Book Your Adventure 1-800-346-8747
Book Your Adventure 1-800-346-8747

Guardians of Tomorrow: The WTA Outdoor Guardian Fund

Julie Lund
|  

The WTA Outdoor Guardian Fund, known simply as “The Guardian,” is our unwavering commitment to preserve wildlife and fishery resources for future generations. Launched in 2022 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, The Guardian is dedicated to preservation, sustainable management, conservation, and education—ensuring the outdoors endures for decades to come. Run entirely by volunteers, 100% of donations go directly to conservation efforts.

Built on Worldwide Trophy Adventures’ nearly half-century legacy of connecting hunters and anglers to premier adventures around the world, The Guardian amplifies the impact of our community. WTA clients have long supported local economies, schools, and communities. But as our Board of Director Mark Peterson says, “There are a lot of great organizations in the outdoor industry doing great work—but there can never be enough. We have to give back and do more.” That’s exactly what The Guardian is doing.

We partner with outfitters, guides, brands, and like-minded conservation organizations to fund meaningful, boots-on-the-ground projects that support species and strengthen habitats. We welcome any group or individual who shares our vision of a sustainable outdoor future.

Field-Tested Projects with Real Impact

Our approach is long-term, data-driven, and collaborative:

  • Kentucky Wild Turkey Banding: Now in its third year, we’ve teamed up with Kentucky Fish and Wildlife to band birds, collect harvest data, and analyze blood and saliva. The results? Data-driven harvest limits, insights into disease resistance, and a model that could guide conservation throughout the Southeast.
  • Nebraska Collaring Efforts: We’ve collared mule deer, elk, and now bighorn sheep to study movement, habitat use, and survival. As our Board of Director and project landowner Ryan Watchorn puts it, “It’s about bringing to light how humans can step in to help species flourish.” These studies are shaping management plans across multiple states.
  • Protecting the Jungle in Mexico: With funding from The Guardian, armed security now protects vital jungle habitat from illegal logging—preserving ecosystems for species like the Ocellated Turkey, Brocket Deer, and Jaguar.

These projects aren’t just stories on paper—they’re captured in the field by our production team, who bring conservation to life through video and storytelling. From the hardwoods of Kentucky to the jungles of Mexico, our donors and partners see their impact firsthand.

This Mission is Bigger than Us—Join In

The Guardian isn’t tied to one species or one region—we go where the need is. From our home base in North America across Mexico and Canada to our plans for global expansion, our reach grows with every new collaboration. Have a conservation idea? We want to hear it. Contact us to share your vision.

Make an Impact Today

Donations of all sizes make a difference. Whether you give once or set up a monthly donation, every cent supports the mission, with no overhead for salaries or admin costs. Contributions are also supported through WTA Hunt Sweepstakes and business unit sales, allowing donors to give while doing what they love.

Learn more or contribute today at wtaguardianfund.org. Private donors are welcome to call 1-800-346-8747 for an in-depth conversation about how you want to give back. Just mention the Guardian Fund.

Looking Ahead

From future initiatives with Make-A-Wish to a veterans program through Wounded Warrior, our next chapter is already unfolding. Our goal? To inspire the next generation—teaching kids to hunt, fish, and steward the land with care, ethics, and deep respect. Together, we can preserve the traditions we love and ensure the wild places and wildlife we cherish will endure for generations to come.

Let’s Connect!

Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Related Articles

Estate Hunting: A Closer Look at a Misunderstood Hunting Option

Estate Hunting: A Closer Look at a Misunderstood Hunting Option

Estate hunting, often referred to as high fence hunting, is one of the most misunderstood segments of the modern hunting landscape. The term can carry strong assumptions, but those assumptions rarely reflect the reality of what these hunts actually involve.

At its core, estate hunting offers hunters access to large, privately managed properties where wildlife is carefully stewarded, and hunting opportunities are predictable, efficient, and highly successful. These hunts are not intended to replace traditional public-land or limited-entry experiences. They are meant to provide an alternative option for hunters with specific goals, time constraints, or physical considerations.

Understanding estate hunting begins with recognizing how the properties operate and what the experience looks like on the ground.

What Defines an Estate Hunt?​

Estate hunts take place on privately owned ranches or preserves enclosed by a perimeter fence. These properties can range from several thousand acres to well over 100,000 acres, depending on location, species, and management model.

Within these boundaries, wildlife populations are actively managed year-round. Landowners and outfitters focus on habitat improvement, water development, herd health, genetics, and balanced harvest rates. The result is a stable wildlife population with a strong age structure and consistent hunting opportunity.

Because animals remain on the property, outfitters can offer hunts with a very high harvest probability. In many cases, hunters can pursue specific age classes, horn characteristics, or species that would otherwise require years of applying or limited-entry permits.

What the Experience Is Actually Like

One of the most common misconceptions about estate hunting is that animals are easily located and harvested quickly in a confined space. In reality, many estate properties are vast, and hunters may never see the perimeter fence during their hunt.

These ranches often feature diverse terrain of rolling hills, timber, brush country, open plains, canyons, and river bottoms, allowing animals to behave naturally. Hunters glass, stalk, track, and pass animals just as they would on large private ranches or expansive Western properties.

Once on the ground, the hunt feels far more like a traditional spot-and-stalk or guided private land experience than what many imagine when they hear the term “high fence.”

In the Jungle for Ocellated Turkeys: A Hunt Like No Other

In the Jungle for Ocellated Turkeys: A Hunt Like No Other

Everything about the ocellated turkey is different from what hunters expect when they think about turkeys—from where they live, to…
Spring Thunder on the Plains: Kansas Turkey Hunting Made Simple

Spring Thunder on the Plains: Kansas Turkey Hunting Made Simple

Few Spring experiences rival the sound of a hard-gobbling tom echoing across the Kansas prairie. As winter gives way to warming…

Get Trip Specials & Cancellations,
Right Where You Want It.

No spam. Just the good stuff. Opt-out anytime.