Wildlife Management?

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WHAT IS WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT USE?

Texas is the only State that allows rural land to be appraised for wildlife management use by managing for native or migratory wildlife.

According to the Texas Property Tax Code section 23.51(7), wildlife management use requires the following:

1. The land must qualify for open space appraisal when the application for wildlife management is filed. (Effective Jan. 1, 2010, land that qualifies as timberland under the code is also eligible for wildlife management.)
2. The land must be used primarily for the management of one or more indigenous wild animals (targeted or managed species), not farming or ranching.
3. The targeted species must be used for food, medicine or recreation (passive or active).
4. The land must be managed “to the degree of intensity typical for the area” and must properly sustain the targeted species.
5. At the time the landowner applies for wildlife management use, at least three of the following seven management practices must be done to sustain a breeding, migrating or wintering population of indigenous wild animals.
6. The practices are: habitat control, erosion control, predator control, providing supplemental supplies of water, providing supplemental supplies of food, providing shelters and making of census counts to determine population.

How do you qualify to be appraised for wildlife management use? First, the land MUST be “ag qualified” per the code section 23.51(1).

If you are interested in what the Texas property tax rates for your county are go here.

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