You guys know anything about Backcountry Hunters & Anglers ?? I have been addicted to Steve Rinella's podcast lately.. I have heard them on the PC.. Sounds like these guys are on the ball...
I will answer your question, yes BHA is on the ball and on point.
I cant believe how fast the membership has grown since I joined, how many State Chapters there are, and how much this organization gets done at the State and Federal levels.
While I could speak specifically about each State Chapter, I will only speak specifically to what the Wyoming Chapter has achieved in a relatively short 3.5 years that I've Chaired the State Board.
The first thing we did was find a group of dedicated, hardcore, hunters and anglers to join the board and we're all volunteers, we make nothing for what we do. The board here works tirelessly for public lands, wildlife, habitat, hunting, fishing, trapping, public access, etc.
A list of some of the things we're involved in:
1. We attend most all GF commission meetings.
2. We attend the Legislative sessions every year.
3. We have members/board members on various blue ribbon task forces appointed by our Governor, the WPLI process, etc.
4. Involvement in RMP's, FP's, travel plans, etc.
5. Actively work with the Office of State Lands and Investment on various State land issues (usually access related, land exchanges, improving access, etc.).
6. One of 8 member groups of the Wyoming Sportsmen's Alliance.
Things that we've accomplished in the last 3 years include:
1. Yearly funding to the Wyoming AccessYes program which yields public access to landlocked public as well as private lands for hunting and fishing in Wyoming.
2. Clarified flight/UAV regulations to make it illegal to scout big and trophy game from the air, I would argue the most solid regulations in the U.S. on that issue.
3. Reward program for the conviction of illegal off-road violations.
4. Sign project where we paid for signs to explain seasonal road closures and how they enhance wildlife habitat. We leveraged about 5K in funding for the project.
5. Buck and Rail fencing project to stop illegal off-road use in important wildlife habitat, specifically riparian/wetland areas.
6. Yearly cleanup of Federal Lands near town here where people shoot TV sets, computers, bottles, cans. etc. This land would be closed to shooting if not for our involvement in the yearly clean up.
7. Stopped a horrific state land exchange that would have resulted in a loss of about 5K acres of public access to some of the best elk hunting in the Laramie Range in elk unit 7.
8. Solved an issue with the license draw for Resident hunters here that would have resulted in about 500 Wyoming Hunters not drawing LQ elk tags.
9. Donated money to a reward program and money to directly pay a private land owner that has their land enrolled in the AccessYes program, that suffered vandalism to their summer cabin and equipment. The vandalism occurred during hunting season, but was not done by hunters. A Wyoming Chapter Board members was one of the first to personally donate to the compensation fund, and BHA was also one of the first sportsmens groups to donate money as well. We feel that private landowners that provide public access are absolutely crucial in our partnership to enhance public lands, habitat, access, and also wildlife.
10. Assisted with a mule deer capture/collaring effort to help understand migration corridors in several mule deer herds across the State of Wyoming.
I could go on and on about the things that the WYBHA chapter has done in the last 3 years, and IMO, we're just getting warmed up.
I'm a life member, and if there was a better organization that represented the interests of public lands, wildlife, hunting, fishing, and trapping than BHA...I'd be a member. Fact is, there just isn't.
As far as the green decoy crap, just consider the source...that's all I ask.
Finally, as to our board, I'd put them up against the board of any other wildlife group any day as the most dedicated and serious hunters, fishermen, and trappers found anywhere. They get it done, in the field and off...they represent everything that is right about public lands, public wildlife, habitat, hunting, fishing, trapping, and being engaged citizens in all of it.
