Texas wildlife exemption minimum acreage, county by county
Every one of Texas’s 254 appraisal districts: the wildlife-use figure it has actually adopted and the document that figure came from, or the statutory band its region allows where the district has not published one. And the condition almost everyone misses — none of it applies unless your tract got smaller.
The short answer · district research August 31, 2026
For most tracts, there is no minimum acreage at all.
Texas applies no acreage test to wildlife management use unless your tract was reduced in size since January 1 of the preceding year. If it was not, you can convert at any acreage, provided the land already carries a 1‑d‑1 open-space valuation — a 7-acre tract that was never split qualifies on the same terms as 700. If the tract was reduced, one county-wide figure applies, drawn from the band your TPWD appraisal region carries under 34 TAC §9.2005. Across the twelve regions those bands run from 12.5 to 100 acres.
The table below shows both: the adopted figure where a district has published one, and its region’s band where it has not.
Counties covered
All 254
Districts publishing a figure
64, each sourced
Statutory regions
12 · 34 TAC §9.2005
Range across Texas
12.5–100 acres
How the acreage rule actually works
Almost everything written about “minimum acreage for a wildlife exemption” skips the condition that makes the rule apply at all. The wildlife-use requirement in 34 TAC §9.2005 exists to stop a qualifying ranch from being carved into small parcels that each claim the valuation independently. So it is written to bite only on land that has been subdivided or partially sold — specifically, a tract smaller than it was on January 1 of the preceding year.
Three consequences follow, and they are the whole rule:
- Unreduced tract → no acreage test whatsoever. Not a small one. None. Size is simply not a question the district asks.
- Reduced tract → one county-wide figure. The chief appraiser, with the board’s consent, adopts a single wildlife-use ratio for the county from inside its region’s band. It is not decided parcel by parcel and it is not negotiable at the counter.
- The band depends on the legal region, not the ecoregion. TPWD’s twelve wildlife appraisal regions set the acreage rule. They are a different map from the ten ecoregions that drive species and practices, and for many counties the two disagree.
The ratio and the acreage are two ways of saying one thing: a 94% wildlife-use requirement is the same rule as a 16.7-acre minimum, because acreage = 1 ÷ (1 − ratio). Districts publish it one way or the other, and this page prints whichever the district itself used.
The twelve appraisal regions and their bands
Every county sits in exactly one of these. The band is the range the district may choose from; the figure it actually adopted is in the county table below.
| TPWD appraisal region | Acreage band | Ratio band | Counties | Figure published |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trans Pecos | 33.3–100 acres | 97–99% | 13 | 1 |
| High Plains | 25–50 acres | 96–98% | 36 | 1 |
| Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres | 96–98% | 42 | 4 |
| Edwards Plateau (Western) | 25–50 acres | 96–98% | 11 | 2 |
| Edwards Plateau (Eastern) | 14.3–20 acres | 93–95% | 14 | 10 |
| Cross Timbers and Prairies | 14.3–20 acres | 93–95% | 23 | 12 |
| South Texas Plains | 25–50 acres | 96–98% | 16 | 4 |
| Blackland Prairie | 12.5–16.7 acres | 92–94% | 16 | 7 |
| Post Oak Savannah | 12.5–16.7 acres | 92–94% | 27 | 12 |
| Pineywoods | 12.5–16.7 acres | 92–94% | 30 | 5 |
| Gulf Prairies and Marshes (Upper Coast) | 12.5–16.7 acres | 92–94% | 15 | 4 |
| Gulf Prairies and Marshes (Lower Coast) | 25–50 acres | 96–98% | 11 | 2 |
Bands from 34 TAC §9.2005. Acreage = 1 ÷ (1 − ratio). County-to-region assignments verified against TPWD’s published region lists.
All 254 counties
Minimum acreage by county
The figure that applies if your tract was reduced in size. Where a district has published its adopted figure, that is what you see, linked to the document. Where it has not, you see the band its region allows.
