Sage grouse are an icon of the interior western United States (and parts of Canada as well). They are obligates of Artemisia spp., i.e. sagebrush; they have very specific habitat, food, mating, and nesting needs, and all of those factors are dependent upon healthy sagebrush based ecosystems. In Wyoming, we are fortunate to have relatively robust, and often huntable, populations of sage grouse. However, science-based conservation efforts and the wellbeing of sage grouse in Wyoming are being ...

The Colorado chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA) recently appointed Scott Heatwole to serve on the Colorado BHA Chapter Leadership Team as Communications Co-Chair. Scott was born on Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, Virginia, and raised in nearby Newport News. “I fished on and off as a child, but was never really into hunting,” he said. “None of my family hunted either so I was never exposed to it. It’s only been in the last few years that I’ve really developed a serious interest ...

A federal judge issued a blow to hunting and fishing advocates in Montana on Friday, recommending the dismissal of a lawsuit that accuses the Forest Service of failing to protect public access to Montana’s Crazy Mountains. But plaintiffs in the case warn that such an outcome could cut off access not just to that region, but to forestlands across the nation. “This is potentially a road map for landowners to really restrict access on these trails that don’t have recorded deeds,” said Matthew ...

The federal magistrate judge considering a lawsuit over the Forest Service’s handling of access disputes in the Crazy Mountains has issued a preliminary order favorable to Forest Service leadership and landowners. The plaintiffs, a consortium of sporting and conservation groups, sued the Forest Service in 2019 arguing that the agency has failed to maintain public access on trails traversing prescriptive easements in violation of its own policies and federal laws governing the agency’s ...

Deb O’Neill Special Projects Director Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks PO Box 200701 Helena, MT 59620 doneill@mt.gov   RE: Programmatic Pheasant Release EA Comments   Dear Ms. O’Neill: The Montana Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (Montana BHA) represents roughly 3,000 dues-paying sportsmen and women in Montana who value quality recreational opportunities and ethical conduct in the outdoors. Our Chapter values the opportunity to pursue wild upland birds in quality habitat and strives to ...