Mule Deer Foundation Volunteer Highlight.
In the MDF Volunteer Spotlight segment the Mule Deer Foundation is calling attention to our MDF volunteers. Our volunteers work incredibly hard and deserve to have their efforts shown to the world. These volunteers are pivotal to the Mule Deer Foundation accomplishing our mission and it’s important that we recognize that work as often as we can.
-Taylor Gregory
– Ross Baker
September Volunteers of the Month: Ross Baker and Taylor Gregory of the Wood River Chapter
The Mule Deer Foundation volunteers of the month are Ross Baker and Taylor Gregory from the Wood River chapter. Ross and Taylor live in Hailey and are avid outdoorsmen. They have seen how the state’s wild places have changed, especially in the Wood River area.
This spurred them to want to give back to the wildlife and places they have spent so much time enjoying. Specifically, they recognized the threats facing mule deer herds in the Smoky and Pioneer Mountains. Motivated to make a difference Ross and Taylor started the brand-new Wood River MDF chapter in 2022.
Starting new chapters is never easy. Through hard work and engaging likeminded individuals in the Hailey, Ketchum, and Bellevue areas the Wood River Chapter was born. One of the biggest threats Ross and Taylor recognized is fencing. They realized the Wood River chapter has the ability to immediately impact barbed-wire fencing throughout mule deer migration routes. These fence lines can often lead to deer entanglement. Through engaging local Idaho Fish and Game habitat biologists they developed a plan to identify and remove unnecessary fencing on public and private land.
This past summer Ross and Taylor coordinated volunteer events to remove hazardous fencing. Despite the hot conditions volunteers worked hard removing two miles of fence. Based on this success and knowing there is one less barrier facing mule deer. Ross, Taylor, and the Wood River Chapter will continue their volunteer opportunities to address threats facing mule deer in Idaho.
In addition, to their planned volunteer opportunities Ross and Taylor identified new funding sources to pay for projects. Recently Ross and Taylor took on the task of applying for IDFG Commission Challenge Grant. Thanks to their great work MDF has received this grant which will be used to improve mule deer winter range. Thank you, Ross and Taylor, for your dedication, time, and effort to ensure the conservation of mule deer and their habitat.
Thank you, Ross and Taylor!
Good Luck!
Good luck this fall. Send pictures or stories from the field to Web@muledeer.org to be featured on our website or in our magazine. If this article, or any of our articles helped you become a better conservation steward, join the mule deer foundation. Click here to join: https://muledeer.org/product-category/membership/
Trevor J Hubbs https://www.instagram.com/trevorhubbs/
Trevor is the Communications Manager for the Mule Deer Foundation. He grew up hunting and fishing the eastern edge of the Ozark mountains for quail, ducks, and bucks. Trevor is a contributor for “Fur, Fish, and Game”, Lethal Minds Journal, Strung Magazine, and Feathers and Whiskey, among others.
