Backcountry Hunters & Anglers - Colorado Chapter

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Media Chapter News Press Releases Issues State Issues

Supreme Court Could Determine Access to 8 Million Acres of Public Lands

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:   July 21, 2025   Contact:   media@backcountryhunters.org     WASHINGTON, D.C.—With more than 8 million acres of public lands...
Media Chapter News State Issues

Roadless Rule Rollback

Roadless Rule Rollback On June 24 Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA) posted a statement (“USDA Rescinds Near Quarter Century Old Protections for 58.5 Million Acres of National Forest Lands”)...
Media Chapter News Press Releases State Issues

BHA Condemns Senate Proposal to Sell Off Up to 3 Million Acres of Public Lands

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 11, 2025  Contact: media@backcountryhunters.org    MISSOULA, Mont. — Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA) is rebuking a sweeping new proposal released by the Senate...
Media State Issues

Privatization of Public Lands

“Privatization of Public Lands.” Colorado Springs (Colo.) Gazette: 6/5/25 Public lands, and hence hunting, are under threat like never before. From states such as Utah (and 14 others) laying...
Media Chapter News State Issues

Public Lands Mountain Merriam’s Hunt

Access And Opportunity Are On The Chopping Block Public lands, and hence hunting, are under threat like never before. From states like Utah (and 14 others) laying claim to Bureau of Land...
Media Chapter News Press Releases State Issues

10th Circuit Court Affirms District Court Decision in Corner-Crossing Case, Upholding Public Access Rights

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:   March 18, 2025      CONTACT:   Devin O’Dea, Western Policy & Conservation Manager, odea@backcountryhunters.org     Denver, CO – In a huge victory for public land owners,...
Media Chapter News State Issues

Western State Policy Spotter - March

This is your March 4th edition of BHA's Western Policy Spotter - a high-level scan of state policy and legislation impacting wild public lands, waters and wildlife across the West. Note - this...
Media State Issues

Colorado BHA Statement of SN25-053, Protect Wild Bison

Backcountry Hunters & Anglers is a member organization that seeks to ensure North America's outdoor heritage of hunting and fishing in a natural setting, through education and work on behalf of...
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Western State Policy Spotter - First Look

Welcome to your first glimpse of BHA's Western Policy Spotter - a high-level scan of state policy and legislation impacting wild public lands, waters and wildlife across the West. Much like...
Media Chapter News State Issues

Senate Committee Advances Final Public Lands and Waters Legislation for the 118th Congress

On November 19, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held its final Business Meeting of the 118th Congress. The record-breaking number of bills on the docket highlights the backlog of...
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Thompson Divide Mineral Withdrawal: A Win for All

Backcountry Journal: Summer 2024 Backcountry hunters and anglers value wild country, clean water and intact habitat. It’s a founding principal of this organization, and one that remains a priority...
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Colorado BHA Chapter Newsletter, Summer 2024

“The solution to any problem–work, love, money, whatever–is to go fishing, and the worse the problem, the longer the trip should be.” John Gierach, Standing in a River Waving a Stick   Welcome to...
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Colorado BHA Q2 2024 Update

“The natural world sustains us with clean air, unpolluted water, recreation, and natural resources. If we destroy nature, we destroy ourselves.” –Jim Posewitz, Beyond Fair Chase[1]   Backcountry...
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CO BHA Chapter Newsletter Spring 2024

“One swallow does not make a summer, but one skein of geese, cleaving the murk of March thaw, is the spring.”  -Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac   There’s no other organization like Backcountry...
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Colorado BHA Q1 2024 Update

Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA) mission is to ensure North America’s outdoor heritage of hunting and fishing in a natural setting, through education and work on behalf of wild public lands,...
Media Chapter News State Issues

Stalking Wildness: BHA’s Wilderness Warriors

Stalking Wildness: BHA’s Wilderness Warriors The title caught my attention: “Wilderness Warriors: Tales of Backcountry Hunting and Veteran Camaraderie.” It was for a Backcountry Hunters & Anglers...
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Elk Hunting: A State of Mind (& Body)

