Bear hunting has been an integral part of California’s history since the Golden State was founded in 1850 and for thousands of years prior to colonization. In 2021 and 2022, anti-hunting groups pushed aggressively for legislation and then a petition to the Fish & Game Commission that would have banned bear hunting in the state. Thanks to concerted advocacy efforts by Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA) and many other conservation groups, we defeated these attempts to ban bear hunting. Our ...

Oklahoma BHA Members,  HB3462 has advanced to Governor Stitt’s office and will likely be considered this coming week.  IF passed, the bill would initiate a program involving captive bred deer and integrating them into our wild, huntable, population.  This legislation passed both the House and Senate but appears to have no support from the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. The intent of the legislation is to potentially combat Chronic Wasting Disease. Our OK BHA Board is certainly ...

History In 2011, a law was passed permitting natural gas drilling at state parks in Ohio. (Ohio Senate approves bill to allow oil and gas drilling at state parks). Largely due to public concern about the impact on state parks, then Governor John Kasich effectively eliminated leasing of these lands by not appointing members to the Oil and Gas Land Commission (Ohio House bill would ease fracking in state park). There were various attempts to restart the process, but none was successful until ...

For Immediate Release May 2, 2024  Contact: Thomas Plank, 303-720-0111 plank@backcountryhunters.org  Legislation to Restore Hunting to California’s Castle Mountains, Improve Public Land Management WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Mojave National Preserve Boundary Adjustment Act (S. 4222), new legislation introduced today in the U.S. Senate by Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA), would once again allow hunting on lands managed by the National Park Service (NPS) currently within the Castle Mountains National ...

For Immediate Release May 2, 2024  Contact: Thomas Plank, 303-720-0111 plank@backcountryhunters.org  Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument Expanded Via Antiquities Act  WASHINGTON, D.C. –  As the voice for our wild public lands, waters, and wildlife, today Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA) applauded the Biden administration for its use of the Antiquities Act to expand the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument.  Approximately 13,696 acres encompassing Molok Luyuk (Condor Ridge) ...