Backcountry Hunters And Anglers

BACKCOUNTRY HUNTERS & ANGLERS SEEKS TO ENSURE NORTH AMERICA'S OUTDOOR HERITAGE OF HUNTING AND FISHING IN A NATURAL SETTING, THROUGH EDUCATION AND WORK ON BEHALF OF WILD PUBLIC LANDS AND WATERS.

ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY:ACCESS HAS EMERGED AS A PRIORITY ISSUE FOR NORTH AMERICAN HUNTERS AND ANGLERS, AND LACK OF ACCESS IS CITED BY SPORTSMEN AS THE NO. 1 REASON WHY WE STOP PURSUING OUR PASSIONS.OUR OUTDOOR HERITAGE IS GUIDED BY THE PUBLIC LANDS LEGACY ESTABLISHED BY PRESIDENT THEODORE ROOSEVELT AND HIS FELLOW VISIONARIES. THESE FORESIGHTED INDIVIDUALS UNDERSTOOD THE IMPORTANCE OF TAKING ACTION BOTH FOR THE SAKE OF THE RESOURCE AND FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE GENERATIONS THAT FOLLOW OURS. THAT SPIRIT OF STEWARDSHIP, ALONG WITH THE NORTH AMERICAN MODEL OF WILDLIFE CONSERVATION AND THE PUBLIC TRUST DOCTRINE, MAKE NORTH AMERICA UNIQUE. OUR NATIONS STAND APART BY DECLARING THAT FISH AND WILDLIFE BELONG TO EACH AND EVERY CITIZEN - AND WE ALL HAVE EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES TO ACCESS AND ENJOY THEM.THE CONCEPTS OF ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY EXTEND WELL BEYOND PHYSICAL BARRIERS. WELL-FUNDED INTERESTS ARE INVESTED IN DISMANTLING THE NORTH AMERICAN MODEL IN FAVOR OF PRACTICES THAT BENEFIT ONLY THOSE WHO CAN PAY FOR THE PRIVILEGE. BHA IS COMMITTED TO AMPLIFYING THE VOICES OF OUR CHAPTERS TO INFLUENCE POLICIES THAT NOT ONLY ADDRESS THE PHYSICAL ISSUE OF ACCESS BUT ALSO PRIORITIZE CONSERVATION OF KEY LANDS AND WATERS, PROTECTION OF VALUABLE HABITAT, IMPLEMENTATION OF RESPONSIBLE LAND MANAGEMENT POLICIES, AND RESISTANCE AGAINST THE PRIVATIZATION OF PUBLIC LANDS, WATERS AND WILDLIFE.OUR WORK FOCUSES ON THREE KEY AREAS:- DEFENDING ACCESS TO PUBLIC WATERS- ADVOCATING FOR THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND- DEFENDING AND ENHANCING ACCESS TO PUBLIC LAND

PUBLIC LANDS AND WATERS:NORTH AMERICA'S PUBLIC LANDS AND WATERS ARE THE LIFEBLOOD OF BACKCOUNTRY HUNTERS & ANGLERS. THESE ARE THE CHERISHED WILD PLACES THAT RESTORE OUR SPIRITS AND PROVIDE THE SOLACE OF SOLITUDE. THEY'RE WHERE WE GO TO CHALLENGE OURSELVES IN PURSUIT OF ADVENTURE AND GAME. THEY ARE STRONGHOLDS OF IMPORTANT WILDLIFE HABITAT AND FISHERIES, PROVIDING PLACES WHERE A RANGE OF SPECIES - EVERYTHING FROM ELK AND MULE DEER TO GROUSE, WATERFOWL AND NATIVE TROUT - CAN GROW TO MATURITY AND THRIVE.EVERY CITIZEN OWNS A SHARE OF PUBLIC LANDS AND WATERS IN NORTH AMERICA. IT IS UP TO US TO DEFEND THIS HERITAGE AND ENSURE THAT OUR LEGACY OF STEWARDSHIP IS HANDED DOWN TO FUTURE GENERATIONS INTACT. WE WORK TO MAINTAIN OUR LONGSTANDING SPORTING TRADITIONS THROUGH HARD WORK AND A FOCUS ON THE FOLLOWING:- ENHANCING HABITAT CONSERVATION- CONSERVING PRIORITY LANDSCAPES- PROMOTING RESPONSIBLE OHV USE AND MANAGEMENT - DEFENDING OUR PUBLIC LANDS LEGACY

FAIR CHASE:IN THE EARLY 1900S, THEODORE ROOSEVELT HELPED PIONEER STANDARDS FOR ETHICAL HUNTING. OUR COUNTRY HAS CHANGED ENORMOUSLY SINCE THEN, AND NEW CHALLENGES HAVE ARISEN WITH CHANGES IN TECHNOLOGY AND FINANCIALLY MOTIVATED SPECIAL INTERESTS.WE NOW ARE FACING THREATS THAT ROOSEVELT AND HIS CONTEMPORARIES SCARCELY COULD HAVE IMAGINED. EMERGING TECHNOLOGY LIKE DRONES GIVES SPORTSMEN AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE IN SCOUTING AND HUNTING.THESE AND OTHER FAIR CHASE ISSUES DEMAND OUR VIGILANCE AND CONTINUED ADVOCACY. WE NOT ONLY MUST ABIDE BY THE PRINCIPLES HANDED DOWN BY ROOSEVELT AND OTHER SPORTSMEN; WE ALSO MUST UPDATE AND ELEVATE THOSE PRINCIPLES TO ADDRESS OUR RAPIDLY CHANGING CULTURE. OVERALL, WE MUST ENSURE THAT THE ETHICAL PURSUIT OF FISH AND GAME IS UPHELD AS DEARLY AS OUR OWN OBLIGATION TO MORALITY AND CITIZENSHIP.