Pictured: Pronghorn at rest, Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge. Tom Koerner, USFWS MISSOULA, Mont. – America’s national wildlife refuges have provided generations of sportsmen with equal opportunity, easy access, public lands hunting and fishing, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers stated today, the 114th anniversary of the National Wildlife Refuge System. “Hunters and anglers are at the heart of our nation’s wildlife refuge system,” said BHA President and CEO Land Tawney. “One of our greatest ...

WASHINGTON – Following Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke’s signing late yesterday of a secretarial order expanding public access and hunting and fishing opportunities on U.S. public lands, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers President and CEO Land Tawney offered the following response:   “On his first day as Interior secretary, Mr. Zinke undertook quick action on behalf of our nation’s public lands, the outdoor opportunities they offer and the economic security they provide,” said Tawney. ...

WASHINGTON – Approximately 100,000 acres of Oregon public lands backcountry – including riparian wildlife habitat and a unique steelhead fishery – will be permanently conserved if legislation introduced today in Congress becomes law, announced Backcountry Hunters & Anglers. The Frank and Jeanne Moore Wild Steelhead Sanctuary Act, sponsored by Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Rep. Peter DeFazio of Oregon, would permanently safeguard the Steamboat Creek basin, a tributary of the North ...

WASHINGTON – Acknowledging years of collaborative, community-driven efforts to permanently conserve valuable backcountry habitat in Colorado’s Thompson Divide, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers welcomed the introduction of legislation in the U.S. Senate that would withdraw the area from future mineral development. Introduced by Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado, the bill would limit future industrial development on approximately 172,000 acres of public lands and waters located just west of ...

Following increasing pressure by sportsmen and others to keep public lands under public ownership, state legislators announce decision to amend suit, which would have cost Utah taxpayers $14 million SALT LAKE CITY – In the wake of rapidly escalating opposition by sportsmen and other citizens to attempts to sell, transfer or seize the public estate, Utah legislators have backpedaled on a lawsuit that would have claimed ownership of public lands and waters that lie within the state’s ...