Habitat Ledger › County deadlines › Howard County
Howard County wildlife report and ag valuation rules
Checked November 6, 2026
Annual report required every year; no posted date
The district's FAQ says an annual report of wildlife activities must be filed with the district; it does not give a due date. Switching to wildlife use requires written notice before May 1.
| Annual report required? | Yes, every year |
|---|---|
| Due date | Not posted |
| Source | Howard County Appraisal District (checked Nov. 6, 2026) |
What to keep for Howard County
Whether or not Howard County asks for a report this year, keep dated proof that you carried out at least three of the seven wildlife management practices in your plan:
- A log of each activity: the date, what you did, where and how much
- Dated photos of the work (feeders, water, brush piles, cleared brush)
- Receipts and invoices for feed, seed, materials and contractors
- Census sheets with dates, routes and numbers seen
Read our plain-English guide to the annual report (PWD-888) for the full 3-of-7 rule, or see deadlines for other counties.
Ag valuation in Howard County
Running cattle, cutting hay or farming instead of managing for wildlife? These are the Howard County Appraisal District’s published degree-of-intensity standards for the 1-d-1 agricultural valuation.
A typical grazing operation is 4 animal units year-round. The district says about 10 acres of improved pasture or 20 acres of native pasture are needed to qualify; it does not give a per-animal-unit stocking rate, though its FAQ notes most ranchers say it takes 20 or more acres to feed one cow. Tracts of 10 acres or less generally qualify only as part of a larger operation; a small tract with a home on it is treated as mainly residential.
| Minimum acres | 10 acres (grazing) |
|---|---|
| Minimum animals | 4 animal units |
| Crops and orchards | Irrigated row crop: typically 10 acres. Dryland row crop: typically 20 acres. |
| Beekeeping | 6 hives on 5 acres, plus 1 hive for each extra full 2.5 acres, on 5–20 acres. |
| History and filing | Land must have 5 of 7 years of ag history, documented with Schedule F, livestock, feed, vet, seed or equipment receipts. Apply January 1–April 30; late filing to July 10 carries a penalty. |
| Leases and small tracts | Small tracts used in a larger operation need a written lease or an affidavit of an oral agreement filed with the district, stating location, parties and length of the agreement. |
| Source | Howard County Appraisal District Ag-Use and Open-Space Agricultural Value · checked Nov. 6, 2026 |
An animal unit is one cow (or cow-calf pair); a horse counts as one, and about five goats or sheep make one, though some districts count them differently. See what Texas requires for ag valuation. Your appraisal district has the final say, so call them if anything here doesn’t match your letter.
Who to contact in Howard County
| Appraisal district | Howard County Appraisal District |
|---|---|
| Address | 315 S. Main St., Big Spring, TX 79720 |
| Phone | (432) 263-8301 |
| Local help with your plan | Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Howard County |
The appraisal district decides your wildlife valuation and sets any report deadline, so call them if a letter or form doesn’t match what’s on this page. Your county AgriLife Extension office can help with a wildlife management plan.