Steve Merlo: Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation dinner helps worthy cause
| Friday, Apr 10 2009 02:36 PM
Last Updated Friday, Apr 10 2009 02:36 PM
Nothing in life sends shivers of excitement up and down one's back more than the spine-tingling bugle of a rutting bull elk in the wild. Very few North American animals have the size, antlers, cunning and beauty of these game animals, and hunters worldwide will attest to the difficulty of bagging a mature specimen. Whether taken by bow or rifle, any of the three species in America are a challenge, and thousands of hunters travel many miles to destinations across America for a crack at bagging one of these magnificent animals. The elk, called Wapiti by some, have seen a tremendous population growth in the last several decades, and a lot of that growth can be directly attributed to the work of conservationist groups like the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.
The 7th annual Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation dinner and banquet will be April 18 at the Kern County Fairgrounds. A social hour starts at 4:30, followed by dinner, raffles, games, and auctions. More than 30 guns, plus tons of outdoor gear and wildlife art, will be given away. The event has moved to one of the larger buildings in the fair complex.
The RMEF has permanently protected more than 1,100 square miles of habitat, not only for elk, but for all wildlife during the last 25 years. The organization has also been responsible for opening up a half-million acres of lands so the public could hunt, fish and roam, including the enhancement of an additional 5.3-million acres of elk habitat.
The group has funded more than 5,700 projects promoting conservation education and our hunting heritage through chapter events like the one next Saturday night, and need to be supported by everyone interested in the continuing propogation of elk nationwide, including California.
Individual, couple, sponsor and table packages are yet available at lowered prices. Call Cindy Seitz-Krug (661) 835-7065 or Tricia Williams (661) 303-0101 for more information.
In sympathy
The local outdoor world mourns the loss of outdoorsman Bobby Lewis, 59, local teacher and longtime Golden Empire Bass Club member. Bobby's always-smiling, bubbling personality will be sorely missed by friends and family. A charter member of the GEBC, Bobby ran the raffle at each and every club meeting since the club's inception some 30 years ago. I am happy to say he was also my friend, and I learned an awful lot about light tackle fishing from him. Our sincere condolences to his family and also all those who knew him. He'll be missed.
Isabella Derby pays big
Two lucky anglers (Okay, so maybe they were skillful anglers...) broke some nearly impossible odds this weekend by each catching a tagged trout worth $10,000 at the Isabella Lake Trout Derby, where a record 8,820 people signed up for the 20th annual event. Paying out cash for more than 320 tagged fish returned to derby headquarters, an additional $1,000 was paid to another angler for catching the longest trout.
The 23.5-inch rainbow brought the total payout for the three-day event to $30,640, the largest in the event's history. Sponsored by the Kern River Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Derby has become famous statewide, drawing larger and larger crowds each year.
"There are still many uncaught, tagged fish swimming in the lake," said spokesman Rex Emerson. "There are 19 fish worth $100 each and a single $1,000 fish still to be caught by a registered fisherman until May 6. That fish was originally the $20,000 trout planted for the event, but it was never caught during the Derby's legal angling hours."
Emerson said he thought an additional 4,000-5,000 people were also on hand for the fishing contest.
"A lot of family members went along for the outing, but quite a few didn't want to get their hands slimey with trout," Emerson joked. "But the Derby was still a great shot in the arm for the Kern River Valley and its residents."
For the winning numbers of tagged fish, derby entrants can go to derby.kernrivervalley.com to check for possible winners. Anglers have until May 6 to bring in prize-winning fish.
These are Steve Merlo's opinions, and not necessarily The Californian's. His column appears every Friday. Write him at merloworms@bak.rr.com.
