Wildlife management

[HTRN]

I wouldn't even go that high - alot of what they taste like depends on their diet, and wild pigs will eat damn near anything.

[JKosprey]

To be counted as an exemption, I believe that the plan has to be developed by a wildlife biologist/technician or a professional forester. I don't think you can just increase cover and put up feeders and have it count...BUT the others are correct, your state DNR will have specifics.

Here's a place to start: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publication ... 0_1121.pdf

Although wild hogs can be a lucrative hunting business, I'm reasonably certain that you wouldn't get any government based benefit from managing for a destructive invasive species.

If I were closer, I'd be happy to come take a look at the land. I'm not a wildlife biologist, but I am in the midst of a wildlife management degree program. Unfortunately I am in NY. If you'd like, send me a private message and I can put some feelers out to see if anyone I know in the field has a contact down that way.

[TabascoKid]

To be counted as an exemption, I believe that the plan has to be developed by a wildlife biologist/technician or a professional forester. I don't think you can just increase cover and put up feeders and have it count...BUT the others are correct, your state DNR will have specifics. Here's a place to start: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publication ... 0_1121.pdf

Yup, been there, D/L'd that. While there is space in the form for a professional sign-off on the plan, there is no requirement to have one on-board. The local taxing authority reviewing the application uses an "intensity" test, matching the described efforts with those used by others in the area. There are some ranches within 30 miles or so advertising themselves as managed hunting areas, so I'm thinking that they would be the benchmark but I think even they would be limited to watering/food/cover aspects of the plan. Can't do much in the area for the Habitat or Erosion Control credits. Not much to be done for the Predator Control item either and don't think they would spring for having a biologist come out and conduct a species census.

There seems to be credit for being part of a registered wildlife management co-op or association, but there are none registered in the county.

[TabascoKid]

If you'd rather email me feel free

Acreage, and the presence and type of surface water also matter.

E-mail sent.

It's about 500 acres. No stock tanks on the property. Topo analysis suggests one could be placed with a catchment area of 80 acres but I'm not sure it would be worth the cost. Annual rainfall averages 20" but annual evaporation rate is about 98". I'd need a 12' deep tank to keep it wet enough to maintain the liner year around and that assumes the state figure of 35 acres needed to generate 1 acre-foot of runoff is accurate. Using the state numbers, a tank would need to be about 70'x70'x12' with sides sloped 3:1 to store that acre-foot.

Thinking more about 3-4 guzzlers with 10'x10' catchments over the troughs.

[Weetabix]

It's about 500 acres. No stock tanks on the property. Topo analysis suggests one could be placed with a catchment area of 80 acres but I'm not sure it would be worth the cost. Annual rainfall averages 20" but annual evaporation rate is about 98". I'd need a 12' deep tank to keep it wet enough to maintain the liner year around and that assumes the state figure of 35 acres needed to generate 1 acre-foot of runoff is accurate. Using the state numbers, a tank would need to be about 70'x70'x12' with sides sloped 3:1 to store that acre-foot.

Thinking more about 3-4 guzzlers with 10'x10' catchments over the troughs.

I do storm routing and catchment design, albeit in a wetter environment. Let me know if you'd like some help with calculations or something.

3:1 sides may not be very accessible to wildlife, if you're trying to provide them drinking water. You may need to provide a flatter area somewhere. Also, 70'x70' bottom with 3:1 sides (4 sides), and 12' deep gives you about 3.2 acre feet.

[TabascoKid]

3:1 sides may not be very accessible to wildlife, if you're trying to provide them drinking water. You may need to provide a flatter area somewhere. Also, 70'x70' bottom with 3:1 sides (4 sides), and 12' deep gives you about 3.2 acre feet.

The earthmoving costs would make the tank really, really expensive, which is why I'm leaning to guzzlers. Also, the soils at depth are sandy clay loam (max 33% clays) and I think the permeability is too high to seal the tank bottom, which would mean importing clay (more $$$).

[JKosprey]

Tabasco,

Just saw your PM now. I'll send out some feelers.