Five Years of SO3362: Progress on Big Game Migrations but More Work Needed

Five years ago, this new research spawned a Department of the Interior policy signed in early February 2018. Secretarial Order 3362 (SO3362), “Improving Habitat Quality in Western Big Game Winter Range and Migration Corridors” served as a catalyst for collaborative conservation efforts between the states with big game management authority, the federal agencies that manage a significant amount of the lands used by these species, private landowners, and the non-profit and industry organizations that are contributing to habitat restoration efforts. This year, partners are celebrating the five-year anniversary of SO3362 and evaluating the many successes that it spurred, but also acknowledging that the work done so far, while impressive, is just the beginning.

The Boone and Crockett Club has been actively involved in SO3362 from its original concept. As documented in our Winter 2021 Fair Chase article, “The Difference Makers on Conservation Policy,” Club members helped develop the concept within the Department of the Interior and have continued to lead policy actions and the on-the-ground conservation efforts that are making a difference. On the five-year anniversary, Club CEO Tony Schoonen joined a group of about 50 partners at the Mule Deer Foundation’s Western Big Game Migration Forum to talk about what has been done and the work still needed to improve big game migration corridors and seasonal ranges.

Participants in the afternoon session of the Western Big Game Migrations Forum during the February Western Hunting & Conservation Expo in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Participants in the Forum included U.S. Department of the Interior Deputy Secretary Tommy Beaudreau, U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Robert Bonnie, Bureau of Land Management Director Tracy Stone-Manning, USDA Forest Service Deputy Chief Chris French, directors or senior leaders from 11 western state fish and wildlife agencies, leadership from eight outdoor industry companies, and high-level staff from nine different hunting-conservation organizations. The varied perspectives led to active discussions in a two-hour session before speakers outlined the issue to the public and media in a widely attended afternoon session. 

“We were proud to join our partners in celebrating the five-year anniversary of Secretarial Order 3362 at the Mule Deer Foundation’s Western Hunting & Conservation Expo,” noted Tony Schoonen, Boone and Crockett Club CEO. “SO3362 directed the Interior Department to coordinate efforts, allocate funding, and catalyze collaboration to conserve and improve the western landscapes that support elk, pronghorn, mule deer, and innumerable other wildlife species. Our participation in the Western Big Game Migration Forum gave us an opportunity to come together with a wide range of partners from the NGO community, state and federal government agencies, and industry to both enjoy our successes and strategize on how we ought to address the challenges we’re still facing. There’s a lot of work yet to be done, and dedicated funding for the SO 3362 program is the next step in the process.”

Over the last five years, direct funding to implement the order included $6.4 million for research and $2.5 million for mapping support to state fish and wildlife agencies. In addition, $20 million was directed toward habitat conservation and management through a grant program coordinated by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Partner organizations matched much of this funding leading to significantly higher investment to implement projects on the ground. However, funding for this program has been limited since 2020. 

In addition, while the original order was driven through the Department of the Interior, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has become much more engaged through the Natural Resource Conservation Service’s work with private landowners, launching a big game migrations pilot project in Wyoming. And the U.S. Forest Service has issued direction to regional foresters to focus on ecological connectivity and migrations, supporting forest management projects that can help improve summer range that is often in higher elevation national forests. Another success included securing $350 million within the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to support a Department of Transportation pilot program to fund construction of wildlife crossings—overpasses and underpasses that will help reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions in high-risk areas. 

B&C Professional members Casey Stemler (speaking) and (left to right) Tony Wasley, Joel Pedersen, and Miles Moretti spoke during the celebration of the five-year anniversary of Secretarial Order 3362.

However, Casey Stemler, coordinator for SO3362 for the Department of the Interior and a Boone and Crockett Club professional member, talked about how increasing population, human development, and habitat loss in the West in recent years continue to escalate the challenges big game species face. Through SO3362, researchers have now mapped more than 150 different ungulate migration corridors allowing agencies and partners to clearly identify migration barriers or areas where habitat restoration is necessary. But the number of projects far exceeds the funding currently available, and important seasonal ranges are increasingly facing fragmentation and degradation.

The Club continues to work with partners to increase funding for migration corridor research and habitat projects. Through the American Wildlife Conservation Partners, the groups asked the Office of Management and Budget to work with the Departments to “create a concise, targeted crosscut wildlife corridors budget to ensure year to year consistency and a reliable programmatic approach to wildlife corridors conservation.” In addition, the groups are pursuing a priority from Wildlife for the 21st Century: Volume 6 to advance legislation that would authorize necessary funding for a wildlife corridors grant program.

The Boone and Crockett Club is continuing this effort by working with a team of our AWCP partners and congressional appropriators to fund the SO3362 program. The Club aims to secure durable funding for a central project coordinator, a grant program to promote state and Tribal wildlife migration research, and funding for targeted habitat improvement projects, among other program elements. The Club is also working to with our partners to authorize this program in statute, but immediate funding for the existing Secretarial Order is the top priority.

During a severe winter like many states in the West are currently experiencing, the habitat quality on seasonal ranges and the ability for big game species to move across the landscape come into even greater focus. Quality habitat in the spring and summer provide the forage for animals to build up fat reserves. Habitat availability in severe winter range can make sure there is access to browse in areas that don’t hold as deep snowpack. Removing or improving barriers like fencing and road crossings can reduce stress and ensure the animals have the energy needed to survive the winter. It’s unclear if some of the improvements made through SO3362 will make a difference for big game this winter, but continued focus on habitat conservation and restoration efforts in priority areas will help. That’s good news for these big game species—and good news for those who value them on the landscape and enjoy hunting them in the fall.