This Giving Tuesday, support Arizona Elk Society to protect wildlife, preserve habitats, and pass on outdoor traditions. Your gift helps fund youth camps, veteran hunts, and conservation efforts that make a lasting impact. Together, we can make a difference!
Project season is wrapping up and we're already planning for next summer. Stay tuned for updates about and volunteer opportunities. To get on the list early click below to email Russ.
We are opening registration for our winter Bass Class! This class is for all veterans. We have a limited amount of spots available so if you're interested please register right away. Here are the details:
Bass Class - This is a beginner fishing class learning all the ins and outs of bass fishing
When: Four classes at our office in Peoria 1/23, 2/4, 2/11, 2/18 followed by our fishing trip 2/21-2/23
We have some new guidelines for all of our HRO programs. Please email Russ for details and registration. Hope to see you there!
On November 7, Our fourth Arizona Elk Society Heroes Rising Outdoors VORTEX session was held on Thursday, November 7th with the most beautiful weather yet this fall. Our focus for the week was on bringing awareness to the connection between mind and body. We started off our session with Dancer and Grand frolicking together in the turnout, kicking off our session with observations, inquiries, and discussions around horse behavior, communication, and intent. For our check in, we each shared our name, a word or two to describe how we felt that day, what part(s) of our body tend to hold stress or anxiety, and a movement for all of us to stretch and release tension.
We found that most of us held our stress in our shoulders, neck, and jaw, so our movements let us loosen up some of those areas. Some of our veterans described their experience with the damage caused by our bodies holding in that stress over time. We then proposed an option of doing a body scan meditation next or holding that off as an optional activity at the end to ensure more hands-on time with the horses. I’ll bet you can guess which option overwhelmingly won!
After discussing some techniques and approaches to reduce the negative impact of stress on our bodies, we related that topic to the horses. We learned about different ways to identify
where the horses' energy levels are, outward signs of stress, and signs of relaxation or relief from stress or anxiety in the horse. We then tied Dancer and Grand to the rail and invited everyone into the arena for instruction on reading the horses’ body language, understanding how our presence and positioning of our bodies can apply pressure and why that’s important while the horses are tied, equine instincts as prey animals, and interacting with the horses safely while building a mutually respectful and trust-based relationship with the horses.
Then, everyone chose which grooming tool they wanted to start with and got to work, grooming Dancer and Grand from mane to tail! Throughout the experience, our veterans made inferences about the horses’ energy levels, noted signs of relaxation, and recognized that over time building mutual trust and respect with the horses, the horses relaxed and found comfort in the experience (and vice versa). This was just as much an enjoyable and fulfilling experience as it was a learning one. Dancer got her mane and tail braided beautifully and received so much love and care.
Toward the end of the grooming time, one of our veterans challenged himself to learn how to pick their hooves for the first time. Grand, who’s had to recover from some pain and discomfort in his front hooves and leg in the past, has been known to be resistant to allowing his front hooves to be picked if he’s not completely comfortable… especially with new people. However, when this veteran approached him with love, confidence, trust, and respect, Grand rewarded him with full cooperation for the entire time.
When it came time to wrap up, each horse was taken back to their stall by a veteran with the guidance of our team, and we gathered back where we started to recap and reflect. Everyone’s demeanor was like night and day from when we first began with smiles all around, relaxed shoulders, and an excitement to share about the connections made during the experience.
The insights shared brought it all home, such as how when we intentionally try to identify how stress presents in our body and release that, the horses notice and reflect that release as well. Once we all became more comfortable and relaxed, the horses relaxed, too. The experience of building that relationship, building trust and respect, with the horses was a huge takeaway. We also discussed recognizing when important relationships are not, or become no longer, reflective of our expectations and boundaries of trust and respect for ourselves and our communities. We even had an excellent conversation around ADA rights and service animals, and it made all the difference for these insights and resources to be shared veteran-to-veteran.
November 14, The Heroes Rising Outdoors held its 5th of 8 VORTEX sessions. We started at our usual time of introductions and getting ready for the session. Each person got a chance to introduce themselves and tell how they were feeling that day and then got to talk about an event that they were anxious or nervous how it would turn out, but in the long run, it became very rewarding. It was interesting how everyone had a different perspective and story to tell. After each person was done describing that event, they got a chance to lead the group in a movement that helped them to relieve stress.
