The Colorado chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers recently appointed Robert Benjamin to serve as a Habitat Watch Volunteer (HWV) for the San Juan National Forest.

Robert was born in Denver, but grew up in Fairplay. When he was thirteen their family moved to Grand Junction. He started fishing on a small pond in Fairplay at five or six and was hunting squirrels with a sling shot at the same age. When he was twelve or thirteen, Robert started hunting more regularly for small game, turkey and deer mentored by his dad and uncle.

Robert has a B.S in Health and Exercise Science and a Master’s degree of Physician Assistant Studies (Physician Assistant). He lives in Cortez and mostly hunts in the Four Corners area (i.e., San Juan Mountains), usually with a rifle, and enjoys the challenge of hunting grouse with a .22. “Now I enjoy elk, deer, bear, rabbit, turkey and grouse hunting,” he said. “Fish for trout, but would like to fish for pike and walleye.”

“I care deeply about conserving our wild places,” Robert added. “I believe that our future generations should have the opportunity to experience Wilderness and other wild places. I look forward to volunteering with BHA!” He first heard about BHA 2-3 years ago through research on land conservation.

“Selfless volunteers like Robert have swelled our Habitat Watch Volunteer ranks to over 40 boots on the ground conservationists,” said Colorado BHA co-chair Don Holmstrom. “The devotion to preserving wildlands and wildlife they collectively bring to the public lands preservation table is unequaled. We need many more like them!”

Colorado BHA Habitat Watch Volunteers serve as our “eyes and ears” in all eleven Colorado national forests. Contact chapter co-chair/HWV Program Coordinator Don Holmstrom ([email protected]) for additional information. Also see: Colorado BHA Habitat Watch Volunteer (HWV) program information.

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 (February 2021); (January 2021); (November 2020); (October 2020).
• BHA’s Armed Forces Initiative. “Armed Forces Initiative-Get Involved.”
• “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.
• “We Are Backcountry Hunters & Anglers.” Backcountry Hunters & Anglers: 3/2/21.
• Check out our Take Action Center and follow along with your local chapter to stay engaged on good and bad bills in your area.
• 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.