Delta Waterfowl Awarded Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s $100,000 Outdoor Fund Grant to Protect Habitat for Breeding Ducks

The $100,000 grant will enhance efforts by The Duck Hunters Organization to conserve at-risk, vital duck-producing wetlands in the prairie pothole region

For immediate release
June 13, 2024

BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA — A generous grant from the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund will advance efforts by Delta Waterfowl to conserve critical breeding duck habitat in the prairie pothole region. In bolstering Delta’s Habitat Conservation programs, the $100,000 grant will support the breeding efforts of multitudes of ducks by helping to maintain the PPR’s robust wetland base.

“We are grateful to stand alongside our customers to support the vital work being done by Delta Waterfowl to help protect and support the prairie pothole region,” said Johnny Morris, noted conservationist and Bass Pro Shops founder.  “There’s no way to overstate the importance of these waterfowl breeding grounds, and the impact that these initiatives contribute will make a positive difference for future generations.”

The Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund connects passionate customers with conservation leaders and industry partners, leading to bold actions and ensuring a bright future for hunters and the wildlife we all love. The Outdoor Fund advocates for three pillars of the conservation movement: Connecting New Audiences to the Outdoors, Conserving Wildlife and Habitat, and Advocating for Sportsmen’s Rights and the Outdoors.

Delta’s policy work to conserve small wetlands—those most at risk of drainage and proven most critical to prolific duck production—keep essential, quality habitat on the landscape. These efforts include working with farmers to develop programs such as Working Wetlands in the United States and the Shallow Wetland Incentive Program in Canada.

The Duck Hunters Organization also vigilantly advocates for vital habitat programs to be included in every U.S. Farm Bill, which historically has funded the Conservation Reserve Program, Swampbuster, and the Environmental Quality Incentives Program.

Further, in Canada, Delta’s conservation vision led to the SWIP program’s adoption in Manitoba and momentum toward its expansion into other major duck producing provinces. SWIP incentivizes farmers to avoid draining shallow wetlands and is proving hugely popular both with the agriculture community and those interested in the conservation of waterfowl and wetlands.

“The only way to ensure strong fall flights of ducks long into the future is through supporting waterfowl conservation, especially Delta’s Habitat Conservation initiatives coupled with our Duck Production programs,” said Scott Vance, Delta’s development director for Tennessee and Kentucky. “The Duck Hunters Organization is grateful to have the support of Bass Pro Shops, and we applaud their admirable and longtime support of wildlife conservation throughout North America’s woods and waters.”

For more information on Delta’s Habitat Conservation programs, contact John Devney, chief policy officer, at (888) 987-3695 ext. 5218 or jdevney@deltawaterfowl.org.

Delta Waterfowl is The Duck Hunters Organization, a leading conservation group working to produce ducks and secure the future of waterfowl hunting in North America. Visit deltawaterfowl.org.