Private landowners who allow the public to hunt or trap on their land may be interested in the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Hunter Access Program. Potential public access cooperators must own 50 or more acres of land and place the project area under agreement for five or more years.
Hunter Access Program cooperators are eligible to receive a free subscription to Pennsylvania Game News, tree seedlings for wildlife, property signage, and enhanced law enforcement protection. Habitat improvements, pheasant stocking, and professional wildlife management assistance may also be available to eligible participants.
Hunter Access Program cooperators are eligible to receive a free subscription to Pennsylvania Game News, tree seedlings for wildlife, property signage, and enhanced law enforcement protection. Habitat improvements, pheasant stocking, and professional wildlife management assistance may also be available to eligible participants.
A new cooperative effort with the US Department of Agriculture is expanding traditional Hunter Access Program incentives. Potential cooperator projects may include non-commercial tree cutting, shrub plantings, native grass and pollinator plantings, and other free habitat improvement projects. Funding for this initiative comes from the Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Improvement Program (VPA-HIP) authorized in the 2014 Farm Bill.
Limited liability protection is provided through the Recreational Use of Land and Water Act that encourages landowners to make their properties available to the public for recreational purposes such as hunting and trapping.
Landowners interested in learning more about the Hunter Access Program can visit the Hunter Access link on the Game Commission website at www.pgc.state.pa.us or contact the PA Game Commission NE Region office at (570) 657-1143.