Walk-In Access (WIA) Program

...providing public hunting opportunities on private lands thanks to volunteer landowners.

• Walk-In Access sites are open during any legal hunting season from Sept. 1 to May 31. Please respect private property and verify public hunting areas by observing boundary signs.
• No hunting is allowed in any WIA until it is posted.
• Only walk-in hunting traffic is allowed on enrolled acres. Land enrolled in the WIA program is not open to trapping, trap shooting, dog training or activities other than hunting. No vehicle traffic is allowed. Parking is along roads or in designated parking areas.
• Hunters must follow the Code of Conduct  developed for WIA lands.

WIA maps & data

All map data and map products (including Google Earth, Google Map, and GPS files) are general and do not accurately represent the actual legal or established boundary of these areas, and thus should be used for reference only. Please respect private property and verify public hunting areas by observing boundary signs.

Eligible Lands

• Enrollment is limited to 21 counties in southwestern Minnesota. 

• Hunting is allowed during legal seasons between September 1st and May 31st.

• Landowners are afforded liability protection through the Recreational Use Statutes. Specifically under Sections 604A.20 through 604A.27 under Public Benefit or Function Acitives in the CIVIL LIABILITY LIMITATIONS Chapter

• Must be at least 40 acres in size or it must be contiguous with a public hunting unit (e.g. WPA or WMA) or another WIA parcel that is 40 acres or more in size.

• Priority is given to lands enrolled in a conservation program such as the federal Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) or the state Reinvest in Minnesota Reserve program (RIM), or other state and federal conservation programs.

• Lands not enrolled in a conservation program may be eligible if high quality wildlife cover exists and is maintained by the landowner.

• Lands within 500 feet of a home or corral occupied by livestock cannot be enrolled, unless they are occupied by the cooperator or his/her livestock.

• The enrolled parcel must be accessible from a public road.

• The habitat must be maintained through the enrollment period.

• Landowners, or the State, may terminate the contract at any time (effective 30 days after written notice of termination is received).

2012 Enrollment will be held February 1^st through April 15, 2012.

To find out more information about enrolling land in the Walk-In Access program, please call your local Soil and Water Conservation District office (SWCD). SWCD contact info

Printable 2012 MN Walk-In Program Fact Sheet

Year one of the WIA Pilot Program

 WIA acres and site data from the first year of the pilot program.

Program Info

The Walk-In Access (WIA) program is a two-year pilot program funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Voluntary Public Access Program. It aims to provide new hunting opportunities on private land that is already enrolled in existing conservation programs or lands with high quality wildlife cover.

The WIA program is entirely voluntary for landowners. Enrolled lands are covered under the Minnesota recreational use laws that limit landowners' liability. DNR conservation officers handle trespass and hunting violations.

The DNR, working with the Board of Water and Soil resources, will evaluate the pilot program's success and identify and seek long term funding sources, if appropriate.

Help Evaluate the Pilot Program

If you hunted a WIA, we want to hear from you about your experience. Please take a few minutes to complete our five question survey. Start by clicking the link below.

WIA user survey