Backcountry Hunters & Anglers
“To ensure North America’s outdoor heritage of hunting and fishing in wild public lands and waters.”
6 comments to the agencies, 88 cents of every dollar to the work.
The work
What they do
The sportsmen’s voice for wild public lands, waters, and wildlife.
Where the money went, FY2025
The work, and what it cost
Conservation education and outreachthe north American model
$1.8M, 38% of spendingConservation education and outreachthe north American model of wildlife conservation and the public trust doctrine define fish and wildlife resources as the property of the people and managed by government agencies…
Read it as they filed it
CONSERVATION EDUCATION AND OUTREACHTHE NORTH AMERICAN MODEL OF WILDLIFE CONSERVATION AND THE PUBLIC TRUST DOCTRINE DEFINE FISH AND WILDLIFE RESOURCES AS THE PROPERTY OF THE PEOPLE AND MANAGED BY GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ENTRUSTED WITH THEIR CARE. THIS MODEL IS THE FOUNDATION OF SCIENCE-BASED FISH AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AND OUR DUTY AS AN ORGANIZATION COMMITTED TO HUNTERS AND ANGLERS IS TO ADVANCE CONSERVATION PROGRAMS THAT BENEFIT OUR WILD PUBLIC LANDS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE WHILE PROMOTING CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT BY OUR MEMBERS, CHAPTERS, AND CONSERVATION PARTNERS.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2025, signed under penalty of perjury.
Habitat restoration and stewardshipBHA is working at the local
$1.4M, 28% of spendingState, and Federal level to establish a national commitment to the stewardship of our wild public lands, waters, and wildlife for future generations.
Read it as they filed it
HABITAT RESTORATION AND STEWARDSHIPBHA IS WORKING AT THE LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL LEVEL TO ESTABLISH A NATIONAL COMMITMENT TO THE STEWARDSHIP OF OUR WILD PUBLIC LANDS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. HEALTHY POPULATIONS OF FISH AND WILDLIFE ARE DIRECTLY LINKED TO THE HEALTH OF THEIR HABITATS. HUNTERS AND ANGLERS REMAIN COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH PRIVATE LAND OWNERS AND STATE AND FEDERAL MANAGEMENT AGENCIES TO FACILITATE CONSISTENT LAND-USE POLICIES, PROTECT WILDLIFE CORRIDORS, AND RESTORE DEGRADED HABITATS.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2025, signed under penalty of perjury.
Access and opportunityBHA is committed to advancing legislative
$1.1M, 22% of spendingAnd administrative efforts to secure public access to quality fair chase hunting and fishing opportunities.
Including $45,000 granted onward, all of it to Minority Outdoor Alliance.
Read it as they filed it
ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITYBHA IS COMMITTED TO ADVANCING LEGISLATIVE AND ADMINISTRATIVE EFFORTS TO SECURE PUBLIC ACCESS TO QUALITY FAIR CHASE HUNTING AND FISHING OPPORTUNITIES. BY 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, WE CAN PROTECT VALUABLE HABITAT AND IMPLEMENT RESPONSIBLE LAND MANAGEMENT POLICIES THAT SUPPORT ROBUST POPULATIONS OF FISH AND WILDLIFE.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2025, signed under penalty of perjury.
Follow the dollar
88 cents of every dollar goes to the work
A good sign, not a scorecard: what matters is the extremes, and this is nowhere near one.
$4,294,566 programs, $355,211 management, $245,569 fundraising. Form 990, FY2025.
The backers
Backed on the record by Western Conservation Foundation, Wilderness Society and Resources Legacy Fund, latest filing FY25.
The people
Who does the work
Took the helm from Frankie McBurney Olson, who drew $128,354 in the final year on file.
Honesty note: leadership comes from each year’s federal filing, so it can run a year behind. If it’s out of date, tell us. Work at BHA? Claim this page.
Those 700 volunteers are people who decided this ground was theirs to defend. If BHA is fighting for your place too, the matchmaker will find your way in.
Find your way inThe filings
14 years of filings
Total revenue by fiscal year, as filed. Point at or tap the line for any year.
| Year | Revenue |
|---|---|
| 2011 | $353,575 |
| 2012 | $537,262 |
| 2013 | $731,402 |
| 2014 | $937,981 |
| 2015 | $1,339,595 |
| 2016 | $1,863,058 |
| 2017 | $4,684,595 |
| 2018 | $3,642,230 |
| 2019 | $4,269,861 |
| 2020 | $4,711,060 |
| 2021 | $5,445,985 |
| 2022 | $3,856,716 |
| 2023 | $4,861,110 |
| 2025 | $5,069,353 |
From $354K in 2011 to $5.1M in FY25, across 14 public filings (none on record for 2024).
On the Hill
BHA files its own federal lobbying reports: 30 filings from 2019 to 2026, naming 207 bills. The filings, at the Senate.
Most filed on natural resources, the budget and agriculture.
The record
On the record with the agencies
6 comments on federal decisions since 2023, each filed under the group’s own name on regulations.gov. The latest on decisions we track:
Year by year
The record, in order
- 2004Backcountry Hunters & Anglers is formed.the return, formation year
- 2022First appears in Western Conservation Foundation’s grants.the funder’s return
- 20231 comment to the Bureau of Land Management, under the group’s own name.regulations.gov
- First appears in Wilderness Society’s grants.the funder’s return
- 2024First appears in Resources Legacy Fund’s grants.the funder’s return
- 20251 comment to the Bureau of Land Management, under the group’s own name.regulations.gov
- 20264 comments, most to the Bureau of Land Management, under the group’s own name.regulations.gov
Green, a funder’s return. Hollow, a filing. Every row is a record we hold: 6 comments filed under its own name, 3 funders whose returns name it. Nothing here is written from memory.
Their ground
The places they defend
Opposed Proposal 4 at the Alaska Board of Game in July 2026, which would restrict hunting along the Ambler road corridor
Who’s defending it On the ground · Threat developingRuby MountainsNevada chapter organized within the 15-group Sportsmen for the Rubies coalition against oil and gas leasing and backs permanent withdrawal through the Ruby Mountains Protection Act.
Who’s defending it In the fight · On watchBrowns Canyon National MonumentColorado Backcountry Hunters and Anglers joined the sportsmen’s coalition that pushed for the 2015 monument designation.
Who’s defending itMost urgent first: open comment windows, then live federal cases, then the threat level. See every threatened place on one map, and who stands for each.
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Ways in
How to help
Straight to their own donation page. Your dollar never passes through us.
Give on their site ↗Show upVolunteer with themFind their volunteer door on their own site.
Find it on their site ↗SpeakComment and callOpen comment windows and call scripts for fights like these, ready to send.
Public Lands Action NetworkFollowWatch the mapEvery threatened place in the country, tracked, with who stands for each.
Threatened Lands MapStand with Backcountry Hunters & Anglers
The mission is theirs. The backing is yours.