Update from Chapter Chair

Spring is finally here!  The skunk cabbage is popping up and letting us know that soon the woods will be green again. We have been eating through the last of last year's ramp pesto while getting excited about foraging for more to replenish! I also have taken out my turkey calls and started practicing as I mentally prepare for the turkey opener on May 1st. We have a bunch of stewardship events on the calendar and have locked in a date and location for our big statewide event this summer. Muster in the Mountains is back and we are being hosted again by West Kill Brewing this August 1st - 3rd! This is going to be a great event with camping, lots of sessions, some great raffles/auctions, a 3D archery course, and much more. We will be opening ticket sales soon, but for now block this weekend out on your calendar! As always, I want to encourage you all to please tag and follow us on social media, join us at Pint Nights and conservation stewardship events, let your legislators hear from you about proposed bills impacting hunters and anglers, and make sure your BHA membership is current! Get out there and enjoy your NY public lands and waters!

Greg Whalin - NY BHA Chapter Chair 

Chapter News

Board Changes

Chapter Board members are elected volunteers that are responsible for guiding the chapter through setting and meeting annual goals around membership growth, fundraising, events (conservation and pint nights), and tracking policy work in the state to ensure NY hunters and anglers are represented in Albany.

• Saying goodbye to departing board member Megan Plete Postol
• Welcoming new member Paul Gallery

Keep an eye on our Instagram (@newyorkbha) account over the upcoming weeks to meet the board.

WNY Sport & Travel Expo - Fairgrounds in Hamburg, March 7 - 9

NY BHA volunteers were at the WNY Sport & Travel Expo with members, promoting BHA, selling merch, and signing up new members.

Long Island Fly Fishing Expo - Radisson Hotel in Hauppauge, March 8

NY BHA volunteers attended the Long Island Fly Fishing Expo, Long Island's only annual fly fishing expo. They met with current and future members and promoted the BHA mission.

Upcoming Events

NY Three Rivers WMA Public Lands Packout sponsored by onX - Baldwinsville NY, April 19 @ 9am

Join NYBHA for our annual  Public Land Packout sponsored by onX at the Three Rivers Wildlife Management Area just outside Syracuse, New York. This public land offers hiking, abundant hunting opportunities for deer, waterfowl and small game, trapping, and fishing and we would like to help maintain this WMA as part of our stewardship agreement with the NY DEC. More details and RSVP at link below.

NY Three Rivers WMA Public Land Packout Sponsored by onX - RSVP Here

NY Pre-Turkey Season Pint Night sponsored by onX - Albany NY, April 23 @ 6pm

Please join the NY Chapter of BHA on Wednesday, April 23rd  at Common Roots Albany Outpost for a Pre-turkey season Public Lands Pint Night. Mike Muthersbaugh, an upland game bird biologist at the DEC will be joining us to give a talk about the state of the species in NY. Come out, enjoy a pint or two, learn a little more about turkey, and chat with other local hunters as we gear up for the upcoming season. The first 15 attendees who sign up or renew a BHA membership at this event will receive a one-year Premium One State Membership to onX at no cost! More details and RSVP at link below.

NY Pre-Turkey Season Pint Night - RSVP Here

East Otto State Forest Public Land Packout sponsored by onX - East Otto NY, April 26 @ 10am

Join your BHA friends and family for a couple of hours of good old fashioned dirty work as we clean up one of Cattaraugus County's many beautiful state forests. Bring your work gloves, some elbow grease and your passion for improving the land we all own and love. We'll give it a good couple of hours of work and then kick it with some grilled delicacies like dogs and burgers. More details and RSVP at link below.

East Otto State Forest Trash Pack-Out - RSVP Here

NY/VT Southern Lake Champlain Public Lands Packout sponsored by onX - Whitehall NY, April 26 @ 9am

Join us on a joint Vermont and New York venture to tidy up some public boat launches and WMA's along the southern tip of Lake Champlain.  We will start a Chubbs Point (see map below) at 9:00 am, then go to the South Bay boat ramp and as time permits cross over the bridge to Vermont and hit a section of road along the Ward Marsh WMA.  At 1:00 we will quit and break out the coolers and grills for some food and refreshments and tell some stories. This event is family friendly and is a good time of year to get into yellow and white perch so bring a pole and wet a line afterwards.  More details and RSVP at link below.

