Bass Pro Grant Update for Great Plains
Mule Deer Foundation Launches Private Land Conservation Program in the Great Plains
The Mule Deer Foundation (MDF) is dedicated to the conservation of mule deer, black-tailed deer, and their habitats. This is achieved through innovative land and wildlife management practices, habitat development projects, strategic partnerships, and public education.
In 2024, MDF launched its Private Land Conservation Program, focusing initially on the Great Plains. This region is crucial for mule deer conservation due to its vast grasslands and rangelands, which also support a unique array of wildlife species. By targeting private lands in this ecosystem, MDF aims to enhance habitat quality and improve connectivity for big game, ensuring that mule deer and other critical species can thrive across their seasonal ranges.
Why the Great Plains?
The grasslands of the Great Plains in North America support a unique assembly of wildlife adapted to wide open spaces. This iconic landscape is a crucial part of our country’s history, home to species such as mule deer, pronghorn, elk, bison, sage grouse, prairie chickens, prairie dogs, and black-footed ferrets. Mule deer play a key role in the ecosystem, influencing vegetation communities through their consumption. Conserving their populations is vital for maintaining a healthy ecosystem balance.
Population declines among mule deer in the Great Plains are increasingly concerning. Factors such as habitat reduction, disease, predation, and environmental conditions all contribute to this decrease. Habitat loss and degradation from urban and agricultural development have increased over the past decade, and persistent drought has further diminished habitat conditions. By addressing these threats through conservation measures, MDF can help stabilize and boost mule deer populations in this critical region.
The Importance of Private Lands in Mule Deer Conservation
Private lands are vital for mule deer conservation as they encompass a significant portion of the mule deer habitat in the Great Plains. These lands provide essential resources such as food, water, cover, and travel corridors, which are crucial for the species’ survival. Additionally, private lands offer unique conservation opportunities that are not always available on public lands, allowing for the quick implementation of practices tailored to mule deer needs.
MDF’s Approach to Private Land Conservation
MDF works closely with private landowners to implement tailored conservation practices, including habitat development, ecological restoration, water resource management, and improving landscape permeability to reduce habitat fragmentation. By providing resources and incentives, such as cost-sharing agreements and technical assistance, MDF encourages landowners to adopt habitat-friendly practices and participate in conservation efforts.
Forging Positive Relationships with Private Landowners
Engaging private landowners is key to the success of MDF’s conservation initiatives. By fostering positive relationships and collaboration, MDF can create a network of conserved lands that benefit mule deer populations across larger landscapes. Incentive programs, such as cost-sharing agreements, motivate landowners to adopt habitat-friendly practices. MDF, along with its partners, also provides technical assistance and expertise to help landowners evaluate and enhance their properties’ habitat potential.
Collaborative Efforts and Partnerships
The program emphasizes collaboration with government agencies and other conservation organizations working on private lands. This collaborative approach ensures a comprehensive and effective strategy for optimizing resources and achieving conservation goals. MDF’s efforts across the Great Plains are made possible through the support and funding of our amazing partners. While MDF utilizes a combination of organizational derived funding, grants and donor contributions for much of its work, the support of private businesses is invaluable. The Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund has been among the primary drivers of conservation delivered through the program across the Great Plains. In 2024, Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s contributed $250,000 to MDF for conservation and habitat projects in the greater Great Plains ecosystem.
With this funding we have implemented work on more than 27 projects over ten states from North Dakota and Montana to Eastern New Mexico and West Texas, impacting over 56,000 acres and 30 miles of habitat connectivity. Thanks to the support from incredible corporate partners like Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s, MDF’s Private Land Conservation Program is a reality. This program represents a strategic and collaborative approach to mule deer conservation, and by engaging private landowners and implementing tailored conservation practices for each property, MDF aims to improve habitat quality, increase connectivity, and ensure the long-term survival of mule deer populations across this iconic landscape.
About the Mule Deer Foundation:
The Mule Deer Foundation is the only conservation group in North America dedicated to conserving mule deer and black-tailed deer and their habitat. MDF is a strong voice for hunters, wildlife management, and conservation policy issues. To join MDF and get involved in your state go to https://muledeer.org or call 1-801-973-3940.
By COLLIN SMITH (Mule Deer Foundation’s Director of Private Land Conservation):
Collin is the Mule Deer Foundation’s Director of Private Land Conservation. Collin is a Certified Wildlife Biologist® with over 30 years’ experience in wildlife management, wildlife habitat development and conservation program delivery. While from Wyoming, Collin’s background in the wildlife management and conservation field however spans experience across the Southeast, Midwest, Great Plains and Rocky Mountain states where he has worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, state wildlife agencies in North Carolina, Florida and Missouri, the South Carolina Waterfowl Association, Ducks Unlimited, National Wild Turkey Federation, and in the private sector where he managed private lands around the country.
