A Private Land Access Program for Illinois

1
A Private Land Access Program for Illinois
Mission Impossible?
2
Long-term Resident Hunting License Sale Trends
3
Reasons for change in hunting participation over
the previous 10 years.
2005-2006 Illinois Hunter Harvest Survey
4
Attitudes Toward Hunting Access to private
lands is the greatest problem facing hunters in
Illinois.
2001-2002 Illinois Hunter Harvest Survey
5
Difficulty encountered in finding a place to hunt
in the specified hunting season.
2007-2008 Illinois Hunter Harvest Survey
6
Review of Private Land Access Programs

• Review previous attempts that have been made to
  develop a private land access program in
  Illinois.
• Review what have other states have done to
  provide hunters access to private land?
• Review of the literature on private land access
  programs

7
What has been done?

• 1985 - Place to Hunt Committee
• 1995 - Access Illinois Program Developed
• 2000 - Adhoc Deer Committee
• 2002 - Rep. Watsons Private Land Access Meetings
• 2008 - Deer Management Task Force

8
Review of State Programs

• Colorado, Small Game Walk-In Access Program
• Idaho, Access yes!
• Kansas, Walk-in Hunting Access Program and Hunter
  Referral Program
• Michigan, Hunting Access Program
• Montana, Block Management
• Nebraska, CRP-Management Access Program
• North Dakota, PLOTS (Private Lands Open to
  Sportsmen)
• Oregon, Access and Habitat Program
• South Dakota, Walk-In Access Program
• Wyoming, Private Lands Public Wildlife Access
  program

9
Private Land Access Program Alternatives

• Hunter Referral Program
• Walk-in Hunting Access Program
• Commercial Land Access Program
• Permanent or Long-Term Private Land Access
  Programs

10
What Have We Learned?

• Access programs west of the Mississippi River
  have been more successful then those east of the
  river
• Liability is the biggest concern of landowners
• Trespass and hunter misconduct are a significant
  concerns of landowners.
• Asking permission for access is important to
  maintaining a positive relationship between
  hunters and landowners
• Landowners that already providing access are the
  ones most likely to sign up for an Access Program

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What Have We Learned?

• Landowners have a desire to maintain exclusive
  use of their property for oneself and/or others
• Rural and urban landscapes require different
  approaches to private land access.
• A cooperative partnership between hunters,
  landowners and the groups that represent them is
  key to developing a successful program.

12
Hunter Referral Programs

• No direct incentives for landowner to provide
  access
• Risk of program serving as a brokerage for
  hunting leases
• Economical to implement
• Lack of success with achieving access goals

13
Walk-In Access Programs

• Annual payment per acre ranged from 0.45 in
  Montana to 8.52 in North Dakota
• Most walk-in programs focus on upland game
• Short-term programs can facilitate leasing by
  establishing a minimum lease price upon which
  hunters out-bid the state
• Programs where the lease payment are provided as
  incentive are very expensive and require
  considerable manpower.
• Permanent access easements are very expensive

14
Large Commercial Land Access Programs

• Large corporations, land trusts, etc. are
  starting to moving away from public leasing to
  allowing commercial interests to manage hunting
• Concerns with how access may impact commercial
  value and income on the property
• Expensive long term contracts are necessary

15
Traditional Landowner Incentives to Provide
Hunters Access

• Reduced Liability
• Cost Sharing for Habitat Management
• Tax Breaks
• Cash
• Free Loan of Equipment
• Federal Farm Program Subsidies
• Free Labor