Alabama Outdoor Dawgs

[SapperDawg]

I am in the process of forming an Alabama state chapter of the Backcountry Hunters and Anglers:

https://www.backcountryhunters.org/

BHA is primarily focused on public lands protection and policy at the national level to ensure our wild public lands and wildlife remain available to US sportsman. I have been an member of this organization for about two years now, and have been impressed with how far it has come in that time. Organizationally, they focus on five main areas:

1. Access and opportunity to public lands ? gaining easements to open access to landlocked public land (which there is a lot of in North Alabama);
2. Backcountry conservation ? this is the public policy aspect of the organization;
3. Place-based backcountry conservation ? for us this focus would likely be a focus on the TVA public land that has no watch dog, ensuring sportsmen and women the solitude and challenge of the hunt, hike or outing they seek;
4. Illegal off highway vehicle use ? TVA lands are non-motorized use, however these restrictions are not posted and are not enforced. BHA has a program for signage posting and rewards for illegal OHV use.
5. Fair chase hunting ? this means lots of things to different folks, but one of the main items BHA has led the way on is outlawing in many states the use of drones for scouting and hunting.

I would like to take this chapter, and focus initially on access and habitat improvement to the TVA lands along the TN River, along with continued protection of our designated wilderness areas in North AL. Too much of the TVA lands are landlocked by private land, or are not marked at all. Additionally, these lands are designated as non-motorized use, however if you have been on any TVA land, you have seen the network of unmanaged ATV, UTV and 4WD trails. Since TVA disbanded it?s police force, there is no one watching out for these areas.

TVA partners with groups like BHA on ?projects such as river clean-ups, wildlife habitat enhancement initiatives, trail building, removal of invasive exotic plants, access improvements to public lands and general maintenance activities.?

The cost is low: $35 per year. We need 30-50 members to be officially recognized as a chapter. I hope you consider joining, as I think this will not just benefit a good cause, but will be lots of fun.

I have some Backcountry Journal magazines and BHA bumper stickers I would like to get in your hands, and would love to talk with each of you about this.

If you know anyone who may be interested, please forward this to them ? and tell them not to hesitate to contact me if they have any questions.

[SapperDawg]

I want to bump this and note that for the month of December, a one year membership is $15. There really is no reason not to join.

[SapperDawg]

Going to selfishly bump this again. We have started a meetup.com group to better share information:

http://www.meetup.com/Backcountry-Hu...rs-AL-Chapter/

Also, if you join in the month of April, you get free access to the OnX Hunt app. If you hunt public land at all, it is a must have. I use it frequently, even for scouting.