Media Chapter News Press Releases State Issues BHA Condemns Senate Proposal to Sell Off Up to 3 Million Acres of Public Lands 6/11/2025 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... Tags: Policy, media, Press Releases, Nevada Chapter, California Chapter, Washington Chapter, Colorado Chapter, Wyoming Chapter, Utah Chapter, New Mexico Chapter, Oregon Chapter, Idaho Chapter, Arizona Chapter, Alaska Chapter
Media State Issues Protecting Oregon’s Backcountry: Keeping Members Updated on Deschutes National Forest E-Bike Proposal 4/1/2025 “We just started out by riding down deer trails...” It might sound like the beginning of a joke, but for local wildlife populations, one could argue it has almost become a nightmare. The Oregon... Tags: Oregon Chapter
Media Chapter News State Issues Western State Policy Spotter - March 3/4/2025 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... Tags: Montana Chapter, Policy, media, Nevada Chapter, Texas Chapter, California Chapter, Washington Chapter, Colorado Chapter, Wyoming Chapter, Utah Chapter, New Mexico Chapter, Oregon Chapter, Idaho Chapter, Arizona Chapter, Alaska Chapter
Media Chapter News State Issues Western State Policy Spotter - First Look 2/7/2025 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... Tags: Montana Chapter, Policy, media, Nevada Chapter, Texas Chapter, California Chapter, Washington Chapter, Colorado Chapter, Wyoming Chapter, Utah Chapter, New Mexico Chapter, Oregon Chapter, Idaho Chapter, Arizona Chapter
Media State Issues Spring Bear Hunting to Continue in Oregon 9/16/2024 Last week the Oregon Fish and Game Commission met to discuss big game hunting regulations for 2025 based on the recommendations of biologists from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Prior... Tags: Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues OR Chapter Supports Agency Proposed Game Regs for 2025 9/12/2024 The following letter was submitted to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Commission on September 12th ahead of the September 13th, 2024 ODFW Commission meeting: September 12, 2024... Tags: Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues OR Chapter Gathers Signatures and Submits Comments Opposing E-bikes in Deschutes National Forest 8/8/2024 On July 30th, the Oregon Chapter of BHA submitted comments and petition opposing e-bikes on specific trails within the Deschutes National Forest. The proposal by the US Forest Service... Tags: Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues Support of Emigrant Creek Ranch 7/11/2024 Sue DoroffPresident, Western Rivers Conservancy 71 SW Oak St., 100Portland, OR 97201 RE: Western Rivers Conservancy’s Emigrant Creek Ranch project in the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument... Tags: Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues Oregon Hunters and Anglers Rally Rapid Support for Next Director of ODFW 5/23/2024 In a quick turn of events, the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife (ODFW) Commission announced their final candidates for the next ODFW Director, allowing a short turn around for stakeholder... Tags: Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues OR Chapter Submits Comments for ODFW Selection Process 3/12/2024 On January 26th, 2024, the Oregon Chapter of BHA submitted comments reflecting the necessary considerations needed for the recruitment of the next Director of the Oregon Department of Fish and... Tags: Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues Efforts Combating CWD and Invasive Species Receives Funding 3/11/2024 The 2024 legislative short session has come to an end and in a bewildering turn of events, despite broad stakeholder support, House Bill 4148, (HB4148) Rep. Helm’s Wildlife Omnibus Bill, died in... Tags: Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues Support for HB 4148 2/6/2024 The following letter was submitted on behalf of the Oregon Chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers on February 6th, 2024 ahead of the House Committee on Natural Resources hearing in support of... Tags: Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues Virtual Open House - Blue Mountain Forest Plan Revisions 10/10/2023 Do you hunt, fish, forage, or camp with your family on the Wallowa-Whitman, Umatilla, or Malheur National Forest? If so, it’s time for you to get involved! This summer, the US Forest Service... Tags: Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues HB 3086 Passes 7/14/2023 In a monumental achievement, HB 3086, which restructures the ODFW Commission's selection map, has been passed with unanimous support in the House and near unanimity in the Senate. The hard work... Tags: Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues BLM Fence Prep Recap 6/21/2023 On Saturday, June 27th, Oregon BHA Members alongside staff from the USFS and BLM ascended on public lands bordering the Deschutes National Forest to prep fence line for future retro fitting. Brush... Tags: Habitat