Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Habitat Incentives topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Division proposes pilot cooperative agreements to pay landowners to benefit mule deer and turkeys
Summary
Division proposed a rule allowing cooperative agreements (payments or crop purchases) with landowners (and leaseholders) to incentivize habitat and reduce depredation impacts; RAC supported a pilot approach and added a request to allow leaseholders to receive payments.
Darren presented a proposed rule (cooperative agreements for big game and turkey, r657‑74) that would allow the division to enter voluntary, pilot cooperative agreements with owners of cultivated lands to provide payments or to purchase crops in order to retain forage for mule deer and turkeys and reduce depredation conflict.
Darren said the rule is intended as a pilot approach focused initially on mule deer and turkeys, with potential for other species. The plan would involve multi‑year agreements (proposed six‑year agreements with a three‑year review) and the division would initiate offers to willing landowners. The division said it has done early outreach to test proof of concept and that not all landowners would participate.
RAC members recommended amending the language to explicitly allow leaseholders or lessees to participate (so tenants who farm the land could be paid). RAC adopted a motion to approve the recommendation as presented with the addition of leaseholder eligibility; the motion passed unanimously. Public commenters representing Sportsmen or SOW applauded the approach as a win‑win for landowners, hunters and wildlife.
Next steps: division staff will refine program language to include leaseholders as appropriate and initiate outreach to identify pilot partners and draft agreements.
