If you own a large amount of land in Michigan, you can get paid by the state to let hunters use it. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources Hunting Access Program allows the DNR to pay up to $25 per acre to property owners who participate. The DNR’s Mike Parker tells WSJM News to enroll, landowners should have at least 40 acres of land with some wildlife habitat.
“The goal of the program is to provide hunting opportunities in areas with limited current state land,” Parker said. “In Michigan, we’re blessed to have about four million acres of state land, but most of that’s in the north, whereas most of our residents and hunters live in southern Michigan.”
Property owners throughout the entire Lower Peninsula are eligible to sign up for the Hunting Access Program. Parker says how much they’re paid depends on the type of land they have. For example, forests with a lot of wildlife will generate more income than farmland. The DNR also lets the property owners decide what kind of hunting is allowed on their land. The Hunting Access Program has been around since 1977, and about 150 landowners take part. Enrollment is open now, and you can find out more right here.
