Written by HLRBO Staff|
Last updated
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is ponying up $52 million to expand public access to private lands through the Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP). Commonly known as "Walk-In Access" programs through state wildlife departments, this program wasn't funded in 2024 despite high demand from hunters hoping to access private parcels for free.
Administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the funding opens the door for state and Tribal wildlife agencies to apply for grants that incentivize landowners to allow public hunting, fishing, and other recreation on private lands. The $52 million allocation is the largest in the program’s history and follows a period of uncertainty, including no funding in 2024, that limited access opportunities nationwide.
VPA-HIP is the only federal program specifically designed to expand public recreational access on private lands. It fits with the Trump "Make America Beautiful Again" initiative priorities in that it's a voluntary conservation program that compensates landowners who enroll their property in state-run access programs. Grants can be used by the states to create new access opportunities or expand existing ones, with a portion of funds eligible for habitat enhancement on already-enrolled acres.
The announcement is significant for sportsmen, landowners, and rural economies alike. Lack of access remains one of the biggest barriers to participation in hunting and fishing, and VPA-HIP helps address that by unlocking private lands while generating economic activity. Because this $52M merely funds state-level grants which have unique implementations, it's unclear if the funding increase will expand total walk-in acreage or simply raise per-acre payouts to keep pace with the market.
For landowners, the renewed funding underscores a growing range of options for monetizing and managing private property. Enrolling in a walk-in access program offers guaranteed payments and state-managed public use, but application periods are often once a year and are limited in number and total payout (state grants are capped at $3 million). One advantage is that, depending on the state, enrollment may open doors to receiving government funding for habitat improvement projects.
Private alternatives—such as leasing land directly to hunters through platforms like HLRBO—offer landowners more control over access, pricing, and land use. These platforms can make it easier for a wider range of properties to generate income, particularly smaller parcels that may not qualify for state programs. In some cases, high-demand properties may also command higher rates than those offered through fixed, state-run compensation structures.
As federal funding stabilizes access programs, landowners are increasingly positioned to choose the model that best fits their operation, whether that means public access through state programs or private leasing in an evolving hunting access marketplace.