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88 Cents of Every Dollar Goes To Mission Delivery Mule Deer Foundation

Water Initiatives

Water is one of the most critical needs shaping mule deer populations across the West. While mule deer meet water needs through vegetation, snow, and natural rivers and streams, a significant number of populations live in arid or semi-arid regions where reliable water sources are harder to find. When these sources disappear entirely, deer abandon good habitat, struggle through drought, and face lower survival and reproduction.

Group of volunteers installing a water trough in a forest setting.

Water across the West is growing more limited due to drought, a warming climate, and expanding development. Traditional watering areas in valley bottoms and winter ranges are being lost to development, at the same time extended hot and dry periods intensify resource competition with other wildlife. Without dependable water, mule deer populations decline.

The Mule Deer Foundation (MDF) is leading the way in addressing this urgent need. Working with partners, local chapters, and federal and state agencies, MDF has invested millions into water development projects across the West. These efforts include installing guzzlers, restoring springs, building pipelines and distribution systems, and improving riparian habitats. Scientific evidence shows that every new water project helps not just mule deer, but countless other wildlife species and the rural communities that depend on healthy landscapes. By supporting MDF’s water projects, you help ensure all life in the West continues to have access to this critical resource.

Volunteers engaged in wildlife habitat restoration after a wildfire.