Wildlife Tax Valuation: Management Practices in Texas
Landowner: “Here is the situation,the property I just purchased is already under an ag tax valuation with wildlife management status. I am seeking to have this transferred to myself as the new owner. The county appraisal district told me I need the 5-Year Wildlife Management Plan to accompany the application. The county inspected the property in January 2013 and the management practices the previous landowner was doing was fine. I’d be fine continuing with the “program” that was in place. My purpose is to encourage, sustain and enjoy native wildlife for photography and observation.
The previous landowner had four main wildlife management practices that he performed. He provides an additional supplemental water source using a trough. He provides additional food sources using deer feeders with supplemental mineral blocks. He also has squirrel feeders. He maintains three purprle martin bird houses and has some blue bird nesting boxes too. He manages, through trapping and hunting, predatory and competing wildlife species such as raccoons, opossums, bobcats, skunks and even starlings. Does this sound like a good approach? I would prefer to keep the wildlife management plan as simple as possible and still qualify for the tax valuation.”
Management Practices for a Wildlife Exemption
WildlifeExemption.com: Each landowner must perform at least three out of seven wildlife management practices once switched from the ag tax valuation to a wildlife tax valutaion. It sounds like the previous landowner managing for a host of different species, which is fine. Often times however it’s a good idea to have an several management practices integrated to focus on a species or group of species, such as songbirds, for example. If you are interested in maintaining the previous management activities then developing a management plan that meets the requirements for the wildlife tax exemption will be straight forward.
The most commonly applied wildlife management practices are supplemental food, supplemental shelter and supplemental water—all of which are currently in place. We can develop a wildlife plan that will make sure you are implementing the practices at the proper intensity for the property. This varies by both ecoregion and property size.
Developing a Wildlife Management Plan
There is no “one size fits all” when it comes to wildlife. It would be easy to say that the appraisal district currently likes what is in place, but be leery of just going with the status quo. I’ve seen situations where appraisal district employees changes and then the new-hire discovers that the wildlife management activities that were being carried out on a property do not conform with required standards. Then, technically, a landowner can lose their wildlife exemption and get hit with 5 years of back taxes.
We can definitely take note of what management practices are currently in place and go from there. If you are looking for a customized wildlife management plan that allows you to qualify for a wildlife tax valuation we can definitely help you. I think the information has given us a good place to start. Once we get a little more information from you we will be good to go and have your completed plan to you within a week to ten days.
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