WASHINGTON – The fish- and wildlife-rich region of Bristol Bay, Alaska, could receive long-term protection from industrial mining in the wake of a decision made public today by the Biden administration. The Environmental Protection Agency has announced that it is reinitiating the process of utilizing the Clean Water Act to protect specific areas in Bristol Bay, home to the world’s largest remaining wild salmon fishery. For over a decade, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers has been working to ...

News for Immediate ReleaseNov. 14, 2017Contact: Katie McKalip, 406-240-9262, mckalip@backcountryhunters.org  Sportsmen Urge Senate to Reject Plan to Drill Arctic Refuge As Senate considers opening energy development in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge,hunting/fishing opportunities in America’s ‘last frontier’ showcased in new film from BHA MISSOULA, Mont. – As Senate members prepare to advance legislation that would open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska to oil and gas ...

News for Immediate ReleaseNov. 10, 2017Contact: Katie McKalip, 406-240-9262, mckalip@backcountryhunters.org  Public Access to Sabinoso Wilderness Achieved Public lands sportsmen among loudest advocates for dealthat opens previously inaccessible New Mexico wilderness LAS VEGAS, N.M. – Public lands sportsmen and women are celebrating as a deal is inked that will open the Sabinoso Wilderness in northeastern New Mexico to the public for the first time. The Interior Department announced on ...

News for Immediate ReleaseOct. 27, 2017Contact: Katie McKalip, 406-240-9262, mckalip@backcountryhunters.org Inside the Fall Issue of BHA’s Backcountry Journal The newest issue of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers’ magazine is available today MISSOULA, Mont. – The fall 2017 issue of Backcountry Journal is landing in BHA members’ mailboxes now. Here’s a look at some of the highlights: Speechless: Dreams, Nightmares & Wyoming Moose: BHA life member Jared Oakleaf shares how a typo almost cost him ...

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 ...

WASHINGTON – Following today’s introduction in the U.S. House of Representatives of a bipartisan resolution affirming the value of America’s public lands, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers President and CEO Land Tawney offered the following response: “Loudly and consistently, American sportsmen have raised our voices in support of our public lands and waters. We the people have spoken, yet some of our elected officials are slow to hear us – and continue to plot ways to steal from citizens our ...

Rep. Jason Chaffetz announced decision to abandon H.R. 621, which would have seized millions of acres of public lands and waters WASHINGTON - Following pressure from Backcountry Hunters & Anglers and numerous other sportsmen's interests and businesses, Rep. Jason Chaffetz announced last night his decision to abandon H.R. 621, legislation that would have mandated the sale of more than 3 million acres of public lands in Utah, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, ...

WASHINGTON – As members of the Senate meet this afternoon to hold a hearing on Rep. Ryan Zinke, nominated as secretary of the Interior by the Trump administration, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers President and CEO Land Tawney issued the following statement: “Rep. Zinke, as a sportsman and lifelong public lands user, is well positioned to appreciate the critical role played by these lands and waters in our national economy, our outdoor traditions and our identity as Americans. Backcountry ...

Measure recalculates costs of public lands transfers, facilitating giveaways WASHINGTON — The 115th Congress capped its first day late Tuesday with a vote to give away America’s public lands and waters, recalculating the costs of public lands transfers and easing current restrictions for shifting their oversight to individual states or private interests. Passed largely along party lines by the U.S. House of Representatives as part of a rules package, the provision would designate any ...

As a big game hunter who (like over 90% of Colorado sportsmen) hunts public lands, the recent push by some elected officials and big-industry groups to transfer our federal public lands to state ownership, or to sell them off outright to private interests, is more than a little troubling. Unfortunately, it wasn’t that long ago (during the Bush administration years) that similar shenanigans were taking place: former U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) introduced a bill requiring the federal ...