuation

Predator management refers to practices intended to manage the population of predators to benefit the owner’s target wildlife population. Predator control is usually not necessary unless the number of predators is harmful to the desired wildlife population. It really depends on your goals under the management plan you draft for your wildlife valuation. 

Predator control and management should not be counted as one of the seven wildlife management activities necessary to qualify for agricultural use appraisal unless it is part of a comprehensive wildlife management scheme or plan. Some types of predator management and/or control are:

  • mammal predator control
  • fire ant control
  • brown-headed cowbird control
  • grackle or starling control

Mammal predator control may be necessary to increase the survival of the targeted species. Key native predator species may include: coyotes; raccoons; bobcats and mountain lions; while exotic predators may include wild house cats, wild dogs and wild hogs.

Fire ant control (imported red fire ants) can be used to protect native wildlife species or their food base. Treatments should comply with the label instructions and should cover at least 10 acres or one tenth of an infested area each year—whichever is more.

Controlling brown-headed cowbirds to decrease nest parasitism of targeted neotropical bird species (for example, endangered songbirds) also may be part of an overall planned program.

Grackle/starling control can be undertaken as part of a planned program to reduce bird diseases and overcrowding, which can harm the population of white-winged dove and/or other neotropical birds.