“Elk hunting is a physically and mentally grueling endeavor, but is also worth every second for nothing other than the clarity it can provide in your life.” –Tony J. Peterson[1]   During...
Media Chapter News State Issues

Colorado BHA Q4 2023 Update

Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA) mission is to ensure North America’s outdoor heritage of hunting and fishing in a natural setting, through education and work on behalf of wild public lands,...
Media Chapter News State Issues

Colorado Chapter Newsletter Summer 2023

“What if I made a bunch of money and die before I can spend it to buy the free time to fish?” – Jim Harrison, Field & Stream, February 2003 Hopefully you’re taking Mr. Harrison’s warning to heart,...
Media State Issues

Hunting Ethically Is Good, Hard Work

While hunting Rocky Mountain elk or mountain Merriam’s turkeys or any other wild game in southwest Colorado’s San Juan Mountains I generally endeavor to meet up with Colorado Backcountry Hunters &...
Media State Issues

CO BHA Comments on Hidden Lakes Trail Proposal

The attached letter authored by Colorado Chapter Leader Craig Grother and Policy and Government Relations Director John Gale was sent to the Telluride Mountain Club regarding mountain biking trail...
Media State Issues

Colorado Chapter Engages on GPS Points Bill

Senate Bill 22-169, "Sensitive Species Data And Public Records: Concerning the nondisclosure of sensitive species information under the "Colorado Open Records Act" is an important bill that will...
Media Issues State Issues

CO BHA Comments on Uinta Basin Railway Project

Date: 14 February 2022 RE: Uinta Basin Railway Project To Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA) is the voice for our public lands, waters and...
Media State Issues

Colorado Wolf Statement

The North American Model of Wildlife Conservation and the Public Trust Doctrine define fish and wildlife resources as the property of the people and managed by the state and federal agencies...
Media Chapter News State Issues

E-Bikes & Elk: A Bad Combination

A recent story in The Aspen Times (“Traditional cyclists, e-bikers clash over new trail rules across Colorado,” 5/17/20) included some observations from Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA) State...
Media Chapter News State Issues

Colorado 2018 Midterm Election Candidate Questionnaire

Colorado Backcountry Hunters & Anglers members will vote in several crucial elections  in 2018 that will affect hunting, fishing, and the management of wildlife and public lands. One of the most...
Media State Issues

CO Chapter Comments on Trail Development Plan in Western CO

Colorado Parks and Wildlife                                                                                                                        September 19, 2018 State Trails Program 13787 US...
Media State Issues

GMUG Wilderness Evaluation Comment Period

Right now the Forest Service is evaluating backcountry landscapes within the Grand Mesa Uncompahgre and Gunnision National Forests (GMUG) for wilderness suitability - to determine which...
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Bighorn Observation Volunteers Needed Colorado BHA

Project Lead: SW Colorado BHA Regional Director Dan Parkinson DVM                                    docdanp@gmail.com  970-759-0545    Why?  Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep, the highly valued and...
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Colorado State Trails Grant Program Comments Needed

The Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) Trails Program (i.e., State Trails Grant Committee) distributes millions in grants to user groups and federal agencies in Colorado for trail development each...
Media State Issues

Rico-West Dolores Travel Management Plan

Help us protect the Rico/West Dolores region in the San Juan National Forest (SJNF) from excessive motorized trails while safeguarding these 245,000 acres of the Dolores River watershed for...
Media State Issues

Sportsmen Applaud Drone Ban in Colorado

DENVER, COLORADO — Sportsmen from Colorado and beyond today applauded the state of Colorado for moving to protect traditional, fair chase hunting by curbing the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles...
Media State Issues

And Now for Some Good News in Conservation…

Meanwhile, back on the home-front, a coalition of sportsmen and conservation groups scored-big by winning a lawsuit which challenged plans for irresponsible oil and gas development on Bureau of...