Below is a news release from the U.S. Forest Service. Hunt 2 Conserve strongly supports active forest management for the benefit of wildlife, wildlife habitat, hunting, forest health and reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfire.

The U.S. Forest Service and the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians have signed a new shared stewardship agreement to expand collaborative forest and rangeland restoration across two national forests in Oregon. The agreement strengthens an already productive partnership and supports shared planning and work to reduce wildfire risk, improve forest health, and protect cultural resources.

Signed on Feb. 12 at Forest Service headquarters in Washington D.C., this agreement builds on a previous collaboration between the Tribe and the agency. It strengthens the government-to-government relationship and expands capacity to accelerate work that supports healthier forests and safer communities.

“The Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians bring deeply rooted Indigenous land management experience and traditions that focus on caring for the land,” Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz said. “In partnership with the tribe, more than 37 miles of fuel breaks were created to protect tribal lands, private property, and National Forest System lands. I look forward to our expanded partnership and our joint efforts to reduce wildfire risk on a landscape scale and create resilient forests that benefit all.”

The agreement includes an initial planning project area of about 155,000 acres on the Umpqua and Rogue River-Siskiyou national forests. Within this landscape, the Forest Service and the tribe will work together to increase the pace and scale of forest management projects that protect people, communities, as well as natural and cultural resources.

“Wildfire is the greatest threat to the health of our forests, which is not only of cultural significance to the Cow Creek Umpqua, but also a critical part of Oregon’s environmental and economic landscape,” said Carla Keene, chairman of the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians. “This government-to-government partnership allows us to work toward a future where our forests are managed for long-term resilience, our communities are protected from the health risks of smoke, and our national forests remain an asset for all Oregonians seven generations into the future.”

National forests supply raw materials that support construction and wood energy industries, provide 180 million Americans with clean water, and host millions of visitors each year who enjoy world-class recreation opportunities. Protecting these benefits requires coordinated action across boundaries and jurisdictions, making shared stewardship agreements with states, counties and federally recognized tribes a critical part of managing a shared landscape.

This new agreement follows similar agreements with Montana,Idaho, Utah, and Georgia and reflects USDA’s commitment to working with all interested tribes, counties and states to improve forest health and strengthen rural communities.

More information on shared stewardship is available on the Forest Service website. The full agreement and additional details are available on the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians website.

(Photo source: U.S. Forest Service)

A new study supports others in recent years that refute popular claims by anti-hunting and animal rights groups that the reintroduction of wolves into the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) spawned ecological change for the better.

The trophic cascade theory, popularized in 2012, maintains a change at the top of the food chain triggered beneficial impacts that trickled down to the bottom. The new research disputes the method of those 2012 findings by examining the theory that asserts the presence of wolves caused a 1,500 percent increase in the height of willows leading to reshaped rivers and improved landscapes.

“Our re-analysis shows their conclusion is invalid because it relies on circular reasoning and violations of basic modeling assumptions," Daniel MacNulty, study author and Utah State University ecologist, told Science Daily. “Because height was used both to compute and to predict volume, the relationship is circular -- mathematically guaranteed to look strong even if no biological change occurred.”

According to Science Daily, the statistical method used by the original researchers portrayed the wolf-willow growth connection as a strong one, even if that growth did not change. Other methodology concerns included sampling bias, assumptions and apple-versus-orange comparisons to studies outside of the GYE.

Earlier studies mimic the findings of this most recent research and dispelled trophic cascade. October 2024 research analyzing 21 years of data showed the primary driver of decreased elk browsing pressure and increased aspen tree regeneration was a reduction in elk population density caused by predation from multiple predators – wolves, bears, mountain lions and hunters.

A January 2024 study that spanned more than two decades examined the effects of three GYE apex predators – all carnivores at the top of the food chain not preyed on by other animals in that same landscape. Depleted populations of mountain lions and grizzly bears naturally recovered about the same time wolves were reintroduced to the park in 1995. The absence of these predators for nearly a century transformed the food web and landscape. The designed experiment adds to evidence supporting the theory that degradation of ecosystems may not be reversed when harmful stressors are mitigated. 