Stewardship, Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues Deschutes Mule Deer Inventory UPDATE: May 2023 5/5/2023 The Oregon Chapter of BHA wants to thank our supporters for your dedication, especially to those who were able to take the time to participate in last Thursday’s Planning Commission hearing -... Tags: Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues HB 3086: UPDATE 4/10/2023 The progress of HB 3086, the river basin model for ODFW Commission structure, was unfortunately stalled early last week. The -4 amendment had enough votes to pass out of the House Agriculture,... Tags: Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues 2023 Oregon Legislative Tracker 3/30/2023 Bill: HJR 5-1 - Right to Fish, Hunt, and Forage https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Measures/Overview/HJR5 Oregon BHA Position: Support as written or with the -1 amendment Current... Tags: Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues Oregon's Adopt-A-Lek Program 3/30/2023 What is it? Oregon has a volunteer opportunity between hunting seasons in the high desert, in the state’s southeastern region. Oregon has one of the nation’s largest... Tags: Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues Thornburgh Resort, Wrong Place, Wrong Time 3/6/2023 Given the serious shortcomings of Thornburg’s water mitigation model which can only be described as “best (and only) case” combined with Thornburg’s credibility damaged by their failure to make... Tags: Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues Oregon Business and Conservation Interests Support Dedicated Funding for Oregon’s Imperiled Species 2/24/2023 Oregon Business and Conservation Interests Support Dedicated Funding for Oregon’s Imperiled Species We, the undersigned, support long-term, dedicated funding to prevent the decline of Oregon’s... Tags: Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues PUBLIC TESTIMONY: Letter to USACE on Willamette Valley Draft PEIS 2/21/2023 To: Nicklas Knudson, Project Manager U.S. Army Corps of Engineers From: Stephen P. Maher, SW Regional DirectorOregon Chapter, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (ORBHA) 14 February 2023... Tags: Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues HJR-5: The Right to Fish, Hunt, Harvest and Gather 1/31/2023 Oregonians have long demonstrated a deep love for the nexus between food and nature. Hunting, fishing, gathering, and foraging, are foundational to Oregonians' cultural identity, and it is... Tags: Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues BHA Shows Up for Deschutes County 1/23/2023 BHA members waiting to present testimony at the 1/11/23 Deschutes County meeting. BHA Shows up for Deschutes County Goal 5, Wildlife Inventory Testimony January 11—Bend, Oregon BHA sportsmen and... Tags: Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues OR Chapter Provides Testimony on Need for Updated Wildlife Inventory 1/5/2023 January 4, 2023 Deschutes County Commission PO Box 6005 117 NW Lafayette Ave. Bend, OR 97708 RE: Wildlife Inventory Update—Mule Deer Winter Range Inventory Maps Dear Commissioners, Adair,... Tags: Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues Oregon Chapter Accomplishments 12/8/2022 The Oregon Chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, led by our volunteer board, is dedicated to enhancing the health and access to our states wild lands, waters, and wildlife. Our commitment to... Tags: Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues Mule Deer in Deschutes County 8/4/2022 By Suzanne Linford Deschutes county is a historical migratory corridor for Mule deer in central Oregon. They migrate in summer to the higher elevations of the eastern Cascades, and they migrate in... Tags: Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues Mule Deer Take a Back Seat in Deschutes County 8/4/2022 As an avid hunter and conservationist living in Deschutes County for the last 10 years, I have seen firsthand the eye-popping decline in our mule deer herds. ODFW population estimates for the... Tags: Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues Oregon Chapter Opposes Thornburgh Resort Proposal 3/31/2022 What's proposed? 1,425 dwelling units, including 900+ permanent, 425 overnight and 50 room Hotel. Three 18-hole golf courses 20 Acre water ski lake Ten-fold increase in vehicle traffic on Highway... Tags: Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues Protecting the Rogue 3/1/2022 Photo provided by Dan Van Dyke,District Fish Biologist for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife On February 16th, the Oregon Chapter hosted Dan Van Dyke, the District Fish Biologist for the... Tags: Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues CWD on Oregon's Doorstep 2/1/2022 Photo Credit: Idaho Fish and Game Just four months from the addition of new rules to help prevent CWD from entering Idaho, the news that Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) had been found in western... Tags: Oregon Chapter
