Arkansas   

Organization:  Arkansas Game & Fish Commission   

Amount:  $2,100,000 

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission will continue an existing VPA-HIP project: the Waterfowl Rice Incentive Conservation Enhancement Program. This program provides financial incentives to rice producers near select wildlife management areas and national wildlife refuges to increase public waterfowl hunting access on private rice fields and wetland reserve easements while improving wildlife habitat over a total area of 15,000 acres. This program helps retain, recruit, and reactivate hunters and wildlife-related recreationists by expanding the land base available for wildlife dependent recreation while also improving waterfowl habitat quality that has been declining due to changing agricultural practices.

California

Organization:  California Department of Fish & Wildlife    

Amount:  $2,298,365    

This project will enhance and expand the Shared Habitat Alliance for Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) program by 90 landowners, 90,000 acres, and 16,600 new recreational opportunities. Lease agreements will be 1-3 years in length for hunting and five years in length for fishing. SHARE will be enhanced by expanding the targeted wildlife species to attract higher participation rates including waterfowl, big game, upland game birds, and fishing. California Department of Fish & Wildlife plans to leverage existing partnerships and increase outreach to ensure program success.

Colorado    

Organization:  Colorado Department of Natural Resources (Colorado Parks and Wildlife)    

Amount:  $2,000,000

This project expands an existing and successful VPA-HIP project encompassing 170,000 acres. It will use 75% of the funds as incentive payments for long-term hunting access agreements on 87,500 acres, including potentially 10,000 CRP acres. Twenty-five percent of the funds will be used to establish and maintain high-quality wildlife habitat on 1,250 acres of associated agricultural land through long-term incentive agreements.

Georgia    

Organization:  Georgia Department of Natural Resources    

Amount:  $1,500,000    

Georgia Department of Natural Resources plans to add 30,000 acres of public access including 1,000 acres of new public access on WRP land in Georgia. This project will provide $60,000 annually to incentivize wildlife habitat improvements on VPA-HIP enrolled land. Quail Forever will provide technical assistance to landowners. Funds will be used to provide special access opportunities for youth and mobility impaired hunters on privately-owned agriculture and forest land. 

Idaho    

Organization:  Idaho Department of Fish Game    

Amount:  $1,657,500    

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game will use VPA-HIP funds to continue to enroll landowners and acreage into their Access Yes! hunting and angling program. They plan to meet an overall target of 155,000 acres involving 45 landowner agreements for a period of 1 to 3 years. Additionally, they plan to increase their incentive payments modestly to account for current market conditions. 

Several of these enrolled areas, which are open to a wide variety of hunting and angling opportunities for big game, upland game birds, waterfowl and game fish species, consist of tracts currently enrolled in CRP, CREP, and SAFE provisions of USDA conservation program offerings as well as working rangelands and forestland. All areas provide suitable habitat for wildlife.

Another component of the program targets sites in the Teton Valley where Sandhill crane and waterfowl viewing by the public is a popular activity. These areas would consist of managed standing grain or stubble suitable for use by Sandhill cranes and waterfowl and in proximity to wetlands, including some tracts where a Wetland Reserve Easement (WRE) is in place. The goal for enrollment is a total of 50 acres with five or more producers.

Illinois    

Organization:  Illinois Department of Natural Resources     

Amount:  $3,000,000    

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) will continue utilization and growth of the Illinois Recreational Access Program (IDNR/IRAP). Initiated in 2011, IDNR utilized VPA-HIP funding to establish the IDNR/IRAP for the creation and enhancement of public access for wildlife-dependent hunting and fishing recreation. For over 16 years, IDNR/IRAP has continuously partnered with owners and producers of privately held farms and rural land to collaboratively create public access opportunities and to create, maintain, and enhance essential wildlife habitat. This VPA-HIP project will both continue and expand the public access and habitat benefits of the established IDNR Illinois Recreational Access Program. 

For this VPA-HIP funding period, IDNR/IRAP will utilize VPA-HIP funding and supplement with State of Illinois funding to increase the number of landowner leases allowing access (199 to 221); increase the number of public participants utilizing access (1,100 to 1,200); increase the number of habitat management acres (25,534 to 35,534); improve habitat quality for access opportunities on 10,000 acres; and increase the number of accessible counties (51 to 53).

