During September and October, hunters begin stalking the mountainsides in search of bugling bull elk, and they directly benefit from the 2001 Roadless Rule, which protects more than 58 million acres of the best fish and wildlife habitat in the country.
“Since 2001, the Roadless Area Conservation Rule has safeguarded some of the nation’s most wild and pristine public lands,” Backcountry Hunters & Anglers stated in an Aug. 25 press release. “Its creation followed 600 public meetings and more than 1.6 million comments, with 95% in support – a groundswell of hunters, anglers, and citizens demanding strong protections for America’s backcountry. Now, those safeguards are under attack.”
On Aug. 29, the USDA published a Notice of Intent to rescind the Roadless Rule, opening millions of acres of public lands to new road-building and commercial timber harvest. Although the initial public comment period has ended, another round will occur during 2026.
The first time you hear an elk bugle, it moves you. Every subsequent time, it reminds you of the wild country these animals call home. For many of us, it makes you want to do something to preserve and protect wild places. Don’t let the billionaire buzzards steal our great public lands hunting-angling heritage.
Even if I don’t have a close encounter with one of these mountain monarchs this fall, just hearing their haunting, ethereal calls will renew and reinvigorate my resolve to fight like hell for our wild public lands, waters and wildlife.
David Lien
Colorado Springs
