<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=34osMq_1EfUpZLb00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=34osMq_1EfUpZLb00" width="1600" height="900" ><figcaption>Idaho Fish and Game receives $1.65 million to grow private land access for hunters and anglers (KMVT)</figcaption></figure>TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — Idaho Fish and Game has received a $1.65 million federal grant to expand its Access Yes program, which allows private landowners to open their land for public hunting and fishing.Ellie Hofer, a regional habitat biologist for Idaho Fish and Game in the Magic Valley, said the grant will help enroll additional landowners and increase payments to those already participating.Hofer said the Magic Valley currently has 39 landowners enrolled in Access Yes. She said some rental rates have been stagnant, and some landowners have left the program due to economic pressure from other hunting access options.“So we’re just trying to keep up with what the current economy is going and raise some of our rental prices for the folks that are already in Access Yes, along with if folks are interested in newly enrolling their land, they can come and talk to us and we can talk about whether we do pricing for Access Yes based on the amount of acres they have in,” Hofer said.Hofer said payment can be based on a per-acre bid. The grant can also fund accessibility improvements, including cattle guards and gates, along with habitat improvement projects.“Making it easier for the public to use their land and do it in a beneficial way, along with doing general habitat improvement projects. So anything that would be good for the wildlife, for rangelands, for other kinds of habitats, we would like to do and help those landowners with and can compensate them for,” Hofer said.A portion of the grant will also support a wildlife viewing project in the Teton Valley, providing improved habitat and viewing opportunities for sandhill cranes and waterfowl.Hofer said the program is important to sportsmen across Idaho, particularly in southern Idaho, where there is a large amount of private land.“We’re keeping our interests from sportsmen and giving them access both to possibly public lands through private or giving them more opportunities on private acres... this money primarily does benefit the sportsmen and women that we have, but it also goes to those landowners and the rural communities they might live in and goes back into the community that way,” Hofer said.<h2>Enrollment and acreage</h2>Hofer said interested landowners can call their regional Idaho Fish and Game office to be connected with a landowner sportsman coordinator and begin an application.The Magic Valley currently has roughly 125,000 acres enrolled in Access Yes, and about 329,000 acres are enrolled statewide, according to Hofer. She said the grant is expected to increase that total, though there is no set acreage goal. Enrollment is competitive, and Hofer said applications typically exceed available funding.<h2>Timeline</h2>Hofer said the grant funding will not go into effect this year, since hunting seasons have already started, but landowners can expect to see its effects beginning next year. Access Yes accepts applications on a rolling basis.Hofer said Idaho Fish and Game’s printed Access Yes guides will soon be available, listing enrolled properties and any landowner restrictions. An online hunt planner is also available to view Access Yes properties and restrictions.“So we always encourage folks to do their due diligence to see if there’s anything that landowners do or don’t want on their land because we like to keep our participation and relationships with landowners really strong,” Hofer said.Hofer said some lease rates have been stagnant for 10 to 15 years, and the grant will allow some enrolled landowners to increase their bid to reflect current conditions. She said the program also competes with private entities interested in leasing property.“So we’re just trying to keep it open to the public as much as we can and try our best to compete with other outside sources,” Hofer said.<h2>Archery season begins</h2>Archery season starts Sunday. Caleb Drake, owner of Advantage Archery, has hunted with a bow for 31 years, since he was 12 years old.“I’ve been bow hunting for 31 years now,” Drake said. “I grew up with my dad doing it, enjoyed it, loved being with him. Of course, me and all my buddies hunted together... it’s just something that’s really deep and close to my heart.”Sophia Porter, a 13-year-old archer, recently won the S3DA Western National Competition in Helena, Montana. Porter is one of the more accomplished youth archers in the state.“I’m focusing on my form and keeping it nice and clean. I’m also going to be messing with my equipment a little bit and microadjusting to make sure it’s as tuned and fit to me as I can possibly get it,” Porter said.Drake said preparation ahead of the season takes time.“You gotta make sure your bow’s ready, you gotta make sure you got your arrows, broadheads... getting the bow ready is probably the most tedious and time-consuming part... on top of that you gotta get your gear ready,” Drake said.</div></body>

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TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — Idaho Fish and Game has received a $1.65 million federal grant to expand its Access Yes program, which allows private landowners to open their land for public hunting and fishing. Ellie Hofer, a regional habitat biologist for Idaho Fish and Game in the Magic...

Federal grant expands Access Yes hunting program

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TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — Idaho Fish and Game has received a $1.65 million federal grant to expand its Access Yes program, which allows private lando

Federal grant expands Access Yes hunting program - NewsBreak

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Federal grant expands Access Yes hunting program

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