Did you know that you may be eligible for a Wildlife Management Tax Valuation (a.k.a. “Wildlife Exemption”) if you currently have a 1-d-1 Agricultural Valuation in the State of Texas? But, in order to be approved, it is highly recommended (and in many cases, required) that a Texas landowner prepare a wildlife management plan either on their own or with the help of a master-level biologist at a company like Plateau Land & Wildlife Management. Cedar Eaters of Texas has been working alongside Plateau for many years, helping landowners comply with their annual wildlife management requirements, mainly in the area of “Habitat Control.”
Brush Management, a sub-category of “Habitat Control”, is the removal of woody plants and can be achieved via various mechanical methods including Cedar Mulching, Mesquite Grubbing, Hand Crew Cutting and Chipping, etc. Cedar Eaters® of Texas is equipped to implement any of those methods. Brush management is just one of the many wildlife management practices that fall within the 7 Main Wildlife Management Activities:
- Habitat Control
- Erosion Control
- Predator Control
- Providing Supplemental Supplies of Water
- Providing Supplemental Supplies of Food
- Providing Shelter
- Making Census Counts to Determine Population
Landowners must implement one management practice from 3 of the above 7 categories annually in order to meet the state requirements to maintain a wildlife exemption. A good plan will implement more than just the bare minimum and will include practices from each of the 7 activities. Wildlife management plans are like a land questionnaire and ask for info such as: “Past History of Land Use and Wildlife,”; “Current Habitat Description,” and questions like, “Is your property leased for hunting?” and “Is the acreage under a high fence?”
Another practice that falls under the “Habitat Control” category is “Prescribed Control of Native, Exotic and Feral Species.” On the one hand, it can be population control of destructive animal species like feral hogs but it can also be the removal of invasive and/or exotic plant species which have a negative impact on native inhabitants of the land. A few examples of this kind of plant life would be mesquite, huisache, yaupon, salt cedar, and Texas persimmon. Cedar Eaters of Texas has patented 2 attachments that are revolutionary in the removal of invasive species. For larger invasive species, Cedar Eaters of Texas utilizes their excavator with a patented grubbing attachment: The Grubber. For smaller invasives, Cedar Eaters of Texas has a patented attachment called the ROOT-N-ALL®, which fits on a skid steer. Both attachments pull the invasive species out of the ground, root and all, making it impossible for the tree to regrow.
If you have an existing Wildlife Exemption and need help implementing some of the practices within the “Habitat Control” Category, give Cedar Eaters a call at 1-877-404-8141. We are familiar with the brush management and invasive species control requirements and our job supervisors can help you devise a plan for meeting your annual requirements. If you need to apply for a Wildlife Tax Valuation, call Plateau Land & Wildlife Management at 888-289-9409 and they can help you get the ball rolling.
