Wyoming Game and Fish officials say the state is ramping up efforts to conserve mule deer through a new statewide strategy, expanded public input on hunting seasons, and major habitat-protection projects along highways.

Angi Bruce, director of Wyoming Game and Fish, outlined the agency’s approach in her monthly report on the Weekday Wake-up, calling the 2026 Mule Deer Conservation Strategy “phase one” of a broader, collaborative effort. “This plan is about trying something, and it’s trying it collectively with everyone at the table — our partners,” Bruce said. “There’s a lot of people who want to do something.”

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The strategy, Bruce explained, is intentionally high-level to open a wider conversation across Wyoming. “I call that phase one because it’s very high level. It starts the conversation,” she said. The agency plans a statewide mule deer summit on November 13 in Casper to move from planning to action: “Everyone’s invited, but this is a collective effort to say, okay, what actions do we need to take and who’s going to take them to move this plan forward?”

Bruce said the mule deer strategy will build on years of on-the-ground work and investment. “We’ve done so much work in mule deer conservation over the years. We’ve put millions of dollars into the effort. This is just to build on that and continue that, but do it in a very collaborative way across the state,” she said, urging residents to weigh in on where they might participate: “We want input from everyone. We want to ask you: do you see yourself in this, and if not, where do you think you play a role?”

As Wyoming officials finalize season proposals this spring and pursue habitat protections and more coordinated conservation funding, Bruce struck an upbeat, pragmatic tone: “If we could just pull a trigger, pull a lever and have a rebound in the populations we would, but it’s going to take a whole lot more… We are looking at taking this to the next step. We’re rolling it out. We want input from everyone.”

Bruce closed the interview with a reminder that, despite conservation concerns, spring offers outdoor opportunities. “I’ve got fishing on my mind and getting outside… I hope other people do and take advantage of the nice weather,” she said, while noting lingering drought worries. For now, Wyoming’s mule deer plan will lean on science, partnerships, and public participation as managers seek to reverse declines that have worried hunters and wildlife lovers across the West.