West Texas Wildlife Management

West Texas Vegetation

The area of West Texas known as the Trans Pecos wildlife district is the only area of Texas where mountain and desert habitats are both found. The Edwards Plateau ecological area meets the Trans Pecos, Mountains and Basins area in Pecos and Terrell Counties. Another convergence of ecological areas happens on the north end of the Trans Pecos in Winkler, Ector, and Midland counties where the High Plains ecological area also meets the Trans Pecos, Mountains and Basin. These unique combinations contribute to the tremendous vegetation diversity in the region, which includes 268 grass species and 447 species of woody plants.

The district encompasses nearly 24 million acres where a variety of habitat types can be found.

Desert grasslands

Davis Mountains

These are the prairies found mostly in the central portion of the Trans Pecos

Mountain ranges

mountain habitat

Characterized by higher rainfall and juniper, scrub oak, pinyon pine, and live oak.

Desert shrub

desert scrub

Characterized by creosote flats, yucca, and cholla.