The National Deer Association (NDA) is poised to make an even greater impact on critical habitat for deer and other wildlife across the country with the continued generous support of the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund. The new $200,000 commitment directly expands NDA’s nationwide Public Lands Initiative to improve habitat, wildlife populations and hunting opportunities on public lands through the expertise of NDA and its partners, including the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), state wildlife agencies and NDA members and volunteers.
Since 2002, the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund has given more than $950,000 to NDA to support this important initiative, with funds coming from generous customers that chose to round up their purchases for conservation. This financial support provided the necessary boost to help NDA’s efforts surpass a 1-million-acre campaign goal a year earlier than expected. NDA has leveraged these contributions into more than $11 million in additional funds, resulting in a remarkable $12.6 million investment in habitat conservation focused on places that matter the most for deer and deer hunters across North America.
“We’re grateful to continue working alongside the National Deer Association to improve deer habitat on our public lands,” said noted conservationist and Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris. “Thanks to the generosity of our customers and the dedication of so many partners, these efforts are making a real difference for wildlife and for families who love the outdoors. It makes us all proud to help advance this important work and to protect the opportunities that will mean so much to future generations.”
This sustained support has helped conserve and enhance over 1.3 million acres of land in 31 states, on 27 National Forests, and dozens of state and local parcels, bringing tremendous benefits to deer, other wildlife, and people. On-the-ground improvement activities often include practices such as timber thinning to increase wildlife forage, forest health, water quality and wildfire resilience, road improvements to aid hunting access, tree planting, prescribed fire restoration, forest regeneration after storm damage, and much more.
“We are deeply appreciative of the generosity of the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund and their commitment to supporting important conservation efforts like our Public Land Initiative,” said Nick Pinizzotto, President and CEO of NDA. “This support has greatly enhanced the effectiveness and efficiency of our work and has allowed us to surpass our goals well in advance and we look forward to continuing to exceed expectations.”
Like the NDA, the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The Outdoor Fund encourages more than 250 million Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s customers to round up purchases at the register and online, to support conservation partners and projects that advocate for sportsmen’s rights, connect new audiences to the outdoors and protect and conserve wildlife habitat across North America, a mission that closely aligns with the NDA’s.