BY JOEL GAY It’s not easy for resident hunters to draw an elk tag in New Mexico, even for kids. As in many states, demand for tags far outstrips supply. But that’s only part of the equation. New Mexico also has the most liberal private land elk hunting program in the U.S. In recent years, up to half – HALF! – of all available elk tags have been given to landowners to sell to the highest bidder. Whatever is left goes into the big game draw. And even then, residents’ share of the draw is ...

  By Benjamin Polley   Every night before I go into the remote ranger station in a forgotten wild corner of northwestern Montana, I lay in bed, gripped by fear, imagining potential encounters. Giving time to these images of wild animals, as well as to poachers, outlaws and Border Patrol agents known to frequent this terrain, keeps me close with my mortality, allowing me to shape-shift from the ease and predictability of town into the wild places I value. The stillness and isolation of the ...

Faces of BHA is a regular column in Backcountry Journal, which spreads light on the incredible volunteers working behind the scenes to ensure the organization succeeds. This installment was published in the Winter 22 issue.  RYAN BURKERT Helena, Montana     Veteran Programs Lead, Armed Forces Initiative Photo by Josh Bent   “Our goal is to give veterans and service members a new mission, and that mission is conservation.”   What brought you to BHA? I discovered BHA not as a hunting and ...