Permanently protecting critical wildlife habitat, such as the Tenderfoot Creek property, is just one component of RMEF’s Elk Country Legacy program.

The Elk Country Legacy program is vital to meeting the RMEF’s mission. The program focuses on land protection to secure habitat for elk and other wildlife, and to ensure public access to maintain our hunting traditions. Powered by sponsors, grants and volunteers, the RMEF works to create a lasting Elk Country Legacy through four key programs:

Permanent Land Protection
RMEF aims to keep the most vital elk habitat wild and open to the public through permanent land protection. We achieve this through acquisitions, conservation easements, land exchanges and land donations. RMEF was founded by public-lands hunters. We’ve taken deep pride in each new acre we’ve conserved and opened, retiring “No Trespassing” signs and replacing them with ones that say, “Hunters Welcome.”

Habitat Stewardship
From prescribed burning to installing guzzlers, the Elk Foundation practices habitat stewardship by working with federal, state, tribal and private partners to deliver boots-on-the-ground projects that improve essential forage, water, cover and open space for elk and other wildlife.

Restoration
Restoration plays a vital role in RMEF’s mission. The RMEF works to restore wild, free-ranging elk to their native habitats from coast to coast, and to ensure those populations not only survive, but thrive.

Hunting Heritage
The RMEF upholds the opportunity for every American to hunt wild, free-ranging animals in healthy landscapes, and works to maintain our proud hunting heritage. We strive to educate the public about hunters’ crucial role in wildlife restoration and habitat conservation in the past, present and future. And we work to instill the passion in tomorrow’s hunters and conservationists.

A stellar example of how the Elk Country Legacy program works is the Tenderfoot Creek project in Montana. In 2010, RMEF purchased 1,160 acres of prime elk habitat, followed by another 320 acres in 2011 and 1,920 acres in 2012, in the Tenderfoot Creek basin. The land is now part of the Lewis and Clark National Forest and open to the public for hunting and other recreation. It is RMEF’s goal to forever protect and public access on a total of 8,200 acres of elk country along Tenderfoot Creek. Through the Elk Country Legacy program, RMEF will make this happen.

The Elk Country Legacy program would not be possible without the help of our Charter Sponsors, which include Browning, Bass Pro Shops, North American Hunter and Realtree. We also extend thanks to our Supporting Sponsors—Sportsman’s Warehouse, Mossy Oak, Cabela’s, Sitka and Hunter’s Specialties.

“Through the Elk Country Legacy program, RMEF is improving and protecting habitat for elk and other wildlife, restoring elk to their native ranges and driving home to millions of people the value of our hunting heritage and that Hunting is Conservation,” says Steve Decker, RMEF vice president of marketing. “We are very thankful to our Elk Country Legacy sponsors. These companies are leaders in our industry, investing in the future of hunting and conservation.”