Showing all 254 counties
| County | TPWD appraisal region | If the tract was reduced | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| AndersonPalestinePineywoods | Pineywoods | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region banddistrict publishes another figure † |
| AndrewsAndrewsHigh Plains | High Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| AngelinaLufkinPineywoods | Pineywoods | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| AransasRockportGulf Prairies and Marshes (Lower Coast) | Gulf Prairies and Marshes (Lower Coast) | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region banddistrict publishes another figure † |
| ArcherArcher CityRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| ArmstrongClaudeHigh Plains | High Plains | 25 acres16.7 acres in an association | District figure November 29, 2021 |
| AtascosaJourdantonSouth Texas Plains | South Texas Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| AustinBellvilleGulf Prairies and Marshes (Upper Coast) | Gulf Prairies and Marshes (Upper Coast) | 16.6 acres11 acres in an association | District figure January 15, 2026 |
| BaileyMuleshoeHigh Plains | High Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| BanderaBanderaEdwards Plateau (Eastern) | Edwards Plateau (Eastern) | 14.3–20 acres93–95% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| BastropBastropPost Oak Savannah | Post Oak Savannah | 94%91% in an association | District figure |
| BaylorSeymourRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region banddistrict publishes another figure † |
| BeeBeevillePost Oak Savannah | Post Oak Savannah | 16.67 acres (94%)11.11 acres (91%) in an association | District figure October 26, 2023 |
| BellBeltonCross Timbers and Prairies | Cross Timbers and Prairies | 14.3–20 acres93–95% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| BexarSan AntonioEdwards Plateau (Eastern) | Edwards Plateau (Eastern) | 14.3 acres11.1 acres in an association | District figure 2026 |
| BlancoJohnson CityEdwards Plateau (Eastern) | Edwards Plateau (Eastern) | 20 acres12.5 acres in an association | District figure 2020 |
| BordenGailRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region banddistrict publishes another figure † |
| BosqueMeridianCross Timbers and Prairies | Cross Timbers and Prairies | 20 acres (95%)12.5 acres (92%) in an association | District figure August 25, 2022 |
| BowieNew BostonPineywoods | Pineywoods | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| BrazoriaAngletonGulf Prairies and Marshes (Upper Coast) | Gulf Prairies and Marshes (Upper Coast) | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| BrazosBryanPost Oak Savannah | Post Oak Savannah | 16.7 acres11.1 acres in an association | District figure December 10, 2019 |
| BrewsterAlpineTrans Pecos | Trans Pecos | 33.3–100 acres97–99% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| BriscoeSilvertonRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| BrooksFalfurriasGulf Prairies and Marshes (Lower Coast) | Gulf Prairies and Marshes (Lower Coast) | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| BrownBrownwoodCross Timbers and Prairies | Cross Timbers and Prairies | 15 acres (93.33%)12 acres (91.67%) in an association | District figure February 27, 2024 |
| BurlesonCaldwellPost Oak Savannah | Post Oak Savannah | 15 acres | District figure October 1, 2024 |
| BurnetBurnetEdwards Plateau (Eastern) | Edwards Plateau (Eastern) | 14.3 acres | District figure October 3, 2019 |
| CaldwellLockhartPost Oak Savannah | Post Oak Savannah | 16.6 acres11.1 acres in an association | District figure January 30, 2025 |
| CalhounPort LavacaGulf Prairies and Marshes (Upper Coast) | Gulf Prairies and Marshes (Upper Coast) | 16.67 acres (94%)11.11 acres (91%) in an association | District figure October 27, 2022 |
| CallahanBairdRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 50 acres | District figure |
| CameronBrownsvilleGulf Prairies and Marshes (Lower Coast) | Gulf Prairies and Marshes (Lower Coast) | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| CampPittsburgPineywoods | Pineywoods | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| CarsonPanhandleHigh Plains | High Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region banddistrict publishes another figure † |
| CassLindenPineywoods | Pineywoods | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| CastroDimmittHigh Plains | High Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| ChambersAnahuacGulf Prairies and Marshes (Upper Coast) | Gulf Prairies and Marshes (Upper Coast) | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region banddistrict publishes another figure † |
| CherokeeRuskPineywoods | Pineywoods | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region banddistrict publishes another figure † |
| ChildressChildressRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| ClayHenriettaRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region banddistrict publishes another figure † |
