The Colorado chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA) recently appointed Kassi Smith to serve on their Executive Leadership Team (ELT)/Board as an at-large ELT member.

Kassi was born on the west coast of Washington and spent every summer on her grandparent’s farm in eastern Washington. She started fishing and shooting as a kid, then backpacking as an undergraduate in eastern Washington, and started hunting after moving to Idaho for graduate school. Kassi has a doctorate degree in Materials Science and Engineering from Boise State University.

She started hunting with her boyfriend, now husband, and said, “We will generally go out at least once per year casually for each small-game species, but big game is where the action is.” She hunts with a rifle, but is “attempting to hunt trad.” Kassi also enjoys fly-fishing for trout in alpine lakes or streams/rivers, but when time is short she’ll throw spinners out in local reservoirs.

Kassi joined BHA during 2015 and first started volunteering in Idaho. After moving to Colorado, she volunteered to serve as Assistant Regional Director for the Denver Metro Area Group (in August 2019).[1] During 2020, Kassi started “Women in The Woods,” a new series of blogs, content and virtual events. She recently moved to Moffat, Colorado.

“I love BHA. I love the network, the events, the members. Most of all, I love what we stand for,” Kassi said. “The reason BHA is a successful organization is because we have a wide network of individuals who are capable of level-headed, intelligent and considerate conversation. We have different opinions, expertise, ideas … and we can talk about them. Many of us, dare I say most, are even open to hearing other people’s viewpoints! So simple, yet so novel. I want Women in the Woods to extend our reach.”[2]

“Empowering leaders is in BHA’s DNA and we’re lucky to have another outstanding leader join the Colorado chapter Executive Leadership Team,” Colorado BHA Co-Chair David Lien said. “Kassi is a selfless, tireless defender of wildlands and wildlife and a welcome addition to the Colorado BHA family. We need many more like her!”

For additional/related information see:

• “Women in The Woods: A New Series of Blogs, Content & Virtual Events From CO Chapter Leader Kassi Smith.” Backcountry Hunters & Anglers: 4/15/20.
• Kassi Smith. “Women In The Woods: Carp Cooking Showdown.” Backcountry Hunters & Anglers: 7/15/20.
• Kassi Smith, Gabby Zaldumbide, Emma Dunfee. “How to Build a Crawfish Trap-Women in the Woods.” Backcountry Hunters & Anglers: 8/28/20.
• “Colorado Backcountry Hunters & Anglers Appoint Denver Metro Area Assistant Regional Director and Southwest Colorado Habitat Watch Volunteer.” Backcountry Hunters & Anglers: 8/29/19.

Additional BHA Information:

• Colorado BHA Corporate Partners.
• Hunting For Sustainability (H4S).
• BHA’s Public Waters Access campaign.
• BHA’s Collegiate Program. Collegiate Quarterly: (December 2020); (October 2020).
• Backcountry Journal (Winter 2021); (Fall 2020); (Summer 2020); (Spring 2020).
• Backcountry Beat (November 2020); (October 2020); (September 2020); (August 2020).
• BHA’s Armed Forces Initiative. “Armed Forces Initiative-Get Involved.”
• Colorado BHA Habitat Watch Volunteer (HWV) program information.
• “Where Hope Lives: A Brief BHA History.” Backcountry Hunters & Anglers: 11/30/20.
• “Empowering Leaders: It’s In BHA’s DNA.” Backcountry Hunters & Anglers: 1/7/21.
• David “Elkheart” Petersen (founder of the first BHA state chapter, here in Colorado, and a former U.S. Marine Corps helicopter pilot) books: www.davidpetersenbooks.com

Founded by Mike Beagle, a former U.S. Army field artillery officer, and formed around an Oregon campfire, in 2004, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers is the voice for our nation’s wild public lands, waters and wildlife. With over 40,000 members spread out across all 50 states and 13 Canadian provinces and territories—including chapters in 48 states, two Canadian provinces and one territory, and Washington, D.C.—BHA brings an authentic, informed, boots-on-the-ground voice to the conservation of public lands. Since the Colorado BHA chapter was founded by David Petersen (a former U.S. Marine Corps helicopter pilot) in 2005 (the first official BHA chapter), they’ve grown their boots-on-the-ground presence to some 2,500 dedicated hunters and anglers.

[1] “Colorado Backcountry Hunters & Anglers Appoint Denver Metro Area Assistant Regional Director and Southwest Colorado Habitat Watch Volunteer.” Backcountry Hunters & Anglers: 8/29/19.

[2] Kassi Smith. “Women in The Woods: A New Series of Blogs, Content & Virtual Events From CO Chapter Leader Kassi Smith.” Backcountry Hunters & Anglers: 4/15/20.