The lead researcher of a 2021 study described how the 2012 trophic cascade research measured only the five tallest young aspen in a given stand of trees which led to an “overestimated regeneration of overstory aspen…compared to random sampling because it favored plants taller than the preferred browsing height of elk and overlooked non-regenerating aspen stands.” The scientific team further highlighted the critical importance of basic sampling principles for achieving an accurate understanding of trophic cascades.

In 2019, scientists from three universities in two countries said more testing was needed about this “assumption of reciprocity.” And in 2010, another team of researchers determined young aspen in Yellowstone were not recovering despite the presence of wolves.

Referring to a 2014 viral video promoted by anti-hunting and animal rights groups that proclaimed wolf-related trophic cascade as fact, MacNulty told AccuWeather.com this in 2018: “It’s a really romantic story. It’s a story about a world that doesn’t really exist.”

About Hunt 2 Conserve

Hunt 2 Conserve is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Its mission is to advance a legacy of hunting and conservation by educating, activating and developing stewards and defenders of these fundamentally American ideals. For more information, go to hunt2conserve.org.

(Photo credit: Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation)

Betty Grandy has already done quite a bit in the first nine years of her life. A fourth grader from Twin Falls, Idaho, she is editor-in-chief of her own neighborhood newspaper called the Brandy Gazette.

Recently, she added another paragraph to her resume when her father drove her 130 miles to the state Capitol building in Boise to offer testimony before a legislative hearing in support of a bill she inspired. Betty wants hunting to become Idaho’s official sport.

“I try to help people, so it makes me feel happy that I’m helping Idaho,” Grandy told KTVB-TV. "Did you know that 70 percent of Idaho's land is public hunting area?”

Betty reached out to her subscription base of 45 readers to solidify her idea.

"I ran a poll within the subscribers of the newspaper, and most of them picked archery hunting. I feel like so many people chose hunting. If there were 100 categories, it would still win," she told KTVB-TV.

Betty's desire is worded in the form of HB 652, which states, “The Legislature finds that the State of Idaho values the rights to hunt, fish, and trap and has enshrined such rights in the Constitution of the State of Idaho. The Legislature finds that the sport of hunting is historically and culturally representative of these traditions. As such, it is the intent of the Legislature to designate and declare hunting as the state sport of the State of Idaho.”

The committee unanimously advanced the bill to the House floor with a “do pass” recommendation.

Click here to watch a KTVB-TV report.

(Photo credit: J Squish)

Below is a news release from Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) announced that it currently has no plans for translocating additional gray wolves this release season and continues to explore options for translocations in winter 2026/2027.

“During this intermediate time, CPW will continue to meet with producers and other stakeholders, including U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to explore how to maximize the restoration effort and achieve our plan of establishing a self-sustaining gray wolf population in Colorado,” said CPW Acting Director Laura Clellan. “Our team has invested in a significant conflict minimization program, and we look forward to exploring how we continue to improve this program with producers to protect both livestock and wolves.”

CPW will continue to work with producers to implement the tactics outlined in the Wolf-Livestock Conflict Minimization Program Guide and build on significant conflict mitigation milestones this year. 2025 milestones include:

• Partnering with Colorado Department of Agriculture to establish the Colorado Range Riding program to meet the needs of producers during their open ranging seasons when additional human presence is needed to help minimize conflict,
• Hiring a Wolf Damage and Conflict Minimization Manager who will oversee compensation for wolf damage as well as the Colorado Range Riding program which is slated to expand in 2026,
• Bringing on additional wildlife damage specialists to supplement the efforts of district wildlife managers and other regional staff by investigating suspected wolf depredations among other types of damage such as that caused by bears, mountain lions, and various ungulates,
• Expansion of the conflict minimization hard tool stockpile at CPW disposal, which includes approximately 45 miles of fladry (the electrified flag-line fencing used to deter wolves) along with more than 160 sound-and-light scare devices ready for deployment,
• Completing more than 240 site assessments,
• Continuing to build upon CPW’s decades-long history of investigating and preventing livestock conflicts through a dedicated interagency training held in October.

