Washington Backcountry Hunters & Anglers Named National Org’s Chapter Of The Year

THE FOLLOWING IS A PRESS RELEASE FROM THE WASHINGTON CHAPTER OF BACKCOUNTRY HUNTERS AND ANGLERS

Backcountry Hunters & Anglers Washington Chapter (BHA WA) had a banner year at the organization’s North American Rendezvous event in Minneapolis, April 18-20. The team from Washington state won the George Bird Grinnell Award for the outstanding BHA Chapter of the Year. On top of that, BHA WA members Paige and Brandon Parks, residents of eastern Washington, won the wild game cookoff for a second year in a row. 

The BHA Chapter of the Year award goes to a chapter that “is leading the way in success, hard work, and innovation in making an undeniable difference for public lands, waters, and wildlife.” In 2023 the Washington chapter lived up to this standard by accomplishing boots on the ground conservation projects in every region of Washington state, actively working with members and partners to improve habitat and conservation awareness. In total, the chapter removed over 10,000 lbs. of trash from public lands, pulled over 10 miles of derelict fencing from wildlife habitat and donated 1,100 hours of volunteer labor towards conservation.

“This award acknowledges the tireless dedication of our members and volunteers in defending the public lands, waters, and wildlife in Washington” said state co-chair, Dan Wilson. “Their time, treasure, and talent benefit our entire state, its natural resources, and biodiversity for generations to come.”

BHA WA continued its strong representation of BHA values at every Washington Fish & Wildlife Commission meeting over the past year. They cultivated big-tent partnerships to aid in improving the outcomes of legislative decisions to align with best conservation practices. They successfully advocated for state conservation funding (biodiversity bill) and department funding (safety & training). Effective social media and content development helped improve member engagement with decision-makers, and the chapter continued to build and maintain positive relationships with stakeholders and Tribes across the state. 

The Washington chapter also partnered with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) on a conservation education initiative, incentivizing hunters to submit samples to be tested for Chronic Wasting Disease, resulting in an increase in data collected by the agency, and 100 hunters drawn for free multi-season deer tags as a result of submitting samples for testing. 

Paige and Brandon Parks, BHA WA members, traveled to the North American Rendezvous and won the Wild Game Cook-off for the second year in a row with an exceptional Washington state-themed meal. Every year at Rendezvous, state chapters compete in a cook-off which features wild hunted, fished, or foraged food. The BHA WA meal prepared by the Parks duo had a main dish of chinook salmon, with fried razor clams topped with morel mushroom truffle butter lemon sauce. The meal was accompanied by a Washington apple infused bourbon. Finally the dessert included wild huckleberry sauce over ice cream.