| CochranMortonHigh Plains | High Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| CokeRobert LeeRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| ColemanColemanRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 50 acres (98%)20 acres (95%) in an association | District figure January 2023 |
| CollinMcKinneyBlackland Prairie | Blackland Prairie | 94%91% in an association | District figure February 2023 |
| CollingsworthWellingtonRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| ColoradoColumbusGulf Prairies and Marshes (Upper Coast) | Gulf Prairies and Marshes (Upper Coast) | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region banddistrict publishes another figure † |
| ComalNew BraunfelsEdwards Plateau (Eastern) | Edwards Plateau (Eastern) | 20 acres (95%)12.5 acres (92%) in an association | District figure 2024 |
| ComancheComancheCross Timbers and Prairies | Cross Timbers and Prairies | 20 acres (95%)12 acres (92%) in an association | District figure October 17, 2024 |
| ConchoPaint RockRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region banddistrict publishes another figure † |
| CookeGainesvilleCross Timbers and Prairies | Cross Timbers and Prairies | 14.3–20 acres93–95% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| CoryellGatesvilleCross Timbers and Prairies | Cross Timbers and Prairies | 14.3 acres11.1 acres in an association | District figure December 2025 |
| CottlePaducahRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| CraneCraneTrans Pecos | Trans Pecos | 33.3–100 acres97–99% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| CrockettOzonaEdwards Plateau (Western) | Edwards Plateau (Western) | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| CrosbyCrosbytonHigh Plains | High Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| CulbersonVan HornTrans Pecos | Trans Pecos | 33.3–100 acres97–99% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| DallamDalhartHigh Plains | High Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| DallasDallasBlackland Prairie | Blackland Prairie | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| DawsonLamesaHigh Plains | High Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| Deaf SmithHerefordHigh Plains | High Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| DeltaCooperBlackland Prairie | Blackland Prairie | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| DentonDentonCross Timbers and Prairies | Cross Timbers and Prairies | 14.5 acres (93%) | District figure 2020 |
| DeWittCueroPost Oak Savannah | Post Oak Savannah | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| DickensDickensRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| DimmitCarrizo SpringsSouth Texas Plains | South Texas Plains | 50 acres (98%) | District figure January 20, 2022 |
| DonleyClarendonRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| DuvalSan DiegoSouth Texas Plains | South Texas Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| EastlandEastlandCross Timbers and Prairies | Cross Timbers and Prairies | 14.3 acres (93%)11.1 acres (91%) in an association | District figure December 11, 2025 |
| EctorOdessaHigh Plains | High Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| EdwardsRockspringsEdwards Plateau (Western) | Edwards Plateau (Western) | 50 acres | District figure April 1, 2025 |
| El PasoEl PasoTrans Pecos | Trans Pecos | 33.3–100 acres97–99% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| EllisWaxahachieBlackland Prairie | Blackland Prairie | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| ErathStephenvilleCross Timbers and Prairies | Cross Timbers and Prairies | 14.3–20 acres93–95% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| FallsMarlinBlackland Prairie | Blackland Prairie | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| FanninBonhamBlackland Prairie | Blackland Prairie | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region banddistrict publishes another figure † |
| FayetteLa GrangePost Oak Savannah | Post Oak Savannah | 16.67 acres11 acres in an association | District figure April 21, 2023 |
| FisherRobyRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| FloydFloydadaHigh Plains | High Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| FoardCrowellRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| Fort BendRichmondGulf Prairies and Marshes (Upper Coast) | Gulf Prairies and Marshes (Upper Coast) | 14.3 acres11.1 acres in an association | District figure January 10, 2025 |
| FranklinMount VernonPost Oak Savannah | Post Oak Savannah | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| FreestoneFairfieldPost Oak Savannah | Post Oak Savannah | 12.5 acres (92%)10 acres (90%) in an association | District figure March 23, 2022 |
| FrioPearsallSouth Texas Plains | South Texas Plains | 50 acres20 acres in an association | District figure January 10, 2024 |
