Do you know an individual who deserves to be recognized for their outstanding contributions to conservation or our organization? This is your chance to help us honor their work with one of our 2025 Awards! Award recipients are announced at the North American Rendezvous, set for June 13-15, 2025 in Missoula, Montana. 

MAKE AN AWARD NOMINATION HERE

Take this opportunity to nominate individuals or chapters for the following awards:

• The Jim Posewitz Award for advancing ethical, responsible behavior in the hunting and fishing fields by example, leadership or education. Through advocacy or programming, they have proven themselves as a galvanizing force in maintaining a positive perception of hunting and angling in the eye of the general public. This person exemplifies the BHA ethos as a role model to novice and seasoned hunters and anglers alike to ensure that our sporting heritage maintains its prominence in 21st-century society.
• The Rachel L. Carson Award for an outstanding emerging young leader who has gone above and beyond in their contributions to the conservation, hunting, or angling communities. A worthy recipient should be in the early phase their career, should demonstrate leadership in the field of conservation, and display strong potential in their future contributions to fish, wildlife, and their habitat. Additional qualities include personal alignment with BHA’s mission and values and a strong commitment to the standards of fair chase.
• The Armed Forces Initiative Award for exceptional work on behalf of military veterans and active-duty military service personnel. This award recognizes an outstanding AFI volunteers whose selflessness and dedication to BHA and AFI have made a significant difference in the local military community, conservation efforts, and the overarching mission of BHA.
• The Aldo Leopold Award for outstanding effort in conserving terrestrial wildlife habitat. The award recipient embodies Leopold’s quote “To those devoid of imagination a blank place on the map is a useless waste; to others, the most valuable part.” This person has contributed significant time and achieved notable accomplishments that have led to the long-term enhancement and protection of wild lands. The recipient as displayed the ability to raise awareness through testimony, advocacy campaigns, or fundraising support for BHA’s continued on-the-ground efforts. 
• NEW! The Richard A. Kacin Award for Philanthropy & Fundraising will be given annually to recognize an individual, business, or BHA chapter for extraordinary contributions to the organization through philanthropy, directed fundraising efforts, or a combination of both. This prestigious award will bear Richard’s name, commemorating his leadership and remarkable generosity to BHA. 
• The Sigurd F. Olson Award honors outstanding effort to conserve rivers, lakes, or wetland habitat. Olson recognized the ecological significance of healthy aquatic habitats, as well as the innate and almost spiritual connection that we have to these places. This award is given to someone who embodies that understanding and has worked tirelessly to protect, restore, and preserve aquatic habitats.
• The Ted Trueblood Award is given to a journalist whose work covering important conservation issues shows outstanding communication on behalf of backcountry habitat and values, and tells the story of our wild public lands, waters, and wildlife. The recipient is considered a positive and unbiased source of conservation news and information for hunters and anglers.
• The Larry Fischer Award for outstanding corporate contribution to BHA’s mission. This award celebrates the remarkable corporate partners that have made exceptional contributions to advancing BHA's mission. Corporate partners play a pivotal role in supporting BHA and its chapters by generously donating funds and products, empowering them to effectively raise resources for vital local initiatives. Moreover, these deserving partners extend their support beyond financial means by actively engaging in communication efforts and rallying supporters to advocate for crucial conservation legislation at both local and federal levels.
• The George Bird Grinnell Award is presented to the outstanding BHA chapter of the year, noted for their hard work, innovation, and successful initiatives. The chapter receiving this award has made an undeniable difference on behalf of public lands, waters, and wildlife, and has displayed outstanding effort in the areas of state policy, stewardship projects, membership growth, events, fundraising, and/or communications. The chapter adheres to organizational standards and guidelines and exhibits a collaborative ‘One BHA’ spirit. It is comprised of exceptional volunteers who consistently exceed expectations. 
• The Mike Beagle-Chairman’s Award is given to the individual who has shown remarkable dedication to BHA's mission. The person receiving this award has exemplified extraordinary commitment and passion in advancing conservation efforts on behalf of BHA. Their tireless work spans various projects, from spearheading state-level policy initiatives to bolstering BHA's federal endeavors. Whether stopping detrimental legislation or championing new laws to promote conservation, they have consistently demonstrated a steadfast alignment with BHA's mission as the voice for public lands, waters, and wildlife. Their unwavering commitment not only amplifies BHA’s collective voice in the conservation arena, but also inspires others to join in our noble cause.

Nominate individuals and chapters via the form below. The final deadline for nominations is March 31, 2025. Awardees will be announced at BHA’s North American Rendezvous, June 13-15, 2025 in Missoula, Montana.

A list of prior award winners can be found here. 

MAKE AN AWARD NOMINATION HERE

Questions can be sent to Zack Williams, [email protected]