South Dakota Walk-In Area Program (WIA) (WIA)

GFP's Walk-In Area program pays South Dakota landowners an annual per-acre payment, plus liability protection, for opening private land to unlimited foot-traffic public hunting through all hunting seasons. Payments are higher for undisturbed habitat (CRP, wetlands, woody cover, grassland), and multi-year contracts can earn an upfront signing bonus. Over 1,400 landowners enroll more than 1.2 million acres.

• Private land with valuable hunting opportunity; guide: 'Enrolled land is open to public hunting access for the duration of all hunting seasons and is limited to foot-traffic only.'

• Restrictions possible (e.g., not open until Nov 1 at 50% payment; no hunting in unharvested crops).

Annual payment each February; liability protection under SDCL 20-9-12 through 20-9-18; signing bonus repaid if cancelled early.

Published amounts: Guide p.16: Eastern SD + Lyman, Gregory & Tripp: '$1/acre - base access annual payment' and '+$9/acre - habitat bonus annual payment for undisturbed habitat'; Western SD: 'Most WIAs annual payments range from $0.60 – 1.50/acre'. Signing bonus for multi-year contracts: 'Up to $5/ac/year' (Butte, Meade, Lawrence, Pennington, Jackson, Custer, Fall River, Oglala Lakota, Bennett) or 'Up to $10/ac./year for undisturbed habitat in rest of the state'; 'Must be paid back in full if contract is cancelled early'.

Contact GFP landowner-program staff in your area (LandownerProgram.pdf offices / Private Lands Habitat and Access Biologists).

Deadline text on the page: Guide p.16: 'Annual Payment is issued in February following fall hunting season.'