One of the big things I learned getting steeped in the hunting world a few years back was how much time, effort, and money is spent on conservation. Yes, I knew about the Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson Acts, and how those taxes directly help wildlife around the country. But I really wasn't aware of all the private conservation work done by non-profit organizations like the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) or the Mule Deer Foundation (MDF).
As you'd expect, a ton of resources are put forth by private citizens toward conservation, and RMEF and MDF, along with countless others, help ensure further conservation efforts of specific species, habitat, and more each and every year. And while these organizations get most of their funding through memberships and donations, each year they also hold giveaways, raffles, or put together events to raise even more money for conservation, which is exactly what the Mule Deer Foundation is doing in partnership with Can-Am.
In fact, they're giving away a brand new Can-Am Defender, which is a helluva way to get around the mule deer woods this upcoming hunting season.
According to MDF, the giveaway is part of the organization's Ultimate Giveaway, and will include a 2026 Can-Am Defender Max XT Cab HD11 in the brand's Dark Wildland Camo colorway. That's a $33,000 side-by-side being given away, but one that's aiming to support mule deer conservation in the West, something that's critical to that deer species' continued existence as numbers are dwindling in many areas due to habitat loss and warming temperatures.
The giveaway, according to MDF, will help support the group's conservation efforts in habitat restoration, protecting and saving migration corridors, and other mule deer and blacktail deer initiatives the group works on throughout the West. And that conservation work is done through both their own on-the-ground work with volunteers and members, as well as their work with state and federal agencies like the Bureau of Land Management, Forest Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Department of the Interior.
It should also be noted that this type of conservation work also benefits the surrounding habitats and species, as work doesn't just benefit mule deer or blacktails, but everything within the ecosystem, too.
"Can-Am is an iconic brand in the off-road community, and this partnership reflects a shared commitment to conservation and responsible access," stated MDF President & CEO Greg Sheehan, adding, "This Defender represents what’s possible when industry and conservation work together to protect the landscapes mule deer depend on."
Echoing Sheehan's statements, Jeremi Doyon-Roch, Marketing Director at Can-Am, stated, "The Defender is built for people who depend on the land, whether for work, recreation, or conservation. Partnering with the Mule Deer Foundation allows us to support responsible access and the habitat work that keeps these landscapes healthy for future generations."
There are a ton of other prizes, too, including a number of hunts, gear, Mule Deer Foundation lifetime memberships, and guns. And you'll be able to sign up for the giveaway online or at The Western Hunt Expo this month in Utah, which I'll also be attending. So there's some added benefit right there! Or detriment? Unclear, though I'll also be sharing some stories with Backcountry Hunters and Anglers at their Party for Public Lands evening.
