A Michigan Public Hunting Access Initiative
Hunting in Michigan has an annual economic impact of $1.6B and supports over 11,000 jobs throughout the state. Unfortunately, hunter numbers are declining, with lack of access widely acknowledged as a primary barrier to participation. Although state and federal land constitutes 22% of Michigan's land-base, the vast majority of these public lands consist of forested habitat and occur in the Upper Peninsula. Most of the state's remaining grassland habitat (and associated pheasant hunting opportunities) occurs on private lands in southern Michigan. Recognizing these challenges, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MI DNR) developed the Hunting Access Program (HAP), a voluntary program that provides financial incentives to private landowners willing to allow public, walk-in access for hunting. Despite being one of the longest-standing access programs in the country (est. 1977), HAP enrollment has remained steady in recent years at ~20,000 acres. Unfortunately, HAP program expansion has been limited by inconsistent funding and staff capacity.
To help overcome these challenges, PF & QF developed the Michigan Public Access to Habitat (PATH) Initiative, which aims to accelerate public hunting opportunities within the state's core pheasant range. Through PATH, eligible landowners are offered a bonus of $10/acre in addition to the annual HAP payment rate, for a total of up to $40 per acre. In partnership with MI DNR, Michigan PATH will open public hunting access to 2,000+ new acres of high-quality grassland habitat on private lands in southern Michigan.
Primary Objectives
- Over the next 2 years, secure public access to 2,000+ acres of prime upland bird habitat on private lands through HAP (2-year agreements) to increase public hunting opportunities in southern Michigan
- Increase hunter awareness and public support of HAP and PATH
- Engage stakeholders and communities to reinforce the connection between hunting, public land, and the rural economy
- Potential to add staff capacity to help coordinate the delivery of HAP and the Michigan PATH Initiative
How it Works
Creating communities committed to conservation.
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for Michigan PATH incentives, private landowners must:
- Own or manage land within an eligible county in the Lower Peninsula (see map),
- Have 20 or more acres of high-quality grassland habitat, such as CRP, CREP, wetland easements, etc.
- Enroll their land in a 2-year HAP lease, allowing public, walk-in hunting for upland birds and other small game
* Michigan PATH incentives are only offered on new HAP enrollments (re-enrollments are not eligible at this time) and are applied to the total acreage on qualifying properties (not just the grassland acres).
How to Enroll
To enroll or learn more about Pheasants Forever's Michigan PATH Initiative, private landowners are encouraged to contact their local County Conservation District office or PF's Michigan state coordinator Ben Beaman at BBeaman@pheasantsforever.org.
Program FAQ's
Yes, to qualify for Michigan PATH, landowners must enroll their land in a 2-year HAP lease.
The Michigan DNR bases annual HAP payment rates based on the enrolled acreage, landcover type, and hunting options. HAP offers flexible options for hunting types allowed, and the number of hunters allowed on the property at one time.
The be eligible for PATH requires a standard, 2-year HAP lease.
No, only new HAP enrollments are eligible for the additional PATH incentive.
Yes, there are a variety of conservation programs available through the USDA Farm Bill that provide financial assistance to private landowners interested in creating or improving wildlife habitat on their land.
Want More Places to Hunt? Support PATH today!
The PATH vision is to increase public pheasant hunting opportunities on Michigan's private lands. Our new fundraising goal of $117,000 will help secure public hunting access to 2,000+ acres of high-quality upland bird habitat over the next two years. In partnership with Michigan DNR, PF & QF intends to grow Michigan PATH in future years to accelerate HAP enrollment and expand public pheasant hunting opportunities. Your contribution will be matched with programmatic support from onX Hunt and leveraged with other funding sources to maximize your impact. Michigan PATH provides a unique opportunity for hunters, PF & QF chapters, donors, local communities, and other partners to directly support the expansion of public hunting opportunities in Michigan.