Being a lifelong mule deer fanatic, it makes me elated to see so much attention and focus being put on the future of the species’ existence and long-term health.
In late January the Wyoming Game & Fish Commission took another step to help improve habitat and protect migration corridors, aiming at improving and protecting seven herd units. These total up to encompass 25% of the state’s mule deer population.
The Game & Fish Department will invest over $450,000 that will be matched 3-to-1 by other funding sources to help total almost $1.8 million in funding for the “Icon of the West”.
In my opinion, there isn’t such a thing as too much attention and funding that we can give to mule deer. Their numbers, overall, are a fraction of what they’ve been historically. Having had the good fortune of growing up hunting mule deer in the 80s and 90s, it is hard to swallow seeing how few exist today compared to that timeframe.
Hopefully all of the various mule deer initiatives out West will have a cumulative effect on the magnificent species that many of us cut our teeth on. As usual, sportsmen are stepping up to foot the bill for conservation, and we’re proud to do it!
Here is a link to Wyoming’s Mule Deer Initiative and here is a link to the Wyoming Migration Initiative so you can see more on some of the projects that are happening in these worthwhile endeavors.