| GainesSeminoleHigh Plains | High Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| GalvestonGalvestonGulf Prairies and Marshes (Upper Coast) | Gulf Prairies and Marshes (Upper Coast) | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| GarzaPostRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| GillespieFredericksburgEdwards Plateau (Eastern) | Edwards Plateau (Eastern) | 20 acres | District figure November 21, 2019 |
| GlasscockGarden CityHigh Plains | High Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| GoliadGoliadPost Oak Savannah | Post Oak Savannah | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| GonzalesGonzalesPost Oak Savannah | Post Oak Savannah | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| GrayPampaRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| GraysonShermanBlackland Prairie | Blackland Prairie | 12.5 acres | District figure April 8, 2025 |
| GreggLongviewPineywoods | Pineywoods | 12.5 acres10 acres in an association | District figure January 1, 2026 |
| GrimesAndersonPost Oak Savannah | Post Oak Savannah | 12.5 acres10 acres in an association | District figure |
| GuadalupeSeguinPost Oak Savannah | Post Oak Savannah | 16.7 acres (94%)91% in an association | District figure |
| HalePlainviewHigh Plains | High Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| HallMemphisRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| HamiltonHamiltonCross Timbers and Prairies | Cross Timbers and Prairies | 20 acres | District figure September 20, 2024 |
| HansfordSpearmanHigh Plains | High Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| HardemanQuanahRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| HardinKountzePineywoods | Pineywoods | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| HarrisHoustonGulf Prairies and Marshes (Upper Coast) | Gulf Prairies and Marshes (Upper Coast) | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region banddistrict publishes another figure † |
| HarrisonMarshallPineywoods | Pineywoods | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| HartleyChanningHigh Plains | High Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| HaskellHaskellRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| HaysSan MarcosEdwards Plateau (Eastern) | Edwards Plateau (Eastern) | 14.29 acres12.50 acres in an association | District figure December 31, 2024 |
| HemphillCanadianRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| HendersonAthensPost Oak Savannah | Post Oak Savannah | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| HidalgoEdinburgGulf Prairies and Marshes (Lower Coast) | Gulf Prairies and Marshes (Lower Coast) | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| HillHillsboroBlackland Prairie | Blackland Prairie | 92%90% in an association | District figure January 2024 |
| HockleyLevellandHigh Plains | High Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| HoodGranburyCross Timbers and Prairies | Cross Timbers and Prairies | 14.3–20 acres93–95% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| HopkinsSulphur SpringsPost Oak Savannah | Post Oak Savannah | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| HoustonCrockettPineywoods | Pineywoods | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| HowardBig SpringHigh Plains | High Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| HudspethSierra BlancaTrans Pecos | Trans Pecos | 33.3–100 acres97–99% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| HuntGreenvilleBlackland Prairie | Blackland Prairie | 12.5 acres | District figure |
| HutchinsonStinnettHigh Plains | High Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| IrionMertzonEdwards Plateau (Western) | Edwards Plateau (Western) | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| JackJacksboroCross Timbers and Prairies | Cross Timbers and Prairies | 14.3–20 acres93–95% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| JacksonEdnaGulf Prairies and Marshes (Upper Coast) | Gulf Prairies and Marshes (Upper Coast) | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| JasperJasperPineywoods | Pineywoods | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| Jeff DavisFort DavisTrans Pecos | Trans Pecos | 50 acres (98%) | District figure November 3, 2025 |
| JeffersonBeaumontGulf Prairies and Marshes (Upper Coast) | Gulf Prairies and Marshes (Upper Coast) | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| Jim HoggHebbronvilleSouth Texas Plains | South Texas Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| Jim WellsAliceGulf Prairies and Marshes (Lower Coast) | Gulf Prairies and Marshes (Lower Coast) | 25 acres | District figure November 17, 2022 |
| JohnsonCleburneCross Timbers and Prairies | Cross Timbers and Prairies | 14.3–20 acres93–95% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| JonesAnsonRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25 acres (96%) | District figure November 30, 2023 |
| KarnesKarnes CityPost Oak Savannah | Post Oak Savannah | 16.67 acres (94%)11.11 acres (91%) in an association | District figure May 11, 2022 |
| KaufmanKaufmanBlackland Prairie | Blackland Prairie | 12.5 acres | District figure January 10, 2024 |
| KendallBoerneEdwards Plateau (Eastern) | Edwards Plateau (Eastern) | 14.3–20 acres93–95% band | Region banddistrict publishes another figure † |
