As we rolled out two Arizona Elk Society banquets in 3 weeks, I hummed the song with the lyrics “Welcome back, welcome back!” It was so wonderful to see friends and new folks who came to the banquet in Flagstaff and the banquet in Mesa. Two fun-filled nights! I think we were all itching for a carefree night out with friends and family.

My special thanks to ALL the volunteers and the AES staff that made these two banquets run smooth as silk. If any of you have wondered if AES did the smart thing buying a building, my answer is YES! We were able to efficiently organize and package all the pieces that make a banquet a success. Not to sit on our laurels, we will begin planning for next year very soon, and hope to have the White Mountains banquet back up and running.

Arizona Elk Society’s Heroes Rising Outdoors received an awesome gift that will be the foundation of a board-approved fund for this program. Hunts are already being lined up for our veterans. If by chance you have an Arizona big game tag you will not be using, consider donating it to AES Hunts for Heroes. The rains came! What an amazing monsoon season, the likes of which are almost too much! I have reports from Arizona elk country that the water tanks are filled and it is green everywhere, including on recent fire scars. A bit of a tip–pay attention to those recently burned areas. Elk and deer find a lot of good “eats” in those places.

AES will be hosting a youth elk camp again this year in Unit 6A and we are planning a Wild in the City day in November. Check in at our web site for details. I do encourage you to volunteer for the many programs AES sponsors. You can easily sign up without commitment to let us know what interests you. Anything from helping at our warehouse, helping at a habitat project, becoming a certified sawyer, assisting at a banquet or youth event. You will have the opportunity to give back to conservation and meet many like-minded folks along the way.

For those of you who have a big game fall hunt–keep your powder dry! For those who do not, consider being a volunteer at one of our many Hunts for Heroes camps. What makes Arizona Elk Society such an awesome organization is YOU. Without our volunteers, most if not all of what we do would not be possible.