The Mesa Banquet is fast approaching!
We need all hands on deck. Sign up to volunteer today. You won't want to miss this electric atmosphere!
If so you'll want to sign up for our youth hunt camp. The hunt number was 3067.
Below is the link to register for the learn to hunt camp
You may notice we have no concrete dates in June and July and that is because those projects are still a work in progress. Stay tuned!
Project season is wrapped up and we're already planning for next summer. Stay tuned for updates about upcoming volunteer opportunities. To get on the list early click below to email Russ.
We are ramping up our Sawyer Program. Out first project is March 15-16th. If your certification is expired that's okay! Or if you are interested to see our sawyers in action come on out,help and see if this is for you! Click the form below or email Lindsay at lindsayl@arizonaelksociety.org
We have a few dates on the books so far. If you have questions regarding projects please email Russ at russj@arizonaelksociety.org. 
If you can volunteer please fill out the form below.
April 11-12 Blue Ridge II, White Mountains
May 16-18 Leonard Canyon, Unit 5A
August 1-3 Apache Maid, Unit 6A
Wapiti Weekend will be here before you know it! Do you want to guarantee your kids a spot? Then sign up to volunteer early and we'll make sure to get them registered early!Weplanonopening registration to the public the first week of April. So sign up to volunteer today! We're so thankful to have booked Memorial Day Weekend, bring your family for everyone to enjoy time together and celebrate the beginning of summer.
AES partners with NWTF to put on this learn to hunt camp for our youth. The dates are April 17th-20th. Come out and see if you can find this elusive bird! The hunt units are 23, 4A,4B & 3C. If you weren't lucky enough to be drawn no worries! Units 4A, 4B & 3C are over the counter youth tags. AES is in charge of set up and cooking. Please consider volunteering for this event.
On January 28, the Arizona Elk Society and Heroes Rising Outdoors held its first of 4 spring bass classes. This class was taught by Mark Van Meter and he taught the differences between spin casting and baitcasting gear, how to tie the most common knots, and essential gear that you need for fishing. During class, everyone got a chance to get hands on knot tying experience, and we showed a few videos to demonstrate. He also went into some different types of lures, plastics, and also injected some humor into his lesson. This was a great first 
day for our veterans to learn what they needed to have a successful fishing trip.
On February 4, the Arizona Elk Society and Heroes Rising Outdoors held our 2nd of our spring bass classes. This class was taught by Steve Gustafson, and he showed each of the different rigging methods for bass fishing. He went over Carolina Rig, Texas Rig, Ned Rig, Wacky Rig, and Dropshot and taught how to fish each jig. He also hit on different colors and when to use what color. These first two sessions have had lots of information packed into them, and we are looking forward to what we are going to learn in the last 2 classes.
2/11 – cancelled
On February 18, our spring bass class held class again after taking the prior week off due to illness. We had 2 instructors that split the time teaching their different portions of the class. Our first instructor of the day was Paul Matthews, and he taught the class about the behaviors of bass including how to fish them in different seasons and where they can be found during each season. He also taught about structures and cover, and showed our class different things to look at for helping them to plan their day on the lake such as weather, wind, water temperature, and how to read lake maps.
Our second instructor for the day was Greg Pishkur and he taught how to detect when a fish is biting, how to set the hook, and how to fight the fish. He explained where the rod tip should be in relation to the water to set the hook and the best position for reeling in a bass. He also talked about the different types of rods you can use. He touched on some safety, and the different tactics between shore fishing vs boat fishing.
Each veteran also learned how to spool line on a reel after the class. We gave the veterans in our classes a lot of information for them to soak in over this last 4 weeks, but this weekend they get to put it to good use on the lake for our fishing trip.
February 6 the Arizona Elk Society Heroes Rising Outdoors, in cooperation with EmpoweRanch, held its first of 8 spring VORTEX equine therapy sessions. This spring, we have 6 veterans attending our program, and our first session was held on a beautiful sunny day! When everyone had assembled, we had our regular first session introductions, and each veteran learned about EmpoweRanch and the Arizona Elk Society. We then went around and had a time of introduction. During this time, we asked each veteran to tell a little bit about themselves, what branch they served in, how they were feeling for the day, and what they were looking to get out of the VORTEX program this spring.
I think the word of the day for feeling was anxious, not knowing what to expect. Which we find is a common theme for our first of any veterans programs that we run. What is really cool is to see that anxiousness sort of float away during introductions, interactions with each other, and a feeling of ease come over everyone. The ranch truly is a place of relaxation and a chance to step away from normal everyday life, even if only for a couple of hours. After introductions, each veteran got a tour of the ranch and got to meet the horses. We are excited 
about what the next 7 weeks will bring in this class.
Thursday, February 13th, we gathered with veterans and the VORTEX team for our second spring ‘25 HRO VORTEX (Veterans Outdoor Recreational Therapy Equine Xperience) session. It was a cool afternoon that quickly gave way to a welcomed drizzle, providing a relaxing setting for the day’s activities. What was intended to serve as a check in turned into an extended opportunity to decompress, provide and receive support, practice active listening skills, reflect, express empathy, provide resource-sharing, and for camaraderie-building.
We savored delicious snacks as we shared the good and bad of the past week’s experiences. As we all shared, we learned more about each other and how we navigate the trials of life as well as how we can support each other moving forward. We also had the opportunity to celebrate each person’s win for the week, and each person had a significant highlight worthy of celebration! We’ll ask permission to share a couple of these wins in a future post.
One of the biggest takeaways our team noticed was the compassion shown and willingness to stand by each other’s side in support, strengthening the sense of community and camaraderie. It means a lot when someone is willing to put themselves out there and be vulnerable and for another fellow veteran to step up and let them know they would be honored to stand by their side and have their back.
Sometimes it’s not all about the horses at these sessions, and this was one of those days where the value of connecting with the equines came toward the end of the session. It showed up as an invitation to come together as you wish, without pressure and without expectation, and know that by being a little vulnerable, opening up, and establishing relationships with each individual in the herd based on mutual trust and respect, we can create meaningful bonds and friendships that over time can enhance our lives, lift us up, and bring new perspectives that guide us toward an improved quality of life. We’re grateful to be able to provide these experiences, and we’re looking forward to the next session where we’ll get to know the horses, each other, and ourselves a little better.
This premier training symposium by Western National Parks Association (WNPA),brings together the public lands community for an impactful event from June 24–26, 2025, at The Westin La Paloma Resort and Spa in Tucson, Arizona.
Registration is underway for TerraSync 2025, a three-day training symposium designed to equip public lands professionals with essential skills, knowledge, and connections. The event features training sessions approved by the Department of the Interior and developed in collaboration with the National Park Service (NPS) leadership.
"TerraSync 2025 offers attendees the skills, connections, and fresh perspectives needed to support national parks and public lands,” said Marie Buck, President and Chief Executive Officer of WNPA. “This event fosters collaboration, innovation, and meaningful dialogue in a setting that celebrates the diverse cultures within the public lands community. Attendees will cultivate essential professional relationships and gain forward-thinking strategies to enhance visitor experiences and strengthen stewardship efforts as we work together to preserve our natural, cultural, and historical heritage.”
Keynote Speakers:
TerraSync 2025 is particularly beneficial for frontline and mid-level leaders who form the backbone of many conservation and public lands organizations. Special guestroom rates are available at The Westin La Paloma Resort and Spa for attendees.
For more information and to register, visit http://terrasync.org.
February 28th HRO Golf Outing
March 1st Wild in the City
April 5th Mesa Banquet
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