BCJ_SUMMER18 Digital Edition

Sam Lungren photo
The storytelling and short film events
were fantastic, and based on the packed
houses, I think others felt the same way.
The 2018 Rende reinforced that BHA is
my tribe. I am still riding the post-Rende
high, and I look forward to 2019.
JEFF JONES
SOUTHEAST CHAPTER CHAIR
ALABAMA
This years’ Rendezvous was amazeballs.
The people are freakin’ amazing, and the
whole event is a non-stop blast from start
to finish. I don’t care who you are – you
can’t leave a weekend like that and not
want to go back home and kick ass for
public lands and waters.
ASHLEY KURTENBACH
SOUTH DAKOTA CHAPTER
SECRETARY
On behalf of MN BHA, I would like to
thank everyone involved with this kickass
organization for awarding us the George
Bird Grinnell Award for outstanding
BHA chapter of the year at Rendezvous.
Without the efforts of our membership,
volunteer base, partners and every other
BHA chapter, our organization would
not be where it is today. In the words of
our CEO, Land Tawney, “Onward and
upward.”
LUKAS LEAF
MINNESOTA CHAPTER
BOARD MEMBER
12 | BACKCOUNTRY JOURNAL SUMMER FALL 2016 2018
RENDEZVOUS RECAP
Alex Kim photo
Right now, the board is managing awesome
– awesome members, awesome chapters,
awesome energy, and we are riding a
rocket ship of growth. We recognize that
we’re not here just to drink beer, swap stories
and eat desert bighorn sheep testicles.
(Nice work, Arizona chapter!) BHA is here
to make sure that that we’re not the Americans
who pissed away the greatest heritage
of public lands the world has ever known.
T. EDWARD NICKENS
BHA NATIONAL BOARD MEMBER
NORTH CAROLINA
Alex Kim photo
As I roamed the sessions, I introduced
myself as a Florida PLO, providing a lead
into the merits of public lands in Florida
and the Southeast overall. In turn, others
shared the vast expanses of public lands
in their haunts and hollers, which was inspirational
and led to numerous, random
discussions about hunting, angling and
our pure enjoyment of the conservation
lifestyle.
CHAD RISCHAR
SOUTHEAST CHAPTER VICE-CHAIR
FLORIDA
Attending Rende 2018 was a great experience,
especially with the informative
chapter training seminars and the chance
to talk with other chapters to see what
works – and doesn’t work – for them.
NEIL KEOWN
ALBERTA CHAPTER CHAIR
I have been to every Rendezvous since the
first one where there were around 100 attendees,
and I was blown away standing
on stage looking out at 1,300 people!
BHA is growing, and I am excited to be a
part of it and continue to watch it grow.
BLAKE FISCHER
CAMPFIRE STORYTELLER
IDAHO
Sam Lungren photo
Garrett Smith photo
The BHA Rendezvous is the ultimate event to connect
with likeminded sportsmen and women from across the
country, and we look forward to it every year for the
education, camaraderie and inspiration.
CORINNE DOCTOR
REP YOUR WATER
COLORADO
Alex Kim photo
We can’t put into words how exciting and
fun this experience was for us. We had
such a rush from representing our state,
cooking everything in an hour, and having
our favorite sportsmen sample and
judge our dish.
AMY ORTEGA AND MANDY NELSON
WILD GAME COOK-OFF WINNERS
ARIZONA
Being able to interact with other college
clubs from around the U.S. and Canada
at Rendezvous was something I will not
soon forget. The UM club left Boise with
a newfound sense of pride in BHA’s mission
as well as plans to further our club,
thanks to the advice of our fellow college
club leaders.
ASHTON BATES
UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA
BHA CLUB CHAIR
Taking four days to be surrounded by
likeminded hunters and anglers is rejuvenating,
and the events and seminars for
chapter leadership help shape our efforts
to be effective public lands advocates.
Our chapter is already looking forward
to #Rende2019.
STEVE SHANNON
ALASKA CHAPTER CHAIR
SUMMER 2018 BACKCOUNTRY JOURNAL | 13