Wise County, TX — Ag Exemption Requirements (2026)
Wise County lies northwest of Fort Worth, where Cross Timbers pasture and small-grain and sorghum-hay fields support cattle, horses, goats, and other rural operations. Wise CAD publishes pasture-specific stocking ranges, a two-animal-unit livestock minimum, and a defined apiary formula, giving small-tract owners concrete thresholds to evaluate before applying.
Grazing Intensity Standards
| Pasture Type | Acres per Animal Unit | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| improved pasture land (P1) | 5 acres / AU | ✓ Verified |
| native pasture land (P2) | 15 acres / AU | ✓ Verified |
Beekeeping Intensity Standards
| Acreage Range | Base Hives | Extra Hives/Acre (above base) | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.01–20 acres | 6 | 0.4 | ✓ Verified |
Animal Unit Equivalencies
An animal unit (AU) is a standardized measure used to compare livestock of different sizes. One AU = one 1,000-lb cow. Your total stocking rate is calculated in AUs, then multiplied by the acres-per-AU standard for your pasture type. These values are published by the county.
| Animal | Animal Units | Source |
|---|---|---|
| cow calf pair | 1 | County-published |
| mature bull | 1.5 | County-published |
| weaned calf to 1 year | 0.5 | County-published |
| steer 1 year | 0.7 | County-published |
| steer 2 years | 0.9 | County-published |
| horse | 1 | County-published |
| miniature horse | 0.5 | County-published |
| miniature donkey burro | 0.5 | County-published |
| bull elk | 0.6 | County-published |
| ewe | 0.2 | County-published |
| ram buck sheep | 0.2 | County-published |
| lamb weaned to 1 year | 0.125 | County-published |
| nanny goat doe | 0.2 | County-published |
| billy goat buck | 0.2 | County-published |
| kid goat weaned to 1 year | 0.1 | County-published |
| mature mutton goat | 0.2 | County-published |
| llama | 0.3333333333 | County-published |
| alpaca | 0.2 | County-published |
| bison | 1 | County-published |
| axis or sika deer | 0.2 | County-published |
| fallow deer | 0.1666666667 | County-published |
| aoudad | 0.2 | County-published |
| red deer | 0.5 | County-published |
| scimitar horned oryx | 0.5 | County-published |
| eland | 1 | County-published |
| emu | 0.3333333333 | County-published |
| ostrich | 0.5 | County-published |
| white tailed deer | 0.1428571429 | County-published |
| blackbuck antelope | 0.1111111111 | County-published |
Wildlife Management Option
Wise County allows wildlife management as a qualifying use. Landowners must implement at least 3 of the seven recognized wildlife management practices defined by Texas Parks and Wildlife. An annual wildlife management plan report is required.
The land must have been qualified and appraised as open-space agricultural land in the year before conversion to wildlife management. Wise CAD requires at least three of seven wildlife-management activities, a written plan, and a yearly annual report; the individual-owner minimum is 14.30 acres.
Required Documents
- Form 50-129, Application for 1-d-1 (Open-Space) Agricultural Use Appraisal
- State wildlife management plan (Texas Parks & Wildlife Form PWD 885-W7000), if applying for wildlife management
- Annual Wildlife Management Plan Update (Texas Parks & Wildlife Form PWD 888-W7000), if applying for wildlife management
- Proof of agricultural/beekeeping history for five of the preceding seven years, such as export, import, or intra-state permits, if applying for beekeeping
Discretionary Caveats
"Variations of the above listed operations and non-typical operations will be handled on a case-by-case basis by the appraisal district."
"Livestock operations in WCAD’s jurisdiction must have a minimum of two animal units of animals."
"Grazing standards are published as ranges: 1 Animal Unit (AU) Per 5-10 Acres of Improved Pasture Land (P1); Per 15-25 Acres of Native Pasture Land (P2)."
"The tract of land being used must be greater than 5.01 acres (unimproved) and must be greater than 6.01 acres with no more than 1.00 acre being occupied by improvements."
Frequently Asked Questions — Wise County
- Wise CAD requires at least 2 animal units for livestock operations. At its published improved-pasture range of 5–10 acres per AU, 2 AUs correspond to 10–20 acres; at the native-pasture range of 15–25 acres per AU, they correspond to 30–50 acres.
- Wise CAD gives this example directly: 20.00 acres require 12 colonies—6 on the first 5.01 acres and 6 additional colonies on the remaining 15.00 acres.
- An individual tract needs at least 14.30 acres and must already have qualified for open-space agricultural appraisal in the prior year. The owner must complete at least 3 of 7 practices, maintain a written plan, and file an annual report each year.
Wise County Appraisal District
- Phone
- 940-627-3081
- Info@wisecad.net
- Address
- 400 E. Business 380 Decatur, TX 76234-3165
- Website
- https://www.wise-cad.com
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