Current Actions

Stand Up for Wyoming's Public Land Hunting Heritage -- Support SJ0009

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Senate Joint Resolution 0009 reaffirms Wyoming’s commitment to keeping public lands available to the people of Wyoming and managed under multiple-use principles that support hunting, fishing, trapping, agriculture, energy, recreation, and conservation.

The resolution explicitly recognizes that Wyoming’s sporting heritage is protected under Article 1, Section 39 of the Wyoming Constitution, which preserves the opportunity to hunt, fish, and trap for future generations. That heritage depends on accessible public land and healthy, connected wildlife habitat.

SJ0009 opposes broad or indiscriminate sales of federal public lands and raises concerns about large-scale or quota-driven disposal proposals that lack meaningful local input. It calls on Congress and federal agencies to respect existing land management frameworks, county land-use plans, and the voices of communities most directly affected by federal land decisions.

For hunters and anglers, this resolution reinforces a simple truth: access and habitat are inseparable. Wyoming’s public lands sustain our outdoor traditions, rural economies, and wildlife populations — and decisions about their future must remain grounded in multiple use, local participation, and responsible stewardship.

Oppose S. 3527 - Keep Montana's Backcountry Wild

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Speak up now to oppose S.3527, the Montana Sportsmen “Conservation” Act.

S. 3527 would remove longstanding safeguards from the Middle Fork Judith, Hoodoo Mountain, and Wales Creek Wilderness Study Areas (WSA) that conserve intact wildlife habitat, protect migration corridors and sustain high-quality hunting and fishing opportunities on public lands

These places currently have WSA designations that keep habitat intact and protect the kind of backcountry hunting and fishing opportunity Montana sportsmen and women value. These areas hold secure elk habitat, healthy trout streams, and large, unbroken country where wildlife can thrive, and hunters can find real backcountry opportunity. If those protections are lifted, roads, development, and other changes could permanently alter the landscape and the experience.

Supporters say future management plans will protect hunting and fishing access. But those plans can be changed or overturned. We’ve all seen land management plans reversed in recent months through use of the Congressional Review Act (CRA). That’s why relying on temporary administrative plans isn’t the same as keeping strong, lasting protections in place.

Montana’s public lands are too important to gamble with. Tell your Senators to oppose S. 3527 ahead of the Senate Energy & Natural Resources markup-up on March 4th and keep these wild places intact for hunters and anglers today and for the next generation.

Support Wildlife Crossings in Washington

Sun, 01 Mar 2026 05:00:00 GMT

ESSB 5203 is one step away from the finish line, and Washington’s hunters and anglers have a real chance to help get it done.

This bipartisan bill advances the state’s Habitat Connectivity Action Plan, helping prioritize wildlife crossings that reduce dangerous wildlife–vehicle collisions while keeping key migration corridors open for deer, elk, and other species.

We’ve already seen what works. Crossings on I-90 and U.S. 97 have cut collisions with mule deer by up to 90%. That’s safer roads for Washington drivers and fewer dead animals on the road shoulder - good for conservation, good for herds, good for hunters.

Thanks to strong support in both chambers, ESSB 5203 has passed the Senate and cleared the House Transportation Committee. The final step is getting the bill scheduled for a vote on the House floor and across the finish line before the session ends.

This is common-sense legislation: Connected habitat supports healthier wildlife populations, and well-placed crossings make our roads safer for everyone.

We’re close to passing Washington’s best wildlife bill in years, but we need one more push: Contact your Representative and urge a YES vote on ESSB 5203.

Keep Public Lands in Public Hands - Support SJM 111

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Idaho’s public lands are central to our hunting, fishing, and outdoor way of life. They provide access for sportsmen and women across the state and support the rural communities and small businesses that depend on them.

Senate Joint Memorial 111 sends a clear message to Congress: keep public lands in public hands. The memorial urges Idaho’s congressional delegation to oppose the sale or transfer of federal lands and to support efforts like the Public Lands in Public Hands Act.

Once public lands are sold, they are effectively lost to the public forever. Privatization threatens access, fragments habitat, and risks turning shared ground into gated property. It also places significant financial burdens on Idaho taxpayers, who would inherit the costs of wildfire suppression, land management, and infrastructure.

SJM 111 reinforces Idahoans’ constitutional right to hunt, fish, and trap and affirms that these lands belong to all of us — not just the wealthy or well-connected.

Backcountry Hunters & Anglers supports actions that prevent land sale and transfer. Join us in urging Congress to keep Idaho’s public lands public.

Keep Politics Out of Wildlife Management -- Oppose S1300

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Senate Bill 1300 would fundamentally change how Idaho’s Fish & Game Director is selected. Under current law, the Director is appointed by the Idaho Fish and Game Commission — a citizen body designed to provide balanced, science-based oversight of wildlife management.

S1300 would shift that authority to the Governor, making the Director a direct gubernatorial appointee.

This proposal undermines a system that Idaho sportsmen fought hard to create. In 1938, Idaho voters passed a citizens initiative to separate wildlife management from partisan politics. That reform followed decades of advocacy by early conservation leaders like Game Wardens Frank M. Kendall and J.B. Gowen, who warned against political interference and emphasized the need for professional, science-based wildlife management regardless of party affiliation.

Wildlife belongs to the public — not to any one elected official or political cycle. Idaho’s commission-based model has helped ensure that fish and wildlife decisions are guided by science, regional representation, and long-term stewardship rather than short-term political considerations.

At a time when wildlife face mounting pressures from wildfire, habitat loss, funding challenges, and increasing management complexity, stability and continuity in leadership matter more than ever. S1300 risks creating leadership turnover every four years and injects unnecessary partisanship into a system that has served Idaho well for nearly a century.

