Hunters and anglers in Wyoming have voiced their concerns and frustrations over declining access to private and landlocked public lands. During the 1990s, the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission created a pilot program to explore ways to increase public access onto these lands. The Private Lands Public Wildlife Access Initiative was developed with three sub-programs: 

1. Hunter management
2. Walk-in hunting
3. Walk-in fishing

In 1998 the Walk-in Hunting Area Program started with a modest 27,000 private acres. By 2000, all three sub-programs were growing quickly and included more than 657,500 acres for hunting as well as 222 lake acres and 71 stream miles for fishing. Beyond providing public access, the program has also increased cooperation among landowners, hunters, anglers and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

By increasing access to privately owned, irrigated fields and riparian lands, which compose the majority of productive wildlife habitat in the state, Game and Fish can be more effective at managing wildlife populations and mitigating agricultural damage.  

PLPW landowner survey

Executive Summary of PLPW landowner survey
PLPW landowner survey presentation