MDF News2
For some, Blacktail deer hunting is over for the season and now it is time to serve up that bounty. There is nothing like warming yourself up with a fun and lively dinner shared with family and friends in the middle of winter. I have had the opportunity to dine with our Alaskan legend, Jim Baichtal and his wife Karen, several times over the past few years and the first thing I thought of was reaching out to these two blacktail aficionados. So, I asked Jim what was one of his favorite black-tail recipes, and oh “Deer” did we get one!!
We work across 18 states with multiple federal and state agencies looking at forests of all shapes and sizes trying to work out and implement a sustainable forestry plan.
By: Jessie Shallow (MDF Idaho Partner Biologist) The importance of Sagebrush for Idaho Mule Deer…
Hunting season is over and most of the lower 48. You may have a late season muzzleloader tag for a primitive weapons tag burning a hole in your pocket, but for the rest of us the 2024 season is done. What should I do now? After 90+ days of chasing bucks and ducks or grouse free time may feel strange. It’s a bit too cold out to start practicing marksmanship for next season. You can only put so much time into buying preference points, or applying for tags, and eventually scanning OnX in the evening for ridges or saddles you may have missed gets boring. When the boredom finds you one of the best ways to spend, the winter is sitting next to the fire with a good book. What follows are a few winter reading suggestions from the Mule Deer Foundation and Blacktail Deer Foundation?
Eric Sharpe (Regional Director for Nebraska and South Dakota) Eric – “My primary role at…
December has come again. The season started with such promise, full of aspirations for massive antlers fitting perfectly in the empty space on the wall. A winter of deer steaks and chili enjoyed while retelling the story of conquest, of trials and tribulations that lead to the meal before you. A summer spent practicing with your rifle and optics, buying the newest “must have” gear, and watching every Mule Deer hunting video on the internet lead to a September full of deliberate scouting and combing the fields and sage flats for your target buck in anticipation of opening day.
The Mule Deer Foundation thanks Colorado voters for rejecting Proposition 127, which would have banned the hunting of mountain lions and bobcats throughout the state. Colorado voters affirmed a strong belief in the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation and asserted their desire for Colorado’s wildlife to be managed by wildlife professionals, rather than through citizens initiatives.
When heading out for your first western hunt, there are a million things to prepare for. We often focus on the gear we need, what type of tent, what kind of pack, and the list goes on and on. Part of the prep phase is picking your rifle and heading to the range to get practice in. We often do this from a fixed, stable position. These stable positions will be nearly impossible during a western hunt due to terrain and the speed at which opportunities often happen. With that in mind, here are three positions you should practice shooting with and why:
Following a keystone agreement on September 2023, the Tonto National Forest and the Mule Deer Foundation committed to restoring 1000 acres of landscape through lop and scatter-type projects
During hunting season at the Mule Deer Foundation, the staff becomes obsessed with gear. The office is bubbling with debates over any type of gear, from brands of water filters to wall tents. When applicable, we try to publish these debates for the reader to consider when making purchasing decisions during hunting season.
Today, we are discussing which boot is best. This debate has multiple facets, from cost to break-in period to overall comfort and, finally, regionality. We recognize that there is probably no one boot that’s best for all scenarios, but we’ve done our best to decipher which is the closest.
In the MDF Employee Spotlight Segment the Mule Deer Foundation would like to call attention…
In 2024 MDF launched its Private Lands Conservation Program in the Great Plains. The Mule Deer Foundations mission focuses on sharing the conservation of these deer species through innovative land and wildlife management practices, partnerships with various stakeholders, and public education