Where to Hunt

The Oklahoma Land Access Program (OLAP) opens private land statewide for walk-in hunting, fishing, and wildlife viewing, but access now requires a paid Land Access Permit instead of free enrollment.

Arkansas doesn't run a traditional walk-in program the way its Midwest neighbors do. Its closest equivalent, the Waterfowl Rice Incentive Conservation Enhancement (WRICE) program, opens private rice fields and wetland easements near wildlife management areas for weekend waterfowl hunting.

Georgia's Voluntary Public Access (VPA) program has leased more than 7,000 acres of private land across a dozen properties since launching in 2014, opening tracts for dove, deer, turkey, waterfowl, and small game hunting.

Wisconsin's Voluntary Public Access (VPA) program opens about 8,000 acres of private land for hunting, fishing, trapping, and wildlife observation year-round, at no cost beyond a standard Wisconsin hunting license.

The Ohio Landowner/Hunter Access Partnership (OLHAP) has enrolled more than 30,000 acres of private land for public hunting. The partnership is funded through the federal Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program.

The Illinois Recreational Access Program (IRAP) has leased more than 27,000 acres of private land across 52 counties since 2011, opening it to hunters for youth turkey, archery deer, waterfowl, and other seasons.

The Iowa Habitat and Access Program (IHAP) opens more than 32,000 acres of private land to walk-in hunters each year, from September 1 through May 31.

Kansas's Walk-In Hunting Access (WIHA) program opens more than 1 million acres of private land to public hunters each year. This land is available at no added cost beyond a standard Kansas hunting license.

The Annual Public Hunting (APH) Permit is Texas's main walk-in access program. A $48 permit from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) opens more than 1 million acres across over 180 hunting areas.

To view property lines while hunting, use a hunting app that uses cadastral data overlays. With an app like HuntWise, enable the Property Lines layer and turn on GPS. Your location marker will show your exact position relative to the land boundaries in real time.

To find property lines for hunting in New York, pair HuntWise with NYSDEC's hunting maps and your county real property tax office's parcel records. HuntWise overlays parcel boundaries, landowner names, and acreage on satellite imagery, so ownership is clear before you step off a trail.

To find property lines for hunting in Washington, pair HuntWise with WDFW's Hunt Planner and your county assessor's parcel records. HuntWise overlays parcel boundaries, landowner names, and acreage on satellite imagery, so ownership is clear before you step off a trail.