Nebraska Chapter July 2025 Update

Welcome to Nebraska Backcountry Hunters & Anglers July newsletter!

Latest:

• Based on member and supporter questions, here is a bit of history on the establishment of your Nebraska Chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers. Nebraska became an official chapter in January 2020. However, the interesting backstory to its establishment is that most of chapter founders (Kyle Broadfoot, Bill Grossniclaus, Mike Storrs, Adam Leitschuh, Erik Dippold, Casey Hunter, Ryan Sewell, James Eaves) recall opening their quarterly Backcountry Journal, looking at the North American map of chapters, and seeing a glaring, open, gray spot on the state of Nebraska. This indicated that we did not have a chapter! At the time, 47 states had chapters, so you can understand how stark and obvious that hole in the middle of the country looked. Several Nebraska members then independently approached BHA headquarters about setting up a chapter. BHA put those folks in touch with one another, and an initial call was conducted to get things started. There was a flurry of successful membership and volunteer events hosted shortly after chapter establishment. Unfortunately, the Covid pandemic then hit the country shutting down social events and hurting our membership recruitment and political efforts. Following Covid, Nebraska BHA resumed work, which we continue to this day. The Nebraska BHA Board is completely made up of volunteers, there are no employees paid by the Chapter. Kyle, Bill, Adam, and Mike are still on the Chapter Board. Most of the chapter board considers fellow BHA board members as some of their best friends.  We welcome membership, volunteer, and supporter feedback to improve availability and access to public lands, as well as the chapter itself:  nebraska@backcountryhunters.org

• The Nebraska Chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers visited with the Central Platte Natural Resources District about public hunting access on NRD land, specifically at the 553-acre Reservoir B1(photo, coordinates 40.95238, -99.83993), northeast of Cozad. The NRD did not support allowing complete public hunting access there but offered up the possibility that the area might be used for archery deer. Nebraska BHA will be sending a letter requesting archery deer hunting access for the public. We will be following up, so please stay tuned.

Other News, Requests, and Reminders

• Nebraska BHA will host a volunteer effort with continuing work on fence removal at Halsey National Forest on August 2^nd in association with the Nebraska Bowhunters Association Jamboree there from 7/31-8/3. We need volunteers.

• Nebraska’s own Elkhorn Coffee is now the coffee sponsor of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers. They actively support conservation groups that expand access and opportunities for hunters and outdoorsmen nationwide. Every purchase gives back—directly funding the efforts of their conservation partners.

https://www.elkhorncoffee.com/products/backcountry-hunters-anglers-public-grounds-roast

• Time to forage on your public lands, the choke cherries are ripe for making syrup, jelly, pemmican ………

• We are also looking for anyone interested in volunteering to help out with planning and running events and other gatherings in the Panhandle area.  Please reach out to nebraska@backcountryhunters.org to learn more. 
• Finally, please take a few minutes each time you’re out fishing, hunting, foraging, etc. on public lands to clean up the area a bit. ANY public lands (for example, state wildlife areas, US Forest Service lands, US Fish and Wildlife Refuges) are good! We certainly would encourage you to do so and send us a photo of the trash pickup and its location. Not only will this help the environment and improve the experience of future visitors but also help with how adjacent landowners view public land and the people that use them.