Current Actions

Oppose H.B. 546 - Keep Federal Public Lands in Public Hands

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 05:00:00 GMT

H.B. 546 asserts that Utah retains legislative jurisdiction over federally managed public lands and claims expanded state authority over those lands’ natural resources, zoning, planning, and enforcement. In effect, the bill attempts to redefine the balance of authority between the federal government and the state by declaring state control over lands that have long been managed under federal law for the benefit of all Americans.

Utah was never granted legislative jurisdiction over federal public lands. Federal lands in Utah are governed by the U.S. Constitution’s Property Clause and managed under federal statutes that require multiple-use management, public involvement, and safeguards for access, habitat, and recreation. H.B. 546 challenges that framework and represents another step toward transferring authority from federal agencies to the state.

For hunters and anglers, this matters. Federal public lands provide some of Utah’s best access for hunting, fishing, and backcountry recreation. Shifting management authority away from the federal system risks weakening public participation requirements, reducing habitat protections, and opening the door to land disposal or privatization pressures. It could also create inconsistent rules and enforcement that complicate public access and undermine longstanding conservation systems funded and supported by sportsmen and women.

Backcountry Hunters & Anglers strongly opposes efforts to transfer management or authority of public lands to states or to reduce public access to shared resources. H.B. 546 moves Utah in that direction and should be rejected.

VA Wildlife Corridors - Support HB 597

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Virginia has a wildlife corridor plan and a wildlife-vehicle collision problem large enough to demand follow-through. More than 60,000 known deer-vehicle collisions have occurred annually in Virginia since 2015, costing the Commonwealth and its citizens approximately $533,000,000 each year.

In response, Delegate Shelly Simonds introduced HB 597 to create the Wildlife Corridor Grant Fund, a dedicated, non-reverting account designed to move Virginia from planning toward implementation. The bill frames corridors as public safety infrastructure and conservation infrastructure at the same time: fewer crashes, less property damage, fewer emergency responses, and better habitat connectivity for the wildlife populations that sustain Virginia’s hunting, angling, and outdoor recreation traditions.

What HB 597 does, in plain terms

HB 597 establishes a Wildlife Corridor Grant Fund administered by the Department of Wildlife Resources in consultation with partner agencies. It authorizes grants to eligible applicants, including state agencies, localities, metropolitan planning organizations, regional transportation authorities, Tribes, nonprofits, and academic institutions.

Grant criteria in the bill focuses on whether a project advances priorities identified in the Wildlife Corridor Action Plan, reduces high-cost wildlife-vehicle collisions, connects protected areas, benefits priority wildlife, and leverages available federal funding. That structure reinforces science-based prioritization rather than one-off projects driven by politics or convenience.

The bill also recognizes that early progress is not always concrete and steel. HB 597 allows funding for activities like data collection, feasibility studies, designs and plans, infrastructure monitoring, and the matching funds that are often required to unlock federal grants.

Click here to read more about HB 597 and our position.

Kansas: Act Now and Urge House Leadership to Schedule HB 2063 for Debate

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 05:00:00 GMT

HB 2063 has officially passed out of committee. For HB 2063 to advance, House leadership must schedule the bill for debate on the House floor. We’re asking you and your networks to respectfully urge them to bring HB 2063 forward.

Kansas has never had a long-term, dedicated conservation funding source. HB 2063 changes that—creating a stable, accountable framework to invest in:

Working lands and agriculture
Wildlife habitat and biodiversity
Outdoor recreation and parks
Outdoor and environmental education

The bill has been carefully shaped through legislative feedback:

$16 million annually from Kansas Lottery proceeds
Up to 2% for administration by existing state agencies
No new bureaucracy or tax increases

This is a fiscally responsible, transparent way to support conservation! Take action now and support HB 2063!

Tell Your Representatives to Support H.B.431 - Wildlife Crossing Amendments!

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 05:00:00 GMT

H.B. 431 Wildlife Crossing Amendments (sponsored by Representative Scott Chew) creates an ongoing, dedicated state fund to support wildlife crossings and highway mitigation efforts.

The legislation allocates $2 million annually from the Transportation Investment Fund to this new account, with 10% of the funding allocation supporting livestock highway safety projects. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) and Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) have prioritized a list of wildlife highway mitigation projects based on objective measures (i.e. volume of collisions, known migration corridors, collaring data, etc.) for which these funds would support.

