The Gun Counter

My mom owns ranch land in South Texas. Up until recently, she's had the state agricultural exemption for property tax because she had cattle on it. The cows are gone now (long story) and she's in danger of losing the exemption. A clause in the law allows for the exemption to be claimed if the land is used as part of a wildlife management plan.

I think I can make it work by installing small and big game guzzlers, supplimental feeding points and increasing fence line brush cover. The target wildlife is white tail deer and maybe white wing dove.

Anyone have any experience in developing land for these critters?

now this is where PawPaw is going to be missed...

Get in touch with your fish & game or DNR folks. They probably have guidelines and can help.

Rumpshot wrote:Get in touch with your fish & game or DNR folks. They probably have guidelines and can help.

+1 They're there for exactly this purpose, and they want to help you.

Now, if you wind up needing someone to help keep the wildlife in check... let me know.

Big problem you're going to possibly have is feral hogs. When we were by Houston for CC's Shooting Fiesta, we're pretty sure we killed one in the brush behind the backstop. Of course YOU have your own PET on call.

I'd think the feral hog problem would be approximately the same, although setting up for better habitat would increase it a bit.

Do feral hogs taste good?

Already got a letter in to TxPWD for advice but wanted to see if anyone has actually carried out any of these items and had advice on executing them.

Been working on getting mom to allow hunting out there but she is terrified of liability issues and confrontation with poachers in the area.

Where in S TX? We hunt there quite a bit, our friends have places there, another one used to manage a commercial hunting operation there , etc.

If you'd rather email me feel free

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

Weetabix wrote:I'd think the feral hog problem would be approximately the same, although setting up for better habitat would increase it a bit.

Do feral hogs taste good?

Sadly, they don't taste very good unless you're an excellent cook.

The problem with feral hogs is that a really bragging-size trophy (in the 250-500 lbs range) is an older boar who is tougher than boot leather, and smells like the ass-end of destruction.

Under 200-250 lbs, they are fine eating, IF properly handled in the field, and by the processor. The guy that does mine has been a professional butcher for 20 years, and we get chops, roasts, ribs, and a metric buttload of sausage, all of which my finicky grandkids will eat. My guy is planning on building a smokehouse this spring, so he can do hams and bacon.

Bottom line is, if it's a trophy, you probably don't want to eat it.