Spring 2020 issue Backcountry Journal

KANSAS
• In November, Kansas Board Chair Kurt Ratzlaff attended the Kansas
Ringneck Classic in Colby, which included a panel discussion that John
Gale, BHA conservation director, was a part of.
• In January, we attended the Monster Buck Classic in Topeka, where we
engaged new members, discussed the BHA mission and talked with various
stakeholders about public lands and access issues.
• In February, we attended a meeting organized by the city of Hays to discuss
potential future public access and management of the 7,000-acre R9
Ranch, located south of Kinsley in Edwards County.
KENTUCKY
• KY BHA members did our second public lands work day, along with a
biologist, stocking a remote mountain stream in eastern Kentucky.
• A few KY BHA members did an adult mentored hunt at Taylorsville
WMA through KDFWR’s Field to Fork event.
• On opening day of modern gun deer season, KY BHA members helped a
biologist collect deer brain samples for CWD testing.
• In December, KY BHA partnered with the League of Kentucky Sportsmen
to host an annual sportsmen Christmas get together along with
Wildlife Women, TU, RMEF and Kentucky Traditional Bowhunters.
MICHIGAN
• The Michigan Chapter of BHA is looking for more volunteers to represent
communities from all around the state. We have a big year ahead
of us, and we are going to be relying heavily on our volunteers to meet
our goals and expectations for 2020 and beyond! If you would like to be
involved more, please send an email with a little about yourself, where
you’re from and what type of volunteer work you are most interested in
to: michigan@backcountryhunters.org. Thank you for making 2019 our
best year yet!
MINNESOTA
• MN BHA celebrated the introduction of H.R. 5598, the Boundary Waters
Protection and Pollution Prevention Act. Please contact your representatives
and urge them to support this bill.
• MN BHA, along with Land Tawney and HQ staff, joined Pheasants Forever
in the first ever Public Lands Pavilion at the 16th Annual Pheasant
Fest to announce that BHA and PF would be purchasing the first land in
BHA history here in Minnesota and opening it to public access!
• MN BHA will be hosting an Earth Day cleanup in April, led by UMN
club president Kyle Hildebrandt. Please follow our social media channels
and emails for more info on this and other upcoming events!
MISSOURI
• The Missouri chapter is coordinating with the Arkansas and Oklahoma
chapters to host a Tri-State Black Bear Bash in Bentonville, Arkansas,
featuring Clay Newcomb and others on March 28.
• St. Louis County council has approved managed archery deer hunts in
county parks starting in 2020. Visit Missouri Department of Conservation
for details on how to apply for hunts.
• The Missouri chapter will be holding their annual storytelling event on
April 9 in St. Louis. Come out and listen to some amazing stories by
BHA President and CEO Land Tawney and many others! Visit the BHA
events web page for details!
MONTANA
• MT BHA weighed in on a dangerous precedent of allowing high-horsepower
hovercrafts on stretches of the Bitterroot and Clark Fork rivers.
Commissioners listened and denied the request. We also generated significant
opposition to a proposed land exchange in the Crazy Mountains.
• We donated $1,000 to a reward fund, which was set up to seek information
leading to the conviction of an elk poacher, who has since been
arrested.
• MT BHA raised nearly $6,000 during a Public Land Owner Film Fest at
Kalispell’s Sportsman Ski Haus.
NEVADA
• The chapter has been engaged in the Washoe County and Clark County
land bills.
• We brought on Lowland Knives and Anderson’s Outdoors as state corporate
sponsors and thank them for their support!
• Membership in our state surpassed 500 members late last year.
NEW ENGLAND
• In New Hampshire, the New England chapter partnered with the Monadnock
Conservancy to celebrate the protection of the Cunningham
Pond Conservation Area in Peterborough.
• Vermont BHAers rallied to oppose the sale of 1600-acre Proctor Town
Forest, protecting public access to streams on the property and access
through the parcel to the abutting Green Mountain NF.
• Chapter leaders in New Hampshire submitted a statement to the Municipal
& County House Committee opposing H.B. 1115. This bill, if
passed, would increase the firearms buffer from 300 feet to 900 feet for
non-residential buildings.
NEW JERSEY
• The chapter tackled its first sports show and pressed the flesh with many
hunters and anglers at the Garden State Outdoor Sports Show in Edison
in January.
• Garden State BHA members hit the sand and surf at Long Beach Island
State Park in November to fish for striped bass and a beach cleanup.
• Planning for growth in 2020, the chapter is teeing up a series of events
aimed at introducing folks to BHA and driving membership.
NEW MEXICO
• Our chapter is now over 500 members strong as we begin 2020.
• The chapter launched Access Watch positions to monitor potential road
closures and other access issues at the county level. These new positions
enable us to make sure sportsmen and women are considered when these
closures appear on county commission agendas.
• Members are excited to work alongside the USFS in replacing old fencing
with antelope friendly fencing in the Kiowa National Grasslands this
spring. For information on how you can volunteer please contact us at
newmexico@backcountryhunters.org.
NEW YORK
• Helped the Northeast Wilderness Trust open previously inaccessible land
to recreation and assisted the Quality Deer Management Association
with their Capital Region Hunter Education and Field to Fork Weekend.
• Collaborated with the Catskill Chapter of Trout Unlimited for the Tie
One On event hosted at Westkill Brewing and worked with the Adirondack
Center for Loon Conservation building line recycling containers at
public fishing accesses.
• Welcomed our regional event coordinators and policy team contributors,
and tabled at the Syracuse Sportsmen’s show and others.
NORTH CAROLINA
• Our second annual Trashy Squirrel Hunt 2020 was a smashing success!
Teams from across NC got out and got after it, earning points for trash,
tails, new hunters and new members. Can’t wait for next year!
• BHA showed up in strong numbers to public hearings regarding Sunday
Hunting restrictions and advocated passionately and respectfully for their
right to hunt their public land on Sundays in NC.
• The NC chapter is working with a handful of conservation orgs and the
state fish and game agency in a Trout Angler Access Working Group, organized
to address dwindling access to our public mountain trout waters.
NORTH DAKOTA
• Held our annual chapter planning meeting in January.
• ND BHA is looking for someone in eastern North Dakota to step up
in leadership and better represent out eastern ND Members. Email the
chapter at northdakota@backcountryhunters.org for details.
40 | BACKCOUNTRY JOURNAL SPRING 2020