Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s grant Wyoming nonprofit $250K

GILLETTE, Wyo. — The Mule Deer Foundation has used a $250,000 grant to launch conservation projects to enhance wildlife habitats and connectivity for grassland species across the Great Plains states.

The grant comes through the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund, allowing the foundation $250,000 to leverage an additional $1.4 million from other partners and internal sources, according to a recent Mule Deer Foundation press release.

Per the release, the funding pays for the implementation of dozens of projects on working lands and ranches across the Great Plains states to improve thousands of acres of wildlife habitat.

“We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund for their generous support,” the foundation said in a release. “We look forward to continuing our collaboration on these and future projects.”

According to the release, the foundation feels that by focusing on grassland ecosystems and improving the management of agricultural lands, it is removing barriers to wildlife movement and contributing to healthier ecosystems and greater biodiversity.

The projects will span eastern Wyoming, South Dakota, Montana, eastern Colorado, North Dakota, western Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico, the foundation says. The efforts will benefit mule deer populations and other grassland-dependent species such as sage grouse, upland birds and waterfowl.