Hey Zinke...

The challenge has now been thrown.  The chips are on the table.

When Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke instituted the review of 27 national monuments to see if they should be reduced, modified or left alone, he kicked the hornets nest.

The man came into office extolling his admiration of Teddy Roosevelt and a lover of public lands, but his actions speak much louder than his party driven policies and words

Hunting and fishing groups were cautiously optimistic about his appointment, as other candidates for the position were many times worse from a public lands perspective.  Cathy McMorris Rodgers, the initial front runner for the job is all about public land divestiture so when Zinke was appointed we all let out a small sigh of relief

Turns out that sigh of relief wasnt long lasting.

Back in October of 2015 I was fortunate to travel back to Washington DC to lobby with Backcountry Hunters and Anglers in support of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, another institution that was and still is under attack from people who back public land disposal.

At a breakfast with congressmen and senators at the Department of Agriculture, I watched and listened to supporters of the LWCF including Zinke extol their support of our public lands.

I'm standing next to Zinke in the above picture.  I felt proud to have met him and others in that room.

Today, I am just disappointed in the track this is all going.

Zinke's national monument review threatens our heritage.

You have to let him and his office know where you stand on the fate of our public lands.

No more double talk, no more BS.  We are all public land owners.

Backcountry Hunters and Anglers is leading the charge to let Zinke know how we feel.  I am very proud to be a part of this group that shines the light on this issue and pulls no punches in the fight. It's not like there's more land being created or streams being born.  We have what we have now and cannot afford to let any of it go.

Join the cause today.