Potential wildlife highway mitigation projects would include overpasses, underpasses, directional/exclusion fencing, wildlife-friendly rangeland fencing, and escape ramps. The bill would also permit this funding to be utilized for culverts for fish passage projects across roadways. Further, the monies in this fund could be leveraged for federal grant matching opportunities, expanding the state’s investment capability in wildlife highway mitigation efforts.

Tell your representatives to support wildlife connectivity by passing H.B. 431!

Support HB 4134 (1.25 percent for Wildlife)

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 05:00:00 GMT

For Oregon’s hunters and anglers, conservation isn’t abstract—it’s the elk herds we depend on, the steelhead runs we wait for, the wetlands that raise ducks, and the forests that hold deer. Those resources require real, on-the-ground investment to sustain habitat and support healthy populations. For generations, hunters & anglers have shouldered this cost through license and excise fees, and now, a bill in the Oregon State Legislature strengthens—not replaces—that foundation by broadening the funding base so that more of those who benefit from Oregon’s outdoor resources can help sustain them.

HB 4134 – “1.25% for Wildlife” would create that funding by increasing the state transient lodging tax by 1.25%—from 1.5% to 2.75%. The cost is paid largely by out-of-state visitors, not resident hunters and anglers, and equals about $2.50 on a $200 hotel room.

Revenue from HB 4134 would support programs that matter directly to sportsmen and women:

Habitat restoration that benefits deer, elk, upland birds, and native fish
Removal of invasive species that degrade wetlands and rangelands
Wildlife connectivity projects that reduce highway mortality and keep migrations intact
Stronger anti-poaching enforcement and support for state police on the frontlines
The Oregon Conservation Corps for fuels reduction and access-related stewardship
Community conservation projects through the Oregon Conservation & Recreation Fund

Outdoor recreation already contributes $16 billion in consumer spending and 192,000 jobs in Oregon. Reinvesting a small share of tourism dollars back into the habitat and fish and wildlife that draw people here is a commonsense, user-pay approach—one that hunters and anglers have supported for generations.

Support a Sandhill Crane Hunting Season in Wisconsin

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Contact your lawmakers today and urge them to support a regulated, sustainable hunting season for Sandhill cranes in Wisconsin!

Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, along with several hunting conservation groups, including Delta Waterfowl, Wisconsin Waterfowl Association, Safari Club International, Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, and more have been working hard to establish a legal, regulated hunting season for Sandhill cranes in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin represents the largest breeding state for Sandhill cranes in the eastern part of the country, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) should have the best available data and full suite of options available to properly manage this iconic species.

Per the USFWS, there are more than 1.4 million Sandhill cranes in North America with an expanding population of roughly 58,000 within Wisconsin, which are considered part of the eastern population.

In 2024, our coalition was successful in pushing for a Legislative Council Study Committee on Sandhill Cranes that examined population trends and determined whether any changes to state law would effectively address the incidence and consequences of crop damage caused by Sandhill cranes in this state. As part of a comprehensive review of policy options, the committee considered whether the Department of Natural Resources should seek federal approval to establish a hunting season for Sandhill cranes.

Their recommendations are reflected in two pieces of legislation, Assembly Bill 117 and Senate Bill 112 - both of which would establish a hunting season. Following hearings in both the Assembly and Senate, both of these pieces of legislation have passed their respective committees and are eligible for floor consideration.

If approved, Wisconsin would join Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama in hunting sandhill cranes in the East. To the north, both Quebec and Ontario are considering hunting seasons that could begin as early as 2026.

Oppose House Bill 1003 to Preserve Public Input and Natural Resources Management

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Indiana House Bill 1003, which passed in the House and has moved onto the Senate, includes provisions that will exclude hunters and anglers from the management of our wildlife and wild places. Take action today to contact your legislators in opposition to the dangerous provisions in this bill to protect our tremendous resources in the state!

House Bill 1003 includes a provision that will eliminate the Natural Resource Commission (NRC). This Commission includes 6 citizen members, including 2 who must have a background in conservation, and the Commission also provides a forum for public feedback from everyday outdoors people. Without the NRC, Hoosier hunters and anglers will lose their ability to voice their objections, concerns, or support for natural resources management decisions. This Commission protects our wildlife and wild places from shifting political winds and allows Hoosiers to have a say in how we manage our natural resources.

