Wildlife management valuation in Garza County, Texas

• Grazing Management: Activities should be reviewed annually.
• Prescribed Burning: Plans should indicate a minimum percent of acreage and general burning cycle (eg. for big game, a minimum of 20% of acreage annually burned over 5 years in the High Plains and Rolling Plains; for upland game birds and songbirds, a minimum of 25% of acreage annually burned over 4 years).
• Range Enhancement (Range Reseeding): Range Enhancement should annually affect a minimum of 10% of the total area designated in the plan, or a minimum of 10 acres annually, whichever is less, until the project is completed.
• Brush Management: Brush Management practices should annually affect a minimum of 10% of the total area designated in the plan, or a minimum of 10 acres annually, whichever is smaller.
• Riparian Management and Enhancement: A minimum of one Riparian Management and Enhancement project must be implemented and maintained every 10 years to qualify.
• Wetland Enhancement: Annual management as described in management plan, such as water level manipulation qualifies. Construction and maintenance of a new project will qualify for 10 years.
• Habitat Protection for Species of Concern: A minimum of one project must be implemented every 10 years to qualify.
• Prescribed Control of Native, Exotic and Feral Species: The removal or control of exotic vegetation or the conversion of tame grass pastures must affect a minimum of 10% of the area designated in the plan, or 10 acres annually, whichever is smaller, until the project is completed.
• Wildlife Restoration: Restoration or enhancement of habitat to good condition for target species, and reintroduction and population management of TPWD approved native species within the carrying capacity of the habitat as part of an approved restoration area at a scale capable of supporting a sustainable population (eg., Eastern turkey).

• Pond Construction and Major Repair: A minimum of one project must be implemented and maintained every 10 years to qualify.
• Gully Shaping: A minimum of one project must be implemented and maintained every 10 years to qualify.
• Streamside, Pond, and Wetland Revegetation: A minimum of one project must be completed and maintained every 5 years, affecting a minimum of 2 acres per project.
• Herbaceous and/or Woody Plant Establishment on Critical Areas (erodible): A minimum of 150 seedlings must be planted annually on 10 acres or a minimum of 1% of the total designated area must be treated annually.
• Dike/Levee Construction/Management: A minimum of one project must be completed and maintained every 10 years.
• Establish Water Diversion: A minimum of one project must be completed and maintained every 10 years.

• Predator Management: The predator control plan should be prepared or approved by a competent professional and include the list, duration and intensity of methods to remove the target species annually.
• Control of Cowbirds: Removal of at least 30 cowbirds annually is required to qualify.
• Grackle/Starling/House Sparrows Control: Removal of at least 30 grackles/starlings/house sparrows annually is required to qualify.

• Marsh/Wetland Restoration or Development: The minimum requirement to qualify under this practice is one marsh/wetland restoration or development project every 5 years; or the annual water management of project existing wetland (playa).
• Well/Troughs/Windmill Overflow/Other Wildlife Watering Facilities: A minimum of one project per 5 years must be completed to qualify; or consistent water management for wildlife at sites.
• Spring Development and/or Enhancement: A minimum of one project per 5 years must be completed to qualify, or the consistent management and maintenance of existing or restored springs to prevent degradation.

• Food Plots: The shape, size, location, and percentage of total land area should be based on requirements for the target species (i. e. 5% of area for white-tailed deer, 30% of the farm for ring-necked pheasants) and should meet goals of a comprehensive wildlife plan.
• Feeders and Mineral Supplementation: A minimum of one free-choice feeder per 160 acres required to qualify.
• Managing Improved Pastures, Old Fields and Croplands: A minimum of 5 percent of the designated area must be treated annually to qualify.
• Transition of Improved Grass Monocultures: A minimum of 25 percent of the designated area must be treated annually to qualify.