| KenedySaritaGulf Prairies and Marshes (Lower Coast) | Gulf Prairies and Marshes (Lower Coast) | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| KentJaytonRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| KerrKerrvilleEdwards Plateau (Eastern) | Edwards Plateau (Eastern) | 20 acres14.5 acres in an association | District figure |
| KimbleJunctionEdwards Plateau (Western) | Edwards Plateau (Western) | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| KingGuthrieRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| KinneyBrackettvilleSouth Texas Plains | South Texas Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| KlebergKingsvilleGulf Prairies and Marshes (Lower Coast) | Gulf Prairies and Marshes (Lower Coast) | 50 acres20 acres in an association | District figure 2023 |
| KnoxBenjaminRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region banddistrict publishes another figure † |
| La SalleCotullaSouth Texas Plains | South Texas Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| LamarParisBlackland Prairie | Blackland Prairie | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| LambLittlefieldHigh Plains | High Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| LampasasLampasasCross Timbers and Prairies | Cross Timbers and Prairies | 20 acres | District figure May 28, 2026 |
| LavacaHallettsvillePost Oak Savannah | Post Oak Savannah | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| LeeGiddingsPost Oak Savannah | Post Oak Savannah | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region banddistrict publishes another figure † |
| LeonCentervillePost Oak Savannah | Post Oak Savannah | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| LibertyLibertyPineywoods | Pineywoods | 15 acres | District figure December 7, 2022 |
| LimestoneGroesbeckBlackland Prairie | Blackland Prairie | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| LipscombLipscombRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| Live OakGeorge WestSouth Texas Plains | South Texas Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| LlanoLlanoEdwards Plateau (Eastern) | Edwards Plateau (Eastern) | 14.3–20 acres93–95% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| LovingMentoneTrans Pecos | Trans Pecos | 33.3–100 acres97–99% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| LubbockLubbockHigh Plains | High Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| LynnTahokaHigh Plains | High Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| MadisonMadisonvillePost Oak Savannah | Post Oak Savannah | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region banddistrict publishes another figure † |
| MarionJeffersonPineywoods | Pineywoods | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| MartinStantonHigh Plains | High Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| MasonMasonEdwards Plateau (Eastern) | Edwards Plateau (Eastern) | 20 acres | District figure October 15, 2021 |
| MatagordaBay CityGulf Prairies and Marshes (Upper Coast) | Gulf Prairies and Marshes (Upper Coast) | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| MaverickEagle PassSouth Texas Plains | South Texas Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| McCullochBradyRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| McLennanWacoBlackland Prairie | Blackland Prairie | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| McMullenTildenSouth Texas Plains | South Texas Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| MedinaHondoSouth Texas Plains | South Texas Plains | 50 acres20 acres in an association | District figure December 2023 |
| MenardMenardEdwards Plateau (Western) | Edwards Plateau (Western) | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| MidlandMidlandHigh Plains | High Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| MilamCameronBlackland Prairie | Blackland Prairie | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| MillsGoldthwaiteCross Timbers and Prairies | Cross Timbers and Prairies | 14.3–20 acres93–95% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| MitchellColorado CityRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| MontagueMontagueCross Timbers and Prairies | Cross Timbers and Prairies | 14.3–20 acres93–95% band | Region banddistrict publishes another figure † |
| MontgomeryConroePineywoods | Pineywoods | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| MooreDumasHigh Plains | High Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| MorrisDaingerfieldPineywoods | Pineywoods | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| MotleyMatadorRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| NacogdochesNacogdochesPineywoods | Pineywoods | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| NavarroCorsicanaBlackland Prairie | Blackland Prairie | 12.5 acres (92%)10 acres (90%) in an association | District figure 2023 |
| NewtonNewtonPineywoods | Pineywoods | 12.5 acres (92%)10 acres (90%) in an association | District figure 2022 |
| NolanSweetwaterRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| NuecesCorpus ChristiGulf Prairies and Marshes (Lower Coast) | Gulf Prairies and Marshes (Lower Coast) | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| OchiltreePerrytonHigh Plains | High Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| OldhamVegaHigh Plains | High Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| OrangeOrangeGulf Prairies and Marshes (Upper Coast) | Gulf Prairies and Marshes (Upper Coast) | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region banddistrict publishes another figure † |
| Palo PintoPalo PintoCross Timbers and Prairies | Cross Timbers and Prairies | 14.3–20 acres93–95% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| PanolaCarthagePineywoods | Pineywoods | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| ParkerWeatherfordCross Timbers and Prairies | Cross Timbers and Prairies | 20 acres | District figure September 27, 2024 |
| ParmerFarwellHigh Plains | High Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| PecosFort StocktonTrans Pecos | Trans Pecos | 33.3–100 acres97–99% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| PolkLivingstonPineywoods | Pineywoods | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| PotterAmarilloHigh Plains | High Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| PresidioMarfaTrans Pecos | Trans Pecos | 33.3–100 acres97–99% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| RainsEmoryPost Oak Savannah | Post Oak Savannah | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| RandallCanyonHigh Plains | High Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| ReaganBig LakeEdwards Plateau (Western) | Edwards Plateau (Western) | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| RealLeakeyEdwards Plateau (Western) | Edwards Plateau (Western) | 50 acres (98%) | District figure September 30, 2022 |
| Red RiverClarksvillePost Oak Savannah | Post Oak Savannah | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| ReevesPecosTrans Pecos | Trans Pecos | 33.3–100 acres97–99% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| RefugioRefugioGulf Prairies and Marshes (Lower Coast) | Gulf Prairies and Marshes (Lower Coast) | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| RobertsMiamiRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| RobertsonFranklinPost Oak Savannah | Post Oak Savannah | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| RockwallRockwallBlackland Prairie | Blackland Prairie | 12.5 acres (92%)10 acres (90%) in an association | District figure December 8, 2021 |
| RunnelsBallingerRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| RuskHendersonPineywoods | Pineywoods | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| SabineHemphillPineywoods | Pineywoods | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| San AugustineSan AugustinePineywoods | Pineywoods | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| San JacintoColdspringPineywoods | Pineywoods | 94%92% in an association | District figure 2022 |
| San PatricioSintonGulf Prairies and Marshes (Lower Coast) | Gulf Prairies and Marshes (Lower Coast) | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| San SabaSan SabaEdwards Plateau (Eastern) | Edwards Plateau (Eastern) | 20 acres | District figure October 16, 2025 |
| SchleicherEldoradoEdwards Plateau (Western) | Edwards Plateau (Western) | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| ScurrySnyderRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| ShackelfordAlbanyRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| ShelbyCenterPineywoods | Pineywoods | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| ShermanStratfordHigh Plains | High Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| SmithTylerPineywoods | Pineywoods | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region banddistrict publishes another figure † |
| SomervellGlen RoseCross Timbers and Prairies | Cross Timbers and Prairies | 14.34 acres | District figure September 27, 2023 |
| StarrRio Grande CitySouth Texas Plains | South Texas Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| StephensBreckenridgeCross Timbers and Prairies | Cross Timbers and Prairies | 14.3–20 acres93–95% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| SterlingSterling CityEdwards Plateau (Western) | Edwards Plateau (Western) | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| StonewallAspermontRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25 acres13 acres in an association | District figure December 9, 2024 |
| SuttonSonoraEdwards Plateau (Western) | Edwards Plateau (Western) | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| SwisherTuliaHigh Plains | High Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| TarrantFort WorthCross Timbers and Prairies | Cross Timbers and Prairies | 14.3–20 acres93–95% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| TaylorAbileneRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| TerrellSandersonTrans Pecos | Trans Pecos | 33.3–100 acres97–99% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| TerryBrownfieldHigh Plains | High Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| ThrockmortonThrockmortonRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region banddistrict publishes another figure † |
