Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

[TheHunt]

I have been a member for four years now.  They are out to buy lands.  If you do not have the dollars you will not be getting a hunt.  I usually will not make a big deal out of the Indian Casino.  I just will not attend.  If they ask I will tell them. 

I will attend another RMEF banquet.  Heck there is one every other month.

[huntnphool]

Thanks for finding that Bowhuntin, that's the form letter I received as well.

[WonkyWapiti]

I just joined the RMEF and I attended the banquet at the Snoqualmie casino.  Huntnphool I had no problem with attending the meeting there especially since the Snoqualmie's do not have any tribal hunting rights.  The banquet actually was pretty awesome and my wife and I had alot of fun. 

[MHWASH]

Been a member for over 10 years. We will be attending the banquet in Moscow tonite.

[ABugg]

Not just for land purchases, RMEF also provides funds for habitat enhancement projects, research and some monitoring.  Much of the work done in WA is funded in part by RMEF $$.

[Grizzle]

I attended the banquet at the Sno casino, I was pretty impressed with Rance's presentation on 2008 accomplishments.  Seems like they're getting a lot done on the central east slope.  Something like 180 square miles has been protected.   They're definitely more than just buying up land, they are making the dollars they have go a long way by partnering with other organizations and lending organizational skills.  Rance stated that rmef was directly responsible of reversing the tide of public opinion regarding all the land swaps that made the east slope contiguous protected habitat.

Hard to get to excited about only 50% of the money collected stays in WA, but...

I haven't heard only positive things about the rmef, some negative, but they're doing alright by my book.   

On a side note:  I was surprised how thick the smell of cigarettes was in the casino, i would have thought they'd have spent a bazillion dollars to put in big air scrubbers. 

[Grizzle]

Got this from Rance Block this morning:

"last Thursday, we received $1.9 million
in funding toward completion of our newest project in the Cascades.  The
Rock Creek Acquisition is a critical 10,371-acre inholding in the
Wenatchee National Forest west of Yakima.  We are hoping to complete the
first phase of the acquisition by mid-summer, and are actively looking
for sources of funding to raise the remaining $2.5 million to complete
the project.  The lands will end up in ownership of the Washington
Department of Fish and Wildlife.  I've attached a flyer on this project."

[jsteplee]

I just signed up last week, so I'm a member, but I haven't even received my membership card.  Had thought to sign up last year, but just couldn't get the "extra" cash together.  Anyway, looking forward to putting the sticker on my rig.  Out of all the non-profits I've read about, the RMEF is the one that's always spoken highly of.

[Houndhunter]

personally i think they close off more elk hunting each year

[norsepeak]

Life member here.  I beleive they are doing some very good things.

[Hardtop]

I've been a member for a long time, but do to there stand on wolves, I don't really know. I love what they do most of the time. I pm'ed you a list of groups that are agaist them.

[RUTNBULL1]

Life member here.  I beleive they are doing some very good things.

Life Member as well Norse, They are a great org. and are providing great habitat oppurtunities for us as well as for future generations. It doesn't surprise me that some will discredit the RMEF, but not every Orginization is going to have 100% support and have issues or decisions that people will agree with, but for the most part the RMEF has probably done 90% good for hunting, habitat, and our gun rights, than harm.

[fisheral87]

Unfortunately I didn't recieve any PM.

[boneaddict]

Member here.  Only thing that has hit my radar lately was teh casino thing.   I was quite perturbed over it and really didn't like their "response".

[Intruder]

Member....
Overall I like em.  Like all orgs they have some things that can be improved.  Not sure where some of the things stand these days but they seemed to be losing focus a little.... for example some of the reintroduction of elk in the East projects.  Not against it per se' but is it really the best use of limited funding?  Again though, overall a worthwhile group. 

personally i think they close off more elk hunting each year

Can you eleborate?