BCJ_SUMMER17 Digital Edition

YOUR BACKCOUNTRY
WHAT IS BHA?
BACKCOUNTRY HUNTERS & ANGLERS
is a North American conservation
nonprofit 501(c)(3) dedicated to the
conservation of backcountry fish and
wildlife habitat, sustaining and expanding
access to important lands and waters, and
upholding the principles of fair chase.
This is our quarterly magazine. We fight to
maintain and enhance the backcountry
values that define our passions: challenge,
solitude and beauty. Join us. Become
part of the sportsmen’s voice for our wild
public lands, waters and wildlife.
Sign up at www.backcountryhunters.org.
STATE CHAPTERS
BHA HAS MEMBERS across the
continent, with chapters representing
35 states, the District of Columbia and
two provinces. Grassroots public lands
sportsmen and women are the driving
force behind BHA. Learn more about what
BHA is doing in your state on page 26. If
you are looking for ways to get involved,
email your state chapter chair at the
following addresses:
• alaska@backcountryhunters.org
• alberta@backcountryhunters.org
• arizona@backcountryhunters.org
• britishcolumbia@backcountryhunters.org
• california@backcountryhunters.org
• capital@backcountryhunters.org
• colorado@backcountryhunters.org
• idaho@backcountryhunters.org
• michigan@backcountryhunters.org
• minnesota@backcountryhunters.org
• montana@backcountryhunters.org
• nevada@backcountryhunters.org
• newengland@backcountryhunters.org
• newmexico@backcountryhunters.org
• newyork@backcountryhunters.org
• oregon@backcountryhunters.org
• pennsylvania@backcountryhunters.org
• southeast@backcountryhunters.org
• southdakota@backcountryhunters.org
• texas@backcountryhunters.org
• utah@backcountryhunters.org
• washington@backcountryhunters.org
• wisconsin@backcountryhunters.org
4 | BACKCOUNTRY JOURNAL SUMMER 2017
• wyoming@backcountryhunters.org
THE SPORTSMEN’S VOICE FOR OUR WILD PUBLIC LANDS, WATERS AND WILDLIFE
Ryan Busse (Montana) Chairman
Sean Carriere (Idaho) Treasurer
Ted Koch (New Mexico)
Ben O’Brien (Texas)
Rachel Vandevoort (Montana)
Michael Beagle (Oregon) President Emeritus
President & CEO
Land Tawney, tawney@backcountryhunters.org
Southwest Chapter Coordinator
Jason Amaro, jason@backcountryhunters.org
Campus Outreach Coordinator
Sawyer Connelly, sawyer@backcountryhunters.org
Office Manager
Caitlin Frisbie, frisbie@backcountryhunters.org
Great Lakes Coordinator
Will Jenkins, will@thewilltohunt.com
Backcountry Journal Editor
Sam Lungren, sam@backcountryhunters.org
Central Idaho Coordinator
Mike McConnell, whiteh2omac@gmail.com
Social Media and Online Advocacy Coordinator
Nicole Qualtieri, nicole@backcountryhunters.org
Membership Coordinator
Ryan Silcox, ryan@backcountryhunters.org
Chapter Coordinator
Ty Stubblefield, ty@backcountryhunters.org
JOURNAL CONTRIBUTORS
Mike Adams, Taimur Ahmad, Jason Amaro, Bryan
Gregson, Mike Gnatkowski, Ryan Hughes, Jack
Hennessy, Scott Johnson, Carson Keys, Zoie Koostra,
Kris Millgate, Jim Posewitz, Tim Romano, Craig Springer,
Kami Swingle, Dave Terrion, E. Donnall Thomas Jr., Claire
Topalian, Maddie Vincent, Lyle Vinson, Isaac Zarecki
Cover photo: Kris Millgate,
South Fork Snake River, Idaho
Backcountry Journal is the quarterly membership
publication of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers. All
rights reserved. Content may not be reproduced in any
manner without the consent of the publisher. Writing
and photography queries, submissions and advertising
questions contact sam@backcountryhunters.org
Published July 2017. Volume XII, Issue III
Correction: In the Spring 2017 issue story “BHA Goes
to College,” we neglected to credit Jim Giese for his
excellent images. We apologize for the oversight.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
STAFF
Ben Bulis (Montana) Vice Chairman
Heather Kelly (Alaska)
T. Edward Nickens (North Carolina)
Mike Schoby (Montana)
J.R. Young (California)
Joel Webster (Montana) Chairman Emeritus
Donor and Corporate Relations Manager
Grant Alban, grant@backcountryhunters.org
State Policy Director
Tim Brass, tim@backcountryhunters.org
Collegiate Curriculum and Outreach Assistant
Trey Curtiss, trey@backcountryhunters.org
Conservation Director
John Gale, gale@backcountryhunters.org
Montana Chapter Coordinator
Jeff Lukas, jeff@bakcountryhunters.org
Operations Director
Frankie McBurney Olson, frankie@backcountryhunters.org
Communications Director
Katie McKalip, mckalip@backcountryhunters.org
Northwest Outreach Coordinator
Jesse Salsberry, jesse@crowfly.cc
Merchandise and Membership Specialist
Ty Smail, smail@backcountryhunters.org
Interns: Ryan Hughes, Carson Keys, Alex Kim,
Zoie Koostra, Maddie Vincent, Isaac Zarecki
BHA LEGACY PARTNERS
The following Legacy Partners have committed
$1000 or more to BHA for the next three years. To
find out how you can become a Legacy Partner,
please contact grant@backcountryhunters.org.