| TitusMount PleasantPost Oak Savannah | Post Oak Savannah | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| Tom GreenSan AngeloRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| TravisAustinEdwards Plateau (Eastern) | Edwards Plateau (Eastern) | 14.3–20 acres93–95% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| TrinityGrovetonPineywoods | Pineywoods | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region banddistrict publishes another figure † |
| TylerWoodvillePineywoods | Pineywoods | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| UpshurGilmerPineywoods | Pineywoods | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region banddistrict publishes another figure † |
| UptonRankinHigh Plains | High Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| UvaldeUvaldeSouth Texas Plains | South Texas Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| Val VerdeDel RioEdwards Plateau (Western) | Edwards Plateau (Western) | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| Van ZandtCantonPost Oak Savannah | Post Oak Savannah | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| VictoriaVictoriaGulf Prairies and Marshes (Upper Coast) | Gulf Prairies and Marshes (Upper Coast) | 16.60 acres | District figure April 1, 2026 |
| WalkerHuntsvillePineywoods | Pineywoods | 12.5 acres10 acres in an association | District figure March 25, 2021 |
| WallerHempsteadGulf Prairies and Marshes (Upper Coast) | Gulf Prairies and Marshes (Upper Coast) | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| WardMonahansTrans Pecos | Trans Pecos | 33.3–100 acres97–99% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| WashingtonBrenhamPost Oak Savannah | Post Oak Savannah | 16.7 acres11 acres in an association | District figure February 17, 2026 |
| WebbLaredoSouth Texas Plains | South Texas Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| WhartonWhartonGulf Prairies and Marshes (Upper Coast) | Gulf Prairies and Marshes (Upper Coast) | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| WheelerWheelerRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| WichitaWichita FallsRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| WilbargerVernonRolling Plains | Rolling Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| WillacyRaymondvilleGulf Prairies and Marshes (Lower Coast) | Gulf Prairies and Marshes (Lower Coast) | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| WilliamsonGeorgetownEdwards Plateau (Eastern) | Edwards Plateau (Eastern) | 16.5 acres12.5 acres in an association | District figure 2026 |
| WilsonFloresvillePost Oak Savannah | Post Oak Savannah | 15 acres | District figure 2021 |
| WinklerKermitTrans Pecos | Trans Pecos | 33.3–100 acres97–99% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| WiseDecaturCross Timbers and Prairies | Cross Timbers and Prairies | 14.30 acres (93%)12.50 acres (92%) in an association | District figure |
| WoodQuitmanPineywoods | Pineywoods | 12.5–16.7 acres92–94% band | Region banddistrict publishes another figure † |
| YoakumPlainsHigh Plains | High Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| YoungGrahamCross Timbers and Prairies | Cross Timbers and Prairies | 94%92% in an association | District figure February 5, 2023 |
| ZapataZapataSouth Texas Plains | South Texas Plains | 25–50 acres96–98% band | Region bandno district figure published |
| ZavalaCrystal CitySouth Texas Plains | South Texas Plains | 50 acres (98%) | District figure November 18, 2020 |
No counties match that filter.
† This district publishes an acreage in its own standards that is not a §9.2005 reduced-tract pick — see how figures were selected. Every figure applies only to a tract reduced in size since January 1 of the preceding year.
How these figures were selected
Every district was researched against its own primary documents — appraisal manuals, agricultural intensity standards, wildlife management guidelines, and adopted reappraisal plans. Roughly a quarter of small-district documents are image-only scans and had to be read with OCR. What survives into the table above had to clear four tests:
- It has to be a §9.2005 reduced-tract pick. Many districts publish an acreage floor for agricultural use and reuse the number loosely for wildlife. That is a real sentence from the district, but it is not the reduced-tract test, and printing it as one would tell a landowner their land cannot qualify when it can. 23 districts fall into this category; each is marked † above and explained on its county page.
- The publishing document has to be current. What matters is the date of the document doing the publishing, not when the ratio was adopted — a 2026 manual republishing a 2003 board decision is current evidence; a 2009 PDF still sitting on a server is not. Districts whose only document predates 2019 were dropped.
