Group Works To Improve Public Hunting Land

The first year of a National Deer Association program has seen improvements on more than 300,000 acres of public hunting land in six states that will increase hunting access, improve wildlife habitat, and aid hunter recruitment. Our “Improving Access, Habitat and Deer Hunting on Public Lands” initiative is just getting started toward a goal of 1 million acres impacted by 2026.

As many NDA members know, declines in deer hunter numbers, habitat quality and hunting access can each have significant negative impacts on wildlife conservation; but, sometimes, being innovative and applying the proverbial lemons-to-lemonade strategy can be just the ingredients needed to make a difference. NDA decided to tackle all three issues collectively in a new public lands campaign for deer, deer hunters and deer enthusiasts. Read on to learn the why, how and what we’ve accomplished in year one of this landmark program.

The Problems on Public Hunting Land

Our long-time members recognize the virtues we extoll about the importance of managing private land for deer; after all, far more deer are hunted, killed, and managed annually on private versus public land. It’s part of our beginnings and continues to be a pillar of NDA’s education and outreach efforts. However, research shows that groups who hunt mostly on public land tend to be younger, reside in urban or suburban areas, have a higher education, and generally more closely fit the description of our in-person, food-focused hunter recruitment program participants, which is tailored for adults from non-hunting backgrounds who want to learn to deer hunt.

Human dimensions studies also show that public land hunters tend to hunt less compared to those who hunt private land, and one of the main reasons cited is a lack of access. Access is continually listed as a major barrier for new and veteran hunters alike, and a recent national report estimated there are currently over 16 million acres of public land that outdoor enthusiasts can’t effectively use.

Finally, recent trends suggest declining deer, grouse and other game harvests on some federal lands is likely the result of diminishing acreage in active forest management. Specifically, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) has identified that suppression of fire and reduction of timber harvesting activities over time on some of their lands have changed habitat conditions to create denser stands and less early successional communities. Moreover, forest health and biodiversity are more frequently compromised by disease, insects and noxious plants.

So, working to positively impact America’s public lands is one unique way to simultaneously help recruit, retain and reactivate more deer hunters into our ranks while increasing access and enhancing the health and productivity of our nation’s forests.