RMEF in Washington state

[jackelope]

@LDennis24 asked to be pointed to RMEF activities in Washington state in another thread, so I did a little looking.

https://www.rmef.org/where-we-conserve/

A couple other comments in that thread prompted a question in my head. What do they do? Are they an org whose main goal is to aquire land to turn into huntable land in the name of conservation? Do they do any predator control focused work? What else do they do? I have been a member in the past but am not currently.


Anyway....should I be a member of RMEF?

.

[NW SURVEYOR]

Jack,
I am currently and have been a member of RMEF for 20+ years.
Although I am not an active participant in the organization, it is my belief that they (we?) provide focus on elk and the other associated wildlife that benefits from a healthy elk population.  They do purchase large and small tracts of land that directly benefits elk and also undertake enhancement programs such as controlled burns, old fence removal and dig/construct guzzler wells/tanks which help minimize elk having to cross certain roads for water, etc.

As for the political aspect, I had an interesting discussion while in Omak about 10 years ago with a RMEF bigwig, he explained that although the RMEF is generally against the wolf reintroduction, they choose not to actively engage in the fight due to the legal costs involved with being countersued, etc.  They have a limited budget and the pro-wolf activists know it, by suing, they can tie up the money that RMEF uses for enhancement, which is really the purpose of the organization.

As a side note, if we as a hunting advocacy group could all get on the same page and be as organized as the bark eaters and PETA, we could raise more money and lobby to advance our agenda.  Sadly, like most of you, I am to busy trying to make a living while the bark eaters are living off unemployment and welfare.

Anyways, RMEF is in my opinion a very worthy organization.
Thanks for your concern.

Rob.

[NumaJohn]

As a longtime RMEF member, I can attest that the group puts its money where its mission is--with protecting habitat for elk and other wildlife. To me, habitat loss and the loss of quality habitat are far bigger threats to the average hunter than anti-hunting groups. The old "Cows, not condos" adage makes a lot of sense. It seems to me that RMEF's willingness to work with federal land agencies makes it a particularly worthwhile conservation organization, given how much federal land we (all) own.

John

[Bob33]

I believe RMEF does far more good than any possible harm.

[Dan-o]

Jack,
I am currently and have been a member of RMEF for 20+ years.
Although I am not an active participant in the organization, it is my belief that they (we?) provide focus on elk and the other associated wildlife that benefits from a healthy elk population.  They do purchase large and small tracts of land that directly benefits elk and also undertake enhancement programs such as controlled burns, old fence removal and dig/construct guzzler wells/tanks which help minimize elk having to cross certain roads for water, etc.

As for the political aspect, I had an interesting discussion while in Omak about 10 years ago with a RMEF bigwig, he explained that although the RMEF is generally against the wolf reintroduction, they choose not to actively engage in the fight due to the legal costs involved with being countersued, etc.  They have a limited budget and the pro-wolf activists know it, by suing, they can tie up the money that RMEF uses for enhancement, which is really the purpose of the organization.

As a side note, if we as a hunting advocacy group could all get on the same page and be as organized as the bark eaters and PETA, we could raise more money and lobby to advance our agenda.  Sadly, like most of you, I am to busy trying to make a living while the bark eaters are living off unemployment and welfare.

Anyways, RMEF is in my opinion a very worthy organization.
Thanks for your concern.

Rob.

Probably been a member for 20+ years.

Your comments resonate with me

I am an rmef fan.

[huntnfmly]

They just passed over 8 million acres protected /enhanced or open for public hunting
Well worth the membership fee

[bearpaw]

I believe RMEF does far more good than any possible harm.

   well put

[pianoman9701]

They do great work here. I'd hoped that they would've become a little more involved in the planning stages of the Wolf Plan. But overall, it's a great group to support. I've been a member for 25 years I think.

