88 Cents of Every Dollar Goes To Mission Delivery 
Ask any mule deer hunter and they’ll tell you: elevation matters. Between 5,000 and 10,000 feet, mule deer country shifts dramatically from sagebrush basins to aspen slopes to high-country meadows. Each band of elevation offers unique challenges and opportunities, and hunters who understand how deer use these habitats will have the best chance at success.
If you’ve never seen a line of mule deer moving across the skyline at dawn, nose to tail, mile after mile, you’re missing one of the last great natural wonders in North America. These migrations aren’t just impressive; they’re ancient. Some herds travel over 150 miles between their summer and winter ranges, crossing rugged mountains, ranch fences, and six-lane highways like they’ve been doing it for a thousand years, because they have.
Healthy deer populations depend on healthy forests and good deer habitat is complex. You may be wondering, “what do mule deer have to do with wildfires?” Turns out, quite a bit.
It’s been twenty years since that hunt, but I can still feel the burn in my legs, the thin air in my lungs, and the pounding of my heart as if it happened yesterday. I was twelve years old, hunting with my mom in the high country, and I was about to take my first mule deer buck.
Success in the high country doesn’t happen by luck. Rifle season comes fast, and by the time the opener rolls around, hunters who have done the homework, the scouting, the glassing, and patterning mule deer bucks, are the ones most likely to punch their tag. The key is simple: treat pre-season scouting as seriously as the hunt itself.
Working within local communities like Burney, California allows the Mule Deer Foundation and USDA Forest Service to accomplish active forest management projects.
Local partners and volunteers contributed to a very successful fence removal project along a big game migration corridor in Arizona.
The Mule Deer Foundation is proud to announce our partnership with Hunting Day Coffee Company, where 30% of profits go directly to MDF’s mission of conserving mule deer, black-tailed deer, and their critical habitats.
JOB SUMMARY:
This unique Regional Director position will focus primarily on starting, organizing and executing fundraising chapters along the I-5 corridor in WA & OR, for the newly formed Blacktail Deer Foundation (BDF).
The BDF was formed in early 2025 and is a branch of the Mule Deer Foundation. Blacktailed Deer have been part of the MDF’s mission since its inception in 1988 and BDF chapters will focus on improving the conservation of Columbia & Sitka Blacktail Deer from California to Alaska. MDF/BDF Regional Directors organize local volunteer chapters to hold fundraising events in support of the continued mission accomplishment of MDF, ensuring the conservation of mule deer, black-tailed deer and their habitat.
On the dry ridges outside Tucson, AZ hunters know that a year of poor rainfall can turn a once familiar hunting ground into an unfamiliar puzzle. Traditional glassing spots may come up empty, and the basins that normally hold deer can feel barren. But those who adjust their strategy now hyper focusing on scarce water sources, higher elevation forage, and subtle changes in deer movement can still find success even in tough years.
Removing extra trees and vegetation can create healthier forests that provide better habitat for wildlife like mule deer and help prevent catastrophic wildfires.
The Mule Deer Foundation is proud to provide an update on one of our flagship habitat restoration efforts in Northern California — the Crossroads Mastication Project, located near Burney in the Lassen National Forest. This project is a powerful example of how proactive habitat management can benefit mule deer populations while also protecting communities and improving forest resilience in fire-prone landscapes.
This is an easy and refreshing salad that makes for the perfect light dinner or lunch. I used steelhead, but any pink-fleshed fish will do, including any type of salmon or trout. You could even make it with canned salmon in a pinch.
Don’t sleep on the lemon zest, as it adds a brightness to this dish that will be missing otherwise. If you don’t have a zesting tool or a rasp, use a vegetable peeler to carefully remove the peel without including much white pith, then mince it finely with a knife.
I made the garlic optional in the salad, as it adds a punchiness and light heat that may not be up everyone’s alley. I’m always good for it, though!
Hunting deep in the backcountry with nothing but the gear you can carry on your back is one of the most rewarding ways to access wild, hard-to-reach mule deer country. It’s an adventure rooted in self-reliance, and while it can open the door to areas few others reach, it also adds a layer of complexity you won’t find when hunting from a truck or a traditional base camp.
In this article, we break down the Mule Deer Foundation’s recommended backcountry gear list — including tips and specific product suggestions — to help you prepare for your next hunt.
Honor the past. Protect the future. As an Lifetime Heritage Member, your investment leaves a legacy for mule deer, their habitat, and the hunting tradition that connects us all. With this top-tier lifetime membership, you’ll receive all Lifetime level benefits, including magazine subscription, partner discounts, and merchandise, plus an exclusive Heritage firearm as acknowledgment for your leadership and generosity. Your dedication ensures that the heritage of mule deer hunting and conservation endures for generations to come.
Step into a leadership role in conservation as a Lifetime Sponsor Member of the Mule Deer Foundation. Your commitment helps fund vital habitat restoration that makes a measurable difference for mule deer and the outdoors. Lifetime Sponsor Members enjoy all lifetime membership benefits, including magazine subscription, partner discounts, and merchandise, plus an exclusive Lifetime Sponsor firearm as acknowledgment for your leadership and generosity.