FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jan. 13, 2025   Contacts:  Kaden McArthur, Director of Policy and Government Relations, mcarthur@backcountryhunters.org  Devin O’Dea, Western Policy & Conservation Manager, odea@backcountryhunters.org     Washington, D.C. — Today the U.S. Supreme Court announced their decision to reject hearing a lawsuit filed by the State of Utah in late summer that threatened the very foundation of America’s public lands legacy. Patrick Berry, President and CEO of Backcountry Hunters ...

Will bear hunting in Florida be a reality in the future?    At the December 2024 Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) commission meeting the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI) staff gave an update on black bear management in Florida. After concluding that the bear population continues to grow and expand its range steadily, we convinced the commission to entertain the idea of reinstating a bear hunt quota in Florida. A bear hunt has not occurred since 2015, after ...

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 ...

Indiana BHA 2024 Year in Review!!!  The Indiana BHA Chapter had an excellent 2024! Below, we are going to provide you with a quick recap of some of our accomplishments over the course of the last year.    (For a sneak peak into plans for 2025, including some opportunities to win awesome prizes in January, see the last section of this blog post.)   Membership recruitment and engagement was a top priority, with the objective of growing the Indiana BHA community so that we can make a ...