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Our Passion
Hunting and fishing isn’t what we do – it’s who we are. Backcountry Hunters & Anglers celebrate the great American tradition of testing your personal boundaries amid the solitude of the wilds. We understand the urgent need to speak up for those irreplaceable experiences if we want that kind of opportunity for future generations.
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Protecting Habitat
As students of nature, hunters know that adequate and healthy habitat is the foundation of healthy wildlife populations. In the end, our freedom to hunt and fish depends on habitat. Native wildlife has both intrinsic value and is often reflected in the health and quality of habitat itself.
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Standing Up for Your Rights
We are “boots on the ground” hunters and fisherman, standing up for quiet experiences in wild habitats, entirely removed from the disturbances of crowds and machines. We enjoy the wonder and adventure of the pristine outdoors with our friends and families – and work to defend and expand quality opportunities for hunting and fishing.
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Engaged Membership
We help sportsmen around the country be effective, protective voices for the wild habitat essential to quality hunting and fishing opportunities. Our membership is actively engaged, and our voices are trusted and respected.
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Backcountry Guardians
We combat threats to the wild, quiet habitat that support our traditional hunting and fishing opportunities and access. We stand up to off-road vehicle abuse of public land and wildlife, as well as those who would abuse our habitat and water for commercial gain. Our networks of on-the-ground volunteers help report abuse and comment on issues impacting our public lands.
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Vigilant Advocates
We constantly identify critical projects to improve access and habitat, applying our values, and developing beneficial relationships with private property owners, local agencies and community leaders.
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Active Educators
We educate and inform our membership, the public and decision-makers through our website and our publications and one-on-one communication. Our quarterly magazine, Backcountry Journal is a forum for member stories, state activities, and the most pressing issues we face.
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Watch Our Video
We speak for traditional hunting and angling interests, the voice of sportsmen who love truly wild places: the home of a real backcountry experience.
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Welcome to Backcountry Hunters and Anglers
The Time is Now: Support the Rocky Mountain Front
Montana's Rocky Mountain Front offers some of the finest big game habitat in North America. Backcountry Hunters & Anglers agree that we need a common sense plan to keep the front the way it is for today and tomorrow.
BHA Sportsmen Thank Senator Max Baucus: Watch
For more information visit: savethefront.org
Alert: CO Parks and Wildlife Commission Makeup HB12-1317
HB12-1317 is a bill that defines the makeup of the future Parks and Wildlife Commission (PWC), and is up for hearings in the House Agriculture Committee this week. Some problems with this bill include:
- It enshrines a motorized recreation position on the Commission. The fact is, many of us own OHVs, but don’t think a specific seat on the commission is necessary, given that motorized users already have their own committee for state trails. And the motorized industry has no purpose being involved in decisions that should be guided by science and the needs of wildlife/fisheries. If we start down this path, do we then demand that there be a backcountry hunting and fishing seat, one for mountain biking, archery hunting, backcountry horsemen, etc?
- Giving a seat specifically to the motorized community will most likely result in it being filled by a motorized industry advocate who puts industry (i.e., selling motorized equipment and punching more habitat-damaging trails through our public lands) over the conservation desires and needs of most Coloradans.
- The legislation removes the designated seats for recreation. Under the new proposal, a “trail interest” seat is designated, but to qualify a member must have motorized experience. This artificially screens out hikers, hunters, climbers, and others with outdoors experience simply because they don’t engage in a “motorized activity.”
- The legislation removes from the commission’s proposal the designated seat for conservation.
Ten Things YOU can do TODAY to help the Backcountry
- Join Backcountry Hunters & Anglers or up your membership; recruit your hunting and fishing buddies or business sponsors to join or donate.
- Attend the Backcountry Hunters & Anglers North America Rendezvous.
- Take a camera in the field and document abuse to public land and water; report lawbreakers and poachers to your local game warden (and get a reward!).
- Speak out for backcountry values in blogs, chat-rooms, letters to the editor, or comments to Congress or land and water managers.
- Introduce yourself to your local district ranger or regional biologist.
- “Adopt” a piece of ground in BHA’s Habitat Watch program.
- Introduce yourself to your state chapter leaders in BHA.
- Join our Facebook page and post photos of your adventures.
- Wear a BHA T-shirt, hat or display a bumper sticker to spread the word; distribute BHA brochures at trailheads, sporting goods stores or wherever backcountry enthusiasts gather.
- Mentor young or new outdoors people on backcountry skills, values and ethics. Get out and enjoy the backcountry!
News Release: BHA Offers Reward for Illegal ATV Abuse
September 1, 2011
JOSEPH, ORE. —
The national Backcountry Hunters & Anglers is announcing a reward aimed at stopping lawbreakers who disturb public land, water and wildlife on motor vehicles such as All-Terrain Vehicles.
"All-terrain vehicles are popular and powerful tools, with a valid place on our nationalforests," said Jim Akenson, executive director. "However, these tools are too often abused, impacting habitat and hunting opportunities."
Support the Forest Jobs and Recreation Act
The Forest Jobs and Recreation Act is a boon for hunters and anglers in Montana, protecting and restoring some of the best elk habitat and trout streams in the state. The bill will protect almost one million acres of pristine Montana backcountry as new wilderness or Special Recreation Areas, protecting core secure habitat and places for solitude. The bill also puts people to work restoring trout waters and clean up bug-killed lodgepole pine for local sawmills.