We are glad you asked!
The motivation behind this event is our commitment to conservation. The sporting community, particularly the sportsmen and sportswomen, have expressed a deep regard for the wildlife of our nation. It's an endeavor that's been supported by countless individuals who've made substantial sacrifices to uphold our liberties. Consequently, we have a responsibility to safeguard mule deer, other wildlife species, their habitats, and the tradition of hunting. Upon the conclusion of this event, a thorough financial report detailing funds raised and expenses incurred will be processed. The remaining 70% of the net proceeds will be judiciously allocated by a dedicated volunteer committee.
2025 Allocations totaled $251,951.18
$50,000 Green River Island Conservation Easement
The Jackson Hole Land Trust (JHLT) is excited to be working with Mark Milleg and Wayne Barlow toward the bargain-sale purchase of a conservation easement of 532 acres of ecologically valuable agricultural land along the Green River. The Green River Island property (the Property) is located in Sublette County, 11 miles south of Big Piney, Wyoming. The Property is proposed to be conserved under two conservation easements. Phase one is across 441 acres, and phase two will be across an adjacent 91-acre parcel. The two-phase structure of the easement is due to requirements of a grant funder. The easements will close consecutively. The Project will include one building envelope, not to exceed 10 acres and a 3-acre exclusion around an existing oil and gas well.
$24,840 Southwest Middle Ridge Habitat Restoration Project
SW Middle Ridge project area is about 21,000 acres, with treatment units totaling about 11,700 acres, of which 3,000 to 4,700 acres will be treated and coordinated with a fuels reduction project (Greys River Roadside Treatment) The project area resides in the Afton elk herd’s largest native winter range and along a major mule deer migration route (both the Wyoming Range and Sublette mule deer herds). The goal of this project is to restore forage for big game, while also promoting multispecies habitat benefits, including pollinators. This will be achieved through broadcast burning to restore mountain big sagebrush and mountain shrublands and mechanical treatments to restore aspen. A wide range of mechanical treatment options will be available, including daylight thinning, improvement cuts and clearcuts with aspen/conifer reserves, and coppice cuts. Forest product sales (e.g., firewood, timber) will be undertaken to the extent possible. Monitoring will begin in the summer of 2025 and treatments are planned to begin in 2026. To better understand how these vegetation treatments provide multispecies habitat benefits, our program, in coordination with Teton Interagency Fire Effects, Wyoming Natural Diversity Database (WYNDD), Ricketts Conservation Foundation, and Wyoming Game and Fish Department, plans to monitor regeneration of big game forage species (e.g., as affected by ungulate browsing), and effects of treatments on pollinators and birds.
$15,000 Rock Creek Wind Farm Mule Deer Project
Collaring research project to determine the effects of wind farms to the survival of mule deer in their winter range.
$5,422.18 Aspen Steel Jack Fencing
Steel jack fencing surrounding aspen stands that protects the stands from browsing allowing the trees to mature and help the mule deer vacate for fawning or other habitat use.
$87,300 Wyoming Governor’s Big Game License Coalition
MFF is a member of the coalition’s deer group and is a decision maker for funds to deer related projects.
$46,989 Wyoming Stock Grower’s Land Trust Mission
The Wyoming Stock Growers Land Trust is dedicated to conserving Wyoming’s working agricultural lands, which also provide open space, wildlife habitat, and other environmental benefits for future generations.
$22,400 WY US189 Kemmerer Highway Crossing Kiosk Project
Component of the most recent wildlife crossing in southwest Wyoming are a couple of kiosk structures to educate the public about these projects.
2024 Allocations totaled $92,352.77
$28,438 to Raymond Mountain Cheatgrass Project
Details to come as the project is complete.
$13,438 to Red Desert Mule Deer Migrations Project
Details to come
$13,438 to Red Desert Fence Conversion
Details to come.
$15,938 to Baggs Shrub and Aspen Improvement
Details to come.
$18,000 to Wyoming Governor’s Big Game Coalition
MFF is partner with the coalition’s deer group and is a decision maker for funds to deer related projects.
