With 2024 coming to an end, we would like to take the opportunity to reflect on California BHA's engagement and accomplishments that were made possible by the support of our dedicated members and volunteers.
Stewardship
Beers, Bands, & Bitterbrush Stands 2024
This last October, BHA corralled over 45 volunteers to help get 10,000 seedlings planted at the Hallelujah Junction Wildlife Area to restore critical winter range habitat for mule deer, pronghorn antelope, and elk. BHA then hosted our Beer, Bands, & Bitterbrush Stands event in the evenings, where we had live music, camping, a massive wild game potluck, several bands, and all the beer and wine you could drink.
This planting effort was the third phase of a large-scale, multi-year restoration project that BHA is leading. We are also working closely with the Washoe Tribe to include culturally significant plants in our restoration and 4 out of 5 are important species for pollinators in the region. Our project also leverages the work of Wildlands Network along 395 to study wildlife movement through existing culverts and at-grade crossings in order to help inform Caltrans of priority areas for wildlife crossing infrastructure and investments. Our collective efforts augment a million-dollar project that Caltrans completed on hwy 395 along our work area and the Wildlands Network camera study has helped to secure funding for a wildlife crossing project along hwy 395 in this region as well. We submitted a letter of support and were thrilled when it received funding at the same time the I-8 Wildlife Crossing project did.
Peninsular Bighorn Sheep Guzzler Project with the U.S. Marine Corps
For the four consecutive year, the brave men and women of the U.S. Marine Corps Helicopter Squadron HMLAT303 provided aerial support for a bold wildlife project that provides resiliency to local populations of bighorn sheep in Southern California. In a critical effort to support Peninsular bighorn sheep and other native wildlife in California’s Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, the California Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA) and the California Chapter of the Wild Sheep Foundation (CAWSF) were proud to again support the United States Marines of Camp Pendleton in aiding the conservation of the iconic Peninsular bighorn sheep.
This collaboration, incorporating key partners from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish & Wildlife, Anza Borrego Desert State Park, local volunteers, and the United States Marine Corps, was assembled to replace aging guzzlers located deep within Wilderness of the Anza Borrego desert. Guzzlers are artificial surface water systems that capture rainwater and store it to provide vital resilience for desert wildlife during the hot summer months and throughout periods of drought.
Lacks Creek Conifer Encroachment Project 2024
This year, CA BHA again coordinated with the BLM at the Lacks Creek Management Area in Humboldt County to improve habitat for elk and deer. Volunteers worked hard to remove Douglas Fir trees from encroaching on native prairie habitat that supports a variety of ungulates in the area. This work dovetails with prescribed burns orchestrated by the BLM and their work alongside the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation to expand the forage and range for a herd of elk that inhabits the Northern portion of the Lacks Creek Management Area. By reducing conifer encroachment on native prairies this work aims to encourage range expansion of Roosevelt elk across the Lacks Creek Management Area, providing greater opportunities for hunters and wildlife enthusiasts on public land.
Bighorn Sheep Surveys 2024
Once again, BHA volunteers assisted CDFW biologists with their critical annual desert bighorn sheep surveys. Over a scalding hot weekend in late June, several BHA volunteers helped to glass, count and record observations of desert bighorn sheep in the Marble and South Soda Mountains.
Silver Creek Lahontan Cutthroat Trout Restoration
BHA volunteers again helped CDFW biologist Nick Buckmaster in the Scenic Eastern Sierra with electroshocking and counting fish on Silver Creek. This effort was part of a multi-year project to remove brook trout from the Silver Creek in order restore habitat for Lahontan Cutthroat Trout. This was an incredible multi-species event, with bear hunts in the mornings and evenings, and fishing throughout the day.
Policy
The California Chapter of BHA authored and/or signed on to 20 policy letters in 2024 ranging from issues like black bear management, Marine Protected Area Network adaptive management recommendations, and wildlife connectivity, all pieces of legislation that would conserve public lands and waters and impact hunters throughout the state.
State Legislation
- Supported SB 1226, which clarifies the public's right to use navigable floodwaters for waterfowl and other hunting purposes. Thanks in part to engagement from BHA, this bill was passed into law! Read our original support letter for SB 1226 here.
- Supported SB 1163, which would mandate that CDFW develop a pilot program to collect and compile information and data on wildlife-vehicle collisions to support certain wildlife conservation efforts. Read our support letter for SB 1163 here.
- Supported AB 1889, which would require cities and counties across the state to start considering connectivity of natural landscapes and habitats in their comprehensive general plans. With help from BHA, this important bill has now become law! CA BHA applauds Governor Newsom for signing this important bill into law. Read our support letter for AB 1889 here.
