Saturday at National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever were joined by national sponsor onX Hunt to announce the expansion of its Public Access to Habitat (PATH) program to a national scale. Piloted in South Dakota and Nebraska over the past year, the program established65,000+ acres of access to private lands featuring quality habitat and increased hunting opportunity for upland birds, waterfowl, and big game species.
In South Dakota and Nebraska, The PATH program provides a financial incentive for ranchers, farmers and landowners to voluntarily enroll high-quality CRP, rangeland, shelterbelts, wetlands and other habitat types into a multiyear (variable per state), walk-in hunting agreement. Landowners are compensated with a sign-up incentive directly from Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever. At its core, the program supports a very simple equation: More Habitat & Access = More Hunters = More Dollars for Local Economies. The PATH program can also be tailored in various ways to address specific access barriers – willing landowners, funding, or staff capacity – in states throughout the pheasant and quail ranges.
“Our track record for year one of the PATH program was nothing short of incredible,” said John Laux, habitat protection programs manager for PF & QF. “The feedback we received from landowners, hunters, and local businesses was a proof statement supporting our expansion for the future. Thank you to onX Hunt, local chapters, state agencies, and other partners who have invested in their communities through the PATH program. We are currently discussing the expansion of PATH with partners in other core pheasant and quail states, and funding is now available for expanding access opportunities thanks to our tremendous partners at onX Hunt.”
“The PATH program is built to scale, expanding opportunities for hunters to access quality habitat across the country. The success in South Dakota and Nebraska has proven its effectiveness, reinforcing the power of strategic access initiatives. Since our founding in 2009 , onX has been committed to unlocking more opportunities for hunters, and PATH stands out as one of the most impactful ways to do so,” said Ben Brettingen, Hunt Marketing Manager at onX. “We’re proud to support this expansion and continue working alongside Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever to open more land for hunters nationwide.”
Access to quality wildlife habitat isn’t simply a byproduct of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever – it is part of who we are and a driving force behind our mission work. PF & QF’s leadership team acknowledged this fact in 2018 with the addition of “Public Access” to the organization’s mission statement. Likewise, the PATH program contributes to Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s 2024-2026 Strategic Plan with the goal of expanding public access to privately-owned wildlife habitat on 1.4 million acres.
To learn more about South Dakota’s PATH program: click here
To learn more about Nebraska’s PATH (NCAP) program: click here
For opportunities to partner with Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever on the expansion of its Public Access to Habitat Program across pheasant and quail country, please contact John Laux at JLaux@PheasantsForever.Org.
About Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever
Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever make up the nation’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to upland habitat conservation. This community of more than 480,000 members, supporters and partners is dedicated to the protection of our uplands through habitat improvement, public access, education and advocacy. A network of 754 local chapters spread across North America determine how 100 percent of theirlocally raised funds are spent — the only national conservation organization that operates through this grassroots structure. Since its creation in 1982, the organization has dedicated more than $1 billion to 580,000 habitat projects benefiting 28.8 million acres.
The Women's Outdoor News, aka The WON, features news, reviews and stories about women who are shooting, hunting, fishing and actively engaging in outdoor adventure. This publication is for women, by women. View all posts by The WON
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