Michigan is home to one of the nation’s largest and longest-running dedicated private land, public access programs. Since 1977, the Hunting Access Program has allowed hunters to access private land for hunting.

The Department of Natural Resources is accepting applications in the Northern Lower Peninsula from landowners with at least 40 acres containing a minimum of 5% wildlife habitat.

HAP eligible counties in the northern Lower Peninsula include Alcona, Alpena, Antrim, Benzie, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Iosco, Leelanau, Manistee, Mason, Montmorency, Ogemaw, Oscoda, Otsego, Presque Isle and parts of Wexford.

Beginning this year, if you live in Alcona, Alpena, Montmorency or Oscoda, there are additional incentives for enrollment. Contact your local conservation district in those counties to learn what you could earn on your land. Enrollment will remain open through August.

Benefits to the landowner include:
• annual payment based on acres of land enrolled, type of land cover and type of hunting you choose to allow.

• promoting and supporting Michigan’s rich hunting heritage

• better management of wildlife on the property

• liability protection for the landowner through Public Act 451

• control over types of hunting allowed on the property, maximum number of hunters on the property at a time, and the option to allow youth and apprentice hunting exclusively.

“You can help promote wildlife population management, support the local economy, reduce wildlife conflicts, improve your land and get paid to do it,” says DNR Hunting Access Program coordinator Monique Ferris. Wildlife habitat improvement funding is also available for habitat projects if you are enrolled in the program.

There are no extra costs for hunters to use HAP lands, but they are responsible for reviewing information for the land they plan to hunt, checking in before each day of hunting, and respecting the landowners’ private property.

For more information on enrollment, visit michigan.gov/hap.

Source: MDNR