We headed out to greet the horses after that, and then one of our veterans got to lead Dancer to the round pen. Here each person got to spend 5 minutes inside the round pen with Dancer. They had the option of leading the horse, grooming, or doing whatever they felt like. Then we observed the horse’s behavior during each person’s time and talked about what we noticed. This was another great session of VORTEX, and it's sad to think that we only have 3 sessions left in our fall program.
November 21, The Heroes Rising Outdoors along with EmpoweRanch held its 6th of 8 VORTEX session. This week we moved to a new ranch that will become the forever home of EmpoweRanch. This is very exciting news as Jessica has been looking for a forever home for a long time. To celebrate, she brought everyone Tacos and chips, and we also had another volunteer bring donuts. We sat around the table while we ate, and discussed future plans about how to build up the new place, and ideas were shared amongst everyone.
After that, it was time for check-in, where each person told how their week had gone. With Thanksgiving close and since we aren’t meeting next week, the question for the week was what are you thankful for? As a non-veteran, it always amazes me to hear the things that our veterans are thankful for. Usually, simple things that we take for granted, they are thankful for, and it teaches you to be humble and truly look at the world from a different perspective. Each volunteer not only helps at these events, but they also grow as a person at these events. This is what makes these programs so rewarding.
After our check-in session, we took a tour of the new facility and shared more ideas and plans for the future. This new ranch has a place to turn the horses out, a place for composting and a raised garden bed, an archery range already set up, and will be a great home for EmpoweRanch. When the tour was done, one of our veterans led Dancer out and we set up an obstacle course. It was set up in a barrel racing configuration, and each veteran got a chance to lead Dancer around the course. We will resume our VORTEX sessions in two weeks after Thanksgiving.
We’re thrilled to share another successful Wild in the City event, held at the Ben Avery Shooting Range on November 17th. This one-day outdoor skills camp, organized for kids aged 6-16, brought together families and volunteers for a memorable day filled with learning, fun, and connection to nature.
This time, we had a younger group of participants, with only two teenagers among the crowd. It was heartwarming to see how well-mannered and engaged the kids were throughout the day. One particularly unforgettable moment was during our group photo session. We always aim to include the horses in the picture, but it’s not always easy to manage. This group of kids impressed everyone by staying so quiet and patient that you could’ve heard a pin drop as the horses were led into position. Even the parents were amazed by their cooperation!
The day was packed with a variety of hands-on activities designed to teach outdoor skills and spark curiosity. The kids rotated through stations that included:
During our lunch break, we enjoyed pizza while Nancy, the Wildlife Education Outreach Coordinator from the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), captivated everyone with an incredible presentation. She brought owls, falcons, and other wildlife, giving the kids an up-close and personal experience with these amazing animals. Her dedication and enthusiasm made
the presentation a standout highlight of the day.
As the event wound down, we handed out a special gift to each child: a brand-new sleeping bag courtesy of the Arizona Elk Society. This has become one of my favorite traditions, as it’s also a chance to hear what the kids enjoyed most. While archery and shooting were the most popular activities, there were plenty of votes for fire starting, owl pellets, survival bracelet making, and fishing.
The joy and smiles on the faces of kids, parents, and volunteers were a testament to the success of the day. Our mission is to equip these young adventurers with new skills and inspire them to explore the incredible natural beauty of Arizona.
None of this would be possible without the incredible support of our volunteers, parents, and partners. A huge thank you to Nancy and the AZGFD for enriching our program with their wildlife presentation and EmpoweRanch for bringing the horses. And, of course, a heartfelt thank you to the Arizona Elk Society team for making Wild in the City an event to remember.
We’re already looking forward to the next Wild in the City and the opportunity to continue fostering a love for the outdoors in the next generation. Thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed to this wonderful experience!
Our Scholarship Application is open. APPLY NOW! Arizona Elk Society gives 2 scholarships to high school seniors and 1 to a college student. Please pass this information to a student if your life. Click above for the application.
We have several youth events coming up that you will want to mark your calendar for.
November 17 Wild in the City
December 14 Volunteer Lunch
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