Elk regulations for the next two years are set following a marathon meeting of the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission on Friday that saw commissioners navigate widespread confusion and temper several controversial proposals. Friday’s vote was the culmination of a months-long process to update hunting regulations for 2022 and 2023. This year’s process took on a different look as Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Director Hank Worsech pushed a simplification effort to revise regulations by ...

After six years and tens of thousands of public comments, one of the largest and most popular national forests in the Northern Rockies has a new forest plan to guide its management for the next 15 years. The new forest plan will replace the 1986 and 1987 Custer and Gallatin forest plans. (Custer and Gallatin were combined in 2014. Prior to that they were separate national forests with individual forest plans.) The new plan fleshes out how the U.S. Forest Service will balance ecological, ...

On February 1, House Bill No. 507 was introduced by the Idaho House Resources and Conservation Committee. The bill pertains to archery equipment and would make it legal for lighted nocks and mechanical broadheads to be used in the taking of game, effective July 1, 2022. While Idaho BHA does not have a formal position or opinion on the use of these tools, the Fish and Game Commission – not the legislature – should make that determination. For that reason alone, we oppose H0507. Many BHA ...

The Utah Legislative Session commenced January 18, 2022 and will extend through March 4, 2022. During this time, members of the Utah State Legislature convene to revise old or consider new state laws. The volunteer chapter leaders of Utah Backcountry Hunters & Anglers actively engage in the legislative session by monitoring emerging bills on the Utah Legislature’s website relevant to BHA’s mission, meeting with representatives to discuss sponsored bills, and attending the Hunting and Fishing ...