NY/VT Southern Lake Champlain Public Lands Pack Out Sponsored by OnX - RSVP Here

Skyline Drive State Forest Public Lands Packout sponsored by onX - Windsor NY, June 7 @ 9am

Please join the New York Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers on June 7 for a Public Land Packout at Skyline Drive State Forest. We will be cleaning up trash and bagging it up for removal. Coffee and bagels will be provided as well as bags and gloves for cleanup.After the event you may want to do some scouting of Skyline’s thriving deer population, or just enjoy the views or a walk along the stream (Trowbridge Creek) that crosses the property. More details and RSVP at link below.

Skyline Drive State Forest Public Lands Pack Out Sponsored by onX - RSVP Here

NY Huntstock - Vernon Center, July 11 - 13

NY BHA will be attending the second annual NY Huntstock event taking place this summer!  This event is sure to be a blast, and we would love to see you swing by our table if you make it to the event!  More details can be found at the Huntstock website below.

Huntstock NY - Learn More

Muster in the Mountains - West Kill Brewing, August 1 - 3

Muster in the Mountains is coming back to West Kill, NY: August 1-3 2025. We will be at West Kill Brewing, surrounded by public lands, mountains and trout streams. Stay tuned and save the date - tickets and more details coming soon!

Legislative / Policy Update

Legislative Updates

With the legislature back in session in Albany for 2025, it’s a good time to contact your elected officials on important issues.  We are still aggregating bills to keep an eye on and will keep you all posted. 

DEC Updates

Unit/Recreation Management Plans and Proposals - DEC regularly seeks public input as they work to manage our public lands.  While they will regularly receive input from other groups, often hunters and anglers are fairly silent.  It directly benefits the hunting and angling communities for you to take a look at these plans and voice your feedback directly to DEC.   They do listen to your input, and in the past, our voices have resulted in wins for hunters and anglers.  Current plans open for feedback include:

Region 8

• Great Divide Unit Management Plan (formerly Erwin UMP and Great Divide UMP) - comments open until further notice

Other

• Delaware Tailwaters Joint Trout Management Plan

Thank our NY Chapter Sponsors!

We want to call out a huge thanks to our NY Chapter Sponsors! They have generously donated funds or items to the chapter to help us achieve our membership and fundraising goals. Please consider booking a trip, shopping with, or spending your money with our sponsors!!

They include:

• Adirondack Mountain & Stream Guide Service
• Dette Flies
• Grasse River Adventures
• Long Island Fishing Charters
• Rupp Pfalzgraf LLC 
• Wild Foods & Wilderness

NY BHA Call for Volunteers

We need your help!  We are looking for volunteers to help with the following efforts.

• Regional Event Coordinators - Want to help us plan gatherings for your fellow NY BHA members?  We need help with local Pint Nights as well as our upcoming NY Rendezvous
• Policy and Legislative work - Our Policy team and newly forming Legislative team needs passionate folks to jump in and help us do the important work to protect our public lands and access for hunters and anglers!
• Mentorship work - We want to build a list of folks in the state who are open to being mentors for new hunters and anglers.  We have opportunities and need for folks who can give a little all the way up to folks who want to really invest a lot.  Everything from answering questions to being a one on one coach to participating on our larger weekend long hunt camps for new hunters.
• Conservation work - We are working with DEC to have more opportunities for events to do quality habitat work on our public lands.  Want to roll your sleeves up and help, we would love to have you!

If you are interested in volunteering a bit of your time and talents, please let us know by filling out and submitting this form.

How to Connect with Us

Here are a few ways you can keep in touch with the New York BHA chapter:

Stay up to date with events and blogs from New York on our BHA web page at New York Backcountry Hunters & Anglers.  

Join our Facebook group at New York BHA on Facebook. 

Follow us on Instagram New York BHA (@newyorkbha).

Contact the Chapter Board by email: [email protected]

Thank our sponsors: New York BHA Corporate Sponsors

Join us at an upcoming event: BHA Events

Signup to be a volunteer: NY BHA Volunteer

Last but not least, make sure your BHA membership is current and give the gift of BHA to a friend or family member!