Welcome to BHA's State Policy Spotter – a high-level scan of state policy and legislation impacting our wild public lands, waters and wildlife across North America.
Note: The Policy Spotter is not a comprehensive list of legislation or issues that BHA chapters are working on, but rather a spotlight in the moment of what is moving. There are many more bills and issues BHA's chapters are grappling with, so be sure to check out individual chapter pages for more news and updates.
January 2026
Alaska: DNR Materials Sales & Conveyance Regulation Amendments. News
The Alaska Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers submitted comments opposing proposed Alaska Department of Natural Resources amendments to regulations governing material sales and conveyances. The proposed changes would allow state agencies to transfer public materials, such as gravel, at no cost and remove prohibitions on third-party transfers. Alaska BHA warned that the amendments undermine Alaska’s constitutional public trust obligations by eliminating case-by-case “best interest” findings, weakening public review, and enabling public resources to subsidize private industrial development without enforceable public benefit. The chapter urged DNR to withdraw the proposed regulations, citing risks to wildlife habitat, subsistence resources, clean water, and public access relied upon by hunters and anglers across the state.
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Florida: Black Bear Hunt Update. News
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) successfully completed its first regulated black bear hunt since 2015, issuing 172 permits through a lottery system across four Bear Management Units. In total, 52 bears were harvested, yielding essential biological data to inform future conservation strategies. The Florida chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA) played a pivotal role in advocating for the hunt's reinstatement. Beyond supporting the hunt's return, BHA provided valuable information to the hunting community, while chapter leaders and staff handled numerous media inquiries, helping to educate the non-hunting public throughout the process.
Idaho: BHA Responds to Congressman Fulcher’s Call for State Transfer. News
Backcountry Hunters & Anglers’ Idaho Chapter issued a formal response to U.S. Rep. Russ Fulcher’s recent letter advocating for transferring federal public lands to state control, underscoring strong opposition to any large-scale land transfer. Idaho BHA noted that state management — under Idaho Department of Lands’ mandate for maximum financial return — could reduce public access, lead to sell-offs, and restrict hunting, fishing, and recreation opportunities that federal multiple-use lands currently provide. Idaho BHA urged Fulcher to support increased funding and staffing for federal land management agencies rather than pursue land transfer, and encouraged engagement with local stakeholders including Idaho Fish and Game and conservation partners to improve public lands stewardship while keeping lands in public hands. Read the letter BHA sent below and that quotes BHA's President & CEO Ryan Callaghan.
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Minnesota: DNR Approves Mining Exploration Plan Outside Boundary Waters. News
The Minnesota Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers is actively monitoring the ongoing developments concerning the proposed underground mining operation near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Recently, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) approved further underground mineral exploration near Ely, the gateway to the Boundary Waters. This decision permits Franconia Minerals, a subsidiary of Twin Metals Minnesota, to drill on state mineral leases. Despite the DNR's imposition of special conditions, concerns persist that this decision could pave the way for future copper and nickel mining. Stay tuned for updates.
Wyoming: BHA Comments on Seminoe Pumped Storage Project. News
Backcountry Hunters & Anglers joined a coalition of conservation and sportsmen’s organizations in submitting comments opposing the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed Seminoe Pumped Storage Project in central Wyoming. BHA raised concerns that the DEIS relies on incomplete water-quality modeling, fails to meaningfully incorporate climate-driven low-water and warm-year scenarios, and defers key protections to an Adaptive Management Plan that lacks enforceable shutdown triggers. The coalition also highlighted conflicts with the Rawlins Resource Management Plan, including wildlife timing restrictions for bighorn sheep, sage-grouse, mule deer, and pronghorn that the DEIS acknowledges would need to be waived to make the project feasible. BHA emphasized that long-duration energy storage should not come at the expense of a Class 1, Blue Ribbon trout fishery, public hunting access, or the regional recreation economy and urged FERC to require stronger safeguards and a more robust alternatives analysis before advancing the project.
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Alabama: Mobile Bay Mud Dumping to Resume in April. News
The Army Corps of Engineers plans to resume the dumping of millions of cubic yards of dredged mud into Mobile Bay in April as part of channel maintenance for the Port of Mobile. This practice severely harms the bay’s ecosystem by destroying seagrass and oyster beds, which support key species like shrimp, crabs, and speckled trout, and jeopardizes commercial and recreational fishing, tourism, and property values. A broad coalition of organizations, including BHA has been calling for the Army Corps to choose other cost-effective, environmentally sound alternatives, especially considering the method they are using was previously banned. The Southeast Chapter urges everyone, especially Alabamians to reach out to their electeds to protect Mobile Bay.
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