MISSOULA, Mont. — The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and its partners allocated $4,345,186 for a series of projects to improve habitat for elk, mule and blacktail deer, moose, bighorn sheep, black bear and many other wildlife species across the state. The funding also supports youth recreational archery and shooting teams, mentored hunting and other outdoor and conservation activities.
RMEF supplied $515,753 that leveraged $3,829,433 in partner contributions.
“Twenty-one of the 44 projects focus on maintaining or enhancing habitat in the form of forage or water resources for elk and other species,” said Alex Baier, RMEF regional director in Washington. “We also strongly support efforts that lead to future generations embracing hunting and its important link to conservation.”
Washington is also home to more than 12,000 RMEF members and 23 chapters.
“Our volunteers in Washington step up again and again to support elk, hunting and conservation. Not only do they raise funding by hosting RMEF banquets but they give of their time to take part in more than a dozen on-the-ground projects. To them we say, ‘Thank you,’” said RMEF President and CEO Kyle Weaver.
Since 1985, RMEF and its partners completed 815 conservation and hunting heritage outreach projects in Washington with a combined value of more than $135.7 million. These projects conserved or enhanced 518,133 acres of habitat and opened or improved public access to 130,661 acres.
Below is a list of all 44 projects and their approximate location.
Asotin County
- Treat invasive weeds across 300 acres of elk, mule deer and bighorn sheep winter range on the Chief Joseph Wildlife Area in the Blue Mountains.
- Treat 1,026 acres for invasive vegetation on the George Creek Wildlife Area and private land used by elk and mule deer.
- Supply funding and volunteer manpower to build a buck and pole rail fence around a water source on the Chief Joseph Wildlife Area to protect regenerating aspen shoots from livestock grazing until reaching maturity.
- Provide RMEF volunteers from Washington and Idaho to take part in an Asotin Wildlife Area weekend project to remove four miles of old barb wire fencing and a fenced exclosure used for vegetation monitoring, and flush five water troughs on critical habitat for elk, black bear, mule deer, bighorn sheep and other wildlife.
Chelan County
- Thin 200 acres on the Colockum Wildlife Area to restore forest structure, mitigate wildfire risk and improve habitat for elk, deer and other wildlife.
Clallam County
- Thin 400 acres of forest understory and treat 165 acres of invasive weeds in the Olympic National Forest’s Pacific Ranger District to enhance habitat for a diversity of wildlife, including elk.
Columbia County
- Treat invasive weeds across 300 acres of elk habitat on the W.T. Wooten Wildlife Area in the Blue Mountains (also benefits Garfield County).
Cowlitz County
- Treat 60 acres of invasive plants as part of ongoing efforts, including those by RMEF volunteer crews, to enhance and expand forage on the Mount Saint Helens Wildlife Area to benefit elk winter range.
- Apply fertilizer and lime to 140 acres of the Mudflow Unit of the Mount Saint Helens Wildlife Area to enhance elk forage quantity and quality.
- Provide funding for youth to take a field trip to Mount St. Helens to learn about the volcano’s history and geology, hunting’s link to wildlife management and habitat management.
- Supply funding for a family-oriented National Hunting and Fishing Day celebration to introduce youth to target shooting, hunting and fishing.
- Provide RMEF volunteers for two different projects to remove invasive vegetation across 30 acres on the Mount St. Helens Wildlife Area. The project also included treating Scotch broom stumps to prevent regrowth and places cages on established trees and shrubs to protect regeneration from being over browsed by elk.
- Supply funding to support a new shooting sports program at Kelso High School.
Franklin County
- Supply funding for the North Franklin Archery Club, which supports children in grades four through 12 from four different school districts to participate in the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP).
- Provide funding for the North Franklin Trap Team, which promotes shooting sports for 7th and 8th graders, creating a family activity that can be carried forward.
Jefferson County
- Create 19 forest openings combined with invasive vegetation treatment and seeding native plants across 275 total acres in the Pacific Ranger District on the Olympic National Forest to improve habitat for Roosevelt elk, blacktail deer and other wildlife.
Kittitas County
- Provide funding to continue work toward building a wildlife crossing east of Snoqualmie Pass to help elk and other wildlife more safely negotiate Interstate 90 within the Cle Elum Ranger District on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.
Lewis County
- Supply RMEF volunteers to remove 28,000 pounds of English ivy, an invasive, nonnative plant, on the Cowlitz Wildlife Area that outcompetes native vegetation.
Okanogan County
- Supply funding to support the Bonaparte Lake Youth Fishing Derby, an annual outing for children to learn about fish and water safety, fish for rainbow trout, eat lunch and take home a new fishing pole or other gear (also benefits Ferry County).
- Provide funding for the Okanogan Wildlife Council, a gun club and shooting facility that promotes youth participation in shooting sports and hunting through marksmanship training, safety and competition.
