Habitat
Contrary to the past where these exclusive tags have been all but unattainable behind a pay to play auction system in 2025, we are hosting an open raffle with a price tag that makes this opportunity available to all who are interested. This tag was open residents and non-residents alike.
Wildfire is a powerful and often misunderstood force on the Western landscape. For mule deer, fire can be both a threat and a benefit. While flames may scorch winter range, destroy cover, and reduce food availability in the short term, fire also plays a regenerative role—creating lush, nutritious vegetation that deer depend on.
Understanding how wildfires affect mule deer habitat is critical to long-term conservation efforts. As wildfires increase in size and frequency, land managers and wildlife professionals must carefully weigh the risks and benefits to ensure mule deer populations remain healthy and resilient.
As the hot afternoon sun beat down on my face, a burning bead of sweat rolled its way down my forehead and found its way into my eye. It was a very unseasonably warm mid-May afternoon in Idaho. I had just hustled home from work, jumped into my camo ninja suit, and practically ran up the mountain to my honey hole, where I hoped to bag a late season gobbler. It was hot and dry, and to be honest, I was very much doubting the likelihood of success.
f you’ve spent any time on the eastern prairie breaks or the steep ridges of western Montana, odds are you’ve crossed paths with mule deer. They’re woven into the landscape here. To we fortunate few who have invested in this land these critters are not just as a game animal, but a part of what makes the West wild. Like a lot of things in Montana, their story is one of peaks, valleys, and a changing environment.
With tag draw results coming in across the West, odds are some of you are holding onto a hot tag and plotting your fall adventure. Whether it’s your first time chasing high country bucks or you’re a seasoned veteran heading back to your favorite canyon, the right gear can make all the difference between a successful, enjoyable hunt and a miserable slog. Lucky for you, you’ve landed in the right place; at the Mule Deer Foundation, we not only care about conserving the species we all love, but we also live this lifestyle 365 days a year.
In 2024, the picture is complicated. In some places, there’s reason to be optimistic. States like Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah are seeing herds hold steady or even tick upward. Colorado’s herd alone is estimated at over 418,000 — a sign that habitat work, smart management, and a few well-timed wet years are starting to pay off.
“The Mule Deer Foundation values America’s public lands, essential for our hunters’ access to pursue mule deer and black-tailed deer in the West. We are concerned about the Senate’s reconciliation bill provision mandating that potentially millions of acres would be sold or transferred, as it lacks transparency and public input. We urge a thoughtful, transparent process that safeguards our hunting heritage while addressing land management challenges.”
You can keep your city or college mascots and your trophy room African exotics. There’s no creature that better represents the backbone of adventure or the American West than the mule deer. Big ears, bigger instincts, and a way of moving that’s half ballet, half jailbreak.
I earned my bachelor’s degree in Wildlife from Purdue University in 2016, then spent several years working seasonal field technician jobs, primarily capturing and collaring elk and mule deer, and conducting vegetation surveys to assess habitat conditions. In 2019, I moved to Salmon, Idaho, where I worked for Idaho Fish and Game, first as a big game population technician, monitoring collared big game, and later as a depredation technician, working with landowners to mitigate wildlife conflicts.
Katie was born and raised in NE Kansas with a passion for the outdoors and wildlife. She followed this passion in her educational career, graduating from Benedictine College with a bachelor’s in biology and then completing her master’s degree at the University of Kansas in ecology and evolutionary biology. She worked for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources for two years working with private landowners to further conservation of land and wildlife habitat.
“The only thing that could improve it would be seeing a big ol’ boar,” I said after the elk had disappeared into the spruce forest. Billy and I stepped back onto the road in high spirits. As we slowly still hunted our way along, I suddenly felt something. Apparently, Billy thought it, too. When I turned around to see what had the hair on my neck standing at attention, he was turning back towards me wide-eyed.
As many hunters and conservationists know, in certain states winter survival for mule deer is essential to keeping the population at its objectives. Therefore, it makes sense why states wildlife managers collect this vital information year after year. In fact, winter survival and post winter population counts are vital to MDF’s prioritization of where it can focus its conservation efforts in coordination with state agencies.