FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 16, 2015

Contact: DNR Wildlife Division, 517-284-9453

Hunting Access Program hunters: remember to register at HAP headquarters before hunting

Michigan’s Hunting Access Program has been providing great hunting opportunities in areas with limited access for hunters since 1977. With properties stretching across southern Michigan and a portion of the eastern Upper Peninsula, the program currently allows public hunting on 19,000 acres of privately owned lands.

HAP properties are available each day to hunters on a first-come, first-served basis. Hunters must register at the property headquarters before hunting. Self-service HAP farms have a mailbox designated as the headquarters with registration forms and property information inside.  At mandatory check-In properties, hunters must register directly with the landowner.  

Whether hunting or scouting, it is important to register upon arrival because each property has a maximum number of hunters allowed at any one time. Failure to register is considered trespassing. 

Additionally, participating landowners determine the types of hunting allowed on their land.  Before hunting, make sure to verify the allowed hunt type(s) at the HAP headquarters or on the HAP website.

To determine the types of hunting allowed, view aerial photographs and locate self-service headquarters, check out the Hunting Access Program (HAP) Farm Summary. Here you can find detailed information about each enrolled property. Click on the landowner’s name to generate a descriptive map of the property. Boundary lines, designated parking areas and the headquarters’ location all can be found in the HAP Farm Summary.

Reminder: Enrolled HAP properties are no longer printed in the Public Hunting on Private Lands Digest. Hunters are encouraged to visit mi.gov/hap or contact the DNR Wildlife Division at 517-284-WILD (9453) to stay up to date with the most currently enrolled properties.

To find public hunting land in Michigan, including HAP properties, check out Mi-HUNT. A cutting-edge, web-based mapping application, Mi-HUNT allows users to navigate through a variety of map layers to create their own custom maps or download premade maps to meet their specific hunt-planning needs.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.