MLD Permits

[bjstockard]

Does anyone know anything about MLD permits?

-What does it take to get a Level 3 MLD permit?

-Do you lose your agricultural tax exemption if you switch to a Wildlife Exemption?

-How much does the permit cost?

-How much land management needs to be done each year to keep your exemption?

-What happens if you fail to complete your annual land management program?

Any additional info would greatly be appreciated.

[Aggiebush]

You have to apply for them through TPWD, there is a ton of info about them on their website.
To get level 3, you have to have I think 2 years of harvest data and game surveys and be on at least MLD 1 first.
Not positive, but I believe that you will loose your ag when you get wildlofe exemption.
MLD permits are free, the state does not charge for the program. It is a lot of work, though.
You must complete 4 managment practices each year from an approved list.
You could lose your MLD status.
Again, go to the TPWD website, it will cover all questions that you may have.

[Peyton]

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publicat...ailed_deer.pdf


MANAGED LANDS DEER PERMITS
WHITE-TAILED DEER
PROGRAM INFORMATION
2009-2010
General Information

• The Managed Lands Deer Permit (MLDP) program allows landowners involved in a
formal management program to have the state’s most flexible seasons and increased
harvest opportunities. The program is incentive based and habitat focused.
• Participation in the MLDP program requires a written Wildlife Management Plan (WMP)
approved by a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Biologist or Technician. A
TPWD Biologist or Technician, a landowner, or a landowner’s designated agent may
prepare the WMP. A WMP prepared by a landowner or an agent must be in a format
approved by TPWD and submitted to TPWD for approval. Permits will not be issued
unless the WMP has been approved.
• There are 3 levels of MLDPs (Level 1, 2, and 3). Higher levels offer additional harvest
flexibility to the landowner, but also have more stringent requirements.
• There is no fee or written application, other than the WMP, for the MLDP program.
Landowners and/or their designated agents should contact their local TPWD Wildlife
Biologist or Technician to request permits.
• New applicants who submit all required information to the local TPWD
Biologist/Technician by August 15 will have their request approved/denied before the
season opens. Permit requests received after August 15 will be processed as time
allows.
• Permits are issued by the TPWD Biologist/Technician, through the Texas Wildlife
Information and Management System (TWIMS). Permits will be mailed out of Austin
after a TPWD biologist enters or modifies a harvest recommendation in the database.
Therefore, proper planning is required for one to receive permits by the time they are
needed.
• Permits are valid only for the specific property for which they were issued.
• An approved WMP will include an annually updated harvest recommendation for does
and/or bucks, dependent upon the level of participation. The annual harvest
recommendation will determine the number of permits to be issued and will establish
the maximum harvest for the property. If permits are issued after the beginning of deer
season, all deer harvested prior to permit issuance, regardless of permit level, must be
counted toward the maximum quota. Subsequent survey data may indicate a need to
amend the harvest recommendation, which could result in a supplemental issuance of
MLDPs.
• Each permit level requires current year deer population data. If the fall survey has not
been completed, but the WMP is otherwise complete and approved, up to 30% of the
anticipated number of permits may be issued before the surveys are completed. The
balance of the permits will be issued after the required survey data have been submitted
and reviewed.

• Once permits are issued, all deer harvested (with the exception of buck deer on Level 1
properties) on that property must be tagged with the appropriate MLDP. Completion of
the hunting license log and use of a hunting license tag are not required for deer
harvested under the authority of an MLDP.
• All deer harvested under the authority of an MLDP must be tagged with an MLDP
immediately by the person who killed the deer, or the person who killed the deer shall
immediately take the carcass by the most direct route to a tagging station (location
where permits are maintained on the permitted property) where an appropriate MLDP
shall be attached.
• A properly executed MLD Permit meets “proof-of-sex” requirements.
• A landowner/agent who receives MLDPs prior to the beginning of hunting season and
subsequently decides not to participate in the program must return all permits prior to
the opening day of the archery season. After hunting season begins, landowners are
required to comply with all provisions of their approved Wildlife Management Plan.
• Providing reliable harvest data, including accurate ages as determined by tooth wear
and replacement, is a requirement for program participation. A suggestion for untrained
individuals is to remove and label one jawbone from every deer harvested for a wildlife
biologist to age at a later date. Jawbones must be labeled in such a way that the
biologist can identify the deer on the data sheet (e.g., Deer #1). For more information
on the deer-aging technique, please visit:

https://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_bk_w7000_0755.pdf

• A one-year suspension may be imposed for properties on which the harvest quota in a
Wildlife Management Plan (WMP) is exceeded. A three-year suspension may be
imposed for properties that otherwise are not in compliance with the WMP. Failure to
submit harvest data by April 1, 2010 will result in delayed permit issuance next year
and will jeopardize continued participation in the MLDP program.

Level 1 Managed Lands Deer Permits
Level 1 MLDPs offer liberalized antlerless harvest opportunity for landowners in
counties with restrictive antlerless harvest regulations. Most requests for Level 1
MLDPs are in areas where county regulations restrict antlerless harvest during all or
part of the general season. No buck permits are issued under Level 1.
Level 1 MLDP Benefits:
• Completion of the hunting license log and use of a hunting license tag are not required
on antlerless deer harvested under the authority of this permit; therefore, county and
statewide antlerless bag limits do not apply to individual hunters. Since bucks are not
included under Level 1, all bucks harvested on the property must be tagged with an
appropriate hunting license tag and recorded on the hunting license log.
• Allows the harvest of antlerless deer as outlined in the WMP during any open season in
the county, subject to applicable season legal means and methods.
Level 1 MLDP Requirements:
• The approved WMP must include current deer population data.
• Once MLDPs have been issued, all antlerless deer harvested must be tagged with only
a Level 1 MLDP, including deer taken during an archery-only season, muzzleloaderonly
season, or special youth-only season (no MLDP is required for deer taken on the
property under the authority of an Antlerless and Spike Deer Control Permit).
• If there are doe-days in the county, MLDPs must be used during doe-days on properties
where they have been issued.
• Level 1 MLDP cooperators are required to conduct sound deer population management
through the harvest of an appropriate number of antlerless deer, and report the number
of bucks and does harvested while enrolled in the MLDP program.

Level 2 Managed Lands Deer Permits
Level 2 MLDPs offer additional harvest flexibility for landowners, but require active
habitat and population management and apply only to white-tailed deer.
Level 2 MLDP Benefits:
• Completion of the hunting license log and use of a hunting license tag are not required
on a deer harvested under the authority of this permit; therefore, county and statewide
bag limits do not apply to individual hunters.
• Allows harvest of antlerless deer and spikes (a buck deer with no antler having a fork or
branching point) with any lawful means, including modern firearms, from October 3,
2009 through February 28, 2010.
• Allows harvest of any buck deer:
o with archery equipment from October 3, 2009 through February 28, 2010;
o with any lawful means by a youth hunter during the early Youth-Only Season
(Oct. 31-Nov. 1);
o with any lawful means from November 7, 2009 through February 28, 2010.
• Once permits have been issued, archery stamp requirements do not apply.
Level 2 MLDP Requirements:
• The approved WMP must include deer population data from the current year and the
preceding year, complete deer harvest data (including age, weight, and antler data)
from the preceding year, and must identify at least 2 recommended habitat
management practices that are being conducted or will be conducted on the property.
• Once permits have been issued, every deer (buck and antlerless) harvested on the
property must be tagged with an appropriate Level 2 MLDP (no MLDP is required for
deer taken on the property under the authority of an Antlerless and Spike Deer Control
Permit).
• The landowner must accomplish at least 2 habitat management practices specified in
the WMP within three years of initial permit issuance. The habitat management
practices and harvest management must maintain the habitat in a stable or improving
condition. On-site evaluations will be conducted by TPWD to assess progress.

