We recently bought a place and I was looking into getting registered for MLD in the future. Reading the info, you have to have population data and habitat management activities for the preceding two years.
Does that mean that you can't get on the MLD Conservation program until year 3 (assuming you do the requirements in years 1 and 2)?

I'm going to reach out to the state, but was curious if someone has recently dealt with this.
Thanks

Was the property already enrolled in the MLD program before you purchased it? They should have two previous years of data if so.

The MLD "Harvest option" is an immediate option, if desired.

Yes - I'd recommended starting with the harvest options and moving when you can.

Thanks. I didn't previously do the Harvest 'estimator' until now. We are ~200 acres in Colorado County and the deer density looks to be too low for any real impacts/benefits of being on MLD.

You can contact your local biologist and they can help you get started and what to do. For the Conservation Option you have to have the two year preceding data as you stated. The Harvest Option lets you get started immediately but if your plans would be to go to the Conservation Option in two years, I would highly suggest you request the help of the biologist. He can help you do all the correct things to insure your approval of the Conservation Option when you are ready.
We did the Level 1, (Now similar to the Harvest Optio) for two years....then moved to the level 3 ( Similar to the Conservation Option) for the next 29 years. If you are truly committed to the management goals the Conservation Option will be the most advantage for you long run.

Thanks a bunch. I don't have PM rights.
Do you mind sending me an email? mrmryan1 at gmail

Thanks

Conservation option is fairly easy to achieve and maintain, especially now that they let you do camera counts. My routine maintenance and cameras cover 95% of the paperwork needed.

You should be able to "enroll" this year to start the management side (e.g. brush clearing, habitat enhancement, natural areas, etc.), but talk to your local TWPD biologist.

E-Mail sent.

We did the harvest option for two years....then moved to the Conservation Option for the next 29 years. If you are truly committed to the management goals the Conservation Option will be the most advantage for you long run.

How did you do that? I have been on the MLD program since 1996 , about when they started it. Back then and until just a few years ago, it was lever I,II, and III. It was only recently, maybe the last 6 years or so that they went to Harvest and Conservation Options. That is when they started charging $300 for the latter.

You are correct. I was stating that as guys just starting don't have the history of the original MLD program with Level 1,2,3. The ranch(large acreage) we purchased had just been on level 3 that year. However the ranch was divided into three pastures and when we met the biologist we told him we wanted to continue with the program (Level 3)…. but he said we could not as the acreage we bought had not technically been part of the Level 3 pasture. So we had to reapply and technically start at level 1. I had some credibility being a biologist and had worked with other TPWD biologists before purchasing our own place….so under our biologist shadowing, we did all the required level 3 requirements from the outset and turned in data (required spot light counts and harvest data records) and did the required habitat requirements as level 3 required even though we were technically level 1.
We continued with the " old school" level 3 practices and requirements up until we sold the ranch.
Personally I feel they have laxed the old programs to make it easier on landowners when they changed the programs in 2017. I don't feel accurate spot light count data can be replaced by game cameras for instance….but that's just me.
ETA: In my opinion, the old level 3 requirements will serve for long term better management than the now watered down Conservative Option…again that's just me.

Do you remember when they started the "Scientific Breeder permits in like 1980's sometime? The initial spirit of the program was good and had the potential to be a good thing….but look what bad rabbit hole it went down!

Gunny456 said:

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Do you remember when they started the "Scientific Breeder permits in like 1980's sometime? The initial spirit of the program was good and had the potential to be a good thing….but look what bad rabbit hole it went down!

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No, I wasn't into that so didn't pay attention. I started hunting this land before TPWD was setting county limits and it was still up to the county judge and commissioners. You couldn't kill does and it lead to overpopulation after good browse years and blue tongue contributed to a huge die-off the year after they allowed doe killing. The knee jerk reaction was that the doe season had decimated the population so we couldn't kill does for awhile after that.

You are lucky to have had a biologist who helped you much. After the excellent technician who helped us write the Wildlife Mgmt Plan and get the first MLD property around there, we had a fantastic biologist until he retired around 2000. Since then, haven't had one that has busted a grape.

Many nowadays don't have WFS degrees. When I got out with my degree in WFS it was basically required to get a biologist position. Then many DNR's started hiring more and more straight biology and environmental sciences degrees applicants from colleges that didn't even offer WFS degrees for their technician and biologist positions.
Many are not even hunting enthusiasts now, whereas years back most all were.

I see you are in Colorado county. We have an excellent wildlife management co-op group here that works closely with our county TPWD biologists. The co-op was originally formed to get landowners/lessees to talk to one another and communicate about wildlife management issues (passing younger age class bucks, managing doe population etc.) The Colorado County Wildlife Management Association website is ccwma.org
Membership in the organization can help set you up with the proper MLD program to get doe tags. Let me know if I can help you out in anyway. I can get you in contact with the biologist, etc.

texasaggie_11 said:

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I see you are in Colorado county. We have an excellent wildlife management co-op group here that works closely with our county TPWD biologists. The co-op was originally formed to get landowners/lessees to talk to one another and communicate about wildlife management issues (passing younger age class bucks, managing doe population etc.) The Colorado County Wildlife Management Association website is ccwma.org
Membership in the organization can help set you up with the proper MLD program to get doe tags. Let me know if I can help you out in anyway. I can get you in contact with the biologist, etc.

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Several years back I attended a 2 day workshop in Columbus put on by several groups and was impressed by the cohesiveness of the Colorado county management co-op. The 2nd day everyone went out to a ranch where a few does had been harvested that morning and a vet skinned and dissected one of them, looking for a fetus (twins were present). We tried to put one together later that year but the main property owner in the area, a utility company, wouldn't comply and the plan fell thru.

Sounds great, thanks! Do you mind shooting me an email with your contact info? Email is up above.

E-mail sent.