Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council was established by the legislature with the responsibility of providing annual funding recommendations to the legislature from the Outdoor Heritage Fund, which was created by the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment to “…restore, protect, and enhance Minnesota’s wetlands, prairies, forests, and habitat for fish, game, and wildlife…”

The Minnesota Deer Hunters Association (MDHA) has been awarded 4 LSOHC grants for $10,868,000 since 2011. These grant projects include acquisition and enhancement projects with budgets of $400,000 and larger. The larger budget and scope of this level of grant requires much planning and preparation to obtain funding as well as carry out the scope of the grant project to its completion. MDHA thanks the many partners such as Ruffed Grouse Society, The Conservation Fund, The Nature Conservancy, USFS, as well as various tribal entities and county land departments, who have collaborated in time, money, and efforts to assist MDHA in making these projects possible. This great level of planning and collaboration allow us to continue our mission of building habitat benefiting deer and other wildlife across the state of Minnesota.