The Arizona Elk Society’s 25th Anniversary Banquet was nothing short of unforgettable. From the moment the doors opened, the room was filled with an electric energy that carried throughout the entire evening.
One of the biggest highlights of the night was our balloon raffle. In years past, we’ve sold around 600 balloons, typically selling out within the first ten minutes. This year, we decided 
toshake things up—offering 900 $20 balloons and introducing 100 premium $100 balloons. To say the response exceeded expectations would be an understatement. The $100 balloons sold out within minutes, and the remaining balloons quickly followed. It’s safe to say we’ve set a new bar, and who knows how many we’ll offer next year!
Our new merchandise lineup was another crowd favorite, drawing plenty of attention throughout the evening. The Heroes Rising Outdoors challenge coins were especially popular, with many attendees eager to take one home as a meaningful keepsake.
Behind the scenes, the event was powered by an incredible team of 75 dedicated volunteers. Their hard work, enthusiasm, and commitment were truly the backbone of the evening—we simply could not have done it without them.
Adding to the excitement, our blackjack table made history this year by staying open past 10 PM for the first time ever. With Dave dealing a hot deck and guests eager to try their luck, the table remained packed well into the night. As the evening carried on, the atmosphere remained lively—drinks were flowing, laughter filled the room, and the sense of community was stronger than ever. Most importantly, the night achieved its ultimate goal: raising critical funds to support wildlife conservation efforts.
Celebrating 25 years of conservation, community, and impact, this year’s banquet was a powerful reminder of what can be accomplished when passionate people come together. It truly doesn’t get much better than that.
On Friday, February 13th, the Arizona Elk Society hosted our 2nd Annual Heroes Rising Outdoors (HRO) Fundraiser Golf Tournament at the beautiful Legacy Golf Course in south Phoenix. With an 8:00 AM shotgun start, 99 golfers took to the course in support of Arizona’s veterans and the outdoor experiences that help them heal.
The day began early as our dedicated volunteers arrived at 5:30 AM to set up registration and prepare the raffle and silent auction tables. Golfers were welcomed with coffee provided by the course and donuts to fuel up before teeing off. The weather and course conditions made for a fantastic day on the greens.
Players enjoyed a variety of on-course contests, including Long Drive, Closest to the Pin, a Cannon Shot hole, a Move-Up-a-Tee opportunity for those who pre-purchased tickets, and four Hole-in-One prize holes. Four of our veterans proudly served as official witnesses on the Hole-in-One holes. While no one carded an ace this year, there were plenty of great shots, friendly competition, and even bigger smiles throughout the day.
Following the round, golfers gathered for the awards ceremony and raffle drawings. Participants had the chance to win a wide range of prizes including attraction passes, range memberships, gift baskets, gift cards, and more. Our silent auction featured exciting items such as safari packages, range finders, hot air balloon rides, Phoenix Raceway tickets, an Arizona Cardinals signed football, firearms, and additional high-value items that generated enthusiastic bidding.
We also recognized the top three teams, awarded contest winners, and drew the highly anticipated Super Raffle winner before everyone enjoyed a delicious Southwest BBQ lunch together.
Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, golfers, donors, and volunteers, we raised $10,600 to directly support Heroes Rising Outdoors programs serving Arizona’s veterans.
We are incredibly grateful to everyone who helped make the day such a success. Your support allows us to continue providing meaningful outdoor experiences that promote healing, camaraderie, and purpose for the men and women who have served our country.
We’re already looking forward to next year’s tournament!
If we could have ordered up a better day for Wild in the City, I’m not sure we could have done it. The morning started crisp and cool, and by afternoon, the sun warmed everything up just enough to make it a picture-perfect day at Ben Avery.
From the very first rotation, the event ran like clockwork. With a strong crew of dedicated volunteers at every station, the kids moved seamlessly through their activities, gaining hands-on experience and plenty of encouragement along the way. It’s always amazing to watch confidence build throughout the day as new skills turn into proud accomplishments.
Fishing absolutely stole the show this time around. The pond was alive with action, and the kids reeled in everything from bluegills to bass to catfish. There is nothing quite like the excitement of a bent fishing pole and a kid yelling, “I’ve got one!” The smiles on the shoreline said it all.
A huge highlight of the day was the incredible support from Scheels. Not only did they sponsor the event, but they also sent volunteers to jump in and help. Their generosity went above and beyond—each child went home with their very own fishing rod and a Scheels gift card. For many of these kids, that means the opportunity to keep fishing long after the event is over. We are so grateful for partners like Scheels who believe in investing in the next generation of outdoorsmen and women.
Over the lunch hour, the AZ Raptor Center gave the kids an experience they won’t soon forget. They introduced a magnificent great horned owl—who the kids even had the opportunity to gently pet—as well as a striking red-tailed hawk. Seeing these birds up close sparked curiosity and great questions, and it was a powerful reminder of why we teach kids to appreciate and conserve wildlife.
Days like this don’t happen without volunteers who show up early, stay late, and pour their energy into making sure every child feels successful. Because of them, the day ran smoothly, safely, and full of positive momentum from start to finish.
Wild in the City never gets old. Every event brings new faces, new stories, and new memories. February 21st was another reminder of why we do what we do—connecting kids to the outdoors, building confidence, and creating experiences that last far beyond a single Saturday.
We’re already looking forward to the next one! We have registration for Wapiti Weekend coming up on March 3rd. Wapiti Weekend will be held at Camp Raymond May 22nd-24th.
I’m sorry to say the next Wild in the City isn’t until November 14th, 2026. Anyhow, mark your calendars!
Our class dates run April 7, 14, 21, 28 at our offices in Peoria from 2-4 PM. Our trip is at the R Bar C Ranch outside of Payson on May 1-3.
We ask that you can commit to 75 percent of the classes to be eligible for the trip. We have very knowledgeable instructors who teach you fly fishing basics. There is no cost for signing up, and you will be provided with all equipment you need for fishing, yours to keep after the program. Email Russ for more info!
We are looking for 2 cooks to join us for the weekend. There is a cabin and kitchen to work with and meals are already planned.
If you have questions, please email Russ
AES is planning for sawyer projects this spring. We currently have a recertification class scheduled in February. We are working on scheduling a new sawyer program as well. Please fill out the form if you are interested. FYI - Sawyers are people who saw timbers. If you have already been in contact with me, you are on the list!
Your donation dollars at work! This picture is from August 19th in Northern Arizona. AES volunteers are the boots on the ground delivering water throughout Arizona. Please consider volunteering or donating today. We live in the desert. It's all about the water!
Water during the birthing season keep the mothers healthy and helps the mothers produce better quality milk and more of it for the newborns.
Water helps distribute the Elk herds and other wildlife for better utilization of the available forage. Insufficient water distribution causes wildlife to gather in specific areas, leading to excessive habitat use. This overutilization results in habitat degradation and a depletion of available food resources.
There are many areas with great habitat for wildlife but no water to sustain them. If we could increase water in areas of quality wildlife habitat and forage we can sustain more wildlife. Higher herd numbers equals more tags for hunters.
It doesn't get much prettier than this! Our water haulers have been busy keeping the catchments filled. OVER 225,000 gallons so far this year. How can you help?
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