Mule Deer Foundation News

The Mule Deer Foundation (MDF) has dedicated thousands of man-hours, funding, and conservation work to Columbia blacktail deer and Sitka blacktail deer, and today it announced significant strides in expanding its conservation work for the subspecies.   

The Mule Deer Foundation (MDF) benefitted 122 deer herds in 18 states through their mission delivery in 2024. These conservation actions improved over 700,000 acres and 151 miles of fence removed or modified to wildlife-friendly standards. MDF’s investment of $16.9 million was matched by $34.3 million in agency and partner funds as well as volunteer in-kind hours to implement 184 conservation projects across the West. Additionally, MDF funded an additional $99k for partner support for sponsorship, education, and capacity requests, and $186k for research and monitoring. Overall MDF’s actions resulted in a $53.1 million investment for mule deer and black-tailed deer for 2024.

The USDA Forest Service manages nearly 200 million acres of public land all over the country. That’s a lot of ground to cover, especially when you consider the agency’s mandate to make decisions on how best to utilize and maintain the land for “the greatest good of the greatest number in the long run.”

The Mule Deer Foundation (MDF) strongly supports the newly introduced bipartisan legislation led by U.S. Senators John Curtis (R-UT) and Michael Bennet (D-CO), which seeks to enhance and expedite emergency watershed recovery efforts in the wake of natural disasters such as wildfires, floods, and other catastrophic events. These bills, the Making Access to Cleanup Happen (MATCH) Act and the Watershed Protection and Forestry Recovery Act, are vital to preserving the health of our western landscapes and ensuring the resilience of communities that depend on these natural resources. 

Clearfield, UT – April 4, 2025 – The Mule Deer Foundation (MDF) continues its collaboration with the Watershed Restoration Initiative (WRI) to fund and support several critical wildlife conservation projects across the […]

The Mule Deer Foundation (MDF) applauds Senators John Curtis – UT-(R), Tim Sheehy – MT (R), John Hickenlooper – CO (D), and Alex Padilla – CA (D) for introducing the Fix Our Forests Act (FOFA) in the United States Senate. This bi-partisan Act will allow federal land management agencies including the US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to improve the health of our public lands including work on important habitats for mule deer.  The Fix Our Forest Act focuses on restoring forest health, increasing resiliency to catastrophic wildfires, and protecting communities.  In the past there were efforts to streamline processes within the federal agencies to rapidly address forest and rangeland health, but due to a technical error they had limited effectiveness.  The clear language within FOFA fixes those errors and will ensure that implementation efforts will be undertaken in a responsible and expeditious manner.   

Clearfield, Utah – June 20, 2025 – The Mule Deer Foundation invites hunters and conservationists to join the Bucks Beyond Borders membership drive. With just a $35 ticket, participants will become […]

CLEARFIELD, Utah – September 2, 2025 The Mule Deer Foundation (MDF) announces the upcoming release of a new three-part short video series entitled “On Location: Crossroads Project,” highlighting a recent project […]

Photo credit: USDA Forest Service CLEARFIELD, Utah, Sept. 17, 2025 – The Monroe Canyon Fire in central Utah has scorched more than 70,000 acres of forest and sagebrush, leaving critical wildlife […]