Lou and Lila Bahin, Bendrix Bailey, Mike Beagle, Sean
Carriere, Dave Cline, Dan Edwards, Todd DeBonis,
Blake Fischer, Sarah Foreman, Whit Fosburgh,
Stephen Graf, Ryan Huckeby, Richard Kacin, Ted
Koch, Peter Lupsha, Robert Magill, Cholly McGlynn,
Nick Miller, Nick Nichols, William Rahr, Adam Ratner,
Jason Stewart, Robert Tammen, Lynda Tucker,
Karl Van Calcar, Michael Verville, Barry Whitehill,
J.R. & Renee Young
BHA HEADQUARTERS
P.O. Box 9257, Missoula, MT 59807
www.backcountryhunters.org
admin@backcountryhunters.org
(406) 926-1908
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Photo courtesy of the BLM
BERRYESSA SNOW MOUNTAIN NATIONAL MONUMENT, CALIFORNIA
BY RYAN HUGHES
SOLITUDE IS A COMMODITY often hard to come by, especially
when living in Sacramento, California. Though it may take
some searching to locate that perfect piece of wilderness to hunt
and be alone, BHA member Jon Schwedler found his spot somewhere
within the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument.
Through his exploration, Schwedler found himself surrounded by
a dramatic landscape, its vast array of wildlife, and a community
that cares deeply for their public lands.
In Berryessa Snow Mountain, Jon came to appreciate a form of
beauty with which he was not familiar. He describes his favorite
hunting spots as barren and dry. He eventually realized the value
in this landscape – the ruggedness and challenge kept him coming
back. The quail that he hunts are rarely easy to find, and when he
does find them, he better be shooting straight.
“It plays hard to get,” Jon said. “And even with hustle, limiting
out is pretty rare. But I can honestly say I’ve seen as many species
here in a day as I have in Yellowstone. That’s the kind of place it
is, and I’ve learned to love the land I’m with.”
A lifelong angler, Jon didn’t start hunting until he moved to
Bozeman, Montana. Upon his return to California, he needed
land to continue his pursuit of upland birds and to bring his sons,
ages 9 and 11, into the outdoors. As he returned to the monument
more and more, Jon found himself crossing paths with
many other users of these public lands. One of his most valued
interactions was with a BLM employee who was there on his day
off. He didn’t come to hunt or fish but to clean the public bathrooms.
When Jon asked why, the man said he wanted to maintain
the excellent resources they have at their fingertips.
“The federal land agencies aren’t perfect,” Jon said. “But whenever
I hear people complaining about them, I want to introduce
them to that young BLM guy cleaning toilets on his off day.”
This wild land is a side of California seldom seen, hiding away
in its most desolate canyons, remote rivers and rugged hills. Inhabited
by native tribes, explored by Spanish expeditions, trapped
by the Hudson Bay Company and prospected by gold rush
dreamers, Berryessa Snow Mountain has earned a monument
designation well overdue.
From the scree and dry, red dirt to the lush hillsides and oldgrowth
oak woods, Berryessa offers habitat for a large spectrum
of California wildlife, including tule elk, Columbia black-tailed
deer, black bears, mountain lions, river otters and bald eagles. The
serpentine soil beneath the rugged mountainsides also produces
rare plant life, such as McNab cypress and white leaf manzanita.
Even the waterways are full of life, with spawning grounds for
Chinook salmon and steelhead. Recreationists have unending opportunities
for everything from hunting and fishing to mountain
biking, kayaking the whitewater of Cache Creek or looking for
our national bird.
The wide array of uses for this 330,780-acre monument made
its designation a common ground for many organizations. From
the greenest environmental groups to off-road vehicle enthusiasts,
a broad coalition came together to permanently protect this
special place. All state and federal representatives from the local
region signed on in support, as well as the boards of supervisors of
all five counties that house the monument.
Schwedler and many other California BHA Chapter members
took part in hearings and the public comment period during
Berryessa’s scoping process. The hearings began in 2014, and, according
to BHA members, attendee support to opposition was
roughly 15 to 1, sending a message that the monument would be
advancing the community’s interests. Berryessa Snow Mountain
was designated a national monument by President Obama on July
10, 2015, followed by the monument’s dedication ceremony in
March of 2016.
J.R. Young, California chapter co-chairman and BHA national
board member, described the designation process as the textbook
example of how a monument designation should proceed. “That
is what is special about Berryessa – how many different groups
signed on in support.”
This phenomenal involvement of the community would prove
to be a vital asset for Berryessa Snow Mountain, and it continues
to be a keystone aspect of the monument’s management plan,
currently under development.
“We also attended the series of public input meetings for the
management planning of the monument,” J.R. said. “We met
the various agencies and provided input on the priorities that we
thought the management plan should focus on. We made sure
that hunting and fishing access was a priority.”
In light of the current controversies surrounding national monuments,
the designation of Berryessa Snow Mountain demonstrates
the value of community involvement. This was a big win
for public lands, effected by a diverse assembly of groups. From
environmentalists and bird watchers to hunters and anglers, when
we collaborate on landscape conservation, the outcomes can be
extraordinary.
Ryan grew up in Santa Rosa, California near Berryessa. He recently
graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno and is spending the
summer interning for Backcountry Journal.
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