Contact: Miles Moretti,
miles@muledeer.org, (
801) 230-2207
Mule Deer Foundation Thanks Department of the Interior, State of Wyoming for Action on Leases in SW Wyoming
Salt Lake City, Utah: The Mule Deer Foundation today thanked Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke and Wyoming Governor Matt Mead for the federal/state cooperation that led to a decision to minimize the impacts of oil and gas development within a key mule deer migration corridor in southwest Wyoming. The Department of the Interior announced today that the Bureau of Land Management would defer leases on three parcels totaling nearly 5,000 surface acres where 90 percent of the parcel is located within the corridor for the Sublette mule deer herd. Remaining parcels that are less than 90 percent within the corridor will have additional lease stipulations to address potential impacts to habitat within the corridor. The decision was the first action taken under Secretarial Order 3362 in response to a state identified priority corridor.
“The Mule Deer Foundation commends Secretary Zinke and the State of Wyoming for working together to develop a reasonable balance between conservation of big game corridors and energy development,” said MDF President/CEO Miles Moretti. “Secretarial Order 3362 called for cooperation between states and the Department of the Interior and this is an excellent example of how the state and federal agencies can collaborate for big game conservation across the West. MDF and our local chapters look forward to working on habitat restoration projects within priority corridors, stopover areas and winter range identified by the 11 western states through the Secretarial Order.”
About MDF
The Mule Deer Foundation is the only conservation group in North America dedicated to restoring, improving and protecting mule deer and black-tailed deer and their habitat, with a focus on science and program efficiency. MDF is a strong voice for hunters in access, wildlife management and conservation policy issues. MDF acknowledges regulated hunting as a viable management component and is committed to recruitment and retention of youth into the shooting sports and conservation. Get involved in your state or become a member at
www.muledeer.org or call 1-888-375-3337.
The purpose of the Mule Deer Foundation is to ensure the
conservation of mule deer, black-tailed deer, and their habitat.
MDF is Dedicated to the Following Goals:
To restore, improve and protect mule deer habitat (including land and easement acquisitions) resulting in self-sustaining, healthy, free ranging and huntable deer populations.
To encourage and support responsible wildlife management with government agencies, private organizations, and landowners.
To promote public education and scientific research related to mule deer and wildlife management.
To support and encourage responsible and ethical behavior and awareness of issues among those whose actions affect mule deer.
To support regulated hunting as a viable component of mule deer and black-tailed deer conservation.
To develop programs that focus on recruitment and retention of youth into the shooting sports and conservation.
At MDF, our goals are not just words for the Annual Report – we back ’em up with Money and Action on the ground!
Find out how we’re putting these goals into practice in Your State!
“DO WHAT YOU CAN, WITH WHAT YOU HAVE, WHERE YOU ARE.”
? Theodore Roosevelt