Indiana    

Organization:  Indiana Department of Natural Resources    

Amount:  $3,000,000    

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources will use VPA-HIP funds to expand an existing program, the “Indiana Private Lands Access Program,” which targets hunting opportunities for game
birds, waterfowl, turkey, deer, and small game across the state. The program in Indiana was initiated in 2018 and further developed in 2020 under a previous VPA-HIP award. To date, the program has enrolled over 32,000 acres with 46 landowners participating. 

The target for this expanded opportunity is 62,451 acres and over 175 landowners. Where appropriate, a portion of the funds will also be used to improve habitat for wildlife and the applied conservation practices will meet NRCS standards. There is also a target of 475,200 feet of streambank within 30 contracts to provide fishing access to anglers. Additionally, the program will develop 10 sites with conservation cooperators across the state to provide public access for wildlife viewing. These areas may need developments such as boardwalks and viewing platforms to make them easily accessible. Overall, the goal is to have 20% of all enrolled lands be tracts within the Wetland Reserve Easements and the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program.

Iowa    

Organization:  Iowa Department of Natural Resources   

Amount:  $3,000,000    

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will utilize this grant to expand the Iowa Habitat and Access Program (IHAP) by enrolling an additional 15,000 acres, achieving a total of 36,000 acres on approximately 280 sites statewide. This program is available to landowners across the state to maximize participation and provides financial incentives and expert technical assistance to develop and implement comprehensive wildlife habitat management plans. In exchange, participating landowners sign multi-year agreements for walking public hunting access to their properties for a duration of 3 to 10 years. Grant funds will also be used for posting signs around enrolled properties, making the locations of enrolled lands available to the hunting public, and for evaluating program success. 

Michigan    

Organization:  Michigan Department of Natural Resources    

Amount:  $3,000,000    

This project is focused on expanding public access to private lands, enrolling 20,000 additional acres and enhancing 500 acres of wildlife habitat. It will improve outdoor learning through partnerships that add accessible infrastructure and educational programming. A new statewide digital reservation system and expanded outreach will strengthen the Hunting Access Program. 

Grant funds will allow the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to provide:

• 20,000 acres of new public access.
• 500 acres of enhanced grassland, wetland, and food‑plot habitat.
• New or enhanced accessible outdoor features (kiosks, signage, trails, viewing platforms).
• An electronic reservation and digital check‑in system.
• Expanded landowner participation and strengthened partnerships.

Minnesota    

Organization:  Minnesota Department of Natural Resources   

Amount:  $2,100,003    

Minnesota’s Walk-In Access Program (WIA) provides hunting and related recreational opportunities in areas of the state where public access is limited. Most of this area lies along the western and southwestern part of the state. Through the WIA Program, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) enrolls private land with wildlife habitat making it available for anyone who purchases a WIA Validation to hunt, birdwatch, and photograph on these lands. 

Since the program started, it has seen significant growth from 9,100 acres in 2011 to over 30,600 acres in 2025. The number of people using the program has also increased from 9,600 in 2013, when the validation requirement started, to approximately 33,500 in 2025. In 2026, the DNR made a reduction in the program by 8,000 acres to maintain the program within state budgets. The DNR anticipates that with additional VPA-HIP funds the program will return to 30,000 or more acres.

Missouri    

Organization:  Missouri Department of Conservation    

Amount:  $3,000,000    

The Missouri Department of Conservation will expand the Missouri Outdoor Recreational Access Program (MRAP) using VPA‑HIP funds to increase public access to private lands for hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing, and other outdoor recreation. The project aims to enroll 22,000 acres statewide and improve at least 6,000 acres of wildlife habitat through financial assistance and habitat implementation support. 

MRAP offers multiple access types, giving landowners flexibility while prioritizing properties with high‑quality habitat, grasslands, and locations within key conservation geographies. The project emphasizes enhancing wildlife populations, supporting rural economies, and providing diverse recreational opportunities for the public.

Montana    

Organization:  Montana Department Fish Wildlife & Parks     

Amount:  $2,752,965    

Montana has one of the highest per capita populations of resident hunters and anglers in the nation, but national trends show fewer people connected with wildlife and the outdoors. The average age of Montana hunters is steadily increasing and recruiting and retaining hunters is largely contingent on providing access to quality wildlife habitat. Montana is also a top destination for non-resident game bird hunters. This annual increase of hunters into small rural communities brings critical revenue that is vital to the local economy. 

