Texas Wildlife Valuation (1-d-1-w) Requirements: Hays, Blanco, Llano and Comal Counties
What each county appraisal district asks for to get and keep wildlife valuation.
Texas sets the rules, but each county appraisal district applies them its own way. FieldFile was built by a Texas landowner who went through this herself in Hays County. Start with what every county requires, then find yours.
What every county requires
Start from 1-d-1 ag valuation
Wildlife cannot be the first use that qualifies the land. Hays and Comal want it qualified the prior year.
Wildlife is the primary use
You manage native wildlife populations for food, medicine, or recreation.
3 of 7 practices, every year
Habitat, erosion, and predator control; water, food, and shelter; census. Edwards Plateau intensity standards apply in all four counties.
A TPWD plan (PWD 885-W7000)
Filed with Form 50-129, to the CAD, not to TPWD.
File by April 30
Late filings are generally accepted until the appraisal records are approved, with a 10 percent penalty.
Reports vary by county
A CAD may ask for a PWD 888 annual report. How often depends on the county.
Keep records
A dated log with location, cost, and purpose, plus photos, receipts, and a map.
Minimum acreage only if the tract shrank
It applies only after a split, sale, or resurvey since January 1 of the prior year.
Changes can mean reapplyingConfirm with the CAD
A new owner, acreage, or use can require a new application. Stopping qualifying use can trigger rollback taxes (Comal says 3 years; older Hays guidelines say 5).
The homesite does not count
Do your activities outside the homesite area.
Do not rely on the postmark
USPS postmarks can lag days behind mailing. File online, hand-deliver, or get a certificate of mailing.
Compare counties
| County | Filing deadline | Minimum acreage | Plan renewal | Reporting | Inspections | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hays | Apr 30 | If tract reduced: 14.29 ac (12.50 in an association, 11.11 for listed species)Confirm with the CAD | Reapply after an ownership or acreage change, or after 10 years | PWD 888 when Hays sends a letter | Regular, in the second half of the year | 512-268-2522 |
| Blanco | Apr 30 (ask by then for up to 60 more days) | If subdivided last year: 20 ac (12.5 in a co-op or with endangered species) | Not stated | Update every 2 years: A to J even years, K to Z oddConfirm with the CAD | Not describedConfirm with the CAD | 830-868-4013 |
| Llano | Apr 30 | Not foundConfirm with the CAD | No local guideline; call | Annual update formsConfirm with the CAD | New applications, then as needed | 325-247-3065 |
| Comal | Apr 30 (weekend rolls to Monday) | If tract reduced: 20 ac (12.5 in an association) | Every 5 years | Annual report every yearConfirm with the CAD | Routine and random | 830-625-8597 |
County by county
Hays CountyHays Central Appraisal District
What to file
- Form 50-129 and the TPWD 5-year plan (PWD 885-W7000).
- A map of activity areas over the 5 years.
- Every native species you are targeting, listed in the plan.
Unique to Hays
- Spread activities year-round, in the seasons that suit them.
- A sub-activity counts once. Reseeding is erosion control or food, not both.
- A feeder, trough, or salt lick sitting there does not count. Neither do backyard bird feeders, birdhouses, or prepping for hunting season.
- Harvest is fine. The CAD compares census counts to harvest counts.
- An agent filing for you needs a signed authorization letter.
- Associations and co-ops: each owner also files a mini-plan and a membership statement.
- Still grazing? Show a rotation schedule and any grazing lease.
- Converting from ag: send a request letter, proof of last year's ag use, and the plan. Keep ag going until approved.
- Bought land under wildlife: follow the seller's plan this year, then file your own after January 1.
Reporting
- PWD 888 annual report only when Hays sends a letter, for the years it names.
Inspections
- Regular, sometimes yearly, in the second half of the year. Have your activity log and expense sheet ready. You can come along.
How FieldFile helps in Hays
- Your log records the date, location, type, and cost of every activity: the log and expense sheet Hays asks for at inspection.
- Pin each activity on your property map, the way Hays recommends.
- When the letter comes, FieldFile prepares your PWD 888 from what you logged.
Contact and forms
- Address
- 21001 IH 35, Kyle, TX 78640
- Phone
- 512-268-2522
- Online
- hayscad.com · PWD 885 and PWD 888 (TPWD) · Hays wildlife plan recommendations
SourcesConfirm with the CAD: Hays CAD 1-d-1 Open Space Guidelines and Standards (2015); Hays CAD Wildlife Management Plan Recommendations
Blanco CountyBlanco County Appraisal District
What to file
- Form 50-129.
- An approved plan with the complete TPWD 9-page worksheet.
- A placement map showing where each practice happens.
Unique to Blanco
- Tracts of 10 acres or less are generally treated as residential.
- A visit from a biologist, TPWD, NRCS, or the extension agent is encouraged, not required.
- The CAD checks primary use and that your plan's goals are realistic.
ReportingConfirm with the CAD
- The update form asks for target species, the practices you did, and a log (date, who, cost, purpose). The 2027 form covers 2025 and 2026.
- Do not send photos or receipts, but keep them for an audit.
- The due date is set by the mailed request.
InspectionsConfirm with the CAD
- Blanco's guidelines do not describe inspections.