Indiana Backcountry Hunters and Anglers is asking for your action to stop this legislation from eliminating the Natural Resources Commissions!

Don't Let TXDOT Abandon Public Access to the Cutoff of the Trinity River

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 05:00:00 GMT

FM 1667 in Henderson County is a long-established public right of way that has historically provided access to a portion of the Trinity River known as The Cutoff. For over a century, the area has been treated and managed as a public fishery, including regulation and fish stocking by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

In 2022, a private landowner installed fencing that blocked public access from FM 1667 to The Cutoff. Although TXDOT acknowledged the obstruction and issued multiple notices directing removal, the fence remains. Instead of enforcing existing right-of-way protections, TXDOT has initiated a process to abandon the roadway entirely.

TXDOT has offered the right of way for sale to Henderson County—an unprecedented move the County has said it cannot afford. If the County declines, the road may be conveyed to the adjacent landowner who originally blocked access.

Complicating this decision is ongoing litigation over whether The Cutoff qualifies as a navigable waterbody under Texas law, despite meeting every test for navigability. Because that question remains unresolved in the courts, abandoning the only established public access route now would risk prejudicing public rights before the courts have ruled.

Why Action Is Needed Now

Abandoning FM 1667 while litigation is pending would prematurely strip the public of access and could make that loss permanent. TXDOT should not resolve a contested legal issue through abandonment of public infrastructure. The appropriate course is to halt this action, enforce existing right-of-way protections, and maintain the status quo until the courts issue a final decision. Tell TXDOT and TX Transportation Committee officials that you oppose this action.

Defend the Boundary Waters, America's Most Visited Wilderness Area

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 05:00:00 GMT

A new effort is underway in Congress to reverse the 20-year mining ban in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. On January 8, 2026, the Interior Department formally noted this initiative, and Representative Pete Stauber introduced HJ Res. 140 on January 12 to advance it using the Congressional Review Act (CRA).

This approach is concerning. Using the CRA in this manner is unprecedented and could weaken future protections for public lands across the country.

The Boundary Waters is a national treasure, home to world-class fishing, hunting, and outdoor recreation. Its watershed supports thousands of jobs and sustains local communities that depend on a clean, healthy environment.

We urge you to contact your representatives and ask them to oppose HJ Res. 140. Now is the time to stand up for responsible stewardship of our public lands and ensure places like the Boundary Waters remain protected for future generations.

Protect Our Streams, Wetlands, and Wildlife - Oppose the New Proposed WOTUS Definitions

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 05:00:00 GMT

On November 20th, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced a new proposed rule to clarify the definition of “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) under the Clean Water Act. The proposal aims to implement the Supreme Court’s 2023 Sackett v. EPA decision to limit the federal government’s authority under the Clean Water Act. In doing so, this proposed rule adopts narrower definitions of “relatively permanent” and “continuous surface connection” to determine whether waters fall under federal Clean Water Act (CWA) jurisdiction. In practice, these restrictive definitions would remove protections from thousands of miles of streams and vast acres of wetlands- particularly those that are seasonal, intermittent, or ephemeral. The rule was published in the Federal Register on November 20, 2025, and public comments will be accepted through January 5, 2026.

Although the full impacts remain to be seen, the proposed rule would sharply limit the federal government’s ability to regulate pollution and conserve fish and wildlife habitat. Analyses of the EPA’s Regulatory Impact Analysis indicate that only about 19% of wetlands listed in the National Wetlands Inventory would remain protected. And with just 13 states maintaining laws comparable in scope to the CWA- and only about half of states having any statewide water protections- this proposed rule would significantly reduce oversight of pollution, dredging, draining, and development across the country.

For anglers, small streams, ephemeral waterways, and wetlands serve as the lifeblood of healthy fisheries. Headwater streams nurture trout, salmon, and other game fish, while wetlands and seasonal waterways provide critical spawning and rearing habitat. Without protection for these waters, water quality declines, spawning grounds are lost, and fish populations that anglers rely on face increased risk.

For hunters, wetlands, prairie potholes, and ephemeral streams provide essential habitat for waterfowl and other game species. These areas offer breeding grounds, feeding areas, and migratory stopovers for ducks, geese, and other birds that hunters pursue. Reducing protections for these waters threatens the habitats that sustain healthy populations and reliable hunting opportunities.