Media Chapter News State Issues 11 Ways BHA Chapters Are Working on Public Access to Your Public Lands & Waters Right Now 1/26/2022 Quality public hunting and fishing access consistently tops the list of issues outdoorsmen and women expect Backcountry Hunters & Anglers to help tackle. The need for recreational access only... Tags: Montana Chapter, media, California Chapter, Tennessee Chapter, Mid-Atlantic Chapter, New England Chapter, West Virginia Chapter, Southeast Chapter, Public Lands & Waters, Wyoming Chapter, New Mexico Chapter, Oregon Chapter, Pennsylvania Chapter
Media State Issues Final Action Needed: Oregon BHA, Outdoor Groups, Ask for Your Support 7/28/2021 After months of close collaboration, Oregon BHA, Oregon Outdoor Council, Oregon Hunters Association and Traditional Archers of Oregon have reached consensus and submitted a letter urging the ODFW... Tags: Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues OR BHA Contributes $10k to Minam River Access 7/27/2021 In June, the OR BHA Chapter board voted in support of a $10,000 donation towards Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and ODFW's efforts to purchase land to expand the Minam River Wildlife Area... Tags: media, Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues Oregon BHA Supports Alternatives to ODFW’s 2022 Archery Elk Proposal 6/21/2021 In March of this year, representatives from your Oregon Backcountry Hunters & Anglers board were invited by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Archery Elk project team to discuss the... Tags: media, Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues Backcountry Journal Central Oregon: The Frontlines of Wilderness Access 12/17/2019 By Tristan Henry In Oregon’s scenic Central Cascades, the undulating terrain that bisects east from misty west has drawn growing crowds of backcountry travelers, summer after summer. Here,... Tags: Backcountry Journal, Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues Smith River: California’s and Oregon’s Largest Wild & Scenic River 6/12/2019 This article originally appeared in the Spring 2019 issue of Backcountry Journal. By Matthew Clark Photo by Sunny Capper Along the Oregon/California border the mountains rise up straight... Tags: California Chapter, Armed Forces Initiative, Collegiate Clubs, Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues Oregon BHA Fights Misguided Legislation of Elk Management 4/23/2019 The west has seen a rash of legislation attempting to expand the ability of private interests to manage elk herds. Instead of deferring to the biologists, land managers and agencies tasked with... Tags: Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues Oregon BHA Opposes Bill to Privatize Wildlife (S 0301) 4/19/2019 Take a minute to join Oregon BHA in urging your legislator to help stop the privatization of wildlife and public hunting opportunity in the state. Tags: Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues LWCF Success Story: John Day River, Oregon 8/21/2018 The John Day River is born of the snows in the high Blue Mountains in northeastern Oregon and flows northwest to the Columbia River through some of America’s most isolated and intact sagebrush... Tags: Access & Opportunity, Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues LWCF Project at Risk: Hood River Forest and Fish Conservation Plan, Oregon 8/21/2018 The Hood River Forest and Fish Conservation Project is a plan to conserve 19,772 acres of working forestlands in Hood River County, Oregon, one of the fastest growing counties in the state. The... Tags: Access & Opportunity, Oregon Chapter
Media Press Releases State Issues Oregonians Applaud as Frank and Jeanne Moore Wild Steelhead Bill Advances in U.S. Senate 3/30/2017 PORTLAND, Ore. – A bill that would conserve more than 100,000 acres in Douglas County, Oregon, took another step forward today as it passed out of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural... Tags: Press Releases, Oregon Chapter
Media Press Releases State Issues BHA Commends Effort to Keep Elliott State Forest Publicly Accessible 3/20/2017 SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers is commending a decision by the Oregon state legislature to consider a bill that could keep the Elliott State Forest under state... Tags: Press Releases, Access & Opportunity, Oregon Chapter
Media Press Releases State Issues Iconic Oregon Public Lands Would be Conserved in New Legislation 3/1/2017 WASHINGTON – Approximately 100,000 acres of Oregon public lands backcountry – including riparian wildlife habitat and a unique steelhead fishery – will be permanently conserved if legislation... Tags: Press Releases, Oregon Chapter
Media Press Releases State Issues Oregon State Land Board Votes to Sell Elliott State Forest 2/15/2017 82,000-plus acres of prized fish and wildlife habitat to be privatized; public access a question mark under future ownership SALEM, Ore. – Despite widespread support from sportsmen,... Tags: Press Releases, Access & Opportunity, Oregon Chapter