How FieldFile helps in Blanco
- Your log already has the date, who did it, cost, and purpose columns the update form asks for.
- Map pins give you the placement map.
- Photos and receipts stay stored with each activity, ready for an audit.
Contact and forms
- Address
- 615 N. Nugent Ave, Johnson City, TX 78636Mail: PO Box 338, Johnson City, TX 78636
- Phone
- 830-868-4013
- info@blancocad.com
- Online
- blancocad.com · Wildlife update form (2027) · Blanco CAD resources
Sources: Blanco CAD Agricultural/Wildlife Guidelines (2026); Blanco CAD Wildlife Update Form (2027); Blanco CAD resources page
Llano CountyLlano Central Appraisal District
What to file
- Form 50-129 and PWD 885-W7000, both on llanocad.net/forms.
- We found no local wildlife guideline. Llano uses the state forms and Comptroller guidelines; confirm local details by phone.
Unique to LlanoConfirm with the CAD
- July 2026 notice: postmarks can lag, and deadlines will not be extended for postal delays. File online, hand-deliver, use the drop box, or get proof of mailing.
ReportingConfirm with the CAD
- Annual update forms go to existing wildlife properties. PWD 888 is on the forms page.
Inspections
- New ag and wildlife applications get a physical inspection. Others are inspected by area and as needed.
How FieldFile helps in Llano
- Have a dated log, photos, and receipts ready for the inspection of a new application.
- FieldFile prepares a PWD 888 from your log, the state report form Llano posts.
Contact and forms
- Address
- 103 E. Sandstone St, Llano, TX 78643
- Phone
- 325-247-3065 (fax 325-247-4656)
- Hours
- Mon to Fri, 8 to 12 and 1 to 5. Drop box at the main entrance.
- Online
- llanocad.net · Llano CAD forms
Sources: Llano CAD forms page; Llano CAD 2025 to 2026 Reappraisal Plan; Llano CAD notice on USPS postmarks (July 2026)
Comal CountyComal Appraisal District
What to file
- Form 50-129, Comal's supplement form, and the state plan.
- The CAD may ask for more within 30 days. The burden of proof is yours.
Unique to ComalConfirm with the CAD
- Your plan is re-requested at 5 years (ag applications at 10), and after a change of use, acreage, or ownership, or by random selection. No response by year end means losing the valuation.
- Report a change of use or face a penalty.
- Comal publishes separate wildlife intensity standards on comalad.org.
- Land is graded Good, Average, Fair, or Poor by vegetation, soil depth, and brush.
ReportingConfirm with the CAD
- Annual Report for Wildlife Management, every year, on the comalad.org Forms page.
Inspections
- Routine and random. The CAD may call, email, or send an Ag Inspection Letter. Refusing can cost your valuation or trigger rollback.
How FieldFile helps in Comal
- A full year of dated activities, photos, and receipts in one place for the annual report.
- Records ready to show on short notice for a random inspection.
- FieldFile's PWD 888 draft gives you the details to copy onto Comal's form.
Contact and forms
- Address
- 900 S. Seguin Ave, New Braunfels, TX
- Phone
- 830-625-8597
- comalad@co.comal.tx.us
- Online
- comalad.org · Comal forms (supplement, annual report)
Sources: Comal Appraisal District Open Space Guidelines and Standards (2024); Comal Appraisal District forms page
Your year
Jan 1: Qualification date. Land must be in qualifying use.
Jan 1 to Apr 30: Filing window. Applications, new 5-year plans, and reapplications.
Spring: Report requests. Each CAD's letter sets its own due date.
May to July: Review. Late filings accepted with a 10 percent penalty until the appraisal records are approved.
Second half: Inspections. Hays inspects now. Others inspect on a rolling basis.
Year-round: Do the work, log it. Spread activities across the seasons.
FAQ
Can wildlife management be the first use that qualifies my land?
No. The land must already have 1-d-1 agricultural valuation. Hays and Comal also want it qualified the prior year.
How many practices do I need each year?
At least three of the seven. All four counties use TPWD's Edwards Plateau intensity standards.
When is the deadline?
April 30. Late filings are generally accepted until the appraisal records are approved, with a 10 percent penalty.
Do I file an annual report every year?
Depends on the county. Comal: every year. Hays: when it sends a letter. Blanco: every 2 years by last name. Llano: annual update forms.
Is there a minimum acreage?
Only if your tract got smaller (split, sale, or resurvey) since January 1 of the prior year. Then the CAD's wildlife use requirement sets the minimum.
Can I mail my application on the last day?
It is risky. Postmarks can lag days behind mailing. File online, hand-deliver, or get a certificate of mailing.
State sources
- Texas Comptroller, Guidelines for Qualification of Agricultural Land in Wildlife Management Use (July 2023)
- TPWD, Agricultural Land and Wildlife Management (forms PWD 885 and PWD 888)
- TPWD, Legal Summary of Wildlife Management Use Appraisal
- 34 Tex. Admin. Code 9.2003 (wildlife management plan, annual report)
- 34 Tex. Admin. Code 9.2005 (wildlife use requirement)
County sources are listed in each county card.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change, so confirm with your county appraisal district before you file. Last verified October 22, 2026. Report a correction.