The Access Issue

Lack of access continues to be one of the primary challenges faced by today's hunters. For many state wildlife agencies, expanding public hunting access on private lands represents the most cost-effective approach to address this issue. Public access programs that incentivize private landowners to allow access have been very successful across the country, but several key barriers continue to limit their expansion.

Fortunately, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever (PF & QF) are uniquely positioned to help overcome these challenges and increase access to quality habitat on privately-owned lands – a strategy explicitly articulated in PF & QF's National Strategic Plan (2024-26).

Our Strategy: Public Access to Habitat

Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever created the "Public Access to Habitat" (PATH) initiative in 2023. The program was modeled after the Aberdeen Pheasant Coalition, a highly successful public access initiative in Aberdeen, South Dakota — as well as the organization's past experience delivering "walk-in" access programs. The PATH initiative strives to provide focus, structure, advocacy, added capacity and increased funding to ensure the uplands are open to everyone.

Program Goals

• Create Public Access: Open public access to 1.28 million acres of privately-owned upland wildlife habitat and 75,000 acres of "land-locked" public land by 2026.
• Reduce Barriers: Work cooperatively with partners to elevate existing public access programs or create new access initiatives.
• Maintain Quality Habitat: Enroll high-quality upland habitat and work to improve habitat on enrolled properties.
• Bolster Rural Economies: Directly impact local economies and rural communities by supporting landowners, local restaurants, gas stations, hotels and tourism.

Path Strategies

• Technical Assistance: Provide technical assistance to private landowners while delivering a variety of incentive-based, conservation programs including private lands access programs.
• Advocacy: Voice support for key habitat and access-related programs in the USDA Farm Bill, as well as other federal and stateside legislation that address hunter access issues.
• Communication/Outreach: "Tell the story" of how our access efforts benefit private landowners, hunters and rural communities.
• Incentive-Based Programs: Offer financial incentivizes to private landowners to enroll in "walk-in" access programs, focusing efforts within high-priority geographies.
• Increased Programmatic Support: Develop new and innovative partnerships to leverage state and federal funding sources to increase programmatic support for "walk-in" programs and other access initiatives.
• Partnership Positions: Hire and support partnership positions that add capacity to deliver private lands access programs.
• Long-Term Access Easements: Pursue and hold long-term easements that secure hunting access to private lands or access routes to land-locked public lands.

How to Enroll

Landowners interested in enrolling or learning more about PATH (payment rates, eligibility criteria, etc.) are encouraged to visit their respective state's PATH webpage. Currently, PF & QF has active PATH initiatives in Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

For more information about the PATH Program, please contact PF & QF's PATH Program Manager, John Laux at jlaux@pheasantsforever.org.

Want More Places to Hunt? Support PATH Today!

We are seeking funding support from local PF & QF chapters, donors, external grants, foundations, and corporate partners to support this new and innovative program. PATH provides hunters and other public land enthusiasts the opportunity to support what they love — more public hunting access across America's pheasant, quail and prairie grouse range! Your gift will be matched with programmatic funding support from onX's Adventure Forever Program and other funding contributions from local PF & QF chapters, donors, grants, and corporate partners to maximize your impact.