Controlled Hunting Access Program (CHAP) Fact Sheet

Objective 1: To provide the public with added quality hunting opportunities.

Objective 2: To improve the relationships between landowners and hunters.

Objective 3: To improve hunter ethics.

Objective 4: Achieve optimum big game (including turkey) hunter access to and recreational use of specific private lands for hunting by controlling the amount of hunter use at a given time. 

Objective 5: Allow for special provisions for uses unique to the CHAP tract such as restrictions on hunted species or game retrieval.

General Concept:

By providing financial and other meaningful incentives to landowners, the department has had great success in opening private land for public hunting. These hunting opportunities expand the opportunities available to hunters as to where and when to hunt. Hunters often experience crowding in key hunting areas during the early part of some seasons; opening thousands of acres of privately owned land for hunting greatly reduces this crowding effect.

In addition to added and improved hunting opportunities, this practice creates shared relationship between hunters and landowners. Hunters gain the privilege of hunting on a landowner's land, but must maintain good behavior in order to keep the privilege.

CHAP guidelines:

• Big game hunting only.
• Enrollment and payment details:
  • Landowners with 1,000 or more acres receive an enrollment payment of $250 flat base payment plus $6/hunter-day for each hunter day of use.  In addition, landowners are eligible for bonus payments per hunter day. 
  • Landowners with under 1,000 acre receive $6/hunter-day of use.  In addition, landowner are eligible for bonus payment per hunter day.
    • Types of bonuses include:
      • $2/hunter-day if there is no big game species restriction;
      • $2/hunter-day if the enrolled acreage is open for hunting for the entire season for all species allowed to be hunted;
  • Minimum payment of $250 and maximum payment of $12,000.
  • Immediate members of the Cooperator’s family are not eligible to be credited toward the hunter days used to calculate payment for the Cooperator’s CHAP.
  • Payment will be made in February following the hunting season.
  • Cooperator must be legally able (through ownership or rental agreement that includes hunting privileges) to enroll offered land in CHAP.
  • Cooperator manages hunter permission slips in two ways:
    • Self-serve sign-up boxes or rosters are provided for hunters to check-in and obtain a permission slip or check in at the ranch or farm headquarters.
    • A cooperator can use both options and decide whether or not to allow advance reservations or to use both tools to manage hunter permission slips.
  • Landowner cannot exclude someone unless all available permission slips are used.
  • Region Review Teams will review applications for determining enrollment eligibility.
  • Recreational trapping is not part of the CHAP agreement. 

Hunter use:

• Hunters are required to check in and obtain a permission slip on a first-come, first serve basis before hunting.  Hunters without a permission slip will be hunting without landowner permission and could be cited for trespass.
  When all permission slips are assigned for a particular day, then no more permission slips will be administered.

• Hunters must:
  • Observe any special rules or restrictions for the area;
  • Know property boundaries and not trespass on to adjacent property;
  • Travel by foot only unless otherwise posted;
  • Not to litter.

Minimum contract size: 80 acres

Application Deadline: Contracts must be in the Pierre Office by June 15.

Signs: All areas must be posted with signs by August 31.

To Enroll:  Contact your local Conservation Officer.

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