Idaho’s wildlife are a public trust resource. They deserve steady, science-driven management insulated from political swings.

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!

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.

Re-authorize the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 04:00:00 GMT

If you’re a hunter or angler in Wisconsin, chances are you enjoy the fruits of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program. Whether you’re looking at boat launches, public land purchases, easements, habitat improvements, trail construction, or even campgrounds, you would be hard pressed to find a section of the state in which this program hasn’t made a difference. With more than ten thousand projects throughout the state since its bipartisan adoption in 1989, and with every county accounted for, this fund has invested roughly $1.3 billion into the landscapes, waterways, wildlife, and public accessibility of Wisconsin. Without re-authorization the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program will end in 2026.

There are currently two bills being considered for the program’s re-authorization, one by Representative Tony Kurtz (R) and Senator Patrick Testin (R), and the other bill from Representative Vinnie Miresse (D) and Senator Jodi Habush Sinykin (D). Ultimately, the stance of the Wisconsin Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers is that we need these funds, regardless of where any one of us lines up politically. Our lands and waters are far too important to be the rope in a political tug of war. We can all see the benefit of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program, and we can all call our representatives to make sure that they vote according to the desires of their constituents.

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, repealing the Roadless Rule will only increase fire risk on our public lands as a majority of wildfires are human-caused and occur within a half mile of a road.

Join BHA in opposition to rescinding the Roadless Rule.

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.

Speak Up for Connected Habitats and Hunting Opportunity Along the Border

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Together, Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park make up roughly one-third of all public land in Texas, supporting unique desert ecosystems, world-class recreation, and a deep hunting and fishing heritage.

Now that landscape could be permanently altered.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is currently seeking public comment on a proposed border barrier system in the Big Bend region, with the public comment deadline set for March 19.

Texas BHA previously raised concerns with the proposal to construct a border wall in the Big Bend region, and recent updates to CBP’s planning maps suggest that alternative surveillance technology may replace a physical wall along some portions of the Rio Grande corridor. However, the agency’s current proposal still shows a physical border wall cutting through Big Bend Ranch State Park.

Texas BHA has significant concerns about the impacts of a physical wall on the region. Migration routes, water access, popular hiking trails, and hunting and fishing heritage is at stake – not just in the parks, but in Black Gap WMA and Amistad National Recreation Area farther down river as well.

Texas BHA recognizes the importance of border security. But security solutions should not come at the expense of some of the most important wildlife habitat and public lands in Texas.

Instead, we encourage CBP to prioritize modern surveillance technology and other solutions that protect both border security and the ecological integrity of the Big Bend region.

Keep Wildlife Management Free from Special Interests

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Arizona’s fish and wildlife belong to the public and are managed under the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation, which relies on science, public input, and professional wildlife management.

HB 2162 would require that one seat on the Arizona Game and Fish Commission be reserved for a representative of the cattle or ranching industry.

Ranchers are an important voice in conversations about land and wildlife management, but that perspective is already included in the current system. The livestock community already holds a designated seat on the Commission Appointment Recommendation Board, which helps vet and recommend candidates for the Commission.

Creating a guaranteed seat on the Commission for any single interest group risks setting a troubling precedent. If one industry is granted a seat, others may soon demand the same—opening the door for special interests to influence wildlife governance.

The Arizona Game and Fish Commission is meant to represent all Arizonans and the public trust in wildlife, not any single industry.

Wildlife management works best when decisions are guided by science and professional wildlife managers—not political carve-outs.

Tell Arizona lawmakers to oppose HB 2162 and keep wildlife management free from special interests.

Arizona Hunters: Oppose SB 1281

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Arizona’s federal public lands provide some of the best hunting and fishing opportunities in the country and support critical habitat for wildlife across the state.

SB 1281 expands state oversight and potential legal challenges against federal land designations such as national forests, wildlife refuges, wilderness areas, and other protected landscapes. These places provide the habitat and access that sportsmen and women depend on. If state officials determine that these designations exceed what they believe to be the “smallest area compatible” with protecting a resource, legislative leadership or the attorney general could initiate litigation to challenge those protections.

The bill also includes legislative findings that promote legal arguments commonly used to justify transferring federal public lands to state ownership. Backcountry Hunters & Anglers strongly opposes efforts to transfer federal public lands. Across the West, state trust lands are typically managed to generate revenue—often through development, disposal, or restricted access—rather than the multiple-use framework that governs federal public lands.

Hunters and anglers know that once public lands are transferred or sold off, access and habitat are often the first things to go.

Tell Arizona lawmakers to oppose SB 1281 and keep public lands in public hands.

Oppose H.B. 2158 -- Keep Wildlife Management in the Hands of Professionals

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Arizona’s wildlife belongs to all of us. That’s why wildlife management decisions should be guided by science and professional wildlife managers — not legislative mandates.

H.B. 2158 would dramatically change how some of Arizona’s most iconic wildlife species are managed. The bill redefines “predatory animals” in state law to include bears and mountain lions (the original bill text included wolves as well but an amendment removed them).

In Arizona, animals classified as predatory species can generally be taken year-round without the regulated seasons and tag systems used to manage big game populations. Reclassifying these species would remove them from the science-based management framework currently overseen by the Arizona Game and Fish Commission.

North America’s conservation success story is built on the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation, where wildlife is managed by professional agencies using science and public input. Legislative efforts that bypass that system risk undermining sustainable wildlife management.

Bears and mountain lions are important components of Arizona’s ecosystems and are currently managed as big game species with carefully structured seasons that ensure healthy populations and quality hunting opportunities.

Tell your legislators to oppose H.B. 2158 and keep wildlife management decisions in the hands of Arizona’s professional wildlife managers.