BCJ_FALL17 Digital Edition

Idaho Backcountry Barbeque in full swing
food vendors, breweries, and musical
groups all gathered to support public
lands. Both chapters gained a bunch of
new members, and more companies are
lining up to get involved next year.
The next weekend we gathered for the
5th Annual Chapter Rendezvous at Wild
River State Park, where we grilled up
pronghorn, woodcock and venison and
shared stories of the past year while strategizing
for the future. We are stoked to
announce that our chapter membership,
which was about 100 last year at this time,
has grown to nearly 350!
We have hosted Pint Nights to boost
public land awareness and membership
in Brainerd, Walker and one in Minneapolis
where DNR Commissioner Tom
Landwehr addressed the importance of
preserving our public lands.
As the BWCA public forum came to a
close, Minnesota BHA helped Sportsmen
for the Boundary Waters generate 125,000
comments opposing the proposed sulfide-ore
copper/nickel mining project. We
will continue to stay on this issue in the
upcoming months and push for a 20 year
moratorium!
Our chapter made huge strides in
reaching new audiences this summer,
with Jamie Carlson, Dan Born and Mark
Norquist making podcast appearances and
Mercedes Akinseye distributing BHA literature
at the Game Fair, a new venue for us!
Great job, everyone!
We will be teaming with the Minnesota
DNR again for the Learn-to-Hunt
program. Our Mentorship Committee
Leader Ben Peña and other BHA members
will be hosting new adult hunters as they
try hunting for the first time at St. Croix
State Park for a special whitetail season.
Our post-season Chapter Meeting/Bonfire
will be in Northfield on Dec. 2. – Aaron
Hebeisen
NEVADA
The Nevada Chapter has been active
during the hot desert summer and has
plenty on tap for the fall. We have continued
to hold monthly Pint Nights with our
partners at IMBĪB Brewing, which have
been well-attended and fertile ground for
recruiting new activists and board members.
We’ve had Hike to Hunt events in the
Reno and Elko area where members and
friends took advantage of the opportunity
to get outside, raise some money and catch
some fish. The Elko event has had few participants
but covered some nice high alpine
and high desert terrains. Hikers have
traveled well over 230 miles and gained
a bit more than 18,850 feet in elevation.
Great scenery, and few to no people on
the trails most days have made every hike
great, often culminating with alpine lake
swims. The Reno event had approximately
a dozen participants and covered over
80 miles through group and solo outings
to Marlette Lake, Relay Peak, Mt. Rose
Peak and other areas. Some days over 60
pounds were loaded in the packs to train
for hunting season. Other days light and
fast were the objective to get to some incredible
fishing as quickly as possible.
Our chapter has dug deep to contribute
to bringing Shane Mahoney’s Wild Harvest
Campaign to Nevada. Our Department
of Wildlife has invested in becoming
a partner of the program. The hope is for
expanded public education of the benefits
of our traditions to our economy and to
wildlife conservation. We are excited about
it!
On the advocacy front, we have provided
comment on Nevada’s national monuments
under review by the Department
of the Interior and supported our state
Wildlife Commission in their review of
potential disposal lands with high wildlife
values.
We’re planning a Full Draw Film Tour
event in early December and a potential
membership meeting in the spring. Finally,
we’re staying active in trying to get our
regulations on smart rifles passed through
the Legislative Commission. –Kyle Davis
NEW ENGLAND
In May, Maine members gathered
for a backyard rendezvous and wild foods
feed at the home of Anthony Zotini in Appleton.
Board member Jenna Rozelle introduced
the group to a cornucopia of wild
plants, free for the picking. Andy Billipp
hosted a second annual rendezvous at his
farm in Connecticut where members from
Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island
attended. Member Tom Wansleben,
of MA. Fish & Wildlife, gave a detailed
presentation on scouting for whitetails
and Neal Hagstrom of CT. DEP’s Inland
Fisheries Division gave a talk about stream
access and long term fishery conservation
challenges. Local brew, pizza and a museum
show of sporting art were on the menu
in June when members met in Shelburne,
Vermont.
On the policy side, the New England
28 | BACKCOUNTRY JOURNAL FALL 2017