Level 3 Managed Lands Deer Permits
Level 3 MLDPs offer maximum harvest flexibility for landowners, but require active
habitat and population management and apply only to white-tailed deer.
Level 3 MLDP Benefits:
• Completion of the hunting license log and use of a hunting license tag are not required
on deer harvested under the authority of this permit; therefore, county and statewide
bag limits do not apply to individual hunters.
• Allows harvest of antlerless and any buck deer with any lawful means from October 3,
2009 through February 28, 2010.
• Once permits have been issued, archery stamp requirements do not apply.
Level 3 MLDP Requirements:
• The approved WMP must include deer population data from the current year and the
preceding 2 years, complete deer harvest data (including age, weight, and antler data)
from the 2 preceding years, and must identify at least 4 recommended habitat
management practices that are being conducted or will be conducted on the property.
• Once permits have been issued, every deer (buck and antlerless) harvested on the
property must be tagged with an appropriate Level 3 MLDP (no MLDP is required for
deer taken on the property under the authority of an Antlerless and Spike Deer Control
Permit).
• The landowner must accomplish at least 4 habitat management practices specified in
the WMP within three years of initial permit issuance. The habitat management
practices and harvest management must maintain the habitat in an acceptable or
improving condition. On-site evaluations will be conducted by TPWD to assess
progress.
For Additional Information
For additional information on Wildlife Management Plans and/or Managed Lands Deer
Permits please contact the nearest TPWD Wildlife Biologist or Technician through the
following web page:

https://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/landwater/land/habitats

[eljefe]

thanks for info

[Lowe]

We are currently on Level II and will be going to Level III next year. It is alot of work to fulfill the requirements of the program but worth it IMO. Like the others have said, look at their website or contact the Wildlife Biologist in your region.

[smokin feathers]

Weve been on level 3 for 7 years, once you start doing it and get the hang of it, its easy. Just have to take your minimums and do your management. we have food plots,protein, timber management and I do our under story prescribed burns. I wouldnt hunt on a Etx lease thats not on mld.

[Encinal]

Ugg this reminds me that I need to get my data in... not looking forward to compiling it...

[Peyton]

Ugg this reminds me that I need to get my data in... not looking forward to compiling it...

With the new TWIMS site it's not that bad

[Chance Love]

Is it due by April? I gotta get all of mine together also. One of these days I'll learn to always keep the log sheets in the truck, so I don't write all the info on every other piece of paper I can find...

[Mike Murphey]

Yes, paper work is supposed to in the hands of TPW by April 1st.....

[mhbaseball]

A biologist told me its not really worth it unless you have a big place...hundreds or thousands of acres. I own less then 200 and its just not worth it to me. My uncle does have the wildlife exemption tho and I believe its about the same as an ag exemption like we have for cows/hay. I only used my Level 1 for doe tags.

[Death from Above]

A biologist told me its not really worth it unless you have a big place...hundreds or thousands of acres. I own less then 200 and its just not worth it to me. My uncle does have the wildlife exemption tho and I believe its about the same as an ag exemption like we have for cows/hay. I only used my Level 1 for doe tags.

It really depends on your goals. If the goal is to have a healthy and balanced (age) deer herd then it is well worth the effort. OUr place is just 1250 acres that gets hunted, but the land around that benefits from it is probably close to 4000.

[LWolken]

We changed our exemption from ag to wildlife this year. The tax rate is the same atleast in Grimes co. Do any of you MLD guys have issues with any protected species on your property? Curious how the state approaches this?

Lance

[Bear82]

I hunt on MLD and they dont enforce much. Entire ranch covered in cedar, no brush management. Really hurting our forage. There is hardly any grass left after they overloadded the place with cattle. We never hear feed back from the biologist or rancher on what we shot. They just give us permits. Dont see many other feeding as much as my group does.

[Bodey]

The MLD permit has nothing to do with your ag exemption for taxes. You can still run cattle or farm, but you may also get a wildlife tax exemption if you don't want to farm or ranch.