Chapter Chair Matt Baggett
Matt grew up in Middle Tennessee and is a lifelong Tennessean with roots here that go back to right after the Revolutionary War. He grew up fishing on Kentucky Lake which he would not have identified as “public land” at that time. Taking Hunters Ed in PE class during 7th grade made a huge impression on him and he was bitten with a deep desire to hunt. He rapidly got into bird hunting, deer hunting, and goose hunting. Most of that early hunting was done on private ground. Attending college in East TN he explored the rugged mountains while mostly backpacking and his love of the wild public lands grew. While in college he moved to the Tetons one summer and he got his first real taste of what has been preserved for us all in our public land inheritance.. Something about the scale of the mountains and sky zapped his brain. He loved these wild places. Only in the last few years did he come to understand the precarious nature of the future of our wild public lands. He discovered the mission of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers and immediately raised his hand to volunteer. He wants his family and children to have the same options for discovery in the wild as he had. Once these places are gone--they aren’t coming back and deserve our best efforts to protect them.
Kurt Holmes, State Captain
I grew up hunting, fishing and exploring our public lands and waters in West TN. It is that time that nurtured my deep appreciation and love for the natural world. I joined BHA because I wanted to be involved with an organization that would work to protect our wild places.
Logan Barber - Vice Chair of Conservation
I grew up in Tennessee and spent most of my time hunting and fishing the areas around Kentucky Lake. My dad worked in the wildlife field and I followed his footsteps. I became a wildlife biologist and have spent 10 years working for multiple organizations throughout the Southeast. My main focus has been species conservation and habitat improvement.
Though I grew up hunting private land, I haven’t always been stationed close enough to make use of it. However, almost every town I’ve landed in for work had public land close by. BHA is the first organization I’ve encountered specifically focused on keeping public land in public hands. Without public land, many people would have limited or no access to hunting. Not only is that a depressing thought for those people, it also means less money is coming in to fund conservation. Because of this I see BHA as not only a conservation group of the everyday hunter, but also a supporter of wildlife conservation starting at the grassroots level. Who wouldn’t want to be part of that?
Nicholas Hendricks - Secretary / Treasurer
I grew up in the Midwest, where public lands were always a welcome respite from suburban living. My fondest childhood memories are of fishing for northern pike and musky in the remote parts of the North Woods of Wisconsin, Minnesota and Ontario. My lifelong love for the outdoors led me to seek more ways to get in tune with it, which is how I became an adult onset hunter. Moving to Tennessee was a blessing that opened up opportunities unavailable in public-land poor Northern Illinois and Indiana.
Hunter Ford
Hunter grew up in Texas and moved to Wyoming after college. For 10 years, he led fly fishing float trips on the Snake River, the Southfork of the Snake, the Green and New Fork Rivers as well as up in Yellowstone National Park. During that time, he also guided deer, elk, moose and antelope hunts on Wyoming and Idaho’s public lands. Hunter moved to Tennessee in 2005 and continues to make several trips every year to Montana and Wyoming to chase upland birds, deer, elk and antelope. Hunter joined Backcountry Hunters and Anglers in an effort to help protect our public lands, water and wildlife.
Matt Lewis - Vice Chair
Matt Lewis is a native Tennessean growing up in the Nashville area. As a teenager, Matt moved with his family to a small farm in Dickson County where he was introduced to hunting and fishing with his father and grandfather. Since then he has been hooked and hunts hard every year for most all small and big game in the Tennessee area. Matt has picked up elk hunting in the recent year and is planning to make the trek out west every fall. Additionally, Matt was a competition archer throughout high school and college so bowhunting is a passion.
Finding so much opportunity to hunt and fish in and around the Lebanon, TN area where he lives, Matt has gained a strong desire to find ways to provide more access to our public lands and conserve the ones we have. Knowing the great work that BHA does to achieve these goals, Matt was naturally drawn to the organization and a desire to serve on the board as the Vice Chair for Membership.
Mitchell Pigue – Policy Chair
Texas born, Tennessee Raised. Mitchell has been hunting, trapping, and fishing the public lands of the volunteer state for three decades. He holds a Master of Science in Natural Resources Management from The University of Tennessee. Scholarly interests include carbon sequestration potential of winter cover crops and restoration of early successional habitat. Mitchell advocates for the wise stewardship of the lands and waters held in the public trust as well as the rights of public land owners to enjoy those resources.
Matt Sturdivant - Merchandise Chair
Matt enjoys hunting whitetails with his bow and hunting geese from his layout blind. He started hunting small game when he was a teenager and picked up hunting waterfowl and deer in his mid-twenties. He recently started elk hunting out west, and it’s now one of his favorite pursuits. He relies heavily on public land for his hunting opportunities and would likely be sinking money into golf if not for access to public lands and waters. He believes it’s his responsibility as a hunter to help preserve those public lands and the wildlife that calls them home.
Adrian Wilson - Marketing Chair
Adrian has many outdoor passions. Bow hunting whitetail is at the top of his list. He feels there are so many factors that play apart in trying to outsmart an old whitetail and he enjoys strategizing each of them. His bow hunting passion is year round and enjoys getting boots on the ground and learning the land. Adrian mostly hunts pressured public land. Adrian feels to be successful he needs to learn and see the changes in patterns and food sources, know the bedding areas and safe zones etc.
When Adrian is not thinking of whitetails he’s thinking of getting after spring gobblers, floating the river on his kayak, fishing for bass or giant catfish, camping, hiking, range time, etc. and the list goes on. Pretty much if it’s outdoors he’s going to be doing it. And the best part for him is getting to share it with his 2 girls, Harper and Hayes. Seeing the joy in their faces and their love for the outdoors is one of the best feelings ever for him. Adrian is a Nashville native and lives just south of Nashville, TN. He feels fortunate to have plenty of options for woods, water, and abundant wildlife.
By trade Adrian was a high school teacher and HS basketball coach for 23 years. He graduated and played basketball at Belmont University in Nashville. Coaching basketball was his first passion growing up. A few years back he could see his passion changing. He came to the conclusion during his time coaching basketball practice, all he could think about was being in the woods. Adrian not wanting to short change the young men he was coaching, he knew it was time for a change. Adrian has been working in the outdoor industry now the last 5-6 years with various companies. Now when Adrian is outside of work he is attending his girls sporting events or planning his next outdoor excursion.