Is your agricultural exemption really working for you? Many landowners throughout Texas have found that maintaining their agricultural exemption can directly conflict with their reasons for owning property. Some of those landowners have found a better fit by converting to the wildlife management open spaces exemption, otherwise known as a wildlife exemption or wildlife valuation. It’s all the same. Under wildlife valuation, landowners can maintain their ag valuation tax rate while allowing you to focus on improving your property for wildlife.

Wildlife Valuation Background

Back in 1995 the voters of Texas voted 2-1 in favor of creating an open-space (agricultural) appraisal for land used to actively manage wildlife. The State Comptroller, with the assistance of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), and Texas AgriLife Services, was charged with creating the guidelines for qualifying lands for this tax rate. The original guidelines came out in 1996 and they were finalized in 2002.

The wildlife valuation program has been very successful in allowing rural landowners to diversify their income generating activities from livestock and row-crop management to include hunting leases, bird watching, fishing, and other nature-tourism related activities. It has allowed other landowners to invest their time and money in rehabilitating overworked land instead of continuing damaging practices to avoid residential or commercial taxes. It has the most beneficial to landowners whose property goals include the ative management of wildlife populations one their land. (more…)

Bill Bartlett Century 21 Ranches is located in located in beautiful and historic Salado, Texas. Their real estate company has over 100 years of real estate experience — and their real estate agents have a wide range of real estate knowledge in the Salado, Temple, Belton, and all of the Bell County, Texas area. Whether you are interested in farm land for acquisition, ranch land for sale in Bell County, investment property, or raw land, Bill Bartlett has the right agent to help you. When it comes to find out about property for sale in Salado and surrounding areas, you can rest at ease. All of their real estate agents have lived in Bell County for over 20 years and know the Salado, Temple, Belton, Texas area real estate market and trends.

Get your ranch in Bell County and Central Texas. If you are search for ranch or farmland in Salado, Temple, Belton, or anywhere in Bell County, contact these real estate agents. Their website and real estate listings can be found at:

• Bill Bartlett Century 21 Ranches
• 254-947-5050
• 254-947-5269 fax

Texas Real Estate Services, Inc. is located in Georgetown, Texas and lists ranches, farms, and even commericial land in Williamson County.  Whether it’s a ranch or tract near Seward Junction or in the blackland of eastern Williamson County, they are here to help.

Williamson County is growing at record pace with Leander, Round Rock, Georgetown, Hutto, Liberty Hill, and Taylor – but rural land, cattle land, hunting ranches, and recreational properties can still be found in the area.  The area is blessed with abundant wildlife and properties west of IH-35 are rich in white-tailed deer. East of IH-35 there are fewer deer, but they get a lot bigger! Get your piece of the eastern edge of the Hill Country today!

If you are in the searching for a ranch near Travis County, contact Texas Real Estate Services, Inc. You can check out their site at:

• Texas Real Estate Services, Inc.
• 512-924-5717
• 512-773-8111

The Guidelines for Qualification of Agricultural Land in Wildlife Management Use will outline the requirements that land must meet to qualify for wildlife management use (wildlife valuation), how to value this land, and each of the seven wildlife management activities mandated by state law.

Texas voters approved Proposition 11 (1995), which amended Article VIII, Section 1-d-1 of the Texas Constitution to permit agricultural appraisal for land used to manage wildlife. H.B. 1358 implemented the constitutional amendment by making wildlife management an agricultural use that qualifies the land for agricultural appraisal but “converts” the land to wildlife valuation, which falls under ag valuation. (more…)

Among the legal requirements for property owners to qualify their agricultural land for wildlife management use is a mandate that owners perform at least three of seven wildlife management activities. Here are the seven management activities from which a landowner can choose:

• Habitat control (habitat management);
• Erosion control
• Predator control (predator management)
• Providing supplemental supplies of water
• Providing supplemental supplies of food;
• Providing shelters
• Making census counts to determine population

A detailed explanation of the kinds of practices that chief appraisers will examine to determine if property owners are satisfying the law’s requirements will be discussed in other articles on the site. Some of the practices listed may require permits from federal, state or local governments. For example, before improving a wetland or controlling grackles or cowbirds, an owner may need a permit.

In addition, before a planned burning, an owner may be required to provide a map of the acreage. Property owners should contact the appropriate legal authorities for permit information if they have any questions or concerns about engaging in any of the practices listed above.

Wildlife Management Plan

A Wildlife Management Plan gives information on the property’s history and current use, establishes landowner goals for the property and provides a set of activities designed to integrate wildlife and habitat improvement. Such a plan is clear evidence that the owner’s use of the land is primarily for wildlife management.

As stated in an earlier article about converting to wildlife valuation, an owner must provide a wildlife management plan to the county appraisal district . The plan must be completed on a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department form for each tract for which wildlife management use qualification is desired. Also, a landowner can complete the forms themselves if well-versed in wildlife management, but biologists are availalbe to help landowers identify the best practices for their tract, farm, or ranch.

A complete plan really should include elements of all seven listed wildlife management activities. And most landowners wil achieve this in one way or another. All activities and practices should be designed to overcome deficiencies that limit wildlife or harm their habitats. Each one of the activities listed in Part Two should be practiced routinely or consistently as part of an overall habitat management plan. For example, scattering seed corn sporadically would not qualify as providing supplemental supplies of food under these guidelines, and occasionally placing barrels of water in a pasture would not meet the requirements for providing supplemental supplies of water.

In addition, some activities that are appropriate for certain regions of Texas would be inappropriate in others. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has developed regional wildlife management plans, listing the activities appropriate to Texas’ ten ecological regions. The regions are shown in the photo at the top of the page.

United Country James Hargrove Real Estate is located in Central Texas and nestled in the heart of the picturesque Hill Country. Their real estate office lies the historic city of Lampasas, Texas. Known as the “Saratoga of the South” in the late 1800s, Lampasas’ springs, creeks and rivers today offer outstanding opportunities for relaxation, recreation, and finding your perfect ranch or recreational property. The mild climate and scenic terrain makes the Hill Country area a natural for outdoor recreation.

James Hargrove can save you both time and money in locating real estate for sale throughout Lampasas County, Burnet County, Mills County, San Saba County, Bell County, and Coryell County in the Hill Country area of Central Texas. Their agency offers country homes, waterfront property, pasture land, and ranches throughout the region. In addition, the real estate offices offers services for individuals looking to purchase rural type properties such as farms, ranches, vacant lots, wooded acreage, hunting land, recreational property and other types of rural real estate.

If you are in the market for a ranch or raw land in or around Lampasas County, contact James Hargrove Real Estate. Check out their site at:

• James Hargrove Real Estate
• 512-556-8286
• 512-556-4506 fax