Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), joined by his colleagues Sens. Mitt Romney (R-UT) and John Barrasso (R-WY), announced in early April the introduction of the HOUSES Act (S. 4062), legislation that would permit state or local governments to buy public lands on the cheap, ostensibly to address diminished housing supply and rising housing costs.  Sen. Lee and the bill’s other sponsors claim that S. 4062 would alleviate the housing crisis. However, it is similar to legislation that Sen. Lee floated back in ...

Hunters and anglers are closely watching legal proceedings in Carbon County, Wyoming, where four non-resident elk hunters “corner crossed” at a surveyed corner where two parcels of public land join and who, as a result, were charged with criminal – and later civil – trespass. The hunters had accessed the public lands in question for two consecutive years, utilizing a stepladder in the second year to cross from one public parcel to another.    For more background on corner crossing, check ...

BHA continues to track litigation over hunting and fishing opportunities on national wildlife refuges, including reports that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is engaged in discussions with the Center for Biological Diversity.   We’ve always supported the expansion of public hunting and fishing access on National Wildlife Refuge System lands and waters, for many years and across multiple administrations, and we remain strongly opposed to any actions that would diminish the expansion of ...

Backcountry Hunters & Anglers is proud to announce the Aidan Long Outdoors for All Scholarship, a fund dedicated to help young people with disabilities get outdoors by providing access to adaptive equipment or provide assistance with outdoor education. BHA is currently seeking applicants for this new opportunity.  Aidan Nichols Long, 2004-2021, loved life and nature every day. Growing up in Montana his best times included camping, canoeing and fishing with his mom and dad, Karen Nichols and ...

With the Rhode Island legislative session in full swing and DEM’s hunting & fishing annual regulatory process right around the corner we’ve been working hard to ensure the voices of hunters and anglers are heard when decisions that will affect us are made. Below you’ll find some updates on work we’ve recently completed and issues we’ve been tracking in January, and information on some of the things we’re expecting in the coming months.   New England BHA Renews Legislation to Protect Rhode ...