BCJ_SPRING18 Digital Edition

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
PINT NIGHTS, PINT NIGHTS EVERYWHERE
Jackson Hole Pint Night goers participate in BHA’s signature “Go-Fight-Win” battle cry. Jared Frasier photo.
2 | BACKCOUNTRY JOURNAL SPRING 2018
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THE ROOM CONTINUED TO FILL. Folks in Public Land
Owner shirts and Keep Public Lands in Public Hands hats piled
in. The energy was palpable. With no chapter in North Dakota,
on a cold January night in Bismarck, and with only four days to
organize, expectations were low for the Public Lands Pint Night.
Maybe 15-20 people would show up? Ultimately, we hit capacity
at 75, elbow to elbow in a room we through we couldn’t fill. Build
it and they will come.
Two weeks earlier in Minnetonka, Minnesota, the same scene
played out. Except this time there were 150 backcountry badasses
packing the house at Unmapped Brewery, setting the bar for all
future pint nights. Early February in Flagstaff, Arizona, another
75 showed up. One couple had become members only days before
and drove four hours to be part of the movement.
Later in February I traveled to Washington, D.C. Lo and behold,
sportsmen and women in our nation’s capital turned out in
droves, with more than 75 rising to the occasion. Throw in a pint
night at Highlander Brewing here in Missoula that almost broke
our record in Minnesota and you get the point. Something has
changed. BHA is on fire. I remember when I was astonished that
we were having two events in a week. Now it’s not uncommon to
have two or three on the same night.
Each of our latest gatherings features a few common themes.
Amazing attendance. A thirst to do more. Both women and men
(though we still could benefit from more women in attendance).
A youthful exuberance combined with sage wisdom.
The hard work of boots on the ground volunteers has paid off,
and BHA has hit critical mass. Membership continues to dramatically
rise, and as this issue goes to press we are close to 20,000
strong … and growing! Steven Rinella, Randy Newberg, Hal
Herring, Gritty Bowmen and others continue to use their platforms,
like Theodore Roosevelt did, as bully pulpits to preach to
the masses. It’s working. Above all, people are showing up and
heeding the call to do their part to protect and promote our public
lands and waters legacy in North America.
Our pints nights follow the local public house tradition in Ireland
– more community center than watering hole. Sure, pints
are consumed, but these are gathering spots to talk about local
matters and check in with friends. Five-year-olds to 95-year-olds
are welcome, just like all BHA events. I’ll have attended two more
pint nights, one in Rapid City, South Dakota, and one in Norfolk,
Virginia, by the time you read this. I’m looking forward to
the energy I know will be in the room. Check out our events page
on backountryhunters.org for a schedule of upcoming gatherings
including pint nights, Beers, Bands and Public Lands, Campfire
Stories and wild game feeds
From Whitehorse in the Yukon to the Florida Keys, there is
hopefully a BHA event near you. If you don’t see one scheduled
in your neck of the woods, contact your chapter coordinator and
he or she can help set one up. If you don’t have a chapter yet in
your state or province, contact Ty Stubblefield at ty@backcountryhunters.org.
In the meantime, I look forward to seeing many of you at the
biggest gathering of them all, BHA’s North American Rendezvous
in Boise, Idaho, April 12-14. Together we will pass on a backcountry
heritage to the next generation so they too will have the
same opportunities we do today.
Sláinte!
Land Tawney
President & CEO
SPRING 2018 BACKCOUNTRY JOURNAL | 3