Wildlife Management Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for wildlife management use, the land must already have been qualified and appraised as agricultural land during the year before it changes to wildlife management use.

The following must be met regarding the current use of land:

• The primary use of the property must be for wildlife management.
• The land must be actively used to generate a sustaining breeding, migrating, or wintering population of indigenous wild animals.
• The indigenous wildlife population must be produced for human use, including food, medicine or recreation.
• The owner must perform at least three of the seven wildlife management activities specified by law:
• Habitat control
• Erosion control
• Predator control
• Providing supplemental water
• Providing supplemental food
• Providing supplemental shelter
• Census
• Wildlife management activities must have intensity standards.
• Wildlife management activities must be consistent with those recommended in the most current Texas Parks and Wildlife Activities and Practices/Comprehensive Wildlife Management Planning Guidelines for Edwards Plateau and Cross Timbers & Prairies.

Acreage requirements:

• If the number of acres in the tract of land is equal to or greater than the number of acres in the tract of land on January 1 of the preceding tax year, the tract of land is not subject to the wildlife management acreage requirement.
• If the number of acres in the tract of land is less than the number of acres in the tract of land on January 1 of the preceding tax year, the property is subject to the wildlife management acreage requirement.
• Wildlife management acreage requirement (pertains to acreage devoted only to wildlife management):
  • Individual tract                                                           14.3 acres
  • Wildlife management association tract                     11.1 acres

The property owner must submit an agricultural appraisal application and a wildlife management plan with the appraisal district.