The conservation reserve enhancement program (crep) has been in existence in south dakota since 2010

The U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service awarded the State of South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks Wildlife Division a formula grant of $2.67 million under the Wildlife Restoration and Basic Hunter Education and Safety program (CFDA 15.611) for the period October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. This award supports the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) in South Dakota, which has operated since 2010 to provide unlimited free public hunting access to privately-owned land enrolled in U.S. Department of Agriculture's Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program within the James River watershed.

The grant funds the continued delivery of public hunting access and habitat management services that enhance hunter satisfaction and outdoor recreation opportunities across South Dakota. The CREP initiative specifically targets premium pheasant habitat in key portions of the pheasant range, addressing the critical public access limitations that impact hunter participation and, consequently, state and local revenues supporting broader habitat management efforts. This funding mechanism complements the Wildlife Division's existing public access programs, including its Walk-In Area Program on department-owned and leased private lands, to meet statewide hunting access and resource management objectives.

The main objective of the program is to provide unlimited free public hunting access to private land within the jamesriver watershed that is enrolled in united states department of agricultures (USDA) crep. This program hasincreased hunting opportunity and improved hunting quality.access is a very important part of attaining hunter satisfaction. Access is already being provided on department owned and leased private lands through the walk-in area program and other publicly owned lands. Public access toprivate land has been identified as a key component of providing a satisfactory hunting experience. Easy accessto suitable hunting grounds for a significant number of hunters is an important limiting factor in the decisionof whether to hunt. This limitation impacts local, state, national, and department revenues, which subsequentlyimpacts habitat management. The crep project targets the best habitat in a key portion of the pheasants rangeand plays a critical part in providing for the public hunting access needs in south dakota.