Predator Control

Predator control is among the easiest activities to document because the results are unambiguous and the damage prevented is visible. In practice, on most Hill Country tracts it means feral hog removal, which appraisal districts welcome given the agricultural damage hogs cause across Texas each year.

What counts

Feral hog trapping, ideally whole-sounder capture rather than piecemeal removal.
Targeted removal of mesopredators where a documented nesting-success problem exists.
Cowbird trapping where songbird nest parasitism is documented.
Fire ant management in ground-nesting bird habitat.

Degree of intensity

There is no fixed count. What districts look for is sustained, documented effort and results across the year, not a single burst of activity in the year the valuation was applied for. A property showing consistent multi-year removal numbers has a far stronger file.

Texas requires at least three of the seven qualifying activities. Use the exemption calculator to size this one to your acreage.

Qualification is determined by your county Central Appraisal District, and intensity standards vary by ecoregion and property size. Nothing here is tax or legal advice. Confirm your activity mix with a certified wildlife biologist before filing.

Common mistakes

Setting a trap without pre-baiting for 7 to 10 days first. Hogs are neophobic and a rushed set educates the sounder instead of catching it.
Taking a few animals and educating the rest, which is worse than not trapping at all.
Siting traps for convenient access rather than on active trails, wallows and fresh sign.
Failing to check traps daily, which is both a legal expectation and a welfare requirement.
Re-setting in the same spot after a catch, when hogs will now avoid it.

Records that survive a review

Photograph every catch with a date stamp, and log animals removed, GPS location and disposal method. Removal counts by date are exactly what a district wants for this activity.

Equipment for this activity

Need the plan as well as the gear?

We supply and install the equipment. Written wildlife management plans, appraisal district filings and audit defense are handled by our sister company Plateau Land & Wildlife Management. See also our county-by-county guides.