The impact of no additional releases is dependent on several factors, including wolf survival and reproduction. CPW has confirmed successful reproduction in four packs and its staff is working to determine how many pups made it through the summer and will be successfully recruited into the population. Female gray wolves give birth to an average litter of four to six pups.

“When populations are small, the contributions of each individual are especially significant. It is not possible to predict the impact of foregoing a third year of translocations without knowing what may occur in the coming year. If mortality remains high, as observed in 2025, the risk of failing to achieve a self-sustaining wolf population in Colorado increases, potentially requiring additional resources to address,” said CPW Wolf Program Manager Eric Odell.

CPW will continue to make all management decisions on a case-by-case basis after evaluating the circumstances, the Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management Plan, and relevant law.

“This is a complicated effort and I want to encourage all stakeholders to continue to work together as we move toward the goal of creating a self-sustaining population of wolves in the state, while at the same time minimizing conflict with livestock,” said Clellan.

(Photo credit: Colorado Parks and Wildlife)

Below is a news release from the U.S. Forest Service. Hunt 2 Conserve strongly supports active forest management for the benefit of wildlife, wildlife habitat, hunting, forest health and reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfire.

The State of Georgia along with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) signed a shared stewardship memorandum of understanding today, reaffirming a joint commitment to coordinated, cross-boundary forest management across priority landscapes in the state.

“Georgia has been an exceptional partner in advancing shared stewardship, and this renewed agreement takes that collaboration to the next level”, said Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz. "By working together to increase prescribed fire, expand growing-season burns, and deliver a sustainable volume of timber through Good Neighbor Authority projects, we’re strengthening both forest health and the state’s forest-based economy. This renewed partnership also supports existing industry and developing wood products, improves and expands opportunities for hunting and fishing, and renews our commitment to support cooperative activities across all Georgia forests."

The Forest Service is working hand-in-hand with state and local governments to manage the nation’s forests more effectively. Agreements such as this one help create more responsive local decision-making, stronger partnerships, and better results for Georgia’s communities. The agreement also formalizes the strong collaboration that already existed between Georgia and the Forest Service and supports implementation of Executive Order 14225 Immediate Expansion of American Timber Production.

In Georgia, the shared stewardship framework supports cooperative efforts related to wildfire mitigation, prescribed fire, hazardous fuels reduction, forest restoration, forest products utilization, recreation and long-term resilience of forested landscapes.

"Georgia's forestry industry, the largest in the nation, has shown great resilience in the face of extraordinary challenges," said Georgia Governor Brian Kemp. "This agreement will help strengthen the existing relationships between state and federal industry leaders, ensuring we continue to steward our bountiful natural resources while supporting the hardworking Georgians who depend on them for their livelihoods."

The agreement aligns Forest Service priorities to expand state, tribal and local partnerships; accelerate active forest management; and strengthen coordinated wildfire risk reduction efforts nationwide. In the agreement the Forest Service commits to:

• Develop long-term solutions for wood markets, such as supporting the development of innovative wood products and wood utilization programs.
• Coordinate with other federal agencies to address market barriers to Georgia’s forest products.
• Work toward achieving an annual sustainable five million board feet of timber through Good Neighbor Authority projects over five years and maintain at least one GNA timber sale annually.
• Initiate an agreement with Georgia that uses EXPLORE Act authorities by the end of 2026 – and continue to fund Good Neighbor Agreements to accomplish shared active management goals and efforts to recover from disasters.
• Emphasize active management of forests, including expanding the use of prescribed fire and increasing growing season burns, collaborate on America’s Longleaf Restoration Initiative, improve wildlife habitat, stock native and game fish species in streams and water bodies, treat non-native invasive species, and manage for rare, imperiled and federally protected species.
• Support Georgia as it works with landowners to reduce wildfire risk, address forest health threats on private lands, and manage their forests.
• Coordinate on law enforcement, natural disasters, risks to forest health, the requirements of the National Historic Preservation Act and research / inventory needs.

