According to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department:

Land that qualifies for an agricultural valuation is appraised on its productivity value rather than on its market value. While many people refer to such land as having an “ag exemption”, in fact there is no such exemption—it is just a different method of calculating the land’s value for ad valorem tax purposes. Correctly speaking, such land has an agricultural valuation. Under Texas law, wildlife management is legally nothing more than an additional qualifying agricultural practice people may choose from in order to maintain the agricultural valuation on their land.

With 95% of Texas privately owned, the wildlife that belongs to the people of Texas depends on private landowners to voluntarily provide them with quality habitat.

TPWD Comprehensive Wildlife Management Planning Guidelines for the Edwards Plateau and Cross Timbers & Prairies Ecological Regions, 2010

• Tax Valuation for Wildlife Management FAQ
• Texas State Comptroller, Guidelines for Qualification of Agricultural Land in Wildlife Management Use, 2023
• Burnet Central Appraisal District Ag Manual, 2019
• Burnet Central Appraisal District Agricultural Degree of Intensity Requirements, 2025

Properties originally sold in RBR included an agricultural exemption, but it was determined in 2020 that maintaining the blackbuck herd at RBR would no longer fulfill the requirements of this tax exemption.  A “Wildlife Management” property designation would afford property owners the same reduction in property taxes, but properties under 14 acres (96% of RBR properties) are not eligible for this conversion.  Our Wildlife Management Association was formed in 2021, and Burnet County waived the 14 acre property minimum in favor of a much larger association of smaller properties.

(Paraphrased from our Certificate of Formation, Article 5)

The purpose for organizing this Association is to create and conduct a wildlife management program within the meaning of Texas Property Tax Code Section 23.51(7) and the Texas Park and Wildlife’s Comprehensive Wildlife Management Planning Guidelines.

Preparation, implementation, and maintenance of an active, meaningful wildlife and habitat management plan is the primary goal of the Association.

The primary purposes of the Ranches at Blackbuck Ridge Wildlife Management Association are:

1.    Develop and conserve a sustaining breeding, wintering or migrating population of native wild animals for scientific, education, charitable and recreational purposes.

2.    Develop wildlife management objectives set forth in the Association’s Wildlife Management Plan

3.   Collect dues and the funds to educate the membership, and maintain and administer the objectives set forth in the Association’s Wildlife Management Plan, and for any or all lawful purposes.

1.  Although participation in the WMA was required for 96% of RBR properties to establish their conversion to a WM property valuation, Burnet County currently accepts annual reports filed independent of the Association.  However, we believe that maintaining WMA membership strengthens our collective position and offers better protection if policies change.

2.  Consolidating our annual report provides insights we can use to develop more effective large-scale wildlife management not possible on smaller acreage properties.

3.  With the growing practice of agricultural land being developed into “ranchette” communities, we believe that WMA’s represent the future of wildlife management. 

4.  The WMA provides an opportunity for neighbors to help each other and share common interests in the support of common goals, i.e. the WMARBR helps build community while supporting wildlife and reducing property taxes.

1.    Members must own property located within the Ranches of Blackbuck Ridge

2.    Members must sign a WMA Membership Agreement

3.   Members must participate in the defined wildlife management practices and submit an annual practice log to the WMA by the stated deadline¹

4.     Members must pay the annual membership fee by the stated deadline²

Ranches at Blackbuck Ridge Wildlife Management Assoc.
P.O. Box 55
Lampasas, TX 76550