NYHA Youth Private Land Access Program
Our Clear Goals with this Program:
- Create thousands of private land youth hunting & shooting opportunities in every state in the US by enrolling private land owners to allow access to their property for youth to participate in these types of outdoor events.
- Connect the youth that are interested in and seeking these opportunities with the private land owners that allow them access to their private land.
- Create a sustainable source of opportunity to foster retainment of youth in the hunting and shooting sports.
Problem:
It is a well known fact that one of the major causes of decline in participation in the hunting and shooting sports today is lack of access to privately owned property by which to take part in these outdoor opportunities. With the ever increasing urban sprawl and the fact that millions of youth today are growing up in urban neighborhoods and cities, the problem has been compounded to extremely high proportions for today’s youth. In comes the NYHA.
What it isn’t:
These hunting opportunities are NOT guided hunts and are not participated in by the NYHA. The NYHA simply provides a public service by connecting the land owners that will allow our youth members to access their property, and the youth members who are looking for these opportunities in the great outdoors.
What it is:
The NYHA Youth Private Land Access Program is a program where the NYHA works with generous private land owners to allow youth hunting & shooting access to thousands of acres of privately owned, leased or managed property.
How it works:
To youth hunting and shooting opportunity and help ensure the successful delivery of our mission to preserve and promote the future of hunting and shooting sports, the NYHA developed the Private Land Access program to create hundreds, even thousands of opportunities for our youth members to apply their hunter education and outdoor skills out in the field. It is through sustained opportunities and programs like this that we strive to retain youth interest in the outdoor hunting and shooting sports.
The NYHA will enroll private land owners through our website, via the phone, email, and direct contact at sport shows and other outdoor events. It is our full intention to make the program beneficial for both our youth members AND our generous land owners! Land owners will provide input to the NYHA on items such as:
- Name and Contact information for owner
- County & State Property is located in
- Number of Acres available for youth access
- Total number of youth allowed this season & total at any given time
- Species allowed to hunt (Elk, Deer, Turkey, Antelope, Pheasant, Quail, Ducks, Geese, etc)
- Special Instructions or requests (Be aware there are Cattle present in hunting area, do not use tree stands, close the gate when driving through, park behind the barn, etc)
- Number of Acres available for youth access
ALL Youth members who participate in these or any NYHA assisted/sponsored events are required to meet all state and federal laws & requirements, including licensing, Hunter Safety Certification and other requirements. Youth Parents/Mentors that will participate in the field event are also required to review and sign a Final and Unconditional Release of Liability before participating in the event. A copy is then provided to the land owner on the day of the event or before.
The NYHA will then work with our members and land owners to match up youth hunters/shooters with the private land opportunities that exist within their region or region of interest. We will then provide joint contact information to both the land owner and the youth member signing up for the opportunity so that all the details of the event may be planned, directions obtained, etc.
In the future, we plan to allow posting of these opportunities in the member’s only areas on our website. To automate the enrollment process as much as possible, future functionality will allow NYHA Youth members the ability to sign up for/enroll in private land hunting opportunities of their choosing via our website. They will have the ability to enroll, change/update or delete private land hunting reservations. An enrollment will then send the landowner an automated email with the youth hunter’s contact information and the youth member will receive the landowner’s contact information so that they can arrange details around the hunt.
Land owners will also have the ability to log onto our website Landowner Access area and manage their access information, add or delete events and opportunities as necessary. Expired opportunities will automatically be removed from the website.
This program provides youth access to THOUSANDS of acres of private property that youth would likely never have access to if they were not members of the NYHA!
As of fall 2009, the NYHA has THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF PRIVATE LAND enrolled for youth access in the fall of 2010, showing that private land owners care about supporting youth hunting in America!
"Outdoor education and hunter safety training is an absolutely essential building block to start youth in the hunting and shooting sports. However, if we do not provide them consistent opportunity to apply that training in the field, the interest and skills will be lost, as will our hunting, shooting sports and hands-on conservation by the generation of tomorrow. " Jack W. Moore
The National Youth Hunting Association- The next step for youth in the great outdoors beyond basic hunter education.
