Dylan Snyder, born in Montana, hasn't missed a chance to go hunting and fishing since he could walk. He grew up following his older sister and father up the nearest mountain to hunt. He likes to say he's been involved in the fight for public lands for a mere cup of coffee compared to his older compatriots. 

He stuck to his own personal sporting adventures until a year ago when the attacks on public lands and waters pushed him to go beyond his own recreation and get involved in the fight. He interned at Backcountry Hunters & Anglers last fall before starting as BHA’s full-time operations specialist.

Dylan’s father taught him to hunt in Arlee, Montana. While he was growing up, almost every family meal had fish or meat from the family’s hunting and fishing ventures. It was the way Dylan’s family lived.

He left Montana for a short stint in the cities playing college hockey before Montana’s mountains pulled him back. He returned to reconnect with the landscape that held his hunting and angling roots - and to the University of Montana to finish his media arts degree.

Now with more awareness, Dylan uses hunting and angling to stay involved and connected to the cycle of his food. He believes that “you have a responsibility to deal a lethal and ethical blow to the animal.”

Shooting his archery elk solo on a high ridge in Montana last year defined this responsibility. Dylan chases these moments close to life and death in the backcountry to get away from his phone and other digital parts of his life.

His trips outdoors slow down his life and ground him. He said that he continues to hunt in his adult life because “there is a natural draw within me to go chase those adventures.”

When not getting hooked in the throat while fly fishing with friends, Dylan enjoys helping beginners gain access to the outdoors and public lands by teaching them hunting and fishing skills.

“People just don’t understand what they have,” he said.

Dylan believes that public lands are important because they give everyone the opportunity to take part in nature. He joined BHA to fight for the public’s resources because “right now is a crucial time.”

Dylan is usually the guy on the other end of the phone at BHA, and he's stoked for Rendezvous where he hopes to put members' faces to all the voices and email names he juggles daily. 

When not working hard in BHA’s Missoula office or hunting and angling, you can find Dylan river surfing or hanging out with his dog Sadie. 

Stay tuned for a new staff bio every week to learn who is working for you behind the scenes!