- Supported AB 828, which would help to protect both wetlands and waterfowl habitat by strengthening the guarantees of groundwater. Read our support letter for AB 828 here.
- Supported AB 2320, which would require the California Natural Resources Agency to identify key wildlife corridors in the agency’s annual report on 30x30 progress, and outline goals for wildlife corridor protection. Read our support letter for AB 2320 here.
- Supported AB 2875, which would put into law the state’s long-standing policy to ensure no net loss and long-term gain of wetlands. Read our support letter for AB 2875 here.
Federal Legislation
- Restoring Hunting to Castle Mountain: BHA worked directly with the office of California Senator Alex Padilla, resulting in the introduction of S. 4222, which would keep all conservation measures in place at Castle Mountain National Monument, but would restore hunting to the incredible desert landscape. Read about S. 4222 here.
- Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument: Due in part to continued advocacy from BHA, in May, President Biden used executive action to expand the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, helping forever conserve even more acreage of this important turkey, deer, and elk habitat for Northern California hunters. Read more about the expansion here.
- Chuckwalla National Monument: BHA continued to advocate for the proposed Chuckwalla National Monument, which would help connect important wildlife corridors in Southern California. Read about Chuckwalla here.
- Sattitla National Monument: This year, BHA fiercely advocated in support of the Pit River Tribe's campaign to designate a Sattitla (also known as Medicine Lake Highlands) National Monument in North-central California. This vast landscape, which holds high-elevation habitat for elk, deer, and black bear, also supports the Falls River Springs, one of the most unique and important watersheds and trout fisheries in Northern California. Read about BHA's support of Sattitla here, and make sure you check out this article in Hatch Magazine that was written after a BHA co-hosted media tour of the landscape.
Tahoe National Forest E-bike Comment Letter
The US Forest Service is considering expanding the use of E-bikes in the Tahoe National Forest. Without further agency analysis in the form of an Environmental Impact Statement, this expansion could significantly affect wildlife in the area, including several of California's mule deer herds. BHA submitted official comments, calling for additional research before any introduction of new, disruptive technology to existing big game habitat.
Read our comment letter to the Tahoe NF here!
Fish & Game Commission
BHA has been extremely engaged in monitoring Fish & Game commission meetings throughout the year, where we have advocated for science based resource management, defended public fishing and hunting access, and supported conservation measures on public lands. This year, the Fish & Game Commission has been undergoing the required adaptive management processes for the Marine Protected Areas across the state. BHA is highly involved in supporting the petitions that utilize science-based management, and opposing petitions/actions that would restrict fishing access without proper scientific rational.
Read about our engagement in the MPA process here!
Community Building
Backcountry In Your Backyard: Oakland
We had an incredibly successful Backcountry In Your Backyard event in Oakland in late March. Over 40 hunting, fishing, and/or conservation curious folks from the East Bay gathered at Platform 43 for speeches, demonstrations, delicious wild games appetizers, and drinks. BHA has taken a lead in introducing new folks to the values and conservation focus of hunting, and we will be hosting several similar events in 2025!
Turkey Camp 2024
This year, BHA hosted a Turkey Camp near the newly expanded Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument. We had dozens of people show up to learn, swap stories, hunt, and revel in public land expanded.
Science-Based Management of Wildlife
Black Bear Management Plan
Over the last few year's, CA BHA has contributed or secured over $8,000 to support research on California's black bear populations, with the goal of helping to inform CDFW's management plan. Last spring, CDFW released their new management plan, which not only showed that the bear population is larger than previously estimated, but described how hunting is a critical management tool of this important species.
Read BHA's comments on CDFW's new black bear management plan here!
Chronic Wasting Disease in CA
Chronic Wasting Disease has been detected in California, and BHA wants to help hunters across the state have a clear understanding of what this disease is and what steps we can take to prevent its spread.
Read our CWD press release here!
Continuing our coalition work for the I-8 Peninsular Bighorn Sheep Crossing project.
California BHA continued to lead support for an effort to address one of CDFW’s priority barriers to movement for wildlife in California through the I-8 Peninsular Bighorn Sheep Crossing Project. Our continued engagement throughout the year, including coalition leadership and organization of multiple site visits, has helped the I-8 crossing project start to become a reality. Check out our story map on the I-8 Bighorn project here, and stay tuned for more updates in 2025!
Closing Remarks
California BHA members give blood, sweat, and tears to help conserve California's public lands and waters, defend public access, educate and engage hunters in the conservation process, and show new people how special hunting and fishing in the Golden State can be. New adventures await in 2025!
About Joel Weltzien
Joel grew up backpacking and river running in rural Montana, and as an adult began hunting and fishing every chance he got. As California's Chapter Coordinator, Joel seeks to advance diverse coalitions in support of BHA's mission in the Golden State.