ACCESS YES! I've heard about it, but what is it?

What is Access Yes! and Who Proposed the Concept? Access Yes! Is a proposed program to improve hunting and fishing access on or through private land by compensating willing landowners. The Fish & Game Advisory Committee, a legislatively created group of Idaho citizens, developed the program over the past three years. Gaining access to private lands for hunting and fishing has become more difficult in recent years. Idaho is modeling its program after successful access programs from other states. What Kinds of Compensation could be Available to Landowners Enrolled in Access Yes!? Landowners would receive monetary payments for allowing access. Habitat improvement projects and/or access developments are also being considered as alternative forms of compensation. How Would Private Land be Enrolled in the Program and How Would I Know About Them? Each year landowners would submit bids to Idaho Fish & Game describing what kinds of access they will allow and what compensation they request. A Sportsmen Review Committee, comprised of local hunters and anglers, would recommend to Fish & Game which bids should be accepted. This process will insure that sportsmen are getting the "biggest bang for their buck." After Fish & Game has signed a contract with the willing landowner, the information would be made available to the public on the Internet and in a brochure. Landowners not abiding by the terms of their contract will be required to refund their compensation and not be eligible in future years. It sounds expensive, how would we pay for it? The Fish & Game Advisory Committee recommended offering "Super Tags" through lottery systems to generate between $500,000 - $1,200,000 needed to fund the program. Sportsmen could purchase as many lottery chances as they like, but would be eligible to win no more than 1 tag per species. Unlike an auction system, the person buying the most tickets wouldn't always win. The cost of each lottery ticket would be relatively low and everyone would have a chance to win. A total of 13 elk, 13 deer, 13 antelope, and 5 moose "Super Tags" would be available. Hunters who have already harvested a moose would still be eligible for the moose "Super Tags". The Department is also asking sportsmen about alternative funding sources. Other suggestions include an increase in license fees or a habitat stamp. What Kind of Access are We Talking About? Access to or through private land would be developed for big game, upland game, waterfowl, turkeys, stream or lake/reservoir fishing, and/or a variety of other needs. Each Fish & Game region, with assistance from local hunters and anglers, would develop a list of regional needs. In some regions upland bird or waterfowl hunting may be a priority, in other regions fishing or big game access may take top priority. As a Landowner, Would I Have to Participate? No. Only willing landowners would participate in the program. Each landowner could determine what type and how much access he or she is willing to provide and how much it would cost. Landowners could offer anything from single species hunting by reservation to unlimited access for all types of hunting and fishing. However, landowners would compete for limited funds and bids would be rated on habitat, amount of access, regional needs, and cost. Sounds Good, But Would it Benefit My Area? Access Yes! funds would be distributed annually to each region. Each region would receive an equal portion of the total budget and also an additional portion based on the amount of enrolled private land within the region. A small portion of the funds would be needed for overhead costs such as: signs, brochures, Sportsmen Review Committee expenses, and part time help.