Hunter Access Program

In addition to the millions of public land acres available to hunters statewide, the Pennsylvania Game Commission partners with private landowners to provide public hunting opportunities through its Hunter Access Program. For 90 years, the program has provided hunting and trapping opportunities to the Commonwealth's sportsmen on private lands. The Hunter Access Program, which is governed by a term-lease agreement, creates a partnership between the Game Commission and landowner whereby they work in concert to improve public hunting and trapping opportunities and wildlife habitat on the property enrolled. Hunters and trappers help to manage game and furbearer populations through lawful hunting and trapping.

To align better with the needs of our hunters and landowners, we have overhauled the Hunter Access Program. Starting in the 2026/27 hunting season, the Hunter Access Program will now have properties categorized in 3 different access levels as well as utilize an updated mapping system. The mapping system will show Hunter Access Cooperator properties with clear boundary lines along with a land usage guide that states and specific rules or notes that the landowner may have for the hunters utilizing their property. Each landowner has the option to choose what species and types of hunting and equipment they allow on their property.   Also, with introduction of Sunday hunting throughout the seasons, the Hunter Access program has given the cooperators the option to not allow Sunday hunting on their private property if they choose.

1. Open Access – This level of access does not require permission from the landowner.  The property boundary will be clearly shown on the mapping center as well as any specific landowner rules or notes. 

2. Reservation Access – This level of access requires that hunters use the reservation portion of the new website.  The hunter can use the map to filter Reservation Access properties and see what days are available for reservation and simply enter their CID and DOB to reserve a day to hunt. All reservations other than Trapping are only valid for one day

• a. Each hunter can make up to 10 reservations per month
• b. Trapping reservations are for 3-week periods and are 1 trapper per reservation
• c. Waterfowl hunting reservations are for up to 5 hunters per reservation since waterfowl hunting normally takes place in groups.
• d. Each landowner that enrolls in reservation access can set the daily maximum of reservations available to hunter

3. Permission Access – Landowners that have their property enrolled in the Permission Access level have agreed to have their property highlighted in the mapping center but require the hunter to enter their CID and DOB to access the preferred contact method of     the landowner. The preferred contact method may be either phone call or stopping by the address to ask for permission. 

In addition to the new website and mapping system that provides more information and transparency to the hunters. We have also created a landowner portal that is optional for the cooperators to create a login so they may access their agreements, property mapping, and reservations. 

* Coming Soon *