A ridgeline offers a panoramic view, allowing us to see both where we began and where we aim to go. This serves as a fitting metaphor for the goal of RMEF's new donor community, the Ridgeline Society, which seeks to advance conservation efforts.
The Ridgeline Society is designed to harness RMEF's most powerful supporters, which is why we are asking that you consider joining with an annual donation to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation of $1,000 or greater. When combined with the support of the entire Ridgeline Society, your impact will be game changing for elk, other wildlife, and our hunting heritage.
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Ridgeline Society
How RMEF Continues to Carry Out It's Mission
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has a success-laden history with scores of mission accomplishments and millions of conserved/enhanced acres to benefit elk, mule deer, moose, pronghorn antelope and other wildlife species. Getting there took vision, funding and foresight - a multi-faceted approach that continues to this day.
Land Conservation & Access
Protect/conserve elk range, migration corridors, calving areas and opening or improving public access to it.
Looking back, RMEF conserved, protected and opened or improved public access to more than 1.6 million acres.
Looking ahead, RMEF has multiple coast-to-coast projects in the works, including these:*
Brushy Mountain, CaliforniaConserve 26,000 acres of tule elk habitat 150 miles north of San Francisco
Keystone, ColoradoConserve 13,933 acres of elk, mule deer and sage grouse habitat in northwest Colorado
Black River, MichiganConserve and open public access to 8,850 acres of forestland and 14+ miles of waterways and lakes in northern Michigan
(*Not every planned project is completed due to various legal challenges and other issues.)
Habitat Stewardship
Enhance quality habitat (food, water, cover and space) by supplying funding support for prescribed burning, forest thinning, wildfire restoration, noxious weed treatment, creating wildlife water developments and other projects
Looking back, RMEF enhanced more than 7.4 million acres of wildlife habitat.
Looking ahead, here's a sampling from a bevy of upcoming projects:
Central Arizona Construct three wildlife water sources and restore two more, all within calving areas, destroyed by the 2022 Pipeline Fire
Cumberland Forest, KentuckyApply a combination of prescribed burning and invasive weed treatments across 3,000 acres to restore former mine land to grasslands
Western North DakotaReduce juniper encroachment to revive native grass and improve forage for elk and other wildlife on the Dakota Prairie Grasslands
Wildlife Management
Engagement in wildlife issues of local, regional and national concern to ensure the scientific integrity of mission programs, including disease and predator management, elk ecology, migration corridors, winter range and supporting research
Looking back, RMEF provided millions to advance the scientific knowledge of elk and helping successfully restore elk to their historic range in Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Ontario, Canada.
Looking ahead, here are a few of many planned wildlife management projects:
Northwest MinnesotaProvide support to expand the elk population into a part of the state that was historic range
Wildlife Crossings & Wildlife-Friendly FencingAdvocate for wildlife-friendly fencing with all related projects including support for future fencing/wildlife crossing structures in Arizona, Oregon, Utah and other states
Research FocusEnter 2025 with RMEF's first wildlife research lead - a staffer dedicated solely to bolstering upcoming research projects
Hunting Heritage
Ensure the future of hunting by increasing engagement in hunting and other outdoor activities.
Looking back, RMEF helped introduce hunting to hundreds of thousands of men, women and children.
Looking ahead, here are three points of emphasis:
OutdoorClassGreater focus on growing and expanding the video-based subscription platform for hunters of all skill levels
RMEF Elk Country Visitor CenterRemodel effort to result in a high-tech, hands-on interactive learning center that increases engagement
All Hunter, All the TimeContinual support for mentored hunting, youth recreational shooting and archery teams, and other outdoor activities
Advocacy
Work with Congress, federal and state agencies, the judicial system, state legislatures, wildlife commissions, RMEF members, sportsmen and women, and others to advocate for mission priorities
Looking back, RMEF testified before Congress, established vital relationships with federal and state policymakers and engaged members to advocate for its mission.
Looking ahead, RMEF will tackle issues as they come including:
Reforming bureaucratic and litigation barriers to active forest and other habitat management
Protecting hunters and scientific wildlife management from anti-hunting attacks
Increasing access to public lands while making those lands more productive for wildlife
Donate today to join the Ridgeline Society and we will share...
- Exclusive Conservation Quarterly Newsletter
- RMEF's Annual Report
- Invitations to Leadership Sessions
$1000 Donation
With help from donors like you, your impact will be game changing of elk, other wildlife, and our hunting heritage. Join RMEF's Ridgeline Society with an annual gift of $1,000 or more, and together we will make a lasting difference.