Message from the CEO
September/October 2007
Growing up in southwest Wyoming, I remember the winters as being colder and the summers being wetter. Admittedly, with age, my memory of those past days probably isn’t as accurate as I care to admit. I do, however, remember an old timer telling me once that the only time the weather is normal is when it is going from one extreme to another. Now, as I sit in my office, I find myself thinking about all the wildfires in the western United States. Isn’t it ironic that as the West continues to burn, at the same time, the heartland of the country has been ravaged by flooding? Even here in Utah, while we have had a record amount of land burned by fires, several towns have had flooding from the summer monsoon rains. A person could go crazy trying to figure out what is going to happen next with the weather. In fact, by the time you read this, the weather pattern will have surely changed again. One thing is for sure, however, climate change is real and depending on where we live, each one of us will be affected in some way.
Fires can be good and bad for mule deer. Fires open up pinyon-juniper forests which are low quality forage areas for deer. Dense stands of conifers can be opened to allow aspens to regenerate. If reseeded properly, these areas can once again become productive deer habitat. Left alone, these areas can be invaded by cheatgrass and other weeds, and they can actually become less productive than before the fire. Cheatgrass creates a vicious fire cycle which is difficult to break, and wildlife managers must react quickly or there will be little or no forage available for deer on these winter ranges.
The Mule Deer Foundation and its members can help state and federal agencies by funding reseeding projects. At this time, I would like to ask that if you are interested in helping with this effort that you donate to the newly created, “MDF’s Fire Restoration Project.” To help, all you need to do is send your donations to MDF headquarters explaining you would like to see your funds go toward MDF’s Fire Restoration Project. From there, we will ensure that those dollars go directly for projects designated for fire restoration. Your donations will be used in the most critical areas that are in the most need of help. Sportsmen and women have always stepped up in a time of need to help wildlife – mule deer specifically – and this is no exception.
Miles Moretti drawing the
Mule Deer tag for
the Arizona Big Game Super Raffle.
The annual Western Hunting and Conservation Expo, which will take place February 6-9, 2008 in Salt Lake City, Utah, will be here before you know it. In addition to contracting country music sensation Alan Jackson to be the headline act at the Friday night concert, we also have many fun and exciting events planned toward celebrating MDF’s 20th Anniversary. We will have a special live auction/celebration on Thursday night Feb. 7, 2008 honoring our past 20 years, as well as holding our annual volunteer recognition event and life member breakfast. The 2008 WHCE promises to be bigger and better than last year with over 500 exhibitors, seminars and displays, and a chance to win one of 200 of Utah’s premium hunting tags. Plan on coming early to the Expo and staying until the end – you will not be disappointed!
In closing, I wanted to express how excited I am about being fortunate enough to draw a Region W deer tag in Wyoming. I look forward to hunting my home state again, and I will be hunting with members of the Teddy Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. The hunt will be filmed and we will be exploring the impacts of oil and gas drilling on mule deer habitat in southern Wyoming for a future episode of TRCP’s television show “Life in the Open” with host Ken Barret.
As always, take time to take your friends and family fishing or hunting this fall, and make memories that will last a lifetime.
Miles Moretti