Habitat Ledger › County deadlines › McLennan County
McLennan County wildlife report and ag valuation rules
Checked November 6, 2026
Annual report only when the district asks
McLennan CAD asks for a wildlife annual report or update about every 3–5 years, or when it reappraises your area, and mails the request. Return it by the date on the letter.
| Annual report required? | Only when the district asks |
|---|---|
| Due date | The date on the district’s letter |
| Source | McLennan Central Appraisal District (checked Nov. 6, 2026) |
What to keep for McLennan County
Whether or not McLennan 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 McLennan County
Running cattle, cutting hay or farming instead of managing for wildlife? These are the McLennan Central Appraisal District’s published degree-of-intensity standards for the 1-d-1 agricultural valuation.
McLennan CAD requires at least 3 animal units on pasture for most of the year (for example 3 cows with calves, 6 500-lb heifers or steers, 18 sheep or 21 goats). Under 20 acres, 3 animal units is the test. Over 20 acres, add 1 animal unit for each extra 10 acres (100 acres needs 11). Stocking guide: 4–9 acres per animal unit on hybrid improved grass, 9–12 on improved native grass, 12–15 or more on brushy native land. Horse boarding, training and stabling do not qualify.
| Minimum animals | 3 animal units |
|---|---|
| Improved pasture | 4–12 acres per animal unit |
| Native pasture | 12–15 acres per animal unit |
| Hay | Enough land to produce about 30,000 lb of hay a year (about 20 large round bales), with at least 3,000 lb of dry forage per acre per cutting. Hay must be baled, marketable, and kept free of weeds and brush. |
| Beekeeping | 5–20 acres, starting at 6 hives for the first 5 acres; hives must be kept alive and the land needs ag or bee history. |
| Source | McLennan CAD Open Space 1-d-1 Guidelines (rev. 11/2023) · 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 McLennan County
| Appraisal district | McLennan Central Appraisal District |
|---|---|
| Address | 315 S. 26th St., Waco, TX 76710 |
| Phone | (254) 752-9864 |
| Local help with your plan | Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, McLennan 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.