Jon’s fingerprints are on habitat projects throughout Colorado. From restoring critical winter range to removing obsolete fencing, installing water developments, and improving riparian areas, his efforts have directly benefited mule deer and a wide range of wildlife species. Many of these projects were made possible through funds raised at MDF banquets and events Jon helped organize and lead. He sees fundraising as the means to get conservation work done, not the end goal.

The truck doors slam. Gear gets tossed into piles. Somebody starts unloading food while somebody else argues about where to pitch the tents. Old friends shake hands, tell stories, and laugh about things that probably weren’t as funny the first time around. Coffee gets poured. Dinner gets started. For a little while, nobody seems particularly concerned about shooting a deer.

There is probably no better time to hunt a mature mule deer than during the rut.

The weather is getting colder. Bucks are increasingly focused on does. Deer are moving toward winter range. And, for a hunter who understands what is happening, the landscape can suddenly come alive.

But there is a catch.

The rut doesn’t make mule deer predictable. It makes them different.

After years of applying, accumulating points and watching other hunters post pictures of bucks you could only dream about, your name finally came up. You have a limited-entry mule deer tag in your pocket, and suddenly you’re holding one of the most coveted opportunities in Western hunting.