Missoula, Montana—A log home for your dog. A 12-foot-tall elk sculpture made from rifles, tools and farm implements. A bundle of New Mexico big-game hunting tags valued at over $150,000.
These are among the 400 items to be auctioned at a conservation fundraiser held as part of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation’s 24th Annual Elk Camp & Hunting, Fishing and Outdoor Expo, Feb. 21-24, in Reno, Nev.
All together, sale items are valued at $1.4 million—a total the Elk Foundation expects to yield vital funding for its mission.
“The race is on to keep elk country from suffocating in noxious weeds, strip malls and subdivisions. Auction proceeds will fund our ongoing efforts to conserve and enhance habitat for elk and other wildlife,” said David Allen, president and CEO of the Elk Foundation.
Founded in 1984, the nonprofit Elk Foundation has led a $473 million campaign that has permanently protected or enhanced more than 5 million acres, a land area more than twice as large as Yellowstone National Park. Nearly 500,000 acres previously closed to public access have been opened for hunting, fishing and other recreation.
Auction items range from quirky to everyday, and from lavish to pedestrian. Items of special note also include:
1. Pack mule (which annually sells for up to $32,000)
2. Hand-carved fine furniture including a grandfather clock with wooden gears
3. Nevada elk hunt with landowner tag (valued at $22,500)
4. Handcrafted guitar
5. Talladega Superspeedway Race Weekend (which sold last year for $13,000)
6. Various hunting permits including special elk tags for Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Kentucky, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington (eastern) and Wyoming (Governor’s Tag). Also, mule deer tags for Nevada and New Mexico, a mountain goat tag for Montana and a white-tailed deer tag for Iowa.
The Elk Camp & Hunting, Fishing and Outdoor Expo, to be held at the Reno/Sparks Convention Center, also will feature elk hunting seminars, displays of trophy-class and record-book elk, kids’ activities, auctions and a 400-exhibit expo filled with art, gear, firearms and outfitted hunting and fishing opportunities.
Admission is $12 per person or $25 per family, and free for kids 5 and under.
Show hours are Thurs., Feb. 21, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Fri., Feb. 22, 9 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; Sat., Feb. 23, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; and Sun., Feb. 24, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
For more details, visit www.elkfoundation.org>www.elkfoundation.org.
About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
Founded in 1984 and headquartered in Missoula, Mont., the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring the future of elk, other wildlife and their habitat. The Elk Foundation and its partners have permanently protected or enhanced nearly 5 million acres, a land area more than twice as large as Yellowstone National Park. Nearly 500,000 acres previously closed to public access are now open for hunting, fishing and other recreation. The Elk Foundation has more than 150,000 members, a staff of 150 and 10,000 active volunteers. To help protect wild elk country or learn more about the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, visit www.elkfoundation.org>www.elkfoundation.org or call 800-CALL-ELK.