Join BHA in opposing these changes to WOTUS and supporting clean water and aquatic habitats across the country.

Safeguard the Brooks Range

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Alaska's Brooks Range, one of the last truly wild landscapes in North America, is under threat from the development of the Ambler Road — a 211-mile-long private industrial mining road. This project would compromise iconic hunting and fishing opportunities, the health of the 110-mile-long Kobuk River, a National Wild and Scenic River with world-class sheefish fishing, and result in irreversible impacts on the declining Western Arctic Caribou Herd.

The Ambler Road Project has been described by federal officials, as a project that would bring prosperity to Alaska and to the nation. In reality, it will cost the nation.

The Ambler Road would cost Alaskans an estimated $2 billion in public funds to construct and maintain, and its primary beneficiaries are two foreign mining corporations — Trilogy Metals of Canada and South32 of Australia. This is not a project rooted in America First values. The hunting and fishing economies in Alaska are already a stable and long-term economic resource, that provide for a way of life for all Alaskans.

In June of 2024, after rigorous and extensive public process, the Bureau of Land Management denied the right-of-way permit, halting the road. A collection of executive orders and secretarial orders, skirting and discrediting previous public processes, laid the groundwork for the Ambler Road. On October 6th, President Trump approved the appeal of the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA), directing his Administration to promptly issue authorizations necessary for the establishment of the Ambler Road Project.

Federal agencies including the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have reissued the right-of-way and construction permits necessary to move the project forward. The Department of the Interior also transferred roughly 23,600 acres near Ambler to the State of Alaska, completing the state’s land selections and paving the way for industrial development. Officials have called these steps “supporting local control.” But in truth, they shift control from Alaskans and American citizens to foreign mining companies whose profits will flow overseas.

The Ambler Road will cut through wild country that defines Alaska’s outdoor heritage — land that supports local economies built on hunting, fishing, guiding, and recreation, not land suitable for industrial mining.

Support the continuation of the last great expanse in North America and ask your members of Congress to oppose legislative and administrative actions that would advance the Ambler Road, which carries major financial and natural resource risks to Alaska's fish, wildlife, and outdoor heritage.

Support HB 1811 to Expand Hunting Access & Protect Pennsylvania's Public Lands!

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 04:00:00 GMT

Backcountry Hunters & Anglers strongly supports House Bill 1811, introduced by Representatives Steele, Hill-Evans, Freeman, Merski, and Otten. This legislation amends Title 34 to ensure the Pennsylvania Game Commission may pay fair market value for land acquisitions intended for use as state game lands, aligning pricing authority with real-world land values in 53 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties. If enacted, this legislation could be the catalyst for greatly improved hunting access in Pennsylvania’s most populous areas.

Oppose Congressional Review Act Rollbacks of Public Land Management Plans

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 04:00:00 GMT

Across the nation, we rely on predictable, science-based land management plans to guide access for hunters and anglers, habitat restoration projects, and resource use on our public lands. These plans are developed through years of public input, environmental review, and local collaboration—and they form the foundation for how more than 160 million acres of public lands are managed for multiple uses, from grazing and energy development to hunting, fishing, and habitat conservation.

But Congress has now taken an unprecedented step. Using the Congressional Review Act (CRA), lawmakers have voted along party lines to overturn Bureau of Land Management’s resource management plans in Montana, North Dakota and Alaska—the first time the CRA has ever been used to nullify resource management plans.

This will bar agencies from issuing similar plans in the future, throw decades of science-based planning into chaos, and jeopardize hunting access and habitat protections across the country.

An Unprecedented Risk:
Never before has Congress used the CRA to target a land management plan. Doing so sets a dangerous precedent—casting doubt on nearly every BLM plan adopted since 1996 and undermining the public process that ensures balance between access, development, and habitat.

Confusion for Managing Multiple Use:
If these rollbacks stand, grazing, energy development, habitat restoration, and even hunting and fishing access could be thrown into legal limbo, reverting to outdated plans and conflicting management protocols.

Blocked Improvements:
Under the CRA, agencies will be prohibited from issuing any “substantially similar” plan in the future—even if changes are needed to expand access, restore habitat, or respond to shifting conditions on the ground.

