Outdoor Fund provides transformational grant

The WYldlife Fund Announces $125,000 Grant for Kaycee-Buffalo Wildlife Crossing Project. We thanks our friends at Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s for believing in Wyoming’s wildlife!

Grant from Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund will help protect wildlife on the move and make safe crossings possible

Thanks to a generous grant from Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund another $125,000 is going to the I-25 Kaycee to Buffalo wildlife crossing project. Across Wyoming, thousands of animals die from roadway collisions annually, including deer, pronghorn, elk, moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goats. This cost-effective transportation project will protect wildlife and allow for safe crossings between summer and winter range habitat.

In announcing this grant, The WYldlife Fund Chairman Mark Wilson expressed the Fund’s commitment to supporting Wyoming’s wildlife and roadway safety.

“We thank Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s for their generous investment. We’re grateful for the support from these businesses that know that crossings are an effective way to make a positive and direct impact on wildlife across Wyoming as well as keeping drivers safe. The cost-effective approach of this project will help our state’s wildlife and serve as a model for other projects like it throughout the West,” Wilson said.

The stretch of road on I-25 Kaycee to Buffalo from mileposts 253-271 has the second-highest collisions rate with deer on a Wyoming interstate and limits the safe movement of mule deer seeking additional habitat. This shovel-ready project will utilize exclusionary fencing to funnel wildlife to six existing crossing structures, such as underpasses, bridges and culverts. This project will also add deer ramps, gates, and cattle guards, as needed.

“In Wyoming and across the West, it’s never been more critical to protect and support wildlife movements,” said Bob Ziehmer, Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s senior director of conservation. “The I-25 Kaycee to Buffalo wildlife crossing project shows the power of partnership in addressing key wildlife needs. We thank our customers for rounding up spare change at the register to the Outdoor Fund and making this work possible.”

The WYldlife Fund will route the Outdoor Fund’s investment through the Wyoming Wildlife Natural Resource Trust Fund to be matched dollar-for-dollar. This will result in a total project gift of $250,000.

“We welcome the involvement of Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund in conservation of Wyoming wildlife. Partnerships are crucial to getting these projects on the ground,” said Bob Budd, Executive Director of the Wyoming Wildlife Natural Resource Trust.  We truly value the relationships we’ve created to mobilize state and private resources. This is a model that can be used in Wyoming and elsewhere to achieve higher conservation objectives.”

The WYldlife Fund is a 501c3 who unites people to advance Wyoming wildlife habitat, research and education. The newly established Fund is a home for all lovers of wildlife and exists to inject funds on the ground to advance critical wildlife projects.