October 2021

During the recent Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies meeting, a Multistate Conservation Grant (MSCG) proposal to provide funding for the Boone and Crockett Club’s Poach & Pay Project was recommended for approval. Coordinated in conjunction with the Wildlife Management Institute (WMI), Poach & Pay is the first comprehensive research project to review, assess, and address the level of illegal take of wildlife in our country. Initial funding for this project was provided by the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund, Leupold & Stevens, Federal Ammunition, and SCI along with a research and media partnership with International Wildlife Crimestoppers. The MSCG grant will support the research that is underway and, combined with additional partner funding, will allow for a coordinated public outreach campaign using the results of the research. The project is expected to take three years, concluding in Fall/Winter of 2024.

At the September Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies’ (AFWA) annual meeting, the Science and Research Committee and the Fish and Wildlife Health Committee sponsored a virtual Special Session, titled “Advancing CWD Data Management, Mapping, and Surveillance.” Many fish and wildlife agencies and research scientists across North America and Europe are engaged in efforts to understand and manage this disease. While there have been significant advances in chronic wasting disease (CWD) surveillance and data management, there is a pressing need for better communication, coordination, and collaboration among wildlife managers and researchers across the United States and Canada.