- The figure has to be internally coherent. Numbers outside the region’s statutory band, association figures larger than the individual figure (backwards under §9.2005), and documents that contradict themselves two lines apart were all excluded rather than guessed at.
- The source has to be reachable. Every printed figure links to a document that actually serves. Where only an archived copy exists, the county page says so.
A county showing its region’s band is not a county without a rule. It is a county whose district has not published which point inside the band it adopted. Ask them; it is a single county-wide number and they will tell you.
Confirm before you act on a number
Districts amend guidelines and re-adopt ratios on their own schedule, and this page was researched on August 31, 2026. For anything transactional — buying part of a larger tract, splitting land among heirs, planning a subdivision — confirm the current figure with the appraisal district in writing first. The cost of a stale number is measured in years of valuation.
Minimum acreage questions
What landowners actually ask
What is the minimum acreage for a wildlife exemption in Texas?
For most tracts there is no minimum at all. Texas sets no acreage floor for wildlife management use unless the tract was reduced in size since January 1 of the preceding year. If it was, the county applies a single wildlife-use figure it adopted from the band its TPWD appraisal region carries under 34 TAC §9.2005 — across the twelve regions those bands run from about 12.5 acres to 100 acres. A tract that has kept its size can convert at any acreage, provided it already carries a 1‑d‑1 open-space valuation.
Why does the minimum only apply if my tract got smaller?
Because that is what the rule is for. The wildlife-use requirement in 34 TAC §9.2005 exists to stop a large qualifying ranch from being carved into small parcels that each claim the valuation on their own. It is written to bite only when land has been subdivided or partially sold — so it is triggered by a reduction in the tract since January 1 of the year before, not by the size of your land in the abstract. If your boundaries have not moved, the question never arises.
How many Texas appraisal districts have published their figure?
64 of the 254. Every district was researched against its own primary documents; 64 publish a clean §9.2005 reduced-tract figure, and those are the numbers printed in the table above, each with a link to the document it came from. A further 23 publish an acreage that is not a §9.2005 pick — usually an agricultural intensity minimum reused for wildlife — and those are deliberately not shown as the test. The rest have published nothing, so their row shows the statutory band their region allows.
My county shows a band instead of a number. What do I do?
File anyway — the application is identical either way. A band means the district has not published which single point inside it the chief appraiser adopted, not that the district lacks one. Call the appraisal district and ask for the adopted wildlife-use requirement; it is one figure applied county-wide, not a per-parcel judgment, so they can tell you in a sentence. In the meantime, plan against the top of the band and you cannot be caught short.
Does a bigger tract mean a better chance of approval?
No. Acreage is a threshold question, not a scoring one — once the tract clears it (or never triggers it), size stops mattering. What decides approval is whether the plan performs at least 3 of the 7 qualifying practices at the intensity standards for your ecoregion, and whether you can document them. A well-run 15 acres beats a neglected 500.
Can I use these figures to plan a land purchase or a subdivision?
Use them to frame the question, then confirm with the district in writing before you commit. Each figure here is transcribed from the district's own published document, with the document linked and dated, but districts amend guidelines and re-adopt ratios on their own schedule. For a transaction — buying part of a larger tract, splitting land among heirs — the cost of a stale number is measured in years of valuation, so it is worth a phone call and an email trail.
More in the statewide FAQ, or check the three eligibility questions on the eligibility page.
Sources & further reading
- 34 TAC §9.2005 — Wildlife Use Requirement — the rule that sets each region’s acreage band and the reduced-tract condition
- TPWD: Counties in Each Appraisal Region — which of the twelve wildlife appraisal regions each county belongs to
- Texas Tax Code §23.51 — the statute defining wildlife management as a qualifying agricultural use
- Comptroller: Manual for the Appraisal of Agricultural Land (PDF) — the manual chief appraisers apply
- Texas Comptroller county appraisal district directory — current contact details for every district, to confirm an adopted figure
Reuse: the table and CSV are free to cite and republish with attribution to TexasWildlifeExemption.com. District figures are quoted from each district’s own published document, linked in every row.
Your county’s number, applied to your acres.
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