Photo: Flickr, bugeaters

By Judith Kohler | 11.13.12 
DENVER, CO. – A sportsmen’s coalition applauds the Bureau of Land of Management’s balanced decision on the protection of many vital fish and wildlife habitats, but has concerns about the increased risk to the greater sage-grouse.

The final programmatic environmental impact statement released Friday would make about 800,000 acres available for oil shale and tar sands production in northwest Colorado, southwest Wyoming and northeastern Utah. Sportsmen for Responsible Energy Development supports the BLM’s move to require more research before issuing commercial leases on public land and believes it is prudent for companies with existing research parcels to show tangible results before additional land is leased.

Photo: Flickr, carfull...Wyoming

By Judith Kohler | 11.05.12 
CHEYENNE, Wyo. – The Wyoming State AFL-CIO has teamed up with hunters and anglers to conserve the fish, wildlife, habitat, outdoor activities and the lifestyle that draw people to the state and keep them there.

 Earlier this fall, delegates to the union’s 49^th Constitutional Convention voted unanimously to form the Wyoming Federation of Union Sportsmen.

Hunting public land near Meeker, CO. Photo: Lew Carpenter

By Judith Kohler | 10.29.12 
Three major, national hunting and angling groups say both presidential candidates have been relatively silent on the importance of public lands to hunting, fishing and the national economy. The CEOS of the National Wildlife Federation, Trout Unlimited and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, the lead partners in Sportsmen for Responsible Energy Development, challenge the Obama administration to follow through on promised leasing reforms and  take aim at proposals to sell public lands or turn them over to the states.

"The candidates ignore sportsmen and women at their peril. Hunters and anglers have high voting rates, and represent an important piece of the US economy,’’ according to the three groups. Click here to read Denver Post article.

Photo: Hoback RIver. Flickr, rwarrin

Whitney Coombs | 10.18.12 
The Hoback Basin in the Wyoming Range is Wyoming's backcountry at its best.  This spectacular landscape in NW Wyoming offers prime habitat for wildlife, including elk, pronghorn and mule deer.  It also hosts the headwaters for the Hoback River, an acclaimed fishing destination.  This region holds a different sort of value as well-- natural gas. The Plains Exploration & Production Company (PXP) owns oil and gas leases for 58,000 acres in the Hoback Basin.  Recently, conservation groups were able to come to an agreement with PXP. The Trust for Public Land, along with fellow conservation groups, has offered to purchase the leases in the Hoback Basin in order to ensure that this backcountry treasure will remain wild for generations to come.  However, these groups have only until December 31, 2012 to raise the funds needed to permanently retire these oil and gas leases.  Please click here if you would like to contribute and help save the Hoback Basin.