[D-Rock425]

Probably better work than anything BHA does

[dvolmer]

I'm a sceptic by nature.  Not to sure what to think of them.  I would like to see a break down of their income revenue and their outgoing revenue.  I'm sure they do some good things but I sort of shied away from them after watching their outdoor channel show and seeing all the big-wigs, celebrities, and sponsors hunt wonderful ranches for monster elk that no average day guy that donates $20-$200 a year to be a member will ever have a chance to lay feet on.  But I will say, I have no idea what they actually do or don't do and what they actually spend on elk and what they keep to run the organization.  In some ways it seems like a "Good Old Boy's Club" but I could def be wrong.  Like I said, I am a sceptic by nature.  It just seems so many organizations for almost all things now seems to have less pennies on the dollars spent on actual boots on the ground and more and more on expensive overhead and borderline abuse.  I hope this is not the case with RMEF but have no idea.

[archerykraze]

Not trying to steer the thread but if anyone shops on Amazon there is a free fundraiser they do that you can donate to any wildlife organization. Instead of going to Amazon.com just go to smile.amazon.com which is the same but linked to your charity. I've had the Mule Deer Foundation on mine and every purchase I make Amazon contributes to The Mule Deer Foundation for me. It's not a lot but anything helps these days for conservation.

[D-Rock425]

https://kifaru.net/nonprofits/  podcast on some nonprofit groups

[Stein]

I'm a sceptic by nature.  Not to sure what to think of them.  I would like to see a break down of their income revenue and their outgoing revenue.  I'm sure they do some good things but I sort of shied away from them after watching their outdoor channel show and seeing all the big-wigs, celebrities, and sponsors hunt wonderful ranches for monster elk that no average day guy that donates $20-$200 a year to be a member will ever have a chance to lay feet on.  But I will say, I have no idea what they actually do or don't do and what they actually spend on elk and what they keep to run the organization.  In some ways it seems like a "Good Old Boy's Club" but I could def be wrong.  Like I said, I am a sceptic by nature.  It just seems so many organizations for almost all things now seems to have less pennies on the dollars spent on actual boots on the ground and more and more on expensive overhead and borderline abuse.  I hope this is not the case with RMEF but have no idea.

https://www.rmef.org/resources/rmef-financials/

Annual report, audited financial statements and tax returns are all published on their website.

[huntnfmly]

I'm a sceptic by nature.  Not to sure what to think of them.  I would like to see a break down of their income revenue and their outgoing revenue.  I'm sure they do some good things but I sort of shied away from them after watching their outdoor channel show and seeing all the big-wigs, celebrities, and sponsors hunt wonderful ranches for monster elk that no average day guy that donates $20-$200 a year to be a member will ever have a chance to lay feet on.  But I will say, I have no idea what they actually do or don't do and what they actually spend on elk and what they keep to run the organization.  In some ways it seems like a "Good Old Boy's Club" but I could def be wrong.  Like I said, I am a sceptic by nature.  It just seems so many organizations for almost all things now seems to have less pennies on the dollars spent on actual boots on the ground and more and more on expensive overhead and borderline abuse.  I hope this is not the case with RMEF but have no idea.

84 % is spent on wildlife

[LDennis24]

Wow do I like this thread! So I have always been a skeptic of these kinds of foundations. I was a member for several years just sending them money and getting free stuff that I usually can destroy in no time at all and reading articles or clipping out pics to tape onto my binder in school or on a board. But it's still fun getting them! know plenty of people who are "members" meaning they pay membership fees and get free knives and bags etc. I know a guy who has won I think six different guns in his lifetime of being a member as well. I just don't know anyone who has seen with their own eyes any improvements on land they acquired or helped develope in a way to bring elk numbers up. I know rain guzzlers make a difference and I have actually seen some made of hollowed out logs in remote areas in the Blue Mountains plugged into a hillside to collect spring water. I was told the RMEF members built them. And I've heard it said that it's very cheap to sue someone... It's the defense that will bankrupt you. So I can see why they might not wanna get involved in predator control issues, but if they truly wanna make a difference those rain guzzlers will have black bears sitting in them in the hottest months of the year and not elk snouts. I'm just afraid that what you don't see is something like the NRA had been doing in the last several years.