Big-Game Hero 2022: Impact by the Numbers
The water we drink, the food we eat, and the air we breathe all depend on other forms of life. Without wildlife, there would simply be no “us”. Wildlife conservation is crucial—and that’s why we partnered with Conservation First USA (formerly Arizona Big Game Super Raffle) for the annual Big-Game Hero Competition. Conservation First USA is a non-profit organization launched by volunteer sportsmen and women that raises funds to improve and restore wildlife habitats in the Southwest.
Remarkably, the 2022 Big-Game Hero Competition raised over $900,000. These funds were granted to Conservation First USA as part of a fundraising campaign operated by Colossal on behalf of DTCare. We’re thrilled to report how the funds are being put to use by Conservation First USA!
$500k—a majority of the funds—were granted to the Arizona Deer Association to be used in the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Habitat Partnership Program and aid in their mission to improve habitat and expand Arizona’s mule deer and Coues’ deer herds.
$100k of the funds will be used for a project focused on restoring habitats under the Mogollon Rim at the headwaters of the sacred Salt River in Arizona.
Another $100k of the funds will be used to refurbish over 60 water catchments and tanks in Northern Arizona’s Kaibab National Forest. Water catchments and tanks provide incredibly valuable water to all wildlife, from songbirds to big-game animals, like mule deer. Mule deer of the Kaibab North herd on the Kaibab Plateau is considered the most high-profile deer herd in the country.
Conservation First USA will grant $50k of the funds to Vermejo, a 550,000-acre reserve in northern New Mexico that is committed to fostering the preservation and restoration of native ecosystems.
The remaining funds (around $150k) will be divided into grants for other impactful projects to conserve wildlife in Arizona and the Southwest. We are beyond grateful to be able to make such a substantial contribution to Conservation First USA on behalf of DTCare, and we’re looking forward to another successful Competition in 2023!