$3,100 to the MFF Putting the ‘U’ in Hunt Program
Since the inception of 2012, MFF has taken 112 youths with life-threatening or terminal illnesses into the field. This program is one that will continue with word of mouth. MFF raises funds for this program to cover ALL expenses related to each hunt. Those costs include; license fees, travel for all family members, lodging, food/drinks during the entire trip, gifts such as rifles and apparel. Anything that will not burden the youth and their families.
2023 Allocations totaled $472,410
$46,900 to US189 South Kemmerer Highway Wildlife Crossing Project
Mule deer and pronghorn are negatively impacted along this stretch of Highway 189. This conclusion is backed up through vehicle collision reports from WYDOT, and these movements are exhibited from collared mule deer, both from the Uinta and Wyoming Range mule deer herds. The right-of-way (ROW) fencing along Highway 189 is almost exclusively net-wire which creates a movement barrier for pronghorn. This project will promote connectivity by benefiting migration patterns along with protecting wildlife on winter range.
$23,100 to MFF Fellowship Award
Established in 2021, MFF Fellowship was established with the Monteith Shop at the Haub School of the Environment and Natural Resources at the University of Wyoming. Through this effort, will provide tangible support for the conservation and research of mule deer and fostering growth of the next generation of wildlife scientists and conservationists.
$49,910 to Putting the ‘U’ in Hunt Program
The Muley Fanatic Foundation (MFF) has organized a program, “Putting the ‘U’ in Hunt”. This program is in partnership with the Wyoming Game & Fish Commission to receive complimentary Commissioner Licenses to place youths with life-threatening or terminal illnesses in the field.
$202,500 to Wyoming Governor’s Big Game License Coalition
There are 5 priority areas of funding for the Wyoming Governor’s Big Game License Coalition grants. The 5 areas are Elk Committee, Mule Deer Committee, Bighorn Sheep Committee, Moose Committee, and All Wildlife Committee. The allocations from Mule Deer Days were given to the Mule Deer Committee. This committee is comprised of two NGO’s; Mule Deer Foundation and Muley Fanatic Foundation. The projects funded from these allocations will be determined in 2024. These will fall into the following categories:
Conservation Easements, Habitat Improvements, Fence Removal or Conversion to Wildlife Friendly, and Research.
$100,000 to Iron Mountain Juniper Control Treatment Project
The Iron Mountain Juniper Control is one of the individual projects under the umbrella of the Southwest Wyoming Mule Deer Habitat effort. The project is located in the Iron Mountain portion of the Little Mountain Ecosystem within the South Rock Spring Mule Deer Herd Unit. The project aims to maintain the integrity and value of sagebrush-grassland and mixed mountain shrub habitats for mule deer and other wildlife by removing encroaching juniper trees. Treatment results are expected to maintain a blend of quality deer feeding areas in proximity to bedding and security cover provided by established juniper woodlands. Project implementation will involve crews hand cutting and piling juniper trees on 1,100 acres of encroached shrub habitat. The piled trees will be allowed months to dry, and fire crews will then conduct prescribed slash pile burns during the winter months. Juniper treatments are planned to begin during the 2024 field season.
$40,000 to Cheatgrass Projects
These funds will be divided into two different locations in Sublette County, Wyoming. $20,000 to each location for the purchase of rejuvre chemical to remove cheatgrass. These treatment areas are located in critical mule deer winter range within Sublette County. $10,000 to the Rose Petal Research Project Research project with the Monteith Shop to learn more about mother and daughter. Are migratory traits transmitted from mother to daughter? What are the population consequences of transmitting migratory traits? Despite the importance of migration to many ungulate species, anthropogenic change is rapidly altering landscapes and, consequently, migratory behaviors. Halting or altering migratory behaviors could impact ungulate population trajectories by rendering segments of seasonal habitats unused, ultimately constraining species abundance, occupancy, and distribution. Because migration
strategies developed under past conditions, properly managing ungulates in a rapidly changing world relies on characterizing the factors shaping migratory traits and the subsequent population ramifications.