Written by Trey Curtiss and Kylie Schumacher BHA has often touted that the “backcountry” portion of our organization's name is not only synonymous with wilderness; rather, the backcountry is a state of mind. Whether your backcountry is a secluded portion of the Bob Marshall Wilderness complex in Montana, or a woodlot sectioned off by busy roadways outside Atlanta, BHA defines backcountry by simple guidelines: a place to find solace and derive a deeper connection to the natural world. As a ...

As the demand for publicly accessible places to hunt and fish continues to grow, so have incidents where “no trespassing” signs have been placed to block public access to your public lands or waters. Many of us have seen it, some of us have reported it, but the question becomes, "What recourse do we as public land owners currently have to right this wrong and stop such acts of hunter harassment?" As of right now? Not much. That’s why BHA chapters and others are working so hard in ...

Montana BHA strongly supports the right of every citizen to hunt, fish and trap. This should come as no surprise. House Bill 372 seeks to reconstruct this right in our state's Constitution. While some argue that this is unnecessary - because the Constitution already says "the opportunity to harvest wild fish and wild game animals is a heritage that shall forever be preserved to the individual citizens of the state...", Montana BHA understands and appreciates the intent to strengthen these ...

February 2, 2023 Speaker of the House Matt Regier & Senate President Jason EllsworthState Capitol1301 E. Sixth Ave.Helena, MT 59601 RE: Montana sporting groups support for conservation funding from HB 701 (2021) Dear Speaker Regier & President Ellsworth: The undersigned Montana organizations are comprised of hunting, fishing, and conservation organizations representing tens of thousands of Montanans. Therefore, we support allocating full funding from the voter approved recreational marijuana ...

West Virginia sportsmen and women stand to lose more ground as the State Legislature moves forward. Senator Mark Maynard's new Outdoor Recreation Committee seems to have a singular mission in mind: making sure that off-highway vehicle (OHV) use is the main focus and the new direction for recreation on West Virginia’s public lands.  Currently, Senate Bill 468 seeks to make permanent OHV trails on Cabwaylingo State Forest. Proposed changes to the bill include the potential to expand OHV trail ...