National Deer Association

IN 2022, NDA HAD A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON POLICY THAT IMPACTS DEER, HUNTING, AND CONSERVATION.

SEE SCHEDULE ONATIONAL DEER ASSOCIATION ("NDA") HAD 28,564 MEMBERS DURING 2022. FOUNDED IN 1988, NDA IS A WILDLIFE CONSERVATION ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO ENSURING THE FUTURE OF WILD DEER, WILDLIFE HABITAT AND HUNTING. WE DO THIS BY UNITING HUNTERS, MANAGERS, STATE AGENCIES, THE HUNTING INDUSTRY, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND NON-HUNTERS TO ENSURE WELFARE AND SUSTAINABILITY OF DEER POPULATIONS AND THEIR HABITAT, ADVOCATING FOR SUSTAINABLE, SCIENCE-BASED CONSERVATION OF WILD DEER; SERVING AS A LEADING PROVIDER OF CREDIBLE, RESPONSIBLE AND TIMELY INFORMATION ON DEER HUNTING AND MANAGEMENT, EDUCATING HUNTERS AND NON-HUNTERS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE ROLE THAT DEER HUNTING PLAYS IN WILDLIFE CONSERVATION AND INCREASING AND DIVERSIFYING PARTICIPATION AND THE SOCIETAL ACCEPTANCE OF HUNTING. SINCE 2006, NDA HAS CONTRIBUTED TO DEER RESEARCH PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE U.S. ; CONDUCTED EDUCATIONAL EVENTS, PROVIDED EXPERT OPINIONS ON PROPOSED POLICIES, REGULATIONS AND PLANS, CERTIFIED HUNTERS, LANDOWNERS AND BIOLOGISTS AND MENTORED THOUSANDS OF YOUNG AND FIRST-TIME HUNTERS.FOUNDED IN 1988, NDA ESTABLISHED IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND MOVED TO GEORGIA IN 1997. NDA ENCOURAGES THE PROTECTION OF MOST, OR ALL YEARLING (1 1/2-YEAR-OLD) BUCKS COMBINED WITH AN APPROPRIATE HARVEST OF DOES, WHEN NECESSARY, TO MAINTAIN A HEALTHY POPULATION IN BALANCE WITH HABITAT CONDITIONS AND HUNTER DESIRES. THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS AND SUPPORTING SERVICES ARE INCLUDED IN THE ACCOMPANYING STATEMENTS OF ACTIVITIES. CONSERVATION & HUNTING HERITAGE OPERATIONS: CONSERVATION OPERATIONS INCLUDE NDA'S NETWORK OF ALL HUNTERS WHO SHARE A PASSION FOR THE WILD DEER. THIS DEPARTMENT BLENDS THE ART OF HUNTING WITH THE SCIENCE OF MANAGEMENT TO CREATE BETTER DEER AND BETTER DEER HUNTING. THESE EFFORTS ARE ACCOMPLISHED USING FIVE KEY AREAS: RESEARCH, EDUCATION, ADVOCACY, CERTIFICATION, AND HUNTING. THIS DEPARTMENT IS INVOLVED IN ALL AREAS OF THE WILD DEER RESEARCH INCLUDING ECOLOGY, MANAGEMENT, HUNTING, DISEASES, AND HUMAN DIMENSIONS. THIS DEPARTMENT COORDINATES AND FUNDS PRACTICAL RESEARCH PROJECTS THAT INCREASE KNOWLEDGE AND MANAGEMENT. VOLUNTEER OPERATIONS AND CHAPTER SUPPORT - VOLUNTEER OPERATIONS IS THE DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBLE FOR COORDINATING THE ACTIVITIES OF CHAPTER OPERATIONS, PROVIDE LEADERSHIP TRAINING AND GUIDANCE TO THE STATE COUNCILS AND IDENTIFYING, ASSESSING AND RESPONDING TO THE NEEDS OF VARIOUS STATES "VOLUNTEER CONSERVATION EFFORTS. COMMUNICATIONS - THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ON THE IMPORTANCE OF WILD DEER CONSERVATION. IT PUBLISHES A BI-MONTHLY QUALITY WHITETAILS MAGAZINE, WEEKLY NEWSLETTER, AND THE ANNUAL DEER REPORT. THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR OTHER PUBLICATIONS, MAINTAINING NDA'S WEBSITE, GENERATING PRESS RELEASES AND OTHER PUBLIC RELATIONS. IN 2022, NDA HAD A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON POLICY THAT IMPACTS DEER, HUNTING, AND CONSERVATION BY SENDING 60 ACTION ALERTS, AUTHORING, OR SIGNING 95 LETTERS OF SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION, AND ENCOURAGING MORE THAN 3,000 LETTERS FROM OUR CONSTITUENTS. NDA ADDRESSED LANDSCAPE-LEVEL ACCESS AND FOREST HEALTH ISSUES THROUGH THE PUBLIC LANDS INITIATIVE BY HELPING TO IMPROVE 316,218 ACRES OF PUBLIC LAND IN SIX STATES AT A TOTAL VALUE OF $2,164,206. NDA CONTINUED TO PROVIDE SOME OF THE BEST DEER AND HABITAT EDUCATIONAL CONTENT IN THE WORLD BY PUBLISHING MORE THAN 100 COMBINED ARTICLES AND VIDEOS ACROSS OUR VARIOUS PLATFORMS. MORE THAN 6 MILLION PEOPLE WERE REACHED THROUGH NDA'S SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS ALONE. NDA HELD 54 FIELD TO FORK EVENTS ACROSS 19 STATES TO INTRODUCE NEW PEOPLE TO HUNTING AS PART OF OUR R3 INITIATIVES WHILE ALSO GRADUATING 300 NEW DEER STEWARD PARTICIPANTS AT VARIOUS LEVELS. NDA FINISHED ANOTHER STRONG FINANCIAL YEAR HELPED BY SECURING A RECORD NUMBER OF CORPORATE SPONSORS AND CONDUCTING THE ORGANIZATION'S FIRST EVER GIVING DAY.