FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  March 12, 2025  Contact:  Kaden McArthur, Director of Policy & Government Relations, mcarthur@backcountryhunters.org    New Legislation Would Safeguard 58,000 Acres, 74 Miles of Public Lands and Waters in Oregon   Landscapes included in newly-reintroduced Smith River National Recreation Area Expansion Act provide habitat for salmon, trout, deer, elk, and bear, among other wildlife    Washington, D.C. – A vast expanse of national forest lands, free-flowing rivers, ...

GOOD NEWS:   BHA’s Two Top Priority Bills Are Moving Forward!    The Montana Chapter of BHA is promoting two key pieces of legislation this session and both are meeting with success:    HB 283: Revise laws for hunting licenses lotteries, sponsored by Rep. Tyson Running Wolf (D - Browning)  Under current law, conservation groups can raffle or auction off mule deer, elk or goat tags and retain up to 10% of the proceeds with the remaining 90% going to the state for the management of these ...

The provisions outlined in North Carolina senate bill SB220, Section 4, specifically the new Section 14-280.4, pose significant restrictions on public access to our waterways by making it a criminal offense for individuals to launch motorized or unmotorized watercraft from the right-of-way of a public highway or street, unless they are in designated public boating access areas. This measure effectively limits the ability of the public to access bodies of water that are often adjacent to ...

The Power of Community: BHA’s Mission Across the Country by Alec Boyd-Devine I recently had the opportunity to attend the Western Hunting and Conservation Expo in Salt Lake City, Utah. Having done short contract work in Utah over the past few years—and spending some time hunting and fishing while there—I’ve kept an eye on the Utah BHA chapter, hoping for a chance to attend one of their events. When I learned that BHA Utah was hosting a Public Lands Party after the expo at a nearby bar, I ...

A Message from BHA President & CEO Patrick Berry   Public land is as American as Mom’s apple pie and the stars and stripes. It’s woven into the fabric of our history, culture, and principles of democracy. It’s the place where generations of hard-working Americans have pursued their passions for hunting and fishing, nurtured an enduring conservation ethic, and found solace from the rest of life.  The concept that our shared resources can be managed in a collaborative and cooperative manner to ...