“This agreement strengthens forest management across ownership boundaries and benefits everyone involved,” said Georgia Forestry Commission Director and State Forester Johnny Sabo. “By improving the health and resilience of national forest lands, we also reduce wildfire risk, lessen forest health threats like southern pine beetle, and support more productive forests for neighboring private landowners and communities.”

The State of Georgia, Forest Service and NRCS will continue working with local governments, private landowners, tribal partners and stakeholders to implement shared stewardship projects across the state.

“Shared Stewardship is about action and accountability. By partnering with Georgia and the Forest Service, NRCS will continue to provide conservation practices where it matters most—on working farms, ranches, and forestlands. This agreement helps us meet landowners where they are, improve forest health and water resources, and keep Georgia’s rural economies strong,” said NRCS Chief Aubrey J.D. Bettencourt.

This agreement follows similar agreements with Montana, Idaho, and Utah. For more information on the agreement, visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/working-with-us/shared-stewardship.

About forests in Georgia

Georgia's 24 million acres of forestlands provide abundant forest products as a renewable source of wood fiber, clean water for communities and agriculture, support a thriving outdoor recreation and tourism economy, and provide outstanding fish and wildlife habitat.

A variety of benefits are provided to Georgia from its healthy, sustainable forests. Of primary importance is the $59.4 billion economic impact the forest industry has on the state. The industry is the state's second largest employer, with compensation exceeding $11.3 billion and payments to landowners of about $14.5 million. It generates an estimated $880 million per year in revenues for the state budget. Due to recent mill closures, this revenue is expected to decrease in 2025, leaving an opportunity for business growth in this sector in 2026 and beyond.

Forest-based recreation contributes to the state's economic growth and tourism industry. Georgia leads the nation in nonresident hunters, and resident sportsmen spend more than $1.8 billion annually. Anglers spend $569 million each year.

Federal, state and private land managers in Georgia face a range of urgent challenges, among them catastrophic storms, droughts, flooding, insect and disease outbreaks, invasive species, habitat loss and fragmentation, changing forest markets, urban sprawl and interface, and growing public use.

The Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, which features nearly 867,000 acres across 26 Georgia counties, is home to thousands of miles of clear-running streams and rivers, 850 miles of recreation trails, and dozens of campgrounds, picnic areas, and other recreation activity opportunities.

NRCS in Georgia works with local conservation districts, farmers and landowners to identify natural resource concerns, such as water quality and quantity issues, soil erosion, air quality, wetlands and wildlife habitat; they then develop unique solutions for restoring and protecting these resources. The Georgia Forestry Commission serves as technical specialist for NRCS, assisting conservationists in writing resource management plans and conducting performance checks on forest management cost share practices throughout the state.

(Photo credit: U.S. Forest Service)

Despite a full-court press by anti-hunters, Florida’s first managed black bear hunt in a decade turned out to be a successful one. A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) harvest report shows hunters took 52 bears during the Dec. 6-28, 2025, season.

“The 2025 black bear hunt, rooted in sound scientific data, was a success,” Roger Young, FWC executive director, told Outdoor Life. “We’re proud to have joined the more than 30 states that manage black bears with regulated hunting.”

FWC approved the hunt to both manage the state’s black bear population and help reduce human-bear conflicts. There are 16 recorded conflicts over the last three years and 44 dating back to 2006. Among the most recent is a May 2025 attack when a black bear killed a man and his dog in Jerome, a small community about 90 miles west of Miami.

Anti-hunters publicly campaigned to buy as many bear licenses as possible to keep them out of the hands of hunters. According to Outdoor Life, extremists drew 43 of the 172 tags and offered to pay others who did receive a tag.

FWC reports Florida residents bought all but six of the available permits, and only Floridians were successful. Twenty-four of the 52 harvested bears were female. None of them were lactating, meaning they were not feeding cubs. All the bears taken met size requirements, and FWC issued no warnings or citations to participating hunters.

