A longleaf pine stand on National Forest land that was recently managed by prescribed fire.
The National Deer Association (NDA) is pleased to announce a fourth consecutive grant from the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund to continue NDA’s Public Lands Initiative. With the new $200,000 grant, the Outdoor Fund has now contributed $750,000 to NDA’s effort, which achieved habitat and access improvements on over 970,000 acres of public hunting land since 2021.
The landmark grant, enabled by noted conservationist and Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris and generous Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s customers who contribute to the Outdoor Fund, will expand NDA’s nationwide initiative. This unique NDA project is continuing 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.
“We are proud to partner with the National Deer Association and to invest in deer habitats on our public lands,” Johnny Morris said. “We are honored to stand alongside our generous customers to support this important work, and to protect the proud traditions of spending time in the outdoors with our families and loved ones. We’re all very excited to see the continued impact of the Public Lands Initiative and the benefits for future generations.”
In 2024 alone, NDA’s Public Lands Initiative impacted 226,128 acres of public land in 20 states. NDA set a goal of improving 1 million acres by 2026, a goal that will be surpassed easily this year. To date, and along with valuable conservation partners like the Outdoor Fund, NDA has invested $11.7 million since the initiative launched in 2021. Projects impacting 19 National Forests since 2021 include timber thinning to increase deer 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 grateful for the continued support of Johnny Morris and the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund,” said NDA CEO Nick Pinizzotto. “We’re anticipating surpassing our goal of 1 million acres of habitat and access improved through our Public Lands Initiative, and we wouldn’t have been able to accomplish it this quickly without generous grants like this one.”
Like the NDA, the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. The Outdoor Fund encourages more than 200 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.
About Bass Pro Shops
Bass Pro Shops, North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company, was founded in 1972 when avid young angler Johnny Morris began selling tackle out of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri. That was the company’s sole location for the first 13 years, and it has since grown to nearly 200 retail locations throughout North America. Today the company provides customers with unmatched offerings spanning premier destination retail, outdoor equipment manufacturing, world-class resort destinations and more. In 2017 Bass Pro Shops united with Cabela’s to create a “best-of-the-best” experience with superior products, dynamic locations and outstanding customer service. Bass Pro Shops also operates White River Marine Group, offering an unsurpassed 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 outdoors and has been named by Newsweek as “America’s Most Trusted Retailer for Outdoor Gear.”