The National Deer Association’s Public Lands Conservation Initiative received a significant boost in the form of a $200,000 grant from Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund. The Fund has now contributed a total of $350,000 to the effort, which the NDA launched in 2021 and is ahead of reaching the goal of improving 1 million acres of public hunting lands by 2026.
“We are incredibly grateful for the generous support of Johnny Morris and Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund, which will help us do important work on the ground for deer and hunters,” said Nick Pinizzotto, NDA President and CEO. “The Trust and the organizations it has helped over the years have made immeasurable positive impacts on fish and wildlife conservation, and we are proud to be a part of it.”
The NDA’s initiative, titled Improving Deer Access, Habitat, and Hunting on Public Lands, addresses landscape-level access and national forest health issues. By the end of 2022, the NDA and our conservation partners, including the Outdoor Fund, had invested $2,164,206 in the initiative. In addition, the NDA matched $335,000 in funding with the Outdoor Fund’s original $150,000 grant, and secured an additional $1.5 million in federal funding through earmarked funding and stewardship agreements, creating a total funding leverage of 12-to-1 for the conservation.
By the end of 2022, the NDA had initiated forest health and access projects in six states, on six national forests in three US Forest Service (USFS) regions, ultimately improving 316,218 acres of public lands.
“Thanks to the visionary leadership of our founder Johnny Morris, along with the generous support of passionate customers, we are incredibly proud to partner with the NDA to continue investing in deer habitats on our public lands,” said Bob Ziehmer, senior director of Bass Pro Shops. of Conservation. “Bass Pro Shops is committed to protecting the rich American heritage of spending time in the woods with our families.”
The Outdoor Fund encourages more than 200 million Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s customers to round up purchases to support conservation partners and projects that advocate for athletes’ rights, connect new audiences with the outdoors, and protect and conserve the wildlife habitat in North America.
About the National Deer Association
The National Deer Association is the leading nonprofit deer conservation group, working to ensure the future of wild deer, wildlife habitat, and game. Formed by combining the strengths of two long-standing successful organizations, the National Deer Association has a combined 40-year effort that has changed deer management to improve hunting and protect America’s most vital and admired game species. North America for future generations. Visit DeerAssociation.com or follow @deerassociation on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok.
About Bass Pro Shops
Bass Pro Shops is North America’s leading outdoor and conservation company. Founded in 1972 when avid young fisherman Johnny Morris began selling tackle at his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri, today the company provides customers with unmatched offerings spanning premier retail destinations, equipment manufacturing for outdoor activities, world-class tourist destinations and more. In 2017, Bass Pro Shops acquired Cabela’s to create a “best of the best” experience with superior products, dynamic locations and excellent customer service. Bass Pro Shops also operates White River Marine Group, offering an unmatched collection of industry-leading boat brands, and Big Cedar Lodge, America’s Premier Wilderness Resort. Under the visionary conservation leadership of Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops is a national leader in protecting habitat and introducing families to the great outdoors and has been named “one of America’s Best Employers” by Forbes.