With fall hunting season underway, the Missouri Department of Conservation is reminding hunters to check the status of their favorite spots before heading outdoors.
Access to some private lands may have changed this year. Properties once open through the Missouri Outdoor Recreational Access Program, or MRAP, may no longer be available for public use.
A lapse in federal funding has caused some landowners to withdraw from the program, which is funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Bill. That bill expired earlier this year.
MRAP provides incentives for private landowners to allow hunting, fishing, and wildlife viewing on their properties. The program includes more than 40 sites across Missouri.
“We’ve recently had some properties leave because of the lack of available grant funding,” said Lisa Potter, the department’s private lands program supervisor.
The department encourages hunters to check the MRAP property map at mdc.mo.gov/mrap before making fall outdoor plans.