Montana is home to millions of acres of public land, yet much remains out of reach for hunters. Over 3 million acres—10% of our state and federal lands—are landlocked, surrounded by private property with no legal access. Despite seeing these lands daily and funding their management with tax dollars, Montanans cannot set foot on them. We must and can solve this problem—HB 763 can help. Our beloved Block Management Program holds a key answer. Most know it well for providing public access to ...

The Wyoming Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA) has long advocated for sportsmen’s and women’s ability to access public lands via corner crossing—the act of moving between adjoining public parcels at their corners. While we appreciate the intent of House Bill 99 to clarify legal ambiguities, we encourage lawmakers to address issues in its current draft to ensure it protects public access without creating unintended consequences. Wyoming BHA secured a significant victory two years ...

In early 2022, a private landowner illegally blocked access to a popular public hunting and fishing destination in East Texas known locally as “The Cutoff”. A group of local sportsmen who hunt and fish there have challenged the move in court, and Texas BHA is rallying behind them. The Cutoff, also called Creslenn Lake, spans 12 miles along the boundary for Navarro and Henderson Counties. Originally part of the Trinity River, the waterway was separated from its main channel by a levee ...

Right now in California, anglers, spear fishers, Tribes and other saltwater stakeholders are grappling with a series of regulatory petitions that could result in reduced fishing access along thousands of acres of coastline. Read our letter, and take action below. Last week, the California Fish & Game Commission heard and discussed multiple petitions that if enacted, would significantly reduce the fishing access in several areas along California’s coast. BHA staff recently combed through ...