Media Press Releases State Issues BHA Urges Innovation to Keep Elliott State Forest Publicly Accessible 12/20/2016 Following state land board decision to postpone the Elliott’s sale, sportsmen speak up on behalf of Oregon’s oldest state forest KEIZER, Ore. – Oregon hunters and anglers are commending a decision... Tags: Press Releases, Access & Opportunity, Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues Jewels of the North Umpqua: Frank Moore and the Wild Steelhead of Steamboat Creek 11/16/2016 The following BHA feature film showcases the 104,000 acre Steamboat Creek watershed that BHA is working to protect as the Steamboat Creek Wild Steelhead Sanctuary, in partnership with Trout... Tags: Armed Forces Initiative, Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues Infographic: Legislation Honors Two Oregon Icons 11/3/2016 Oregon BHA is working to advance legislation that would permanently protect more than 100,000 acres of public lands within the Steamboat Creek Watershed. Learn more about this unique steelhead... Tags: Armed Forces Initiative, Reports, Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues THE FRANK MOORE WILD STEELHEAD SANCTUARY 9/6/2016 On Sept. 23, 2016, Rep. Peter DeFazio of Oregon announced the introduction of H.R. 6129, a House companion bill to Sens. Ron Wyden’s and Jeff Merkley’s Frank Moore Wild Steelhead Sanctuary... Tags: Armed Forces Initiative, Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues Frank Moore Steelhead Sanctuary: A BHA Interview with Senator Ron Wyden 5/27/2016 Join Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon and BHA Northwest Coordinator Brian Jennings for a conversation about the proposed 104,000-acre Frank Moore Steelhead Sanctuary (S. 1448) along Oregon's famed North... Tags: Armed Forces Initiative, Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues Video: Veteran & Conservationist Frank Moore 5/25/2016 BHA is currently working to protect the 100,000 acre Steamboat Creek Watershed, through legislation that was recently introduced by Senator Ron Wyden in recognition of legendary conservationist... Tags: Armed Forces Initiative, Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues An Open Letter to the Staff, Board, Members, and Supporters of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers 4/27/2016 By BHA's 2016 Aldo Leopold Award Winner, Mark Heckert I am humbled and deeply appreciative of the honor of the Aldo Leopold Award you have given me for my actions in defense of our public... Tags: Access & Opportunity, Oregon Chapter
Media Reports State Issues The Elliot State Forest: Keep it Public! 3/4/2016 Oregon’s 82,500-acre Elliott State Forest is well known by sportsmen and women for the coveted public access it provides to high quality hunting and fishing. Roosevelt elk, blacktail deer and... Tags: Access & Opportunity, Reports, Oregon Chapter
Media Press Releases State Issues BHA Statement on Arrest of Cliven Bundy 2/11/2016 MISSOULA, Mont. - In the wake of the arrest in Oregon of Cliven Bundy, a Nevada scofflaw and leader of a movement to seize public lands from the American people, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers... Tags: media, Press Releases, Access & Opportunity, Public Lands & Waters, Oregon Chapter
Media Press Releases State Issues Oregon BHA Spearheads Efforts to Ban Drones for Hunting 5/1/2015 SALEM, Ore. – Proponents of fair chase hunting are celebrating a success in the Beaver State as the Oregon Senate advances legislation that would ban the use of drones for hunting and... Tags: media, Press Releases, Fair Chase, Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues O & C Legislation: Congratulations on Maintaining the Status Quo 1/5/2015 By Ed Putnam, Co-Chair, Oregon Backcountry Hunters & AnglersWell, Senator Wyden’s O&C Lands Bill failed to hop a ride onto a Defense spending package that’s steaming through Congress on its way to... Tags: Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues BHA Opposes, HR4272: Forest Access in Rural Communities Act 5/29/2014 A letter expressing our concerns...Backcountry Hunters & Anglers is a national conservation organization that was founded around a campfire in Oregon by a group of passionate sportsmen who saw a... Tags: Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues Oregon BHA to ODFW: Drone Ban for Hunting & Scouting Needed 5/20/2014 5/16/14Mr. Roy Elicker, DirectorOregon Department of Fish and Wildlife 4034 Fairview Industrial Drive SE Salem, OR 97302Dear Mr. Elicker:Backcountry Hunters & Anglers was formed here in Oregon ten... Tags: Oregon Chapter
Media State Issues BLM accepts second round of comments on lease of BLM lands to Oregon Parks and Recreation Department 1/21/2014 By Jon Pampush, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers Condon, Oregon: On January 13, The Bureau of Land Management hosted a meeting to accept a second round of comments concerning a proposed lease of... Tags: Oregon Chapter