To maintain and enhance the state’s outdoor experiences, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP), will use VPA-HIP to expand the Open Fields for Game Bird Hunters opportunity on lands enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). It will also target landowners enrolled in WRP/WRE, in the Montana Grasslands and Wildlife Corridors RCPP, or other high-quality habitat not enrolled in any other program for access to at least 28,600 acres. Open Fields provides walk-in game bird hunting access on acres enrolled in USDA conservation programs and other high- quality game bird habitats. 

Originally launched through Montana’s first VPA-HIP grant in 2012, with a focus on lands enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), the annual Open Fields enrollment periods have become highly anticipated and widely popular with both landowners and hunters alike.

Nebraska    

Organization:  Nebraska Game & Parks Commission    

Amount:  $1,800,000    

VPA-HIP funding for Nebraska will be used to maintain and expand current efforts by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission to increase public access to private lands for hunting, trapping, and fishing through the well-established Open Fields and Waters program or to expand the Managed Public Access Program.

North Dakota    

Organization:  North Dakota Department of Game & Fish     

Amount:  $3,000,000    

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department will use VPA-HIP funds to supplement and expand the Private Land Open to Sportsmen program (PLOTS) that provides walk-in hunting access statewide. The goal is to enroll 15,000 to 20,000 more acres into the PLOTS program to bring the total enrollment to over 1,000,000 acres.

All lands enrolled will consist of tracts entered into CRP, EWP, or WRE programs through USDA. Priority will be given to lands that provide upland bird, waterfowl and big game hunting. A one-time, up-front incentive payment will be made to the landowner for each year their property is in the PLOTS program, usually the years remaining in their USDA contract.

Ohio    

Organization:  Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife    

Amount:  $3,000,000    

The Ohio Division of Wildlife will expand and strengthen the Ohio Landowner Hunter Access Partnership, a statewide initiative that provides controlled public hunting access on private lands through an efficient online reservation and permitting system. The project will add 25 landowners to the program and increase the number of acres available for public access by 25% or 7,800 acres. Federal funds will support landowner incentive agreements, habitat improvement activities, direct mailings to landowners, signage and technical assistance. Outreach efforts will prioritize WRE/CREP landowners and high-demand regions to maximize ecological and recreational benefits.

Oregon    

Organization:  Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife    

Amount:  $3,000,000    

Oregon will restart and expand the Oregon Open Fields program, which previously operated successfully under federal support but ended when funding expired. The funding uncertainty contributed to the loss of approximately 280,000 acres of public access on private lands. Renewed VPA‑HIP funding will reestablish this vital access program, rebuild landowner partnerships, and expand public hunting and recreational opportunities across private farm, ranch, and forest lands. 

Using VPA‑HIP funding, the project will secure approximately 250,000 to 300,000 acres of public hunting access through agreements with an estimated 20 to 30 private landowners, including farm, ranch, and large private forest holdings, as well as any willing WRP/WRE landowners identified through NRCS coordination.

Pennsylvania    

Organization:  Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission    

Amount:  $2,797,720    

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission will create and enhance public access for fishing and boating, as well as other types of outdoor recreation, by offering financial incentives to owners of privately held lands to make their lands available to the public.

Virginia    

Organization:  Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources    

Amount:  $2,893,046    

This project will continue an existing program that covers 4,000 acres of elk habitat. The project will add access to 1,500 additional acres for elk viewing, hunting and outdoor recreation opportunities in southwestern Virginia. It will restore wildlife habitat on 520 acres, including reclaimed mine lands. 

Each year over 1,000 individuals participate in elk tours, coming from across the country and internationally. The project will include updating a livestream web camera, a lottery system for five elk hunting tags per year, and a sixth tag raffled off with funding from the raffle going towards habitat restoration and public access work in the Elk Management Zone.

Wisconsin    

Organization:  Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources    

Amount:  $3,000,000    

This project with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources continues work providing the public with opportunities for hunting, fishing, trapping, and wildlife observation on private working lands. They plan to continue and expand on the highly successful program by providing access to at least 36,000 acres, including 4,500 new acres. 

They plan to engage Conservation Reserve Enhancement program and Wetland Reserve Easement cooperators throughout the duration of the grant. VPA–HIP funds will be used to retain existing landowners and recruit new landowners by increasing lease rates and investing in habitat improvement projects on approximately 900 acres. Enrollment in the program is statewide with a focal area in the southern two-thirds of Wisconsin, where public access is more limited.