Join the Iowa Habitat and Access Program

Imagine improving the quality of habitat on your property with the help of DNR private lands wildlife biologists while receiving incentive payments for the habitat improvements. 

DNR private lands wildlife biologists will work with you to create a wildlife plan providing technical assistance to improve the quality of wildlife habitat on your land. 

The Iowa Habitat and Access Program (IHAP) will provide financial incentive payments to you for the completion of those wildlife habitat improvements.

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Eligibility

Eligible landowners (or those who have legal authority to sign a land contract for a landowner) must have at least 40 acres of land with adequate or the potential for adequate wildlife habitat that the landowner is willing to open to the public for walk-in hunting from Sept. 1 through May 31. The length of contracts vary from 3 to 10 years.

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Commitment Requirements

Landowners enter into a cooperative agreement with Iowa DNR to allow the posting of public access areas, hunters to hunt the land and Iowa conservation officers to patrol it. In return, a private lands biologist will walk the land to determine the quality of the landowner’s wildlife habitat and provide a plan to improve it for the species to be hunted. 

Landowners have the choice to do the work themselves or select the contractor of their choice to complete the work described in the contract. A sample IHAP agreement is available or your local private lands biologist will share a copy with you.

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Liability & Assurances

Liability for hunters is an important landowner concern. Under Iowa law, an IHAP property landowner has “limited liability.” This means the landowner bears no liability for injuries suffered by the public allowed access to hunt on the landowner’s IHAP property, except that the public should be given notice of all known and foreseeable dangers, such as a large unplugged well hidden by the landscape. 

  • Hunters are only allowed use of legal bows and firearms as permissible under Iowa hunting regulations.
  • It is illegal to discharge a firearm within a 200-yard buffer around occupied dwellings — homes, livestock buildings and open animal feedlots. No trapping or fishing is allowed. 
  • Hunting is walk-in only — no vehicles are allowed on IHAP property. 
  • Vehicles must be parked in a designated area or along the road. 
  • IHAP lands are patrolled and hunting seasons and regulations are enforced by DNR conservation officers.

The liability protection law was drafted, and recently amended, specifically to encourage public access on private lands without worry of financial ruin from lawsuits, and is required by the terms of the law to be construed liberally and broadly in favor of IHAP enrollees. 

If a hunter threatens the health, safety or property of the landowner or the landowner’s family members, that hunter may be denied access. The local DNR conservation officer will be available for assistance.

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Application & Enrollment

The enrollment process is as follows: 

  1. DNR staff person conducts a field visit to determine wildlife habitat needs for the property based on wildlife species expected to be hunted on the site. 
  2. A wildlife habitat plan for the property is developed by DNR and landowner. 
  3. Based on wildlife habitat plan, DNR staff person completes and submits program application. Applications are ranked and reviewed with all other applications submitted within the same 30-day period. 
  4. Landowners are notified of their acceptance within 30 days. 
  5. Selected landowner signs IHAP contract with DNR, detailing DNR and landowner commitments including habitat work to be completed. 
  6. State of Iowa signs a contract with the landowner to complete habitat work outlined in IHAP contract.
  7. DNR staff person provides technical assistance during the habitat installation process, including providing payment to the landowner upon completion of habitat work. 
  8. DNR places “open for public hunting September 1 through May 31” signs on boundaries by August 31. 
  9. DNR monitors site throughout contract period to ensure habitat improvement projects are successful. 
  10. As with wildlife management areas, DNR conservation officers patrol IHAP sites and enforce applicable laws and regulations.
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Resources & FAQs

Iowa Habitat and Access Program FAQs

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