Fish and Game is seeking to enroll new properties in its Access Yes! Program, which improves public access to private land or through private land by compensating willing landowners who provide access.
Fish and Game recently received a $900,000 federal grant through the 2020 Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP), which will help them do just that.
That funding will be split up over the next three years (2020-2022), providing an additional $300,000 annually to the Access Yes! Program for landowner compensation. Fish and Game is currently soliciting applications from interested landowners for enrollment in the program this fall, and is accepting applications through early June.
Why a landowner should consider enrolling
In addition to receiving monetary compensation, there are a number of other benefits for participating landowners.
Through Access Yes!, landowners can specify conditions upon public access that best meet their needs, such as restricting motorized vehicle travel, restricting when the property is publicly accessible, and for which wildlife species they are offering public hunting/trapping or viewing opportunities.
In addition, landowners are covered by the state recreational liability statute, which provides a liability shield to landowners who allow recreational opportunities without charge or have entered into a cooperative lease agreement with the state.
I’m a landowner and interested in Access Yes! — what is the process for applying?
The first step for participating in Access Yes! is contacting the Fish and Game Landowner Sportsman Coordinator in your region.
Your regional Landowner Sportsman Coordinator will be able to provide you with additional information about the program, and will assist you in the next phase of the process, which is completing a bid application.
- Panhandle Region - 208-769-1414
- Clearwater Region - 208-799-5010
- Southwest Region - 208-634-8137
- McCall Subregion - 208-634-8137
- Magic Valley Region - 208-324-4350
- Southeast Region - 208-232-4703
- Upper Snake Region - 208-525-7290
- Salmon Region - 208-756-2271