• Nest Boxes, Bat Boxes: Number and location of nest boxes should be consistent with habitat needs and territorial requirements of the target species, and sufficient over the area to provide a real supplement to the target population and address an identified severe limiting factor as part of a comprehensive wildlife management plan. In the Rolling Plains, wood duck nest boxes should be erected at the rate of 1 per 200 yards in cottonwood bottoms where surface water is available.
• Brush Piles and Slash Retention: A minimum of 3 percent of the designated area must be treated annually to qualify.
• Fence Line Management: A minimum length of 100 yards of Fence Line Management is required annually to qualify.(standard not yet verified against the source document)
• Hay Meadow, Pasture and Cropland Management for Wildlife: Mow/shred 1/3 of open areas per year, preferably in strips or mosaic types of patterns, to create "edge" and structural diversity.
• Half-Cutting Trees or Shrubs: A minimum of 25 trees/shrubs in one ¼ acre block must be half-cut annually to qualify.
• Woody Plant/Shrub Establishment: Planting and protecting native seedlings to establish wind rows and shrub thickets, or to restore wooded habitats within former croplands, tame pastures or CRP land. In agricultural areas, this practice may include planting a minimum of 150 seedlings annually, or 4 rows in a 120 foot width by a 1/4 mile in length. Plantings should consist of native trees and shrubs that produce hard or soft mast, or provide nesting or escape cover. Plantings should be made in groups to provide both cover and additional food, rather than scattered individual trees.
• Natural Cavity/Snag Development: A minimum of 5 snags per acre on 5% of the acreage must be created/retained annually to qualify.

• Spotlight Counts: A minimum of three counts must be completed annually.
• Aerial Counts: Use of a fixed-wing aircraft or helicopter to count animals. Counts should employ accepted methodology for the region and be performed by a trained individual annually.
• Daylight Deer Herd/Wildlife Composition Counts/Photo Stations: Counts should be conducted on standardized transects along 5 mile minimum lines and run at least 3 times.
• Harvest Data Collection/Record Keeping: Collect all age, weight, and antler development data from harvested deer. Age and sex information should be obtained from game birds and waterfowl to determine sex ratios and annual production.
• Browse Utilization Surveys: Annually (normally during the winter) examine deer browse species for degree of utilization on each major vegetative site on the property through vegetation analysis and stem counts.
• Census of Endangered, Threatened, or Protected Wildlife: Regular, periodic counts of the target species used to enhance management or increase knowledge of local, regional, or state status.
• Census and Monitoring of Nongame Wildlife Species: Regular, periodic counts of nongame wildlife species used to enhance management or increase knowledge of local, regional, or state status. This practice would also include developing checklists of wildlife diversity for the property, and should be a part of a comprehensive wildlife management plan.
• Miscellaneous Counts (species-specific special survey techniques): Specific species may require special survey techniques. These may include the following and should be addressed in the management plan:

Both are 1-d-1 open-space valuations, not true exemptions. Converting means filing a new 1-d-1 application (Form 50-129) with the wildlife-management section completed, plus a wildlife management plan (TPWD PWD-885), with the appraisal district between January 1 and April 30. Your land must already hold 1-d-1 (or timber) valuation, and wildlife management must become its primary use. Because Garza County spans ecoregions, your plan follows the guidelines for where your tract sits.

Conversion keeps your existing 1-d-1 productivity valuation with wildlife management as the qualifying use — it is designed to be tax-neutral relative to your current ag valuation. The chief appraiser makes every valuation decision; no software or consultant can promise an outcome.

At least 3 of the 7 statutory practices; many landowners commit to 5 or more for margin. Practices come with region-specific intensity standards — for Rolling Plains, the standards are set out in TPWD’s regional guidelines and summarized on this page.

There is no blanket statewide minimum. A minimum-acreage test (the wildlife-use requirement) applies only if your tract was reduced in size after January 1 of the preceding tax year; otherwise the requirement does not apply at all. If it does apply, the appraisal district picks a ratio from the range set for this wildlife-use appraisal region — the ranges for this county are on this page.

Ask about the good-cause extension first: before the deadline the chief appraiser may grant up to 60 extra days on written request. After that, late applications are accepted until the ARB approves the appraisal records — typically around July 20 statewide, but confirm the current year’s schedule with the appraisal district — with a penalty of 10% of that year’s tax savings.