Texas Wildlife Exemption
A Great Option for Texas Landowners
The 1-d-1 Open Space Wildlife Management use appraisal, commonly referred to as a wildlife exemption, offers significant flexibility in how you manage land while maintaining the property tax benefit of the 1-d-1 open space agricultural use appraisal. This makes it a great option for absentee landowners or rural residents that are no longer interested in raising livestock. If you are considering transitioning property to the wildlife exemption, you can find background information on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Private Lands website. Already done the research and know wildlife management fits your property? Read on.
Steps to Wildlife Exemption
- Verify the property qualifies for 1-d-1 Wildlife Management
- Fill out the 1-d-1 Open Space Application (Form 50-129)
- Complete the required wildlife management plan (PWD 885-W7000)
- Develop a comprehensive plan to reach your wildlife management goals (highly recommended)
- Submit required 1-d-1 open space application documents to the Central Appraisal District
The 1-d-1 Open Space Application
With few exceptions, property must already have a 1-d-1 agricultural use appraisal to be eligible to convert to wildlife management use. A simple call to your central appraisal district or an online search may verify the property qualifies. Once the property has been verified for eligibility, the transfer of your property to the 1-d-1 wildlife management appraisal is usually straight forward. A new application (Form 50-129) will need to be filed with the Central Appraisal District in each county where the property is located between January 1 and April 30 in the year that you plan to convert to wildlife management use. In addition, a completed wildlife management plan will need to be submitted along with the new application form.
The Required Wildlife Management Plan for Exemption
The required plan submitted to the Central Appraisal District should be completed on form (PWD 885-w7000). This checkbox form identifies your property, the types of wildlife that will be managed, and the wildlife management activities and practices you will use. A site map can be included to identify the location of the property and the location of wildlife management activities.
To qualify and maintain your Wildlife Management Use valuation, a minimum 3 out of 7 approved practices will need to be conducted on the property annually. The 7 wildlife practice categories are:
- Habitat Control
- Erosion Control
- Predator Control
- Providing Supplemental Water
- Providing Supplemental Food
- Providing Supplemental Shelter
- Census
Each wildlife practice contains multiple activities that qualify as completing the practice.
Your Customized Wildlife Management Plan
Managing wildlife is a dynamic process that requires planning, timing, and a budget. At Hill Country Land and Wildlife, we believe that a quality wildlife management plan should include a full review of the soil types, plant communities, and land management history of your land to guide your management decisions. Although many factors affect the success of wildlife management, the more you know about your property the better decisions you can make.
Get Started with Wildlife Management
Transitioning property into the 1-d-1 wildlife management valuation can seem daunting. At Hill Country Land and Wildlife, we have processes in place to simplify the application process for landowners. Our customized wildlife management plans are built around your vision and goals. We strongly believe that when you are successful at wildlife management, generations of future Texan’s benefit. For a free consultation, simply fill out the form below or give us a call to discuss your wildlife management options.