California
Working within local communities like Burney, California allows the Mule Deer Foundation and USDA Forest Service to accomplish active forest management projects.
Brew Coffee, Support Conservation: Hunting Day Coffee Company Partners with the Mule Deer Foundation
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.
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.
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.
An upcoming Crossroads Project video series showcases the long-standing partnership between the Mule Deer Foundation and the USDA Forest Service.
Bowhunting mule deer in open country is one of the most rewarding — and frustrating — challenges a Western hunter can take on. There’s no treestand to sit in, no food plot to watch. It’s you, the sagebrush, the sun, and a buck that can pick you off at 400 yards if you blink wrong.
From supporting wildlife crossings to retrofitting fences and improving habitat, MDF is helping mule deer move safely across the lands they’ve relied on for centuries.
Early season mule deer hunting is a long game. You might spend days glassing and never make a stalk — or you might get it done on the first morning. Either way, keep your head in the game and your ego in check. Velvet season rewards the patient and punishes the reckless.
The Mule Deer Foundation is proud to share an incredible opportunity for those who dream of hunting the legendary giants of Sonora, Mexico. Known for producing some of the biggest mule deer bucks in North America, Sonora offers the perfect combination of rugged desert landscapes, prime winter rut timing, and expert local guides who know exactly where to find world-class animals.
Ask a dozen mule deer hunters how they get it done, and you’ll hear two main camps: spot-and-stalk and ambush hunting. Both get the job done — but they take different mindsets, skills, and situations to pull off. Let’s break ‘em down.
That’s where the Mule Deer Foundation (MDF) comes in. You might know the name. You might have gone to a banquet, read the magazine, or thrown a few bucks in the raffle. But what you might not know is just how much MDF does every single day to protect the deer, the ground they walk on, and the hunting lifestyle we live for.