Florida black bear population ballooned from several hundred in the 1970s to more than 4,000 today.

According to FWC, a managed Florida bear hunt took place from the 1930s until 1994. It reopened for one year in 2015.

About Hunt 2 Conserve

Hunt 2 Conserve is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Its mission is to advance a legacy of hunting and conservation by educating, activating and developing stewards and defenders of these fundamentally American ideals. For more information, go to hunt2conserve.org.

(Photo credit: Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation)

For the first time in more than a century, wildlife officials confirmed the presence of a gray wolf in southern California. They are actively monitoring the situation because it wears a GPS tracking collar.

According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), and as reported by the Los Angeles Times, the animal is a 3-year-old female that traveled more than 370 miles from northern California to the mountains north of Santa Clarita, approximately 50 to 60 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles.

It is from a pack in Plumas County, just across the state line from Reno and, looking at the bigger, historic picture, is offspring of wolves originally introduced into Yellowstone National Park in the mid-1990s.

"This wolf is the furthest south we have verified a wolf since that introduction 30 years ago. And it's the first time we have verified a wolf in L.A. County in modern times," Axel Hunnicutt, CDFW gray wolf coordinator, told KABC-TV. "I can't tell you the last time there was a wolf in L.A. County, but it likely was well over a hundred years ago."

Hunnicutt believes the wolf is looking for a mate.

According to CDFW, there are nine confirmed wolf packs in California, all in the northern part of the state. CDFW lethally removed four wolves from the Sierra Valley in October 2025 due to continual livestock depredations. Between March 28 and Sept. 10, 2025, wolves killed 70 head of livestock with another 17 confirmed or probable depredations the following month.

About Hunt 2 Conserve

Hunt 2 Conserve is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Its mission is to advance a legacy of hunting and conservation by educating, activating and developing stewards and defenders of these fundamentally American ideals. For more information, go to hunt2conserve.org.

(Photo credit: California Department of Fish and Wildlife)

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced in November 2025 that creating a national recovery plan for gray wolves is unnecessary. It determined doing so “would not promote their conservation” because listing is no longer appropriate” under the Endangered Species Act due to the success of recovery of gray wolf populations.

Essentially, the USFWS stands by its 2020 assessment and evaluation that wolves have already met recovery goals.

In a 10-page document, it concluded that population levels in the Great Lakes States of Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin are abundant and above recovery, while each state has sufficient wolf management laws and plans in place to maintain that abundance for the foreseeable future. USFWS also stated there were few wolves along the West Coast at the time of the status review five years ago but California, Washington and Oregon each have plans in place to ensure their reestablishment. At last count at the end of 2024, there were a minimum of 50 wolves in California, 204 in Oregon and 230 in Washington.

USFWS also expects wolves in the Western United States to continue to spread into unoccupied areas. Again, as of the end of 2024, there was a minimum estimate of 1,150 wolves in Idaho, 1,091 in Montana and more than 300 in Wyoming, including about 100 in Yellowstone National Park.

Hunt 2 Conserve and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation maintain that state wildlife agencies can and should sustainably manage recovered wolf populations just as they manage elk, black bears, deer and other wildlife species.

About Hunt 2 Conserve

Hunt 2 Conserve is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Its mission is to advance a legacy of hunting and conservation by educating, activating and developing stewards and defenders of these fundamentally American ideals. For more information, go to hunt2conserve.org.

(Photo credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

It has been more than a year since the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Fix Our Forests Act (FOFA) on a strong bipartisan vote, and despite broad support in the Senate, there is no vote scheduled. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is working the Senate side of Capitol Hill to try to get through the logjam but getting floor time for a vote is proving elusive.

“Every time a legislative crisis shows up in the news, whether it is a government shutdown or budget bills or confirmation fights, that takes up precious time for the debate and vote that we need to get Fix Our Forests across the finish line. It is starting to feel like only fire season will enable us to cut through the noise,” said Ryan Bronson, RMEF director of government affairs.

