Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA) is a non-profit sportsmen's organization that is based in Montana, USA.[1][2] The group looks to preserve North America's outdoor heritage of hunting and fishing through public education and advocacy.[1] Backcountry Hunters & Anglers works to prevent the development of wild land in North America[3] and follows the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation as a basis for its positions.
The organization was "born around an Oregon campfire in 2004"[4] and has chapters in 48 states, as well as the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia, and the Yukon Territory.[5] The organization has 40,000 members in North America.[6]
Land Tawney is the group's President/CEO.[4]
Issues
Backcountry Hunters & Anglers main issues are:[2]
- Preventing excessive off-road vehicle traffic on wild land
- Educating the public on hunting and fishing
- Preserving natural forests and public lands from development[2]
The group supports federal ownership of federal public lands and is opposed to legislation that would transfer ownership of these lands to states or private interests.[7] Executive Director Land Tawney has stated, "We see states trying to take over national forests and BLM areas as a threat to public lands that could lead to privatization and loss of habitat and access."[5]
The organization supports legislation to ban the use of drones while hunting, calling the technique unethical.[8][9]
Local BHA Chapters
Provinces with chapters in Canada
- Alberta
- British Columbia
- Yukon Territory
States with chapters in the United States
- Alaska
- Kentucky
- Washington
- Montana
- Idaho
- Oregon
- Wyoming
- California
- Nevada
- Texas
- Utah
- Colorado
- South Dakota
- Minnesota
- Wisconsin
- Michigan
- Maine
- Vermont
- New Hampshire
- New York
- New Mexico
- North Dakota
- Massachusetts
- Rhode Island
- Connecticut
- Maryland
- Tennessee
- Mississippi
- Arkansas
- Louisiana
- Georgia
- Florida
- Virginia
- Arizona [10]
References
- 1 2 "Backcountry Hunters & Anglers "Contact Us" Webpage". Backcountry Hunters & Anglers. Archived from the original on 15 March 2015. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
- 1 2 3 "Our Purpose". Backcountry Hunters & Anglers. Archived from the original on 14 March 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
- ↑ Xu, Daniel. "Leaders of Conservation: BHA President & CEO Land Tawney". Outdoor Hub. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
- 1 2 "Tawney to Direct Backcountry Hunters & Anglers". Traditional Bowhunter. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
- 1 2 Landers, Rich (March 3, 2015). "Backcountry Hunters & Anglers rendezvous in Spokane". Retrieved 10 March 2015.
- ↑ Anderson, Taylor (April 30, 2013). "Missoula-bound Backcountry Hunters and Anglers gets new director". The Missoulian. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
- ↑ Bridge, Thom. "Rally in the rain: Hunters and anglers protest public land transfer". Helen Air. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
- ↑ "Wildlife Officials Take On Drone Hunting Controversy". CBS News. January 9, 2014. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
- ↑ Anderson, Taylor. "Oregon bill would ban drones for hunting and fishing". Bend Bulletin. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
- ↑ "Arizona Backcountry Hunters & Anglers".