Pierce County
- Remove invasive vegetation and plant willows, shrubs and other wildlife forage across 33 acres along the Greenwater River corridor within the Snoqualmie Ranger District on the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest (also benefits King County).
- Provide funding support for the Tacoma Sportsmen’s Club to buy, conserve and open public access to 113 acres of land for recreational activities including future community trails and interpretive information about the land, its habitat and the importance of conservation.
Skagit County
- Supply RMEF volunteer manpower to seed a newly created two-acre meadow on private land that is managed to provide quality elk forage.
Spokane County
- Restore 12 acres of riparian habitat within the Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge in an area used by elk, moose, deer, migratory waterfowl, reptiles and amphibians.
- Provide funding for Deer Park High School’s Archery Team to take part in state and national NASP competitions.
- Supply RMEF volunteers to remove old fencing and posts at the Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge as well as a half mile of dilapidated electric boundary fencing that poses a hazard for ungulates and raptors.
Stevens County
- Restore what was a 14-acre hayfield to a meadow including 5 acres of aspen stands on the Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge to improve habitat aims for elk, deer, moose and a myriad of small mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians.
- Provide RMEF volunteers for several management projects at the Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge. Among them, repairing a large boundary fence gap to keep cattle out of sensitive riparian areas, removing abandoned barb wire fencing, installing exclosure fencing around an aspen stand and removing metal fencing around old browse exclosures that are a wildlife hazard.
Walla Walla County
- Supply funding support for the Blue Mountain Archers, a nonprofit dedicated to sharing with youth the responsible use of equipment, ethical bowhunting and promoting archery.
Whatcom County
- Till, seed and fertilize a two-acre field at the Skokum Fish Hatchery to supply high-quality forage for the North Cascades elk herd away from neighboring agricultural fields. Also benefits blacktail deer.
Yakima County
- Treat invasive weeds across 500 acres including heavily used areas, elk winter foraging areas and roads on the Oak Creek Wildlife Area.
- Treat invasive weeds across 300 acres on the Wenas Wildlife Area to restore shrub-steppe habitat in critical winter range for the Yakima elk herd. The project also seeds 10 acres.
- Supply funding to rebuild 31 canal crossings and five wooden escape ramps destroyed by a wildfire that help elk and other species cross the Yakima-Tieton Main Canal in the Tieton River Canyon.
- Provide funding for the Tieton Junior Rifle Club to buy spotting scopes, targets and ammunition for its program.
- Supply funding for the Kamiakin Roving Archers, a team of children under the age of 18 Youth League to learn about field archery, sportsmanship, bowhunting and take part in competition (also benefits Kittitas County).
Statewide
- Provide funding for Cross the Divide, a nonprofit that helps veterans and their families through outdoor venue programming including elk, deer, bear and turkey hunts. Hunts in 2024 take place in Indiana, North Dakota, Oregon, Tennessee, and Virginia.
- Supply funding for Outdoors For Our Heroes, an all-volunteer nonprofit organization that serves disabled veterans and first responders with outdoor adventures to help improve mental health and quality of life.
- Provide funding support for the Oroville Sportsmen Club’s Memorial Day Shoot, a family-friendly outing for all ages to learn about archery instruction and safety.
- Supply funding and volunteer support for Salmon for Soldiers, a nonprofit with 100 volunteer boats that hosts 400 veterans and active military members on a fishing adventure.
- Provide scholarships for 20 disadvantaged youth to attend Washington State Youth Conservation Camps, which teach participants about conservation and the outdoors while providing them hands-on experience and knowledge about wildlife and fisheries management, forestry, ecology, marine biology, water safety, fly tying and casting, archery, marksmanship, hunter safety education, survival, first aid, and CPR.
- Supply funding support for the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition, a nonprofit citizens group that leverages public funds for wildlife habitat, working farms and outdoor recreation opportunities across the state.
- Provide funding for Youth Outdoor Unlimited, a nonprofit that offers youth with disabilities and life-threatening illnesses with hunting and fishing outdoor adventures at no cost to their families.
- Supply funding support for an outdoor camp for participants to engage in seminars, wild game cooking, demonstrations and learn about hunting and Washington’s wildlife policies.
Nationwide
- Provide funding support for Human Nature Hunting, an educational experience for those new to hunting and those looking to hone their knowledge and skills. A four-day course focuses on planning, regulations, gear, tracking, understanding animal behavior, caring for the harvest and honoring the animal. The program also looks to make hunting more accessible to those who faced historic and ongoing barriers to the outdoors.
Project partners include the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie, Okanogan-Wenatchee, and Olympic National Forests, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, private landowners and other conservation, sportsmen and business groups.
About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
Founded in 1984 and fueled by hunters, RMEF has conserved more than 8.9 million acres for elk and other wildlife. RMEF also works to open and improve public access, fund and advocate for science-based resource management, and ensure the future of America’s hunting heritage. Discover why “Hunting Is Conservation” ® at rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.