Alaska Spotlight:
The Central Yukon Resource Management Plan (CYRMP) safeguards habitat and access while supporting hunting, fishing, trapping, recreation, and responsible development. This plan in particular has built-in special area management for iconic species like Dall sheep, caribou, and moose, showcasing and conserving Alaska's most iconic species. Built through years of public input and environmental review, it reflects the voices of Alaskans who depend on these wild lands. Similarly, overturning the 2022 Integrated Activity Plan for the National Petroleum Reserve–Alaska (NPR-A) would erase years of public input—over 228,000 comments—and compromise both habitat and hunting opportunity in the Western Arctic.

Take Action. Tell your elected officials to support public processes for management plan amendments and not to use the CRA to roll them back. Our wild public lands and waters deserve long-term, science-based management that involves balance and compromise, not confusion and outdated science.

Support Fully Staffed Land Management Agencies

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 04:00:00 GMT

In February 2025, BHA launched an action alert opposing sweeping firings of federal staff who manage our public lands, waters, and wildlife. While some staff were later reinstated, many chose early retirement through the administration’s Deferred Resignation Program, resulting in an approximate 10-15% reduction of federal land management personnel.

In July, Secretary Brooke Rollins of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued memorandum SM 1078-015 outlining reorganization plans to further reduce USDA’s workforce. The plan consolidates the Forest Service’s nine Regional Offices into five USDA hubs and merges five stand-alone Research Stations into a single location in Fort Collins, Colorado.

The Department of the Interior (DOI), home to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), National Park Service (NPS), and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS), has been hit just as hard. DOI has already lost more than one in ten employees through firings, retirements, and attrition, and is now preparing additional workforce reductions. The loss of biologists, law enforcement officers, and refuge and range managers will directly undermine habitat restoration, migratory bird and fisheries programs, and recreational access on millions of acres of public lands and waters.

Now, with the federal government shut down, the White House and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) are going further — directing agencies to use this lapse in appropriations to prepare reductions in force (RIFs). What once would have been a temporary furlough could now become a permanent layoff for thousands of civil servants at the very agencies charged with safeguarding habitat, sustaining wildlife, and maintaining public access. On October 20th, DOI revealed a plan to cut over 2,000 jobs across the department, including major reductions to the U.S. Geological Survey, BLM, and the Office of the Secretary, according to court documents filed with the Northern District of California.

The loss of local expertise and the hollowing out of agencies like the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service will undermine conservation for decades. As a result, hunters, anglers, and the local communities who depend on science-based management of public lands and waters will pay the price.

Join BHA in standing up for our wild public lands and waters today. Contact your members of Congress and tell them to support fully staffed public land management agencies to ensure our outdoor heritage endures for generations to come.

Bring Back Balance - End the Rider Blocking the 1971 Wild Horse & Burro Act

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 04:00:00 GMT

Wild horses and burros are a powerful symbol of the American West—but their unchecked populations have pushed western rangelands, native wildlife, and public land budgets past the breaking point. Tell congress to get back to the original text of the Wild Horse and Burro Act —remove the appropriations riders that have cost the American taxpayer hundreds of millions of dollars, caused significant damage to ecosystems and displaced native wildlife like deer, elk, pronghorn and more.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) now estimates more than 73,000 wild horses and burros on the range, nearly three times the congressionally established Appropriate Management Level (AML) of 25,556 horses. Another 62,853 animals are in holding, costing taxpayers approximately $101 million annually to feed — that’s over 70% of the Wild Horse & Burro Program’s entire budget, which over the last 6 years has cost American taxpayers over $786 million without addressing the root cause of the problem.

This crisis has been created and perpetuated by annual riders in federal appropriations bills since 2005 that block the BLM from fully implementing Section 1333 of the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act—tools like sale without limitation and humane euthanasia (as a last resort for unadoptable animals over 10 years old). Without these tools, the agency has been forced to warehouse animals instead of managing populations.

At the current pace, holding facilities will reach capacity within a year. Without space to place newly gathered animals, BLM will be forced to halt gathers, and it’s likely that wild horse populations will double on the range in as little as 4 years. The already devastating ecological consequences of a booming wild horse population would be amplified, requiring significant remediation and years of concentrated investment to restore stripped vegetation, repair dysfunctional riparian areas, and mitigate for loss of habitat that elk, deer, antelope, and sage grouse rely on.

The law is clear: the Secretary “shall” manage wild horses and burros to maintain a thriving natural ecological balance. But without the authority to use every tool Congress provided in 1971, the agency is set up to fail—and so is our landscape. We have to get back to the Act, before it’s too late.

Support LWCF and the America the Beautiful Act

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 04:00:00 GMT

For more than half a century, the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) has been America’s most successful conservation and access program safeguarding fish and wildlife habitat, protecting clean water, and expanding public access for hunters, anglers, and all who love the outdoors. LWCF has delivered high-priority, bipartisan projects across the country. During President Trump’s first term, the Great America Outdoors Act (GAOA) was signed into law, providing permanent, dedicated funding of $900 million for LWCF.

The GAOA also authorized $1.6 billion annually through 2025 to address the deferred maintenance backlog on public lands. That funding is set to expire on September 30th, 2025 with the total deferred maintenance backlog currently estimated at $43.9 billion. There have been some positive signs from the administration and some congressional leaders to maintain full funding for LWCF at $900 million annually and to reauthorize $2 billion to address the deferred maintenance backlog on our public lands through S.1547 the America the Beautiful Act.

However, the bipartisan conservation legacy of the Great American Outdoors Act is at risk of being eroded.

On September 4th 2025, Department of Interior Secretary Bergum announced Secretarial Order 3442 which restricts LWCF’s mission and sidelines stakeholder-led acquisitions from willing sellers that have historically provided access for hunters and anglers. The order:

Inserts political veto power by requiring written approval from both governors and local county officials before acquisitions can move forward— even when they involve willing sellers and enjoy broad local support.
Narrows eligibility for acquisitions by restricting Bureau of Land Management projects that have historically expanded access and improved habitat across the West.

Opens the door to land transfers by allowing states to use LWCF funds to purchase “surplus” federal property, setting a dangerous precedent that could pave the way for public land disposals if existing safeguards are bypassed.

Take Action: Encourage your senators and representatives to pass the America the Beautiful Act that reauthorizes funding for our ballooning deferred maintenance backlog—without siphoning any funding from LWCF—and encourage them to push back against subversive provisions in Secretarial Order 3442. LWCF must remain a program that expands access, conserves habitat, and strengthens communities—not one that that slowly erodes our federal public lands legacy.

Maintain National Forest Roadless Areas

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 04:00:00 GMT

Since 2001, the Roadless Area Conservation Rule has safeguarded some of our nation's most wild and intact national forest lands. The implementation of the Roadless Rule followed 600 local meetings as well as 1.6 million public comments, with 95% in support. Today 58 million acres of backcountry landscapes across 39 states are designated as Roadless Areas. The Roadless Rule did not close existing roads or trails, and exceptions to roadbuilding include access to inholdings and mineral leases. Additionally, select timber harvest is permitted within Inventoried Roadless Areas to reduce fire risk or to improve fish and wildlife habitat.

On August 29, 2025, The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published a Notice of Intent to rescind the Roadless Rule and to open 45 million acres of public lands to new roadbuilding and commercial timber harvest. There was a 21-day public comment period from August 29, 2025 to September 19, 2025, during which time public land owners could voice their opinion on the Notice of Intent to rescind the rule. In the Spring of 2026 there will be another public comment period on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement.

The National Forest System already contains approximately 370,000 miles of roads. That’s twice as many miles of roads than the entire U.S. National Highway System and enough to circumnavigate the globe more than 14 times! Repealing the Roadless Rule will directly result in an expansion of that development network across currently unfractured fish and wildlife habitat. Further, nearly 85% of wildfires are human caused, and approximately 90% of wildfires start within half a mile of a road. Repealing the Roadless Rule will only increase fire risk on our public lands.

Join BHA in opposition to rescinding the Roadless Rule in its entirety and ask your member of Congress to instead support the Roadless Area Conservation Act, legislation that would codify the Roadless Rule as law.

Where the road ends, the adventure begins.

Ask Congress to Conserve Wildlife Corridors

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 04:00:00 GMT

Big game species across the United States including deer, elk, pronghorn, wild sheep, and moose rely on intact migration and movement corridors to access seasonal habitat. The Wildlife Movement Through Partnerships Act, reintroduced by Reps. Ryan Zinke (R-MT) and Don Beyer (D-VA), would build upon collaborative efforts to conserve those corridors, reducing obstacles to wildlife movement to ensure healthy populations.

This legislation would promote habitat connectivity for migratory species and improve habitat quality by providing financial and technical assistance to state and tribal fish and wildlife agencies, private landowners, and non-governmental organizations. It would also direct the Dept. of the Interior, Dept. of Agriculture, and Dept. of Transportation to coordinate efforts in conjunction with those entities.

Included within these directives are the establishment of the State and Tribal Migration Research Program to collect, research, and analyze data on wildlife movement corridors and the Wildlife Movement and Movement Area Grant Program to improve or conserve habitat through projects including habitat leases, fence modifications, and reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions.

Join BHA in asking your member of Congress to support this legislation that would conserve important migration and movement corridors for big game across the United States!

Tell Congress to Keep Public Lands in Public Hands

Wed, 21 Feb 2024 05:00:00 GMT

Our vast public lands estate provides access and opportunities for hunters and anglers across the United States. Yet privatization and development pose an ever increasing threat to wild places that should remain open to the public. Many sportsmen and women have nonexistent or limited access to private lands and rely on public lands to enjoy the pursuit of fish and game. Bipartisan legislation supported by BHA would recognize the irreplaceable value of publicly accessible land by helping to stop the sale or transfer of those lands.

The Public Lands in Public Hands Act, led by Reps. Ryan Zinke (R-MT) and Gabe Vasquez (D-NM), would require congressional approval for the sale or transfer of publicly accessible tracts of federal land greater than 300 acres, or greater than five acres if accessible by public waterway. This is a critical improvement from current law in which federal land management agencies have broad discretion to sell or transfer publicly owned parcels that provide valuable habitat, public access, and recreational opportunities. Hunters and anglers stand to benefit by reducing the ability to take public lands out of public hands.

Join BHA in asking your member of Congress to support this legislation that would help to stop the loss of public lands enjoyed by hunters and anglers!

Tell your Legislators to renew the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund

Mon, 15 Mar 2021 04:00:00 GMT

Since 1989, the Knowles Nelson Stewardship Program has been used to expand nature-based outdoor recreational opportunities and protecting environmentally sensitive areas. For the last 30 years, Knowles Nelson has provided funds to: the WDNR, local governments, and nonprofits to protect and preserve lands in all of Wisconsin’s 72 counties. The number of projects and amount of land funded is unbelievable.

This program is especially impactful on Wisconsin’s hunters and anglers. The Wisconsin DNR’s grant staff indicates that since 2007, 94% of lands purchased with stewardship grants are open to hunting and 100% of properties are open for state fishing seasons.

But we need your help to ensure this critically important conservation program continues. If the Legislature and Governor don’t renew and adequately fund the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program in the upcoming state budget, Wisconsin will lose the best tool we have to provide public lands for hunting and fishing.

The Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program is up for reauthorization every 10 years. During the last state budget, the Wisconsin Legislature broke with decades of conservation tradition and only funded the program through 2021. Planning and executing Stewardship projects can take years. Therefore, landowners, donors, nonprofits, and government agencies need certainty about the long-term future of the program in order for projects to be as strategic and successful as possible. That’s why a 10- year authorization of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program is so important.

The past year has made the need for public lands even more clear. More than ever, the people of Wisconsin relied on these public properties as a place to escape the drudgeries of day-to-day life. During the quarantine and throughout the coming months, our public lands saw overwhelming use.

Your state legislators need to hear your voice. During the current budget process, state legislators could reduce or eliminate funding for this essential program that provides public lands for hunting and fishing. Please contact your legislators and tell them that you support a 10-year reauthorization and continued robust funding for the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program.

Currently 55,000 acres of Wisconsin public land are inaccessible, being completely surrounded by private holdings. Through thoughtful and strategic purchases, Knowles-Nelson can make a huge difference in unlocking those acres, granting access to properties the state already owns.

Being in the outdoors is part of our identity. The scent of pine and lake water on a warm June day, hearing Red-Winged Blackbirds in the marsh, the cackle of a rooster or thunderous flush of a Grouse; all of these experiences make us who we are and are made available to everyone via Knowles Nelson.

Please contact your legislators and tell them that you support reauthorization of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund for the next 10 years.

It is our duty to contribute to and uphold our legacy as leaders in conservation and public land management. Without your voice, this crucial program could be swept under the rug in the name of a balanced budget. We need this funding to remain balanced Wisconsinites.