FOFA features a set of reforms to improve wildlife habitat quality in national forests, in addition to reducing catastrophic fire risk. It simplifies and expedites environmental reviews for forest management projects, promote federal, state, tribal and local collaboration in forest management, strengthen tools like Good Neighbor Authority and stewardship contracting to maximize return on investment, deters frivolous litigation that delays essential projects, including to reverse the 9th Circuit Court’s Cottonwood decision, and encourage the adoption of state-of-the-art science and technologies for federal land managers.

Senate rules require 60 votes to end debate on most legislation and end so-called filibusters. RMEF and its allies continue to work to ensure that there are more than 60 votes when the time comes.

Bronson already made two trips to Washington, D.C., in 2026 with a focus on Senate offices that may be on the fence, emphasizing the link between active management and habitat with wildfire resilience. The efforts have been generally successful, with most concerns focused on funding levels and not the policy provisions in the bill.

RMEF’s biggest concern is that as the politics in Congress over other issues become more bitter, and the fall elections get closer, willingness to pass even bipartisan issues like FOFA will become more difficult.

“We just met with Senate staffers from Washington, New Mexico, Oregon, Arizona and Pennsylvania offices and found broad support for improved forest policy. We need to get the bill on the floor for a vote,” added Bronson.

About Hunt 2 Conserve

Hunt 2 Conserve is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Its mission is to advance a legacy of hunting and conservation by educating, activating and developing stewards and defenders of these fundamentally American ideals. For more information, go to hunt2conserve.org.

(Photo credit: Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation)

A congressional subcommittee recently heard testimony about first-hand work by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation to open and improve public access. It happened in relation to a January 13, 2026, oversight hearing by the House Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries titled, “Hunting and Fishing Access in the Great American Outdoors.”

One of those asked to testify before the committee was Paul Johansen, wildlife biologist and chief of the Wildlife Resources Section of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. Johansen also serves as president of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, an organization comprised of state fish and wildlife agencies from across North America. In addition to oral testimony before the committee, Johansen also submitted detailed written testimony highlighting the importance of access, including praise for a multi-year RMEF land conservation and access project in the Pacific Northwest.

“In Oregon, the state recently acquired more than 16,000-plus acres to complete the Minam River Wildlife Area in Union and Wallowa Counties. The wildlife area creates public access to the Eagle Cap Wilderness Area and the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, making the entire Minam River publicly accessible for hunting, fishing and other recreational opportunities.

“The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, USFS (U.S. Forest Service) Forest Legacy Program, USFWS (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) Wildlife Restoration Program and many of Oregon’s hunting and outdoor recreation groups all raised money to purchase land for the wildlife area. With this acquisition, an area larger than Yellowstone National Park, is all in public ownership and open for recreation (ODFW [Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife], Oregon Parks and Rec Dept, BLM [Bureau of Land Management] and USFS ownership). Anglers can enjoy trout and mountain whitefish fishing, hunters can target deer and elk, and hikers can follow the Minam River Trail to the Eagle Cap Wilderness.”

Johansen also touted work in his home state to successfully restore wild elk to their native West Virginia range. RMEF also supplied significant funding and volunteer support for those efforts.

“This management effort had two primary objectives. First, through the capture and translocation of elk from Kentucky and Arizona, we successfully returned this majestic animal to the mountains of southern West Virginia. Second, we wanted to ensure that these elk were reestablished into suitable habitats that were publicly accessible for wildlife-associated recreation. Working closely with coal mining and timber companies, we were able to secure more than 54,000 acres of publicly accessible land as an essential component of our elk restoration effort,” wrote Johansen.

Since its establishment in 1984, RMEF worked alongside partner organizations to open or improve public access for hunters, anglers and others to more than 1.6 million acres of land.

About Hunt 2 Conserve

Hunt 2 Conserve is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Its mission is to advance a legacy of hunting and conservation by educating, activating and developing stewards and defenders of these fundamentally American ideals. For more information, go to hunt2conserve.org.

(Photo credit: Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation)