1. (1) Private property enrolled in the WIA program must provide suitable habitat to support the recreational lease activities described in the WIA recreational lease agreement, and contain:

   1. (a) no less than a 40 acre contiguous block of land, wetland, or riparian area for hunting or trapping;
   2. (b) a minimum of 0.25 continuous miles of stream or river; or
   3. (c) a minimum of one contiguous acre of lake, reservoir, or pond.

2. (2)(a) A private property which does not meet the minimum acreage or mileage requirements may be considered for approval based on the division's determination that the property holds a unique value which is highly beneficial to the public and not otherwise attainable.

   1. (b) The statewide WIA coordinator must give specific approval for any property which does not meet the minimum acreage or mileage requirements.
   2. (c) The property shall not be exempt from any other minimum requirement.

3. (3)(a) A WIA lease agreement may be developed for a property which provides a corridor to public lands or waters suitable for hunting, trapping, or fishing that are otherwise inaccessible, or reasonably inaccessible without such corridor or easement.

   1. (b) Agreement terms for a WIA property containing an access corridor to public lands may be compensated with a rate consistent to the amount of land or water being made available to the public.
4. (4) No land parcel may be included in more than one WIA agreement, nor may a WIA property be in another lease or other agreement regarding the same hunting, trapping, or fishing access privileges.

5. (5)(a) The division shall evaluate a prospective WIA property to determine suitable wildlife and habitat for the designated recreational lease activities.

   1. (b) The property must be capable of independently maintaining and harboring the respective species for the recreational lease activities identified for the period designated in the recreational lease agreement.
   2. (c) The division may review the property periodically throughout the term of the lease agreement to determine if quality is maintaining, improving, or declining.
   3. (d) The access, area, and boundaries of the property must be practicable to and suitable for the wildlife recreational lease activities.

6. (6)(a) Enrollment and participation in the WIA program is a privilege, not guaranteed, and at the sole discretion of the division, even if an applicant satisfies the minimum program requirements.

   1. (b) The division may prioritize program enrollments and allocate lease compensation amounts based upon identified public recreational access needs, wildlife resource management objectives, and administrative limitations.

KEY: wildlife, private landowners, public access

Date of Last Change: October 2, 2023

Notice of Continuation: August 11, 2025

Authorizing, and Implemented or Interpreted Law: 23A-2-304; 23A-2-305; 57-14-1