By Laura Lundquist - September 16, 2020 - Originally published in the Missoula Current    The Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act has finally gotten a committee hearing, although not much testimony was heard other than a few reasons to oppose it. On Wednesday afternoon, Sen. Jon Tester’s Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act was one of 15 bills considered by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, chaired by Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah. But between the large raft of bills slated for the ...

The battle to defend public access to the entire Pine Tree Research Station near Colt, Arkansas may seem at first glance to be a matter of merely local interest.  Of the 11,850 acres on the property, 6,300 acres are under contract to be sold by the University of Arkansas to a private party, with rumors that the new, out of state owners plan to subdivide the land and sell it off as exclusive duck hunting clubs.  In an area with relatively few public places for hunting and fishing, local ...

Together with Gerber, you can help advance the mission of BHA and aid in the conservation of the wild lands and waters you love by participating in our annual Public Land Owner Photo Contest. Taking photos that capture the spirit of our public lands and waters - and the experiences we have on them - is essential in communicating the value of our wild landscapes and the richness of our outdoor pursuits to the greater public.  Send us your photos that best tell the story of our wild public ...

September 12, 2020 Stevie BurtonMontana Fish, Wildlife & Parks490 N. Meridian RoadKalispell, MT 59901stevie.burton@mt.gov RE: Somers Beach Acquisition Draft Environmental Assessment The Montana Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (Montana BHA) represents nearly 3,000 dues-paying public land owners concerned with fish and wildlife habitat, fair chase hunting and fishing opportunities and public access. Our Montana Chapter includes numerous members who recreate and fish around Flathead ...

James Pogue spent two years as an embedded journalist with the American militia movement. He was at the 2016 occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge with Ammon and Ryan Bundy, an experience that he recounts in his 2018 book, Chosen Country. During his time with the Bundys and other militia, he became deeply immersed in the debates over the public lands of the American West. James is an international conflict journalist and a contributing writer at Harper’s Magazine. He also has ...