During 2025 Colorado Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA) hosted, co-sponsored, or participated in 45 projects/events (20 stewardship projects and 25 events) which contributed to a net gain of over 200 members in Colorado. During 2026, we’re maintaining momentum and holding and/or co-sponsoring events across the state.

On March 25 we hosted a “Pints for Public Lands” night at 105 West Brewing on Garden of the Gods Road in Colorado Springs. The event was spearheaded by chapter leaders Kyle Vistuba and Jason Judge. We were also joined by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) Commissioner Fran Silva Blayne for a question-answer session on the myriad of issues/topics the Commission is working on currently.

The CPW Commission is a citizen board, appointed by the Governor, which sets regulations and policies for Colorado’s state parks and wildlife programs. The 11 voting members of the commission include three members who are sportspersons, one of whom must be an outfitter; three agricultural producers; three recreationalists, including one from a non-profit, non- consumptive wildlife organization; two at-large members.

Members are expected to represent all parks and wildlife-related issues, regardless of their affiliation. A minimum of four commissioners must be from west of the Continental Divide. The Parks and Wildlife Commission meets six scheduled times a year (every odd month) to consider changes to Colorado Parks and Wildlife regulations.

Colorado is home to more than 23 million acres of public lands that provide clean drinking water for communities across the state, support wildlife habitat and sustain a thriving outdoor recreation economy. In 2023 alone, Colorado’s outdoor recreation economy generated $65.8

billion in economic output and supported more than 404,000 jobs, making up 12% of the state’s workforce.

And despite the significant public lands and waters conservation challenges we’ve experienced across the nation during 2025 and 2026, there have been successes too. The Colorado Senate passed Senate Joint Resolution 26-015, reaffirming our state’s commitment to protecting public lands and opposing federal efforts to sell off public lands or silence public input in their management.”

Eighty-four percent of Western voters say that “rollbacks of laws that protect our land, water and wildlife” are a serious problem, up from 68% eight years ago, according to a poll by Colorado College’s State of the Rockies project. Last year, a proposal backed by Utah Sen. Mike Lee to facilitate the sale of millions of acres of federally owned land failed to make it through Congress.

During the evening we acknowledged that as hunters, anglers and conservationists, we stand on the shoulders of giants from past generations, like Theodore Roosevelt, Aldo Leopold and many others. We recognize that this is our opportunity to show future generations that they too stand on the shoulders of giants, from this generation.

We emphasized that public lands are not a left or right issue; they’re an American issue. And as Winston Churchill said: “We shall not flag or fail, we shall go on.” Join us!