Does anyone have a wildlife exemption? I have some questions.

Don't have one but have looked in to changing from ag, whatcha wondering about?

We have wildlife exemption, I dont know everything about it but ask away and I will let you know if I can help.

matt

x2

what are you wanting to know

I got questions...what are you required to do for a WL exemption, and are the tax exemptions as good?

Do you have to qualify for a some type of an agriculture exemption before you are eligible to qualify for the wildlife exemption?

Do you have to a fence around your property?

AG exemptions are much less strict and easier. JMO

Last I checked you had to have had the ag exemption in place for a minimum of 5 years in order to change over to a wildlife exemption. Not sure about the fence but I doubt it.

Here you go...

http://www.texaswildlifemanagement.com/Wildlife%20Tax%20Exemption.htm

In order to get the wildlife exemption you have to already have ag, I didnt think you had to have it for the five years but not sure.

The exemption will provide the same tax savings as the ag valuation does.

I am not sure what all is entailed in the management, I know you have to have a state biologist come out and look around. We got him to look at ours and it is free to keep in touch with him and bounce stuff off of him.

There are no fence requirements that you must have a fence.

We pretty much just feed year round corn and protein during the alntler growing season and are starting to get a couple food plots going and then not shooting anything under 4.5 years old. Also you have to keep track of the money you spend on it and turn in an annual report I think.

This has worked with the state for the past three years and is a great alternative to cattle.

This is how it should work according to the letter of the law, I am sure that in most of rural texas people will get the exemption and never be checked up on so it doesnt matter what they do.

matt

Is there an acreage minimum for deer mgmt?

I don't get why you have to have ag exemption first before you qualify for the wildlife exemption. What would be the point of getting the wildlife exemption if there is no further tax reduction?

I'm pretty sure it is a 5 year ag requirement before conversion. Then you have a wildlife biologist develop a wildlife management plan and send that in along with your annual submission to the county with your 'plan'. If you are running a good lease/ranch, ie, feeding year round corn/ minerals/ protein, planting food plots, providing 24/7/365 water, clearing/piling brush (for habitats), killing off hogs/predators, conducting game surveys, controlling erosion, etcetera, you are meeting the requirements. I believe you have to check off 5 out of 10-12 categories of management like those I listed above. Getting to know the powers that be at county tax office doesn't hurt....

I was lucky... my place was set up with wildlife when I bought it. I like it better than ag cuz I don't have to babysit it quite as much, and I am gonna be doing more than enough to qualify for wildlife with my hunting program anyway. I am not equipped for taking care of cattle, goats, etc, and I want hunting land... not interested in dealing with a bunch of livestock or leasing for livestock, and good luck planting much in my rocky ground. WL is a great option for me.

I know some guys that are trying to get established with ag by planting pecan trees. May be an easier option, since you don't have to fence them in....

I dont know about the acerage requirement but our place made itwith only 330 acres.

matt

There really is no incentive as far as dollars saved on taxes. The way I understood the exemptions when first started you had to have the ag exemption for 5 years to keep people from going and buying land that was not previously ag exempt and convert it to wildlife exempt. If the state legislature had not done it this way some counties would have had their tax base dropped so low that property taxes on the city and business would have more thna doubled.

Thanks for the website! I am about to start this myself and that site answered alot of ? I had, thanks again bro!

Yes Sir, thanks for the link Tres.

the wildlife exemption is not done to reduce taxes further as it is just a subset of an ag exemption. what it is designed to do is allow you a tax exemption for maintaining or improving the native habitat and livelihood for native game species.

with wildlife you only have to maintain a biologist backed wildlife management plan and implement a certain number of improvements. it could be supplemental protein feeding (corn does not count) planting food plots. trimming trees, making brush piles that help support small game animals. maintaining suplemental water sources, etc...

with wildlife, you do not have to keep cattle or goats or other livestock to get your tax exemption. a big plus to landowners who are hunters or not in favor or cattle on their place.

Definitely contact your county tax office. They seem to have different views on documentation to be submitted along with the plan, even though the rules don't seem to require it. It is usually easier (and keeps the relationship good) to just comply with their requests rather than argue about how it isn't required. Example - copies of receipts for wildlife management related expenditures.