About 15 years ago my friend Joe Mangelos gave me a free ticket to attend a fund raising banquet for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. When I got to the dinner, I was feeling kind of guilty, so I bought some raffle tickets. Darned if I didn’t win a brand new 30-06 rifle! I was hooked even though I’ve never been elk hunting, every year since I make it a point to attend the Elk Foundation Banquet.

This year is the 30th year anniversary of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and in that time they have done tremendous things to preserve and protect habitat for all the critters I love. When the Elk Foundation preserves habitat for Elk, they are also providing habitat for grizzly bears to rear their cubs, as well as habitat for wolves, mountain lions, moose, trout, and waterfowl. If you love to see wild critters & their habitat, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is working for the things you love. Since 1984, they have permanently protected 1.1 million acres either via outright purchase, or the purchase of conservation easements.

I don’t know about you, but the enormity of over a million acres is a such a huge area that it is hard for me to comprehend. Try this, close your eyes and try to imagine a panoramic view of the beautiful Yosemite Valley. Now multiply that vast area by a thousand! That begins to give you an idea of what the volunteers of the Elk Foundation have achieved. I love going to conservation dinners of all sorts, but these guys are amazing. You buy dinner tickets for about $60 a person and show up dressed in Western casual attire. Levis, boots and Stetsons are pretty much the uniform of the day. You can then buy raffle tickets for some great prizes and then there is also an auction for more great stuff. You sit down to a great dinner with some equally great people and have a wonderful evening. Is it a little pricey? You bet. But if you have kids or grandkids, that’s what it’s all about. It’s all about saving some of our incredible outdoor heritage for future generations.

It doesn’t matter if you live in California, Nevada, Idaho, Utah, or Arizona there are Rocky Mountain Elk banquets somewhere near you. For the banquet nearest to you, Google REMF or Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and then go to their website. Click on whatever state you live in and Bingo, there’s a dinner near you. Take your kids, and grandkids, they’ll love it as much as you do.



Until Next Week,

Tight Lines