Craig Webber

I was born in the east bay of the San Francisco Bay Area to a family who were not outdoors types, and certainly never considered hunting. The first time I went deer hunting was when I was 36 and with two relatives near Mt. Shasta, California. They called me a noise maker and had me just tag along and learn to walk quietly. They got a deer that day, and the next fall they took me and my 30-06 out and I got my first deer (a Columbia Blacktail buck). It was not until I got married, had my first daughter, and then moved from California to Boise, Idaho at the age of 40 that I began to hunt, and was excited and really impressed with the "majestic" mule deer. I got my best mule deer buck near Council in October of 1996.

Fast-forward 29 years later and my relationship with mule deer has changed and has more breadth and depth for their concern. I've seen that the desire to hunt these deer is exceeding their habitat needs as a species. However, that same hunting passion can also be applied to benefit mule deer.

I'm glad when other have success, but like anything in life we know we need to give back, and with deer, we need to give more than we take so these deer will grow healthy and prosper in our world that's becoming more congested, fragmented, and developed.

We only hunt one month of the year; however, we can keep our relationship with these deer throughout the year. We can certainly find ways to engage to assist mule deer by volunteering to: Improve habitat, install water catch systems, plant sage, and work with ranchers and wildlife agencies to remove and/or replace dangerous old-style barb-wire fencing.

Become a member, attend a Mule Deer Foundation event, go out with a field team to do a day's work, or become a member of the Legacy Society and recognize the MDF in your will as I have. You will know your participation makes a difference and the next hunting season you will feel more connected to the deer and the land.