Survey of state programs for habitat, hunting, and nongame management on private lands in the United States

I conducted a study of state wildlife agency administrators to document acc ess, leasing, and management programs of state wildlife agencies that assis t hunted and nonhunted wildlife and recreation management on private lands. The study serves as a comparison with surveys about access and management programs an private lands that were conducted about 15 years earlier by oth er authors. Administrators (96%) believed that access to private land was i mportant for their organizations' objectives. Access opportunities for hunt ing had decreased (45%) and leasing of lands for hunting had increased (69. 4%) over the past 15 years. Demands for access to view wildlife on private lands were minor (66%). Habitat management on private lands that were lease d either increased (39%), remained the same (39%), or was unknown (22%). Ha bitat management on lands that were not leased was believed to have increas ed (42%), stayed the same (42%), or was unknown (16%). The 4 most important management practices suggested for landowners who are considering wildlife , habitat, and hunting on their lands were habitat practices (69%), access and hunter management (12%), planning and enterprise management (11%), and animal population management (8%). More cooperation, empowerment of landown ers, technical support, educational assistance, and funding were identified goals for public wildlife agencies and private landowners to effect proper management of all wildlife, habitats, and users on private lands.