Update from Chapter Chair

Hi fellow public land advocates! I hope you are all enjoying the fall season and having luck filling your freezers! I am writing this before heading out to deer camp for the southern zone firearm opener, so will try to keep this pretty quick. We have a few things to talk about this issue, including reminding you all of the membership drive the NY chapter is running through the end of the year. If you join or renew your BHA membership before the end of the year, you will be entered to win some pretty great gear! Also I want to remind folks about the rebate being offered to get one free box of lead free ammo being offered by DEC and Hunters for Eagles.

Good luck out there this season! I again 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

NY Membership Drive

If you Join or Renew between 10/15 and 12/31 of this year, you will be entered to win one of two amazing packages. 

• The first package is for you mobile white-tailed deer saddle hunters. We have a Half-Line Climbing System (w/ a throwball kit) from the guys at NY Saddle Hunter.  We are also including a $500 gift card to XOP to build out the rest of your kit!
• The second package is a $250 gift card to Filson and a $250 gift card to Stone Glacier.  This should help you get some high quality outdoor gear from two great companies!

These are pretty amazing prizes, so would encourage you to Join or Renew, and also help grow our membership by telling your friends! To ensure you are entered, make sure you join through the link in this email!

Join or Renew your NY BHA Membership!

Lead Free Ammo Rebate Program

DEC and Hunters for Eagles are offering a program to give a rebate for one box of lead free ammunition up to $60 to all hunters in the state. This is part of a multi-year study of how increased use of non-lead ammunition for deer hunting can improve the survival of bald and golden eagles. If you have been considering trying out lead free ammo, now is the time to do so!  More information can be found at the Hunters for Eagles and DEC websites.

Take Action: Wildlife Crossing Act

The Wildlife Crossing Act passed the New York Assembly and Senate with strong bipartisan support and now awaits Governor Kathy Hochul's signature to become law. Its widespread backing and decisive passage reflect the bill’s practical scope, as it lays the groundwork for New York to tap into federal funding for wildlife crossing projects. Please take action to encourage Gov Hochul to sign the Wildlife Crossing Act into law!

CWD Discovered in Region 6

As many of you may know, DEC detected CWD in a captive red deer in region 6. While they don’t think that it has escaped into the wild deer herd, they are asking hunters in portions of region 6 to assist by submitting deer heads for testing. We have more details on the BHA site..

Mentee Archery Deer Hunt

The NY BHA chapter in partnership with Hunters of Color and The Nature Conservancy of NY helped to lead a mentored hunt in early November where 10 mentees were paired up with 10 mentors to participate in an archery hunt on a TNC preserve on Long Island. Every mentee saw deer, multiple mentees had shot opportunities, and one mentee took his first big buck with a bow! This is an amazing program that is bringing new folks into the hunting community. We would encourage all hunters to take out a new hunter and be a mentor. If you are interested in helping with this program, please reach out to us by emailing us at [email protected]

Legislative / Policy Update

Legislative Updates

The legislative session for 2024 has wrapped for the year.

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

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

Thank our NY Chapter Sponsors!

I want